The Scilly Season starts

The Scillonian III from Bar Point, St. Mary's with a Grey Seal pup in the foreground

After watching the England u21 football team beat Rumania 2-1 at Carrow Road, Mark Golley and I set out on Friday night for Land's End, to catch our flight to the Isles of Scilly. The journey was quite eventful, finding a freshly-dead Otter lying in the middle of the A303 (at about 3am) and then having great views of a Badger feeding on the side of the road just before the M5. The badger was feeding on a grass verge on the side of the A30 and wasn't overly fussed about our presence.
We arrived at Land's End at just after 5am and set about getting a few hours kip in the car before having a full-English and then catching our 9.50 flight over to St. Mary's. We checked into our apartment and started to unpack, but after only 10 minutes in the house the Mega-alert was sounding with the message "MEGA Black-eared Wheatear, Isles of Scilly, St. Mary's at Star Castle". We were off!
We headed up to the Garrison to find 50 or so birders milling around aimlessly. The bird had flown off and nobody had managed to relocate it. I took the opportunity to catch up with a few birders I'd not seen for a while (Ian Lewington, Dick Filby, Will Wagstaff and a few others), but not long later the bird was relocated on the rocks at the bottom of the King Charles battery. It fed on the cliff sides and on the big boulders below. Judging by the lovely buffy tones of this bird it is certainly a Western Black-eared Wheatear.
After doing our groceries shopping, Mark and I grabbed a pasty from the Kavorna and caught the bus up to MacFarland Downs. At this point I feel that I should mention something about the amount of birders on the island. There was about 100 people at the wheatear, plus I guess there might be quite a few people on the off-island, but it appears that although 100 people could make it to see a rare wheatear, hardly any of them could actually make it out birding. Mark and I walked the whole length of the island this afternoon (Bar Point to The Garrison) and only saw about 10 people out birding, so it appears that there are hardly any birders on the island at all. This is good in one way – if there's something cripplingly rare out there, perhaps we'll have a chance of finding it, but the downside of this is that if we, or a handful of other birders don't find it, it could be quite a rare-free week.
Anyway, we headed across MacFarland Downs, across to the bulb dump, down to the shore, along to Bar Point and then back to Hugh Town via Porthloo. The best bird we saw was only a Pied Flycatcher, but a few Spotted Flycatchers, Common Sandpiper and a few Northern Wheatears broke up the afternoon.
There was also a nice seal pup hauled up on a boat launch near Bar Point which lay still long enough to get it in frame with the Scillonian Ferry in the background.

You can right-click 'View image' to get larger images of the photos below.

Western Black-eared Wheatear

Western Black-eared Wheatear

Western Black-eared Wheatear

Western Black-eared Wheatear

Western Black-eared Wheatear

Western Black-eared Wheatear

Pied Flycatcher

Pied Flycatcher

The Scillonian III from Bar Point, St. Mary's with a Grey Seal pup in the foreground

After watching the England u21 football team beat Rumania 2-1 at Carrow Road, Mark Golley and I set out on Friday night for Land's End, to catch our flight to the Isles of Scilly. The journey was quite eventful, finding a freshly-dead Otter lying in the middle of the A303 (at about 3am) and then having great views of a Badger feeding on the side of the road just before the M5. The badger was feeding on a grass verge on the side of the A30 and wasn't overly fussed about our presence.
We arrived at Land's End at just after 5am and set about getting a few hours kip in the car before having a full-English and then catching our 9.50 flight over to St. Mary's. We checked into our apartment and started to unpack, but after only 10 minutes in the house the Mega-alert was sounding with the message "MEGA Black-eared Wheatear, Isles of Scilly, St. Mary's at Star Castle". We were off!
We headed up to the Garrison to find 50 or so birders milling around aimlessly. The bird had flown off and nobody had managed to relocate it. I took the opportunity to catch up with a few birders I'd not seen for a while (Ian Lewington, Dick Filby, Will Wagstaff and a few others), but not long later the bird was relocated on the rocks at the bottom of the King Charles battery. It fed on the cliff sides and on the big boulders below. Judging by the lovely buffy tones of this bird it is certainly a Western Black-eared Wheatear.
After doing our groceries shopping, Mark and I grabbed a pasty from the Kavorna and caught the bus up to MacFarland Downs. At this point I feel that I should mention something about the amount of birders on the island. There was about 100 people at the wheatear, plus I guess there might be quite a few people on the off-island, but it appears that although 100 people could make it to see a rare wheatear, hardly any of them could actually make it out birding. Mark and I walked the whole length of the island this afternoon (Bar Point to The Garrison) and only saw about 10 people out birding, so it appears that there are hardly any birders on the island at all. This is good in one way – if there's something cripplingly rare out there, perhaps we'll have a chance of finding it, but the downside of this is that if we, or a handful of other birders don't find it, it could be quite a rare-free week.
Anyway, we headed across MacFarland Downs, across to the bulb dump, down to the shore, along to Bar Point and then back to Hugh Town via Porthloo. The best bird we saw was only a Pied Flycatcher, but a few Spotted Flycatchers, Common Sandpiper and a few Northern Wheatears broke up the afternoon.
There was also a nice seal pup hauled up on a boat launch near Bar Point which lay still long enough to get it in frame with the Scillonian Ferry in the background.

You can right-click 'View image' to get larger images of the photos below.

Western Black-eared Wheatear

Western Black-eared Wheatear

Western Black-eared Wheatear

Western Black-eared Wheatear

Western Black-eared Wheatear

Western Black-eared Wheatear

Pied Flycatcher

Pied Flycatcher

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Quite

Been a quite week with a bit of ringing in the garden this aft .

10 more Goldfinch ringed and a few House Sparrows

A new visitor to the bottom of the garden today 

2 wigeon dropped in just as we sat having a Cuppa

I have been out and about this week doing a spot of birdwatching and photography

winter is well on the way 

i had

a Barnacle goose down at Laxey harbour

a Pinkfooted goose down at Derbyhaven

and a couple of Red Throated Diver at the Ayres 

Been a quite week with a bit of ringing in the garden this aft .

10 more Goldfinch ringed and a few House Sparrows

A new visitor to the bottom of the garden today 

2 wigeon dropped in just as we sat having a Cuppa

I have been out and about this week doing a spot of birdwatching and photography

winter is well on the way 

i had

a Barnacle goose down at Laxey harbour

a Pinkfooted goose down at Derbyhaven

and a couple of Red Throated Diver at the Ayres 

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Mute Swan A84

Just got this back from Kev

Mute Swan A84 was ringed as an 8F on 08/06/2006 at Eary Dam, Foxdale.

It was resighted on 23/01/2007 in Ramsey Harbour and then resighted again on

17/01/2008 at Ballanette, Lonan.

Now in Laxey

Just got this back from Kev

Mute Swan A84 was ringed as an 8F on 08/06/2006 at Eary Dam, Foxdale.

It was resighted on 23/01/2007 in Ramsey Harbour and then resighted again on

17/01/2008 at Ballanette, Lonan.

Now in Laxey

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Last few days

A couple of mornings spent down at Port Lewaigue  this week  brought a few late warblers 

 4  Blackcaps

 1 Chiffchaff

 9 Goldcrest

 2 Blackbirds

 2 Robins

 2 Dunnocks

Also been trying for Gulls with large spring trap but they are getting wise to it and staying away.

T1XB was seen again yesterday near the pier in Ramsey

3 Rock Pipits ringed at Port Moore this week, we hope to start individually colour ringing these soon

also 3 Meadow Pipits, Robin and Goldfinch.

Port e Vullen {Garden}

12 Goldfinch

7 Siskin

1 Blue Tit

1 House Sparrow

A Trip down to Laxey harbour today for Gulls and a look round 

2 Mute Swans in harbour with a Barnacle Goose 1 of them with a colour ring on A84, i have passed this on to Kev.

I noticed A83 in Ramsey harbour about a month ago. I passed this on to Kane Bride from WWT and this is what he came back with A83 was ringed with BTO X2284 on 13/04/2006 at Billown Mansion Dam Isle of Man SC2669

A couple of mornings spent down at Port Lewaigue  this week  brought a few late warblers 

 4  Blackcaps

 1 Chiffchaff

 9 Goldcrest

 2 Blackbirds

 2 Robins

 2 Dunnocks

Also been trying for Gulls with large spring trap but they are getting wise to it and staying away.

T1XB was seen again yesterday near the pier in Ramsey

3 Rock Pipits ringed at Port Moore this week, we hope to start individually colour ringing these soon

also 3 Meadow Pipits, Robin and Goldfinch.

Port e Vullen {Garden}

12 Goldfinch

7 Siskin

1 Blue Tit

1 House Sparrow

A Trip down to Laxey harbour today for Gulls and a look round 

2 Mute Swans in harbour with a Barnacle Goose 1 of them with a colour ring on A84, i have passed this on to Kev.

I noticed A83 in Ramsey harbour about a month ago. I passed this on to Kane Bride from WWT and this is what he came back with A83 was ringed with BTO X2284 on 13/04/2006 at Billown Mansion Dam Isle of Man SC2669

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SEPTEMBER 2010: Notable bird sightings in Extremadura

Photo: Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), River Tiétar, Cáceres, 29-09-2010 (Juan Pablo Resino).

-Avocet: 28 at Portaje reservoir (Cáceres) on 26/09 (Sergio Mayordomo).
-Savi's Warbler: 1 at Valdefuentes gravel pit, Galisteo (Cáceres) on 03/09 (S.Mayordomo).
-Garganey: One eclipse drake at Moheda Alta reservoir, Navalvillar de Pela (Badajoz) on 05/09 (Eva Palacios and S.Mayordomo).
-Kentish Plover: Navalvillar de Pela (Badajoz): 1 at Moheda Alta on 05/09 (E.Palacios and S.Mayordomo); at Casas de Hitos 2 on 05/09 (E.Palacios, Steve Fletcher and S.Mayordomo) and 3 on 11/09 (Martin Kelsey). At Valdesalor reservoir (Cáceres) 1 on 22/09 and 27/09 (S.Mayordomo).
-White Stork: 2850 at Mérida landfill site (Badajoz) on 28/09 (Ángel Sánchez).
-Black Stork: a 40-bird flock flying over the A-5 road in Trujillo (Cáceres) on 09/09 (M.Kelsey) and 35 birds in several flocks at Gabriel and Galán reservoir (Cáceres) on 15/09 (Alberto Pacheco).
- Temminck's Stint: At Casas de Hitos, Navalvillar de Pela (Badajoz), 1 on 05/09 (E.Palacios, S.Fletcher and S.Mayordomo) and 11/09 (M.Kelsey).
-Pectoral Sandpiper: 2 at Galisteo lake (Cáceres) from 17 to 19/09 (Javier Prieta, Ricardo Montero, S.Mayordomo, César Clemente, E.Palacios, Memole, José Ramón Martín).
-Curlew Sandpiper: 2 adults and 1 juvenile at Valdesalor reservoir (Cáceres) on 04/09 (Carlos Fernández and Jerónimo Jaén). At Casas de Hitos (Badajoz) 2 juveniles on 05/09 (E.Palacios, S.Fletcher and S.Mayordomo) and 1 bird on 11/09 (M.Kelsey). One juvenile at Portaje reservoir (Cáceres) on 26/09 (S.Mayordomo)
-Spoonbill: 38 at Valdesalor reservoir (Cáceres) on 04/09 (J.Jaén), 44 at Charco Salado, Casatejada (Cáceres) on 06/09 (E.Palacios and S.Mayordomo); at Los Canchales reservoir (Badajoz) 60 on 08/09 (Fernando Yuste) and over 100 on 26/09 (Á.Sánchez)
-Pheasant: One male at Galisteo (Cáceres) on 19/09 (C.Clemente and Javier Mahillo)
-Red-Necked Phalarope: One at Los Canchales reservoir (Cáceres) on 08/09 (F.Yuste).
-Yellow Wagtail: One bird of the flavissima subspecies at Guijo de Coria (Cáceres) on 14/09 (J.Prieta) and another at Torreorgaz (Cáceres) on 26/09 (S.Mayordomo).
-Red-Crested Pochard: One female at Portaje reservoir (Cáceres) on 26/09 (S.Mayordomo).
-Black-Necked Grebe: 2 adults at Sierra Brava reservoir (Cáceres) on 05/09 (E.Palacios, S.Fletcher and S.Mayordomo).

Last sightings of summer visitors
-Bee-eater: Several birds on 06/09 in Plasencia, Cáceres (J.Prieta).
-Honey Buzzard: One at Gata (Cáceres) on 12/09 (Paco Buénaga and Javier Prieta).
-Woodchat Shrike: One juvenile at Toril (Cáceres) on 12/09 (E.Palacios).
-Purple Heron: One at Valdefuentes gravel pit, Galisteo (Cáceres) on 19/09 (C.Clemente, Javier Briz, J.Mahillo and Vicente Risco).
-Black Kite: One on 09/09 in Trujillo (Cáceres) (M.Kelsey) and another on 21/09 at Torreorgaz (S.Mayordomo).
-Golden Oriole: one male at Casas del Castañar (Cáceres) on 03/09 (J.Prieta).

First post-breeding records
-Skylark: One at Galisteo lake (Cáceres) on 28/09 (J.Prieta).
-Tree Pipit: Over 20 at Jerte reservoir (Cáceres) on 16/09 (J.Prieta) and 1 at Villanueva de la Vera on 17/09 (Dave Langlois).
-Tawny Pipit: Several birds at Acedera, Orellana, Mérida, Los Canchales and La Serena (Badajoz) between 21/09 and 27/09 (Á.Sánchez).
-Meadow Pipit: 4 at Galisteo (Cáceres) on 26/09 (S.Mayordomo) and scores of birds at Jerte reservoir (Cáceres) on 29/09 (J.Prieta).
-Iberian Chiffchaff: One bird singing at Galisteo (Cáceres) on 03/09 (S.Mayordomo).
-Bluethroat: 1 at Valdefuentes gravel pit, Galisteo (Cáceres) on 19/09 (C.Clemente, J.Briz, J.Mahillo and V.Risco).
-Wigeon: One pair at Casas de Hitos, Navalvillar de Pela (Badajoz) on 05/09 (E.Palacios, S.Fletcher and S.Mayordomo).
-Wryneck: 2 in Plasencia (Cáceres) on 06/09 (R.Montero) and 1 at Piornal (Cáceres) on 11/09 (E.Palacios).

Photo: Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), River Tiétar, Cáceres, 29-09-2010 (Juan Pablo Resino).

-Avocet: 28 at Portaje reservoir (Cáceres) on 26/09 (Sergio Mayordomo).
-Savi's Warbler: 1 at Valdefuentes gravel pit, Galisteo (Cáceres) on 03/09 (S.Mayordomo).
-Garganey: One eclipse drake at Moheda Alta reservoir, Navalvillar de Pela (Badajoz) on 05/09 (Eva Palacios and S.Mayordomo).
-Kentish Plover: Navalvillar de Pela (Badajoz): 1 at Moheda Alta on 05/09 (E.Palacios and S.Mayordomo); at Casas de Hitos 2 on 05/09 (E.Palacios, Steve Fletcher and S.Mayordomo) and 3 on 11/09 (Martin Kelsey). At Valdesalor reservoir (Cáceres) 1 on 22/09 and 27/09 (S.Mayordomo).
-White Stork: 2850 at Mérida landfill site (Badajoz) on 28/09 (Ángel Sánchez).
-Black Stork: a 40-bird flock flying over the A-5 road in Trujillo (Cáceres) on 09/09 (M.Kelsey) and 35 birds in several flocks at Gabriel and Galán reservoir (Cáceres) on 15/09 (Alberto Pacheco).
- Temminck's Stint: At Casas de Hitos, Navalvillar de Pela (Badajoz), 1 on 05/09 (E.Palacios, S.Fletcher and S.Mayordomo) and 11/09 (M.Kelsey).
-Pectoral Sandpiper: 2 at Galisteo lake (Cáceres) from 17 to 19/09 (Javier Prieta, Ricardo Montero, S.Mayordomo, César Clemente, E.Palacios, Memole, José Ramón Martín).
-Curlew Sandpiper: 2 adults and 1 juvenile at Valdesalor reservoir (Cáceres) on 04/09 (Carlos Fernández and Jerónimo Jaén). At Casas de Hitos (Badajoz) 2 juveniles on 05/09 (E.Palacios, S.Fletcher and S.Mayordomo) and 1 bird on 11/09 (M.Kelsey). One juvenile at Portaje reservoir (Cáceres) on 26/09 (S.Mayordomo)
-Spoonbill: 38 at Valdesalor reservoir (Cáceres) on 04/09 (J.Jaén), 44 at Charco Salado, Casatejada (Cáceres) on 06/09 (E.Palacios and S.Mayordomo); at Los Canchales reservoir (Badajoz) 60 on 08/09 (Fernando Yuste) and over 100 on 26/09 (Á.Sánchez)
-Pheasant: One male at Galisteo (Cáceres) on 19/09 (C.Clemente and Javier Mahillo)
-Red-Necked Phalarope: One at Los Canchales reservoir (Cáceres) on 08/09 (F.Yuste).
-Yellow Wagtail: One bird of the flavissima subspecies at Guijo de Coria (Cáceres) on 14/09 (J.Prieta) and another at Torreorgaz (Cáceres) on 26/09 (S.Mayordomo).
-Red-Crested Pochard: One female at Portaje reservoir (Cáceres) on 26/09 (S.Mayordomo).
-Black-Necked Grebe: 2 adults at Sierra Brava reservoir (Cáceres) on 05/09 (E.Palacios, S.Fletcher and S.Mayordomo).

Last sightings of summer visitors
-Bee-eater: Several birds on 06/09 in Plasencia, Cáceres (J.Prieta).
-Honey Buzzard: One at Gata (Cáceres) on 12/09 (Paco Buénaga and Javier Prieta).
-Woodchat Shrike: One juvenile at Toril (Cáceres) on 12/09 (E.Palacios).
-Purple Heron: One at Valdefuentes gravel pit, Galisteo (Cáceres) on 19/09 (C.Clemente, Javier Briz, J.Mahillo and Vicente Risco).
-Black Kite: One on 09/09 in Trujillo (Cáceres) (M.Kelsey) and another on 21/09 at Torreorgaz (S.Mayordomo).
-Golden Oriole: one male at Casas del Castañar (Cáceres) on 03/09 (J.Prieta).

First post-breeding records
-Skylark: One at Galisteo lake (Cáceres) on 28/09 (J.Prieta).
-Tree Pipit: Over 20 at Jerte reservoir (Cáceres) on 16/09 (J.Prieta) and 1 at Villanueva de la Vera on 17/09 (Dave Langlois).
-Tawny Pipit: Several birds at Acedera, Orellana, Mérida, Los Canchales and La Serena (Badajoz) between 21/09 and 27/09 (Á.Sánchez).
-Meadow Pipit: 4 at Galisteo (Cáceres) on 26/09 (S.Mayordomo) and scores of birds at Jerte reservoir (Cáceres) on 29/09 (J.Prieta).
-Iberian Chiffchaff: One bird singing at Galisteo (Cáceres) on 03/09 (S.Mayordomo).
-Bluethroat: 1 at Valdefuentes gravel pit, Galisteo (Cáceres) on 19/09 (C.Clemente, J.Briz, J.Mahillo and V.Risco).
-Wigeon: One pair at Casas de Hitos, Navalvillar de Pela (Badajoz) on 05/09 (E.Palacios, S.Fletcher and S.Mayordomo).
-Wryneck: 2 in Plasencia (Cáceres) on 06/09 (R.Montero) and 1 at Piornal (Cáceres) on 11/09 (E.Palacios).

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update

Better shot this morning showing the Gt Spotted Woodpecker to be a juvenile.

Better shot this morning showing the Gt Spotted Woodpecker to be a juvenile.

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The October Blackbird Catches the Worm

As I stood on this first day of October, looking out onto the garden through the patio doors and watching the rain, I thought to myself, "Well there's no chance of any summer this year then." Part of the garden looks sodden and waterlogged, part of it looks sad and neglected, it all in fact looks rather a mess.

As I stood there contemplating the universe, how long a coalition government could

As I stood on this first day of October, looking out onto the garden through the patio doors and watching the rain, I thought to myself, "Well there's no chance of any summer this year then." Part of the garden looks sodden and waterlogged, part of it looks sad and neglected, it all in fact looks rather a mess.

As I stood there contemplating the universe, how long a coalition government could

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