29th May A slow day due to grim weather but did venture out to get the first Heath Fritillaries of the year at Hockley Woods where I found four non flighty freshly emerged individuals plus caterpillars. Nice to see these gems out again despite the weather.
18th May A very nice adult female Woodchat Shrike was found on West Canvey Marshes mid afternoon which I and the wife went and saw after work, such as that was. The bird was bright and mobile and now represents the third local Woodchat I've seen.
15th May As predicted I was sat in the airport lounge waiting to board the plane back to the mainland when the pager went off, three Tree Sparrows at Carn Friars. Not a major bird but still an island tick for me and I could have got them if I hadn't switched flights, next time I'll stay on as long as possible.
14th May Following a wet and windy night there was promise in the air but unfortunately it had downed no new birds. It was brisk first thing so I put all my layers on, regretted this later in the hot sun, and went down Peninnis Head in hope. There were five Wheatears at the far end, a couple of Stonechats and a Swallow in off the sea but little else.
Went then to Lower Moors but nothing happening there so headed to Salakee Lane and then to Porth Hellick Pool but very little was noted anywhere. A Lapwing was over Higher Moors near the pumping station and I then spent a good few hours photographing the super Swifts over Kittidown, where I really did overheat out of the wind. Later afternoon headed to the tea room for some refreshment and then headed back to town via Telegraph where a good looking field had a Wheatear, two Stock Doves and a male White Wagtail. I finished the day off with a female Marsh Harrier high over Lower Moors heading towards the north end of the island.
As it has been so quiet this spring, no less enjoyable though just being here, I decided to move my return flight for Saturday forward so I could get home relatively early in the day and not midnight, what's the betting a good bird will be found now.
13th May A look out of the window this morning showed sun and no wind so I decided to leave at least one of the coats behind today. This was a good move as it was actually warm, my ears copped the sun today. It started out looking promising bird wise when a Red Kite came on the pager over Holy Vale, a potential Scilly tick, but alas the only raptor I saw today was a Peregrine which was seen around St. Mary's at several places. Porth Hellick Pool was quiet so I headed to Pelistry but no sign of the Woodchat Shrike so I pressed on around the top end, seeing a Spotted Flycatcher at Trenoweth Pines. Took in the wonderful view across to Tresco from Bants Carn and then went for a tea at the High Lanes Tea Rooms where there was an arrival of Swallows, Swifts and Lemon Drizzle. From here went back to the Golf Course where there were nine Wheatears but not a lot else, still the view was again wonderful. Walked back past Newford Duck Pond, the shrike had been seen so I went back there, no sign again so I then slowly headed back to town via Kittidown as it was now getting late, photographed Swifts here as the cold wind was getting up again.
Seems to be even less birds around than when it was cold and windy but still enjoying the place.
12th May The morning started of bright and rather warm and I thought that I was going to swelter during the day with all the layers I was wearing, I certainly began to feel warm whilst walking around the Garrison where I photographed more Wheatears. However the weather changed shortly after getting on to the St. Agnes boat and by mid way across it was cold and tipping it down. On arrival I took shelter in the quay-side waiting room so I could sort out the cover for the camera.
Once done I ventured out in the rain which was now letting up. At Porth Killier there were Dunlins, Turnstone, Sanderling and Whimbrel on the beach which I took some time to photograph, nice in summer plumage. I the walked around Browarth and the up to the Parsonage, noting Wheatears and numerous Swallows on the way. A Garden Warbler was at the Parsonage, I noted that a number of the large trees, like others I had seen on St. Mary's this spring, had been hacked back.
After a drink from the Post Office Stores I headed off down Barnaby Lane where a Cuckoo was singing constantly and I tried to turn a Lesser Whitethroat into something better. The same I did for a fly over Wood Sandpiper but alas I could not make them into anything else.
A good stomp around Wingletang, Warna's Cove and Cove Vean produced the usual Wheatears but another Garden Warbler was at Cove Vean near the tea rooms.
After returning to St. Mary's on the 4.30pm boat I went to Lower Moors for the Wood Sandpiper which had appeared here earlier in the day but alas it had gone a good hour and half before I arrived. Still Sedge Warblers and a Willow Warbler showed well.
Once thing for this trip I becoming reacquainted with the commoner birds again, birds such as Dunlin, Sedge Warbler and so on so often get a brief look back home as they a common but when there's little else to look at here you realised Sedge Warblers are striking birds.
11th May A cold day despite being sunny for the most part. Spent much of the early morning photographing Swallows, Martins, Swifts and Wheatears at Porthlow Beach before heading to the shrike again late morning. The shrike was again distant but at least it was sunny. I stayed with this bird managing to get a half reasonable record shot or two.
After tea at Carn Vean headed across Porth Hellick Down and down to the hides at Porth Hellick Pool where I got very cold photographing a few odds and sods, pick of the lot were a White Wagtail, a Little Egret and swallows perched right outside the Seaward Hide. It was 8pm but the time my tired feet got me back to town.
10th May Another long tough day. A little warmer than yesterday but still with a cold north easterly. I started by going directly to the Woodchat Shrike site but by 9.30am there was no sign-off it so I left to get the bush to town for the boat to Tresco. At Carn Near on Tresco there were a few Wheatears but I was more intent on getting to Abbey Pool to look for the Black Duck, suffice to say I did not find it all day. There were a lot of Swallows and Martins present a female Whinchat was on the perimiter fence of the heliport. From Abbey Pool I headed to Great Pool and then along Pool Lane to the sound of singing Sedge and Reed Warblers but the best bird I could muster was a drake Pintail. There were many Swallows present from the Swarovski Hide but after an hour I had given up hope of a Red-rumped.
From here headed to the Island Stores for a drink before cutting back across the island to Old Grimsby where there were even more Swallows hawking over the fields here, alas again no Red-rumped for me today. More Wheatears around the area and a male Whinchat at Middle Down but try as I might I could not locate the Hoopoe though it had been about four days since it was last reported, live in hope. The long staying Buzzard drifted over the Church and a couple of Ravens flew over but that was about the highlight.
Continued through Borough Farm and again along Pool Lane to the Swarovski Hide where there were even more Swallows, House Martins and Sand Martins but nought with them. Eventually headed back to the quay for the 4.45pm boat to St Mary's. Back on Mary's I dumped the gear at the B&B and grabbed a bag of chips before heading round Peninnis Head in a strengthing wind. Again Swallows and Martins in good numbers, two Swifts in off the sea and seven Wheatears are the lighthouse end but that was my efforts for the day.
One thing of the trip so far is the numbers of Swallows and Martins and how close they have been flying past me, absolutely no chance with the 500mm lens, just to close.
9th May I can only describe today as one of the coldest I've ever had on Scilly, biting north-east wind cut straight through all the layers I had on. Still there was a fair amount of migrants to be seen today with a scattering of Sedge, Reed and Willow Warbler around the island as well as Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps. A single Cuckoo was singing at Carn Friars. There were a lot of Swallows around the island so I thought I would be in with a shout of a Red-rumped today but no luck. There were four Sand Martins and some excellent Swifts at Higher Moors, so close. A Hobby went straight through over the pool but didn't linger. A few Wheatears were also around with three at Green Lane and three on Pelistry Beach later in the day. From Porth Hellick I walked through Carn Friars and then back to the Pumping Station and through Holy Vale then up to Green Lane. Here I should have gone down to Pelistry which was original intention but I skirted round to Watermill Cove via Green Farm and then continued to Newford Duck Pond and on towards Telegraph. It was here that the pager announced a Woodchat Shrike at Pelsitry Bay, typical. I turned around and went to where I had intended on visiting in the first place. The Woodchat Shrike was smart, as always, being seen in the very last field closest to the beach. A large Peregrine shot over.
As I hadn't brought my camera kit out with me today my intention was to return to Hugh Town and come back out but following a detour to Porth Hellick Pool again where there were now ten or more Sand Martins I felt rather knackered when I reached town at 4pm. It would take another 40minutes walk to get back to the shrike so I decided to have a break and return in a while. Mistake, it was fairly late once I realised I had nodded off for a while so I would have to go back another day.
8th May I was driving to Cornwall for my late afternoon flight to the Isles of Scilly when the pager mega alerted a House Finch at Lands End. I had only just reached the M4 at the time but I was on my way, I increased my pace to try and get there for 1pm. Whilst driving through West Cornwall I noted several Common Buzzards over the A30 in between rain showers.
I reached Lands End at 12.45pm so had about an hour and half to get the bird before I would have to leave for my flight. This was not going to be easy as although the bird could be heard singing it was not visible from the road and time was ticking past. With about 40minutes to go access was granted to the garden to see the bird with birders going in six at a time thus a queue was formed. I rapidly re-arranged my flight for a later one as there was no chance I was going to get in to see it before I was due to fly. Happily I was soon at the front of the queue and soon looking at the bird in the garden. It was a 'yellow' individual rather perhaps the more expected Red but it was good none the less. It was seen singing from the bottom of a small tree and then for a short time on the ground before flying back up into the tree.
As others were waiting I was the first to leave so others could get in and see it.
With the bird under the belt I drove to Penzance for something to eat before heading to St Just Airfield for the flight to Scilly. It was drizzly on arrival but again it was so good to be back. As it was quite late and I felt knackered I bought a few supplies from the Co-op and retired to the B&B.
7th May Cold hour and a half spent at West Canvey RSPB reserve was rewarded with a brief 1st year Caspian Gull from the scrape hide. It was a little distant and didn't linger but there was a lot of gulls using the scrape so the potential is there for next winter. The only other bird of noted was a fly over adult summer Mediterranean Gull.
5th May First Went to Paglesham Lagoon this morning and was met by a subsinging Garden Warbler in the bushes at the northern end. It was only around for a short time, until the temperature dropped sharply, and it stopped singing. A pairs of 2nd summer Med Gulls were very nice but the change in weather from sunny and warm to cold with a breeze downed a sizeable flock of hirundines and Swifts, there were at least 70 House Martins, 200 Swallows and 150+ Swifts, no Sand Martins or Red-rumped Swallows.
3rd May First real birding for May was as a result of Neil Chambers finding a truly superb Red-rumped Swallow at Gunners Park which favoured the east end of the 'lake'. This hole in the ground has now finally produced a good bird. It was simply stunning watching this bird, often just mere feet away, as it fed along the embankment with House Martins.
Also here was a common Sandpiper, a Little Egret, Swallow, Peregrine and a Common Tern.