{"id":1359,"date":"2011-10-28T14:33:11","date_gmt":"2011-10-28T14:33:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/?p=1359"},"modified":"2012-10-06T14:51:18","modified_gmt":"2012-10-06T14:51:18","slug":"isles-of-scilly-sat-22nd-28th-oct-2011","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/isles-of-scilly-sat-22nd-28th-oct-2011\/","title":{"rendered":"Isles of Scilly – Sat 22nd-28th Oct 2011"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n\tMy 28th consecutive trip to the “Sacred Isles”, the Isles of Scilly<\/span>. What a week – 2 lifers; 3 “Yankie” passerines and 5 “Yankie” waders, plus a self found Dusky Warbler<\/span>. Plenty of padders helped us to achieve 101 species for the week.<\/strong><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tArriving on Saturday 22nd October<\/span><\/strong>, I was anxious to get the Northern Waterthrush<\/span>, a North American warbler, very rare to Britain. A new bird for me and the first tick on Scilly for a number of years. Plenty of extremely rare birds for Britain to go for – such as Wilson’s Snipe, Upland Sandpiper and Olive-backed Pipit. Rather than be tempted, I decided to spend some time at the Northern Waterthrush site in Lower Moors<\/span>. Suddenly my phone went off and Richard basically said to me “Get yourself moving to <\/span>Holy Vale<\/span> now<\/span>, a <\/span>SCARLET TANAGER<\/span> has been found”<\/span>. Once I realised what he had said, I simply did just that, got my butt moving pretty dam quickly. Especially as Richard & Dave had already left to wander up to the Upland Sandpiper site not far away from Holy Vale!<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tAdvising the other birders what had arrived, they simply looked at me in disbelief. 15 minutes later, and on my own along Sandy Lane<\/span>, the rest of the small crowd were at the opposite end of the track to me, I was watching a stunning first winter male Scarlet Tanager<\/span>, yet another North American vagrant and right in front of me. I couldn’t believe it. Another lifer, 2 in an hour or so, what the hell was going on? – The day finished off with the Upland Sandpiper<\/span> a North American wader, at Borough Farm and nearby 2 Olive-backed Pipits <\/span>rare birds from Siberia, at Watermill. Superb views of the Wilson’s Snipe<\/span>,another North American wader, a few Black Redstart & a Hummingbird Hawkmoth. What a day.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tSunday 23rd October<\/span><\/strong> – The usual trip to Tresco, it was pouring down with rain – got us Spoonbill, Bonxie & Pomarine Skua from the boat during the crossing. On the Great Pool a long staying Lesser Yellowlegs<\/span>, a Pectoral Sandpiper<\/span> & a Spotted Crake<\/span>. A very confiding Lapland Bunting<\/span> at Carn Near.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tMonday 24th October<\/span><\/strong> – Spent the day on St. Mary’s in atrocious weather for most of the day with heavy rain. A White-rumped Sandpiper<\/span> was found at Porth Hellick, once the rain had eased off, also we walked onto a Dusky Warbler<\/span> at Lower Moors just as it had been discovered. 5 Yellow-browed Warblers<\/span>; 6 Black Redstart and a Whinchat rounded off the day.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tTuesday 25th October<\/span><\/strong> – Whilst emptying my moth trap early morning at Buzza<\/span> end of Porthcressa<\/span>, the distinctive “Tacking” call of Dusky Warbler<\/span> was ringing in my ears. I couldn’t believe it, one was calling literally a few yards away. I dropped everything and began looking for it. The little bugger was very skulking. I phoned Richard & Dave for some help in locating the bird and soon a few birders were on the scene and eventually having put it out on the Pager, a small group had gathered. Eventually it was seen well by a few of the birders but very briefly as it moved through gardens. Unfortunately for me I never did see it well but enough to claim it as my bird!! What a find!! – A 1st winter Mediterranean Gull on the beach at Porthcressa, a Firecrest<\/span>, 3 more Yellow-browed Warblers<\/span> and fantastic views of the Lower Moors Dusky Warbler<\/span> finished off another memorable day.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tWednesday 26th October<\/span><\/strong> – An early morning visit to “Higgo’s Pool”<\/span> on St. Mary’s<\/span> was worth the effort as I had stunning views of the Northern Water Thrush<\/span>. We decided to head off to St. Agnes<\/span> for the rest of the day as a Raddes Warbler had been found on 25th. Once on St.Agnes<\/span> we were soon watching a very nice Raddes Warbler<\/span> at Troy Town<\/span>. Another very interesting bird was yet another East Asian Lesser Whitethroat<\/span>. This was was slightly different to the one I saw on Shetland at the end of September. These birds are very distinctive and their habits are completely different to normal race curruca <\/span>Lesser Whitethroat. <\/span>This bird was preferring to feed on the ground, creeping amongst the rocks and debris on the beach. Always returning to a favourite perch, a dead Mallow Tree. The bird was overall a dark sandy-brown colour. Greyer-brown tones to the forehead and crown. A fine small pale based bill, slightly decurved. Short wing, long tail, short P2, pale buff off-white underparts. one observer has managed to record the birds call.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tThursday 27th October<\/span><\/strong> – A fairly quiet day – more good views of the Northern Waterthrush, Upland Sandpiper. We found several more Firecrest & Yellow-browed Warbler and then just as we thought it was the end of the day, a RED-EYED VIREO<\/span> is found at Salakee and we were only 5 minutes walk away!! Fantastic views of this stunning bird, I had not seen one for many years.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tFriday 28th October <\/span><\/strong>– A beautiful sunny day across the islands. It was a pleasure to be here in such warm weather, almost like mid-summer, rather than the end of October. We did find a Jack Snipe<\/span> at Porth Hellick<\/span>, a couple of Firecrest & several Yellow-browed Warbler. Several Clouded Yellow butterfly & a female Long-tailed Blue Butterfly were probably better than the birds!<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tI completed 2 moth traps:-<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\t1 on the 24\/25th<\/span> – 1 White Speck; 4 Rusty Dot Pearl; 1 Silver Y; 1 Angle Shades; 2 Feathered Ranunculus; 1 Light-brown Apple Moth<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\t1 on the 26\/27th<\/span> – 20 Rusty Dot Pearl; 1 White Speck; 3 Black Rustic; 1 Double Square-spot;<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\t5 Light-brown Apple Moth; 1 Crosidosema plebejana<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tMy thanks go to Richard James & Dave Nadin for their great company during the week. To Tony Hull for supporting notes on the Dusky Warbler and to all the great birders I met and spent some time with during the week. To the birder that found the SCARLET TANAGER. Well done mate!! <\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tLooking forward to next year already.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tSelection of Images<\/span> – No:1 – Crimson Speckled \/ No:2; No:3; No:4 – East Asian Lesser Whitethroat, possibly form minula <\/span>\/ No:5; No:6 – Northern Waterthrush \/ No:7; No:8; No:9 No 10 – 1st winter male Scarlet Tanager \/ No:11 – Upland Sandpiper \/ No: 12 – White-rumped Sandpiper \/ No:13; No:14; No:15 – Wilsons’ Snipe \/ No:16 – Common Snipe (for comparison with Wilson’s) \/ No:17 – Chiffchaff \/ No:18 – Firecrest \/ No:19 – Greenshank \/ No: 20 – Lapland Bunting \/ No: 21- Robin.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

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My 28th consecutive trip to the “Sacred Isles”, the Isles of Scilly. What a week – 2 lifers; 3 “Yankie” passerines and 5 “Yankie” waders, plus a self found Dusky Warbler. Plenty of padders helped us to achieve 101 species for the week. Arriving on Saturday 22nd October, I was anxious to get the Northern […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,18,218,17,176,172],"tags":[227,468,470,617,469,619],"class_list":["post-1359","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-20","category-birds","category-birdsof2011","category-britishbutterflies","category-european-butterflies","category-year","tag-dusky-warbler","tag-northern-waterthrush","tag-olive-backed-pipit","tag-scarlet-tanager","tag-upland-sandpiper","tag-wilsons-snipe"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1359","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1359"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1359\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1359"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1359"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybirdsandmoths.co.uk\/sbam\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1359"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}