Saturday 23 October 2021

St Martin's, Isles of Scilly Take 1

Well after a busy Summer of work, I thought it was about time to re-instate the blog!
Below are some of the highlights of another wonderful stay on our favourite island of St Martin's, Isles of Scilly. We clocked up the miles on foot, absorbed the fabulous scenery, consumed some great food and enjoyed a good run of rarity finding too!                                                                                                                                                                      
Dates: 25 September - 14 October 2021
Miles Walked: 195 miles
Rarities/Scarcities:
Red-backed Shrike: An adult female frequented the camp site from 25 Sep - 5 Oct. Initially seen by Viv Jackson (without bins) as a Shrike sp on 24th.
Western Bonelli's Warbler: First heard calling on the morning of 26 Sep and then seen well. 
Bird stayed for at least 3-4 days.
Glossy Ibis: Picked up in flight over Middle Town on the morning of 27 Sep and seen by St Mary's birders later in the day.
Common Rosefinch: Found in finch flock near Cricket Pitch late pm on 27 Sep.
Red-breasted Flycatcher: Found in the Middle Town Pines on the morning of 3 October.
Woodchat Shrike: Found late afternoon on 4 October at Little Arthur Farm. Bird was very mobile & elusive and considered to be a new arrival and was not seen subsequently.
Radde's Warbler: First heard calling late afternoon on 9 October, otherwise I would have walked past it! A visiting birder managed to "hear" it with me just after I found it but he had to make a dash for the boat so didn't see it! The bird finally showed well for me and Viv during the early evening but it was sadly not seen the next day. The bird I found in 2020 on 14 Oct at Little Arthur Farm was similar in that I found it late afternoon and it disappeared overnight. However, there is so much suitable habitat on St Martin's for a Radde's Warbler that a bird only has to move a short distance and it is likely to never be seen again!
Little Bunting: Seen 11 Oct after being found by visiting birders on 10 Oct.

Western Bonelli's Warbler, Middle Town Pines St Martin's - Picked up on call on the morning of Sep 26th

Western Bonelli's Warbler, Middle Town Pines St Martin's

Western Bonelli's Warbler, Middle Town Pines St Martin's

Western Bonelli's Warbler, luminous retrices! Middle Town Pines St Martin's

No debate as to whether the bird was an Eastern or Western Bonelli's Warbler
 as it was calling frequently the morning we found it

Glossy Ibis, Middle Town St Martin's with St Mary's Mast in the background - Found flying west on the morning of the 27th Sep
and later seen by birders on St Mary's

Gannet feeding frenzy north of St Martin's during a rainbow

Grey Seal, St Martin's

The Mrs scanning for Cetaceans near the Day Mark, St Martin's - Harbour Porpoise were regular amongst the feeding Gannet flocks

The Day Mark, St Martin's

Some of the flock of 14 Crossbills seen on 13 Oct at Lower Town, St Martin's

A very tame juvenile Kestrel at Higher Town, St Martin's

Little Bunting, Higher Town St Martin's

Lesser Whitethroat, Middle Town Pines, St Martin's

Lesser Whitethroat, Lower Town, St Martin's

Lesser Whitethroat, Lower Town, St Martin's

Lower Town, St Martin's

Chapel Down and the Day Mark, St Martin's

Pied Flycatcher, Middle Town Pines, St Martin's

Common Redstart, Perseil, St Martin's

Reed Warbler, Seven Stones, St Martin's

Red-breasted Flycatcher found on the morning of 3 Oct, Middle Town Pines, St Martin's

Red-breasted Flycatcher, Middle Town Pines, St Martin's

Common Rosefinch, found at Higher Town Cricket Pitch on 27 Sep, St Martin's

Speckled Wood, St Martin's - The subspecies found on the Isles of Scilly, has orange-brown rather than cream markings. 

White Island north of St Martin's

The Mrs Birthday!

Date night at Little Arthur Cafe

Radde's Warbler found on 9 Oct, Middle Town, St Martin's

Radde's Warbler, Middle Town, St Martin's

Radde's Warbler, MiddleTown, St Martin's

Adult Female Red-backed Shrike, Middle Town, St Martin's

Adult Female Red-backed Shrike, Middle Town, St Martin's

Adult Female Red-backed Shrike, Middle Town, St Martin's

Snow Bunting - One of 4 birds at the Day Mark, St Martin's

Tree Pipit, Middle Town, St Martin's

Tree Pipit, Middle Town, St Martin's

The Mrs at Lower Town, St Martin's

St Martin's Selfie!

Oystercatchers and Sanderling, Lawrance's Bay, St Martin's

Water Rail, Little Arthur Farm, St Martin's

Wheatear, north coast St Martin's

Whinchat, Middle Town, St Martin's

Juvenile Woodchat Shrike found on 4 Oct, Little Arthur Farm, St Martin's

Juvenile Woodchat Shrike, Little Arthur Farm, St Martin's

Sunset looking South West from Higher Town, St Martin's

Rainbow looking north, St Martin's

Colliford Lake from the Skybus

The Exe Estuary from the Skybus

4 comments:

  1. Been looking forward to this post. Terrific set of photos Chris. 😎👍

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  2. Thanks Gavin and glad you enjoyed them. Good to see the first person to comment is a man who loves Scilly as much as me!😀

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  3. Another great visit and photos Chris - sounds wonderful.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Mike - Hope all is well with you and see you soon!

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