I have just returned from my usual stay on St Martin's Isles of Scilly.
This time it was from 30 September - 23rd October and another very enjoyable stay on this beautiful island with the usual mix of weather, amazing scenery, great people and over 200 miles of walking!
The clear bird highlight for me was finding a beautiful juvenile female Pallid Harrier early on the morning of Friday 13th October! It was hunting on the heathland at the back of Middle Town Pines. Within 30 minutes of me putting out the news on the local WhatsApp group, the bird had already travelled across to St Mary's and was being seen by many other visiting birders and it also visited the island of Tresco later the same day. The following day it was seen flying south out to sea in good calm conditions. Other personal finds were far commoner and more expected with Wryneck, Common Rosefinch and Yellow-browed Warbler.
Exciting and very welcome rarities found by other visiting birders included an Arctic Warbler and Rustic Bunting and both appeared on the 11th October.
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Arctic Warbler behind Pool Green, 11th October.
Amazingly just 50M from where I found a bird in 2003! |
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| Arctic Warbler behind Pool Green, 11th October |
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| Arctic Warbler behind Pool Green, 11th October |
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| Pied Flycatcher - Just one bird seen |
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| Spotted Flycatcher - a number of individuals seen |
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| Rustic Bunting at Perpitch, 12th October |
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| Rustic Bunting at Perpitch, 12th October |
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| St Lawrance's Beach looking towards Middle Town Beach |
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| Birding with the Mrs |
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| An unusually tame Heron at Little Arthur Farm |
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| Common Snipe - Flocks of up to 50 birds seen |
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| My good friend Viv Jackson |
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| A drink in the Seven Stones Pub |
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| Higher Town looking to Par Beach |
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| Common Rosefinch at Perpitch, 14th and 15th October |
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| Convulvulous Hawk Moth, Higher Town |
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| Juvenile Pallid Harrier at Middle Town, 13th October |
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| Juvenile female (dark iris) Pallid Harrier, 13th October |
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| Juvenile Pallid Harrier, 13th October |
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| Juvenile Pallid Harrier, 13th October - My first view! |
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| Richard's Pipit at Higher Town cattle fields, 11th October |
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| Richard's Pipit at Higher Town cattle fields, 11th October |
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| Higher Town looking South West |
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| Looking towards Round Island, St Helen's and Dean from Top Rock |
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| Ruddy Turnstones - small groups on the beaches |
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| Whimbrel - odd birds seen |
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| Siskin - small flocks seen |
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| Looking to the Bishop Rock and the SW Approaches from Higher Town |
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| The Mrs in the Seven Stones Pub |
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| The Mrs at Scilly Organic Veg Stall |
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| The obligatory St Martin's Selfie |
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| Looking towards White Island |
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| Ring Ouzel - 1 of 2 birds seen |
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| Ring Ouzel - 1 of 2 birds seen |
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| Common Whitethroat at the Cricket Pitch |
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| Sunset from the Karma Hotel Garden |
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| Juvenile Pallid Harrier |
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| Juvenile Pallid Harrier |
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| Juvenile Pallid Harrier |
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| Sunset looking across to Tean and Tresco |
Great stuff Chris - stunning photos as always and congrats on the harrier - beautiful bird! Matt.
ReplyDeleteThanks Matt - It took me back to that lovely juv you found on the Commons!
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