Started off at Porthcressa which is 2 minutes from our flat. A few early light showers meant a brief spell under the information centre veranda. I picked out the lingering 1w Common Gull and a rather smart Mediterranean despite the temporary gloom...
The sky cleared to give another amazingly sunny and warm day (17C). I decided to try and get a decent pic of a Rock Pipit...
Whilst on the beach a Black Redstart appeared...
A fly-over Grey Wagtail as I was leaving was a nice bonus Trip tick. After the mandatory 11am coffee and cake at Kavorna, we started our walk around the Island. I decided to head for the Riding Stables to try once again for the American Buff-bellied Pipit. It wasn't reported yesterday but I felt it was still on the Island. It took us around 30 minutes to get there and it was yet another stiff walk up and down dale. My fitness must be improving? I got my Thrush "fix"when a lovely flock of Fieldfares suddenly dropped down, some landing in a nearby pine...
We sat on a bench and I scanned the fields. No sign of the bird but I did bump into another teacher from Cornwall who's another long term (or is it half-term,,,sorry!) annual visitor.
We walked along to Normandy corner where the bird was first sighted last week. Ashley Fisher, a local was pointing his camera into the field!? Alas it wasn't the ABBP but Woodlark is still a good sighting and Trip tick. A cruising Sparrowhawk prevented a photo, although I did wait another 30 minutes as birds returned. Yet another regular on this week, Glynn Taylor from Yorkshire appeared, it was good to see him.
News then came through that the ABBP had been seen...at the NE corner of the Island! We set off back along the road, retracing our steps. As we were around halfway there, another message; a Red-rumped Swallow had been seen at Porth Hellick! What to do? I checked my Bubo and found I had seen both previously on Scilly. I chose to continue for the Pipit. Of course, as we approached we met some more Birders who told us the Bird had flown off...AND of course, the RRS was showing!!
Louise headed back to Hugh Town and I cut through Holy Vale to Porth Hellick, once again getting excellent updates on the radio from Dick Filby.
The bird was being seen on the beach, which of course is at the far Southern edge of the pool. A decent group were already there (c40) and the bird was showing distantly. After around 10 minutes it came much closer and passed over our heads on more than one occasion. It was far to fast for me to get a photo. It was associating with around 10 Barn Swallows and was extremely active, as Swallows tend to be!
The flock then drifted to the SW corner of the bay, some alighting on the gorse present there. Someone with a scope told me it was the Bird on the rock...
Birders started to make the walk to the site. I joined them...at my own pace! I joined the line and scanned, the birds were still feeding over the bay but some would land on occasion just in view...
Everyone was hoping the RRS would try to land here. Eventually it did. I pointed my camera and hoped. It tried to land on just one occasion and I managed to connect. Really pleased to have got...something...
The birds remained faithful to the Bay, before I left as the sun lowered. A few steps must have been completed today.
Trip total 78
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