Another visit over. Hammered it as usual...in a relaxed way of course!? I covered the usual 100+ miles in 15 days...on the usual hilly terrain...an d jut made the Ton. Good exercise and always promise in the air. It was wetter than usual...BUT it seems it was wet everywhere this October with various Storms sweeping the Country. There's an incredible amount of water in the fields around the Village still.
Birds first...
THREE Scilly Ticks...
PALLID HARRIER - Brief, distant sighting helped by the Radio.
Purple Heron - Brief, distant sighting helped by the Radio.
Ruff - lucky to connect after overlooking the WhattsApp message the previous evening. Rare on Scilly.
Taking me to 247
Other memorable moments...
GREY-CHEEKED THRUSH - On the last day! yep, Radio again...I was five minutes away. I deserved it after covering Lower Moors from Dawn with only FIVE others!!
Surf Scoter landing below me in Porthcressa Bay when I was walking back from viewing the GND at Morning Point.
Curlew Sandpiper - Amazing close views at Porth Hellick when the bird walked straight towards me.
Osprey over my head along Peninnis - yep, Radio again!
Stock Dove - a pleasing Island record in context.
Wryneck - a very pleasant hour with a showy bird below the Airport runway turning circle.
Red-breasted Flycatcher in the sunshine to myself on the lower end of the same trail. My best ever views.
Ring Ouzel - Finding one straight after twitching one was doubly pleasing.
Stunning male Black Redstart at the Historically productive Little Porth.
Little and Lapland Bunting on the same path on the Peninnis Trail! The only Birds present after torrential rain. Timing as always.
OK, not a classic Year...they're all obviously different, which is part of the appeal for me. Every Bird is EARNED with a walk or Boat Trip of some description around these picturesque Islands. When I tot up my Trip List I'd suggest it would be hard/impossible to accumulate such a list in 15 days in a similar-sized area? Memories of Birds seen on these Islands are refreshed and enhanced every Year...as are acquaintances. I only managed to get to Tresco (twice) and St Agnes this Trip due to the inclement weather. The Radio was definitely an enhancement. OK it crackles now and again but for current sightings it's invaluable and "got me" at least 5 Birds. Dick Filby "man's" the system VERY well, he's had PLENTY of practice! Surprising misses were Firecrest (I tried HARD), Snow Bunting (only one brief report as far as I'm aware), Raven (I didn't visit the "right" Islands) and Kingfisher. I also missed an unpredictable Hen Harrier on St Martin's which would have been a "Scilly Tick". Anyway, let's not be greedy and forget last Year...
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