Autumn Birding - Part 2 Cornwall and isles of Scilly 13th - 17th October

 

Following my short break in Shetland, I spent a couple of nights at home, checking on my Mum and was off again, this time to the Isles of Scilly. 

Leaving Nottingham at the crack of dawn I changed in London, and took a train from London Paddington at 10am, with a night planned in Penzance. With a few hours of light available in Cornwall, I pondered on what would be a good plan to see some decent birds. It occurred to me that Red-billed Chough were now around the Cornish Coast, and after consulting my friend, Simon Roberts, I decided to try Porthgwarra. 

I checked in at my hotel and took a taxi from Penzance. A couple of birders on site had seen a Yellow-browed Warbler by the car park and had seen a Chough distantly. Hearing that they were even about was encouraging, so I set off up the hill and around the headland, past the coastguard lookout and round to Gwennap Head. Seeing a couple of black birds flying around a grassy area, I raised my bins to see two Red-billed Chough. I walked steadily closer, and stopped occasionally as there was no cover to hide behind. The sky had gone almost charcoal grey and as I got as close as I dare, it started to rain. I managed a few shots before the heavens opened and I put my camera away. 

I managed to shelter behind a small bluff on the edge of the cliff, as it absolutely tipped it down. However, it was short-lived and to my relief, when I emerged from my hiding place, the birds were still there and with the sun out, I got quite close to one of the birds for some nice close ups.

Red-billed Chough

I spent a while watching these iconic birds, which returned to the county in 2001.

The next morning, after a hearty cooked breakfast I boarded the Scillonian, bound for the Isles of Scilly for the second time this year. 

With nothing enticing enough to get me on an off island, I walked to Porth Hellick Down in pursuit of a Little Bunting that had been found a couple of days earlier. The bird was initially elusive but then popped up on the edge of the path just two metres away but in deep shade and then - nightmare!  I had inadvertently ranked up the F-stop to F22, meaning I was shooting at some ridiculous ISO. By the time I had figured out how to turn the F-stop down to F6.3 the bird had flown and I was left with useless over-noisy images.  After a few fleeting sightings, during which I was told to 'Get out of the f*cking way!' I don't know why the guy couldn't stand somewhere else, the bird settled down in the open, and close enough for some passable record shots.

Little Bunting

It was a while since I had seen a Little Bunting, so it was nice to see one so well.

I doubled back and then walked along the board walk through Higher Moors, pausing by the Sussex Hide, where a Jack Snipe was feeding in the open. There was just enough of a gap betwixt hide and bushes for me to get off a clear shot. Very nice and such delightfully cryptic plumage as the bird rocked back and forth.

Jack Snipe

I crossed the road and worked my way through Holy Vale, recording three Yellow-browed Warblers on the way. Continuing to Longstones, I paused for refreshments, sampling the Banoffee Cake with a pot of tea. This was an inspired break, as a Common Crossbill, Peregrine Falcon, Greylag and Pink-footed Geese flew over in my 20 minutes there.

Continuing through Carreg Dhu, and across the fields to Carn Friars Lane, dropped down to Old Town and I checked in at Lower Moors,  where a Water Rail gave tantalising glimpses through the reeds.

I ate at the Atlantic, which is okay for pub grub but isn't particularly inspiring. My first choice had been the Mermaid, but they were alas, fully booked.

The next day, I was up straight after breakfast and walked to Penninis Head in search of a Snow Bunting, which had been reported as showing well the previous evening.

I was joined by Tony Collinson, and after a brief search Tony located the bird near the lighthouse and we proceeded to have excellent views.

Snow Bunting

I dropped down by the coast path via Old Town, and noted several Redwings at Nowhere in the garden, before retuning to Hugh Town. I had enrolled on a round islands trip aboard the Sapphire with Joe Pender. Rather then a full on pelagic, we went a mile or two out and checked out some of the small uninhabited islands and islets. Highlights were an Atlantic Puffin, close-in Gannets, a Lapwing, Little Egret and four Spoonbills. The light was good and apart from the Puffin, which was hard to lock on to as it disappeared in the troughs, I got some decent shots.

Gannet

 

Atlantic Puffin

Spoonbill

Little Egret

After disembarking at the harbour, I joined Richard Stonier at Porthloo Beach in the hope of getting some money shots of Sanderling, which had been noted as especially confiding there. We settled in position on the beach, initially at a respectful distance and waited for the birds to come to us, which they did. I think the results are pretty satisfactory, to say the least.

Sanderling

I left Richard with the Sanderlings and walked up to telegraph and then down the hill to Carreg Dhu and thence to Longstones. I spent quite some time here, as there was a decent vantage point from which to look over Higher Moors and the Airport, as a ringtail Hen Harrier had been patrolling the island all day and this seemed to be a good place from where to see it. 

As it transpired, the bird appeared briefly from the direction of Maypole and it seemed it would fly over my head but it went down, out of view and I never saw it again.  I remained in the area for another two hours, during which time a Red-backed Shrike put in an appearance in failing light, and 70 Fieldfares alighted in a tree before moving off. 

Red-backed Shrike

I ate at Juliet's, arriving there at dusk. The starter of Mackerel mousse was superb, and I looked forwards to my main of duck on a warm salad with excitement. While the salad was nice, the duck was as tough as boot leather. The sticky toffee pudding with ice cream was lovely and almost rescued the meal. 

Emerging from the restaurant, I soon realised walking from there to Hugh Town, with no moon was going to be interesting. I managed with the aid of the torch on my phone, to negotiate the route, via Porthloo Lane and Rocky Hill. It's no wonder the Victorians were fond of their Lunar Societies.

On Day 3 I took a boat to St. Agnes, in a hope of seeing the Buff-bellied Pipit at Horse Point. I arrived in the company of Richard Stonier and Rob Lambert and the bird was located quickly, loosely associating with a group of Meadow Pipits, although the bird soon settled down in one area alone and gave the assembled admirers some stunning views.

Buff-bellied Pipit

As I left the site, a Merlin flew over. Typically nifty, I somehow scrambled my camera, and got a record shot. I had hopelessly wrong settings for the moment - but it did at least capture the moment, albeit imperfectly.

Merlin

I returned via Barnaby Lane and down to the legendary Parsonage. Here I had two Yellow-browed Warblers and one remained still for long enough for me to get a photo. It had been a phenomenal October for the species on Scilly with at least 100 estimated on the islands on 12th.

Continuing down the hill to the cricket pitch, I turned the corner and headed up to the church, which sits adjacent to a small boat yard and a beach. I saw a Black Redstart here, and news on WhatsApp indicated that there had been a general arrival on the islands. The bird performed in between the showers.

Yellow-browed Warbler

Black Redstart

I wandered back to the quay via the Turk's Head, where I ordered the sticky toffee pudding. This was sticky toffee pudding par excellence!  It was so indulgent, with the dark tones of the treacle merging with a creamy back taste, all melting into a puddle of vanilla ice cream and general gooiness. 

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Back at Hugh Town, I peered over the wall at Mermaid Corner, where an adult Mediterranean Gull was tolerably close. I think these are among the most photogenic species we have!  

I convinced Richard to look for the Nightingale, which had taken up residence on the seaward side of Little Porth. After a brief wait the bird popped out and gave us ridiculously good views. Certainly the best views of the species I have had in the UK.

Mediterranean Gull

Nightingale

I left the Nightingale and decided to have a walk to the airport to see what might be around the windsock. Apart from a few Mippits, it was quiet, and I passed Giant's Castle, when the 'Quip Quip of the Quail that is my WhatsApp notification alerted me to an Olive-backed Pipit, which had been found at Carn Friar's Farm. I walked more quickly, via Porth Hellick beach and through the gate at the end and up the hill to the farm. The bird was in a small orchard and viewing was hampered via brambles (Rubi sp.), so with mask in place, I got some nice views as the bird worked its way through the grass.

Olive-backed Pipit

It was about 6pm, when a local appeared in a golf buggy, entered the field and drove down the particular avenue where the bird was feeding, flushing it. As far as I could tell, this was with the sole aim of disturbing the bird. I don't know for certain, but it seemed a bit of a co-incidence, after a fellow local had come to look at the bird minutes earlier.

With the best of the light gone, I got a taxi back to town, as I had a table booked at Kavorna. They had wanted to take a deposit when I booked, but I had convinced them that this was unnecessary, citing Scillonian referees in the process.

I had the starter of baked Mackerel, followed by fillets of hake in lobster sauce. It was spot on! I can also recommend the Cornish Pasties, which Kavorna does a roaring trade in, at lunch time.

On my last day, I headed for St. Martin's where a Pallas's Leaf Warbler had been showing behind the Seven Stones Pub at Lower Town. It quickly transpired that none of the birders on the boat had any idea where the bird was, beyond what I have already stated and after a few phone calls, one guy got more details. The precise spot was a sunny migrant trap, and it wasn't long before the warbler came out, in the company of a Pied Flycatcher,

I was still getting used to my new camera, and I messed up the shot on the warbler.  

Pied Flycatcher

Pallas's Leaf Warbler

I had a coffee at the pub and did a bit of a walk, around Lower Town, where a few Fieldfares were eating apples at the bottom of a garden, and I snapped one as it flew over. I took a snap of the beautiful view of Teän from the slipway. The island being the only place to my knowledge in the UK with an umlaut in the name.

Teän viewed from St. Martin's

Fieldfare

I got back to St. Mary's with just enough time to get a taxi to Harry's Walls, where a Short-eared Owl was perched up in the open.  It was a great way to round off my trip. 

Short-eared Owl

All being well, Covid-19 permitting, I'll be back in August 2021 for more pelagics.

Andy Hall

November 2020.

Autumn birding Part 1. Shetland 8th - 10th October 2020

Having cancelled the Texel leg of my trip, owing to the Covid-19 quarantine rules, I had originally planned a few days at Spurn, followed by a short break on Scilly. However, with the Northern Isles looking good, I made a last minute change to my plans and booked on the ferry from Aberdeen to Lerwick, departing at 7.30pm on 7th October.

I had a new camera, and was looking forward to putting it through its paces. I had obtained satisfying results with my Sony bridge camera, but had never felt the need to jump to DSLR. However, after some research on what was on the market and impressed with Sony's technology, I decided to buy an A9 full frame mirorless camera, coupled with a 200-600mm zoom. Although the A7Rii boasted the 42MP sensor, I was lured by the A9 with its 20 FPS burst speed and larger number of focus points. 

I disembarked in Lerwick on the Thursday morning with a little rain the air, and explored the old harbour, where Black Guillemots were remarkably confiding, but with the sun barely risen, I didn't attempt any photos. I checked into my B&B, dropping off my suitcase before being met my Stanley Manson, who would provide my wheels for the three days. 

The Shetland scare and rare bird apps would be my source of news, and the idea was that I would just go for whatever was around. A Tennessee Warbler on Unst had not been since a brief sighting the previous morning, while Red-flanked Bluetail and Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler on Whalsay had both appeared to have cleared out the previous day, leaving me with somewhat leaner pickings. However, this was Shetland and it was exciting to be birding there.

We headed south, first in search of two Hawfinches, but these appeared to have moved on and then a Bluethroat, which was equally elusive. A stop at Gulberwick was no better, as a Long-eared Owl from the previous day had departed. However, I was buoyed by a Common Swift, which shot through, wheeling over the rolling landscape, and I managed a record shot, of what is my latest record of the species in the UK.

Common Swift

Continuing on to Sumburgh, where a Great Grey Shrike had been reported - on the farm there, there was no sign of the bird, so we continued to the head, passing the Fulmar colony and then onto the car park, where good birds can often turn up. I got out of the car and a light brown bird flew out of a field at the lower end of the car park and alighted on a grassy slope to the north. It was a Shorelark and I got reasonably close views and a couple of nice shots.

Fulmar

Shorelark

Returning north, the app alerted me to a Red-breasted Flycatcher that was apparently showing well near the Croft Museum at Boddam. I turned up to hear that the bird was showing intermittently but hadn't been seen for 20 minutes. The two birders there left me to refind the bird and I wandered up the path to a garden with lumps of wood and pretty flowers. Just as I was thinking how nice it looked for Red-breasted Flycatcher, the bird flew in and perched up in the open for a full minute. I reeled off a load of photos and then it moved to a wall where it continued to show at quite close range and I had the bird all to myself.

Red-breasted Flycatcher

Stanley dropped me off at Lerwick, and I caught the ferry to Bressay, a small island that sits just off Lerwick.  There were a couple of Shags sitting on a buoy just off shore and a Kittiwake was perched on some gantry by the docking point on Bressay.

Shags

Kittiwake

Bressay itself provided a few bits of interest, including a Yellow-browed Warbler, a single Brambling and a little fall of Blackcaps.

Dinner was at No.88 in Lerwick, which is a bistro type restaurant, serving a modern menu. I had a starter of pork belly with puffed spun rice cages. Main was baked Sea Bream and so far so very good. The meal was let down a little by the dessert, Tiramisu - which was 'deconstructed' and while not unpleasant would have gone down better had it been of the traditional variety.

The next morning, we headed south again and I looked around the garden at the Sumburgh hotel but there was nothing doing. I decided to have another go for the Great Grey Shrike at the farm, although a group of Scottish birders had said they had looked for it without success. Undeterred, I continued past the outbuildings there and surveyed the first field and saw the bird sitting on a fence at the far end. Unfortunately, two photographers turned up and despite my efforts to convince them to work slowly along the wall, in order to get closer to the bird, they insisted on marching across the field, stating - oddly - that the bird would fly before they got close enough to get good shots #noshitsherlock.

I managed to reel off one or two record shots before they flushed the bird. It's a shame because I could have got so much closer on my own.

Great Grey Shrike

Walking back to the hotel, a herd of Whooper Swans flew over and a little party of Redpolls, alighted briefly in the garden. I think one was leaning towards Mealy.

Whooper Swan

Redpoll

News of a Blyth's Reed Warbler at Spiggie below the hotel was conveniently up the road, and I and another birder located the bird quickly in a clump of Stinging Nettles and thistles. After a few tantalising views the bird showed very well and displayed the classic 'banana posture' and short primary projection. I was still getting used to the camera settings, which I had now had a full week. I think the photos of the warbler were slightly off, but still acceptable.

Blyth's Reed Warbler

Satisfied with these views, we tried for a Dusky Warbler, but looked like it would be a tricky bird in a dense crop where even sheep were hiding, so we pressed on to Quendale. There was nothing rare here, but I did get ultra close views of Siskin feeding on the seeds of weed heads, and obtained a nice shot or two.

      Siskins

Heading north, I had Stanley stop at Cunningsburgh, which had a promising look about it. I had a walk round here and saw a few Twite and Linnets feeding among the weedy crops. Then a bird caught my eye, as it flew up from the edge of a crop and landed in a nearby garden. It was an eastern type Lesser Whitethroat and I got some really nice photos of the bird, much to the consternation of the schoolboy, whose garden it was in.

Twite

Lesser Whitethroat

Stanley dropped me off at Lerwick around 3pm, with the light crisp in the afternoon sun, perfect for photographing Black Guillemot. Can there be anywhere better to see the species than here? I plan to come back next June, so hopefully will get them in the summer garb.

Black Guillemot

Since the new restrictions had come in to force, restaurants were forced to close at 6pm and as I was birding till dusk, I headed for the Thai Takeaway in Town, which had been recommended on the rare bird group. The lady who runs the B&B Auld Harbour Guest House said I could use all the facilities in the kitchen, so I gave my meal a quick blitz in the microwave (take aways are never hot enough) and ate my meal of Thai fried beef, noodles and crispy pancakes in the dining room. 

It seemed a bit odd that Shetland had to be drawn into these regulations, when there had only been about 60 confirmed cases throughout the islands. While the tiered approach has been criticised as missing the big picture, genuine exceptions should also be taken into account, surely? Does a restaurant being open till 9pm rather than 6pm really represent an increased risk of spreading the disease? Anyway,  I was joined by Chris, Mike and Marek, who had just come off two weeks on Foula and they shared their beer with me and we talked birds till 10pm. All very convivial.

The next morning, I was up early and headed to the harbour and found some confiding Ravens, although I never had one on the ground, which would have been ideal, they perched up on nearby buildings quite close to.

Ravens

It was my last day on Shetland and I was determined to make the most of it. News from Unst of Arctic Redpoll and Red-flanked Bluetail seemed to provide the best chance of good birding, with hopefully more goodies available on the day.

With all the ferries booked, we set off north and arrived on Unst at 1pm after being admonished by a ferry employee for getting out of the car and going on deck, which was reserved for foot passengers only.

As we headed to Norwick, almost on the northernmost point of the island, a bird flew up from the beach at Haroldswick and seeing a flash of rufous I asked Stanley to stop. Closer inspection revealed the bird as a Bluethroat and an adult to boot with a bit of blue on the breast. As I was watching the bird, Mya Rose Craig and her parents turned up and although the bird had flown around the corner, I understand it came back and they got good views. The Craigs are a lovely family and I wish Mya well with her efforts in encouraging ethnic minorities to access our hobby. 

At the same site, a Red-throated Diver was fishing off shore, although it had swum a little further out by the time I got a photo.

Bluethroat

Red-throated Diver

After getting an update from Mya on the birds at Norwick, Stanley drove me to the car park there and I walked up the hill to the garden. After a bit of a wait, I managed to see the Coues's Arctic Redpoll, albeit with the sun behind the bird, but the Red-flanked Bluetail eluded me. However, also here was a Siberian Chiffchaff, Bramblings, Twite and Lesser Redpoll.

Cous's Arctic Redpoll

Lesser Redpoll

Brambling

The Most northerly shop in the British Isles

Stanley dropped me off at the ferry terminal at 6.15pm, after a beer and nibbles stop at the Co-op, seeing as the ferry was now dry!

I had the Orkney Pie for dinner on the ship, in the company of Chris, Helena and Mya and Chris Turner. The crossing was smooth, unlike the way out, which had been bumpy enough to wake me in the early hours. However, thanks go to the good folk of Northlink Ferries for their care in social distancing and a hassle free journey.

In Aberdeen, Chris offered me a lift back to Nottingham. Although Marek was driving, but there was no problem and they squeezed me in. We had breakfast near Lanark at the excellent Cairn Lodge, a kind of up market motorway services.

Travelling via the Yorkshire Dales, and then going south on the M1 I noticed that we were passing within 2 miles of Collingham near Wetherby, where a Hoopoe was 'showing well' on a cricket pitch in the village.  Showing well didn't even come close and the bird fed on leather jackets at close quarters, unphased by its admirers. A Red Kite overhead was an added bonus.

Marek dropped me off at Trowell Services near Nottingham at tea time and I thank him and Chris for their company and what was a lot easier journey than bus and train from Aberdeen.

Hoopoe

Red Kite

Andy Hall - October 2020