Including this adult, in the last week there have been up to 7 Yellow-legged Gull off Morning Point.
Late this afternoon off Morning Point. there was a good movement of 100s ofkittiwake and 60-70 Lesser Black-backed Gull heading west. So I guess it was no surprise when I picked out 4 Yellow-legged Gull (2 2nd w and a single 3rd w and adult) in with them. up to 70 LBBG is a very large number for this time of year as a count of 4 or 5 birds is regarded as pretty good. Also a LBBGXHerring Gull was very briefly feeding off the point. Just went out the door outside and there on the wall was a Rusty Dot Pearls.
Out of the 2 2nd winter Yellow-legged Gull, this was the only individual that stuck around while other bird was only seen once distantly among the hundreds of other gulls.When I first picked up the above YLG distantly front on, I thought I got a Caspian Gull but was disappointed when it flew closer.Two above images by Jo
For comparison here’s the 2nd winter Yellow-legged Gull from last week off Morning Point
This 3rd winter nipped in and out just before it was almost dark
The adult stuck around for a good twenty minutesAbove two images by Jo
The image above shows three of the Yellow-legged Gull off Morning Pointtaken by Jo
The HERMIT THRUSH is still giving awesome views at the start Kittidown Trail for the hordes of birders twitching it from mainland
At the same time two days ago off Morning Point, there were good numbers of LBBG moving through again and this time 3 adult Yellow-legged Gull passed by with 2 Common and 6 Mediterranean Gull. Earlier on in the day we said hello to our ducks at Porthloo and also to the Surf Scoter that was hanging out with Mallard. There was also single Black Redstart on the beach.
I remember not many years ago when Yellow-legged Gull was recorded on Scilly once maybe twice a year and sometimes not at all! Two of the 3 adult Yellow-legged Gull off Morning Point
This adult LBBGXHerring Gull, I believe, is only the second time this hybrid has been recorded on Scilly after I had another adult on Tresco two years ago in December.One of Yellow-legged Gulls have photo bombed the image below.As we try and arrive when the tide is approaching high tide, it’s also an hour before dark making photography hard work in the fading light.
In the last three days maybe over 120 Lesser black-backed Gull have moved west passed Morning Point.
Great black backed Gull off Morning Point by Jo
Maybe the two yanks, Surf Scoter and the HERMIT THRUSH, might decide to overwinter on Scilly.Scoter images were all taken by Jo.
It’s now been over a month since we put Coal, at the front, followed by Pablo Jr, Feather and Graham Gordon, on Porthloo Duckpond and they’ve seemed to have settle down and enjoying their new home. By the way, Graham Gordon is a female!
Jo and I went to Porthloo this morning to see if the Surf Scoter was still present and it was, and I also found this Ring-billed Gull.
This morning, Jo and I arrived at Porthloo at 09.15 and it was sunny with a SSE breeze. She relocated the Surf Scoter immediately on arrival at the north end of the bay but it was much further out than yesterday. While observing the scoter, there were some 150 gulls feeding close in shore and Martin joined us. I took my eyes off the scoter and there at close range in front of me I could see a Ring-billed Gull with my naked eye! ‘Shite! I’ve got a Ring-billed Gull!‘ I quickly got both of them on it and snapped off some shots just in case it decided to clear off. It didn’t and it stuck around for at least twenty minutes in time for a few that came to see the gull before it flew off towards Porth Mellon and lost to view.
The light was spot on for photography this morning. However, the Surf Scoter was further out in the bay instead of the few meters offshore like it was yesterday in the late afternoon.
It was only last night at home that Graham Gordon and I were disguising about politics, music, Jose Mourinho and Spurs, Dime Bars, how to get rid of his herpes, his dream about Graham Gordon our duck turning into an Eider and how Ring-billed Gulls have got more scarce in the UK than what they used to be 25-35 years ago and it would be ideal if one turned up! So when this individual popped up in front of me, I was kinda of shocked after our conversation. Later on I was more shocked when I saw Graham Gordon our duck looking more like a female Eider!
Comparison with a Common Gull taken by Jo as well as the two images above When we went through Jo’s SD card on the laptop later in evening, we discovered that she had taken a photo of the Ring-billed Gull without knowing, before I found it!!
After feeding our ducks at Porthloo we ventured into Lower Moors and got a single Firecrest, Siberian Chiffchaff and Brambling. The HERMIT THRUSH was still at Kittidown and we decided to make it three yanks in the day and saw it at the far end of the paddock. As we left the latter site and joined the road, I heard a Waxwing three times distantly and it sounded like it was going north towards Higher Moors. A few seconds later, Ren also heard it while he was in Holy Vale. At Porth Hellick, we heard the Cetti’s Warbler and saw 2 Firecrest. We finished the day with another Firecrest at Sunnyside, 2 Black Redstart at Town Beach and a single Grey Wagtail in the garden just before dark.
Altogether we had up to 4 Firecrest today including this individual for twenty minutes at Sunnyside. Again the light was fading fast.The bottom image was taken by Jo
This Surf Scoter at Porthloo showed at close range in the late afternoon when it was first found but the light was disappearing fast
Mid-morning and Jo and I made our ways up to the golf course to see the Snow Bunting that Graham had found earlier on. On our ways there we had a single Firecrest at Porthloo Lane and got 2 Black Redstart, single Mediterranean Gull and 120+Sanderling. As usual, the bunting gave crippling views as we both lay down only meters away on the green. At the same time, Graham called to let me know that he had just relocated the HERMIT THRUSH, after goin missing yesterday due to the shite weather, in the same paddocks at the start of the Kittidown Trail. Before we saw the Snow Bunting, when we arrived at the golf course, there were 2 Lapwing near the club house and just before we left, I heard the 2 CHOUGH on the NW end of the golf course that were seen later by Will Wagstaff in the same area.
There were 2 Lapwing at the south end of the golf course
The three images below were taken by Jo
This only my second Snow Bunting of the year. Jo testing out her camera on the bunting with the sun in and out changing the lighting on the bird.
After seeing 2 Whimbrel and our first 3 Bar-tailed Godwit of the year at Bar Point, hunger got the better of us and we decided to go home. While we were getting stuck into our dinner, just before 16.00, Graham called ‘Do you know about the Surf Scoter?’ Will Wagstaff had put the news out on the WhatsApp Group that he had found an individual at Porthloo and I had not looked at my mobile when I heard it go off as I had grub in front of me. when I eat food, nothin gets in my way! I joined the small crowd on the beach and the scoter showed at close range as it was just feeding off shore. However,it don’t matter how close er got to it, the light was poor and fading fast. Never the less, another good en to turn up and hopefully it will be hanging around tomorrow for us all to enjoy in better light.
Nigel Bray getting close up views of the Surf Scoter at PorthlooThis is only the 14th Scilly record and in the last four years there have been four sightings. Before that, there was a twelve year gap from 2004.
At 10.20 this morning, I got a call from Graham Gordon ‘Spider, I’ve Just found a HERMIT THRUSH near the Pumping Station!!’ I replied ‘Oh, OK, I’ll put the news out and let the others know. well done mate!’ Then I turned to Jo and shouted ‘Bloody ell!! Put Pablo Jr, Graham Gordon, Coal and thingymajic down. We’ve got to go! Graham’s got thrush! I mean, Graham’s got a Hermit Thrush!!’ I thought I cut off Graham before I shouted but he was still on the end of the line and he told me that he was now deaf in one ear from me shouting so loud. As you can see, the thrush showed damn well!
First thing and there was no wind, no rain and it didn’t feel cold. It was calm and sunny and at Little Porth we got 2 Black Redstart and very briefly, the Scandinavian Rock Pipit. There was only a single Black Redstart at Porthloo and then we made the short walk to Porthloo Duckpond to see our ducks. Martin Goodey called me to ask if I would to put the news out of the 2 CHOUGH still at Peninnis. At the same time as Martin was chatting to me, on my screen I could see that someone was trying to call me on a number that I did not recognise. As soon as Martin had gone, I swiped the mobile to hear Graham Gordon on the end of my mobile. ‘ Spider, I’ve Just found a HERMIT THRUSH near the Pumping Station!!’ I replied ‘Oh really. Very good. OK. Were see you there’ then I turned to Jo and shouted ‘No way!! Stop stroking Graham Gordon, Pablo Jr, Thinkymajic and Coal. We’ve got to go! Graham’s got Herpes! I mean, Graham’s just found a HERMIT THRUSH!! I duno why I shouted as Jo and the ducks were right next to my side. I was kinda excited at the time. Graham hasn’t really got herpes. I just wanted to clear that.
Like yesterday, I only saw the Scandinavian Rock Pipit for a few seconds at Little Porth. Also like yesterday, Jo managed to get a record shot of it.
Jo also took this Rock Pipit at the same beach
Turnstone
Oystercatcher
We made a quick walk in the direction of the Hermit Thrush. Twenty minutes later, we arrived at the start of the Kittidown Trail, thanks to Richie Aston for the lift, at the Porth Hellick end from the pumping station. Mick Scott and Martin Goodey were near the top of the trail looking into the first horse paddock on the left. I scanned from the bottom of the trail and my first view of thrush was the upper half front on. I got Jo on it and then gave Graham a big hug who was ecstatic about the find but more of my hug. And it was a man hug. Just wanted to clear that. I’ve lost count how many hugs I given Graham and all of them are bird related. I think!
This image taken by Jo was ourfirst view of the HERMIT THRUSH
Gradually it came closer
And closer
It would be making it’s ways towards you when a bloody Robin or Song Thrush would give it some jip and it would disappear into cover and reappear a hundred mile up road.
Hermit Thrush watchers
Anyways, in the next hour, the small crowd gathered enjoyed the Catharus that was on view for most of the time until a pesky Robin or Song Thrush pushed it off into cover. A few minutes later it would return to the paddock and continue working the fence line at the opposite end of the paddock from us on the trail. Nigel Bray joined us after dipping out on the 2 Chough at Peninnis. However, there was no way of dipping the thrush and I said if you stay here long enough, you might get them over here. Only five minutes later we could all hear the 2 CHOUGH over Porth Hellick. Jo and I went to enjoy the sun at the latter sight and we bumped into another bird that Graham also found. The Dusky Warbler was vocal just before the Sussex Hide. I called Higgo to let him know and he told me that the thrush was 20 foot in front of Martin. Jo continued to the beach and I returned to pumping station to find the thrush in the paddock to the right of the trail where Graham originally found the bird. Again it showed off but nothing like when it made the short hop over the wall onto the trail itself. Here, it slowly made its ways down the slope on the side of the trail towards us until it was only less than ten meters in front only to turn around and make it’s way back up the slope again.
All top three images were taken by Jo and note the size comparison with the Song Thrush
The Hermit Thrush gave crippling views on the trail but was also in the shade from the wall
Besides in the US, where I’ve seen good numbers of Hermit Thrush, the first one I ever saw was in the monument area, Tresco, 26 years ago in ’93 It took a few hours to connect with but it did show well on occasions. And here is a drawing I did at the time. OK, I’m no artist ora Ren and I’ve gone over the top with the number of flight feathers.
While observing the Hermit Thrush, these 2 Song Thrush were in full battle.
An hour later, I was back on the Porth Hellick trail and I could hear the Dusky Warbler again in the same area as before. I heard the Yellow-browed Warbler and Siberian Chiffchaff and 3 Firecrest showed superbly in the sun. Next to the Sussex hide was a Northern ‘type’ Willow Warbler and the Lapland Bunting was feeding on the path between the end of the boardwalk and the beach.
I had 3 Firecrest to choose from as they fed out in the sun giving me fan-dabby-dosy views at Porth Hellick. I couldn’t decide which image to leave out. So I didn’t!
chiffchaff
Unfortunately the Northern ‘type’ Willow Warbler didn’t show as well as the Firecrest being brief and in the shade.
This Lapland Bunting gave some cracking views between the beach and the gate through onto the boardwalk.
I was just about to settle down with Jo on the beach when I got another unrecognised number coming through on my mobile. It was Graham and I asked him to stop stealing people’s mobile. No, his credit had run out before he had even found the Hermit Thrush but Graham used his noodle. He got the nearest person and asked if he could use their mobile as he had just found another rarity! Once, in the late 90’s, I found two Little-ringed Plover at Porthloo, a Scilly rarity, and guess what I did? I grabbed someone and demanded to use their mobile and a few minutes later, local birders started arriving. I duno why I did this as I had a mobile with credit at the time in my pocket! Anyways, the rarity this time was the only Olive-backed Pipit this year so far, but he had lost it in the field where he last saw it. It wasn’t long until Jo and I arrived and I went straight to work and started kicking the field. Over 40 Meadow Pipit flew over and in with them I heard a Red-throated Pipit that I caught on my recorder. I also caught the Olive-backed Pipit call on the recorder as I flushed it into Carn Vean Tea Gardens. We whizzed around and relocated it back in the original field. It was later on, while under the pines that it landed only a few meters in front of me before dropping to the ground out of sight and that was the last of it being seen as Graham returned to the Hermit Thrush that was still showing and after a cracking day in both weather and birds, Nigel Bray gave us a lift home as far as Old Town. We walked through the Standing Stones Field and finished the day off with 2 Siberian Chiffchaff in the last hour before the sun disappeared.
Darren Mason had a shrike sp on Bryher this afternoon and a few of us are goin over tomorrow hoping that it will turn out to be a Brown Shrike
Graham moved on from the Hermit Thrush towards Pelistry and went and found this Olive-backed Pipit! While we were trying to relocate the pipit, I heard a Red-throated Pipit overhead and managed to get it’s call on the recorder.
Graham has now found two major Yanks at Porth Hellick . the Hermit Thrush and Cliff Swallow. (Although the swallow was a co-find with me tee-hee. http://scillyspider.blogspot.com/search?q=cliff+swallow+porth+hellick). He’s been complaining about the weather every day for the past month and has only stayed on Scilly this late because of the promise of easterlies this week. I bet he would never of thought in his wildest dreams that he would come across this thrush by staying longer on Scilly than usual.
This is for you Graham and thanks for the mega find today!
This Scandinavian Rock Pipit didn’t show well at Little Porth, in fact only got the briefest of sightings but Jo managed to get this image. Up to 4 Scandinavian Rock Pipit have been seen this year on Scilly compared to the single record I had last year at Morning Point.
Just before mid-day we were at Little Porth and I told Jo to get on a pipit that I caught a few seconds of in among the rocks. What I did note in the time that I saw it, was that it was pretty white on the underparts and thought maybe Water Pipit. However it had greyish upperparts and maybe it could also be a Scandinavian Rock Pipit. It doesn’t matter which one it was, we needed to find it. After searching for a while there was no sign and it had just disappeared.
An hour later we were feeding Pablo and the other three at Porthloo Duckpond. On the beach nearby there were 2 Black Redstart and Rose Hill, an Icelandic Redwing showed very well with Scandinavian Redwing next to the dipping pools. Very quiet at Lower Moors with the only birds of interest were a single Yellow-browed Warbler, Siberian Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Swallow. We returned to Little Porth on our ways home and got 3 Mediterranean Gull and a single Black Redstart and Merlin but there was still no sign of the pipit.
Pablo Jr at the front followed by Graham Gordon, Coal and Feather trying to catch us up at Porthloo.
This Icelandic Redwing showed superbly at Rose Hill
And here’s a comparison with Scandinavian Redwing that were also at Rose Hill
This Willow Warbler was at Lower Moors
Where there was also this Yellow-browed Warbler
And this Siberian Chiffchaff
There were less than 10 Chiffchaff also at Lower Moors
Returning home, we walked through the east fields of the Garrison and with a few thrushes there was another Icelandic Redwing. I could see that it was ringed on the left leg and like the pipit at Little Porth earlier, it just vanished. There were more Redwing on the football field and there I relocated the Icelandic. However, this individual wasn’t as dark as the other bird we just had and it was also unringed and therefore it was now 3 Icelandic Redwing with as many as 70 Scandinavian Redwing and 10 Fieldfare today.
Later on at home, it was only when we were goin through Jo’s images on the laptop that we discovered that she had taken a Scandinavain Rock Pipit from her camera! Magic stuff Jo!!
The 2 CHOUGH were still hanging out on Peninnis and there was the Yellow-browed Warbler and the female Teal that I thought might of been a Green-winged Teal at the time, also at Newford, at the end of September has now molted into a male Green-winged Teal! More on that in my next post because I ain’t got time to do it now.
A very dark lookingIcelandic Redwing with ring on left leg in comparison at the front with a Scandinavian Redwing on the east side of Garrison.
And the third Icelandic Redwing of the day was at the football pitch only meters away from the individual in the fields on the east side of the Garrison.
just before dark, over 30 Herring Gull were feeding at very close range just outside the bedroom windowand one of them decided to have a drink and bath in the trough.
These 2 CHOUGH at Peninnis head showed well in the frequent downpoursand were only the second time that I’ve seen this species on Scilly after twitching a single on St Agnes 18 years ago.
Yesterday morning, Paul Smith, a non birder, came across 2 CHOUGH at the south turning circle while walking his dog. Unfortunately he didn’t let Jo Pender know about it until it was almost dark. This morning, they were still at the same site but later on Higgo called me to say that he was watching them on the west side of Peninnis. However, I didn’t move for another hour waiting for a break from the rain. I still got caught out by the downpours when I reached Peninnis and found the 2 Chough by call, feeding just NW of the lighthouse. They didn’t stick around and made a short flight and spent most of their time on the coastal path on the west side of Peninnis. I observed them for a good ten minutes before they were flushed by a dog walker. In the fields nearby, I also saw a single Mistle Thrush and Lapwing and later on off Morning Point, there were 5 Mediterranean and single Common Gull and Whimbrel.
This Lapwing was in the fields on the west side of Peninnis
As the 2 CHOUGH were both unringed and with these cold bitterly north winds, it’s thought that it is more than likely they are from the Irish population.
A day I remember well with the help of my notebook. The Welsh Wizard is the one and only, Bryan Thomas and we twitched the bird with others on St Davids Day! I had many of his images filling my notebooks from that and other years.
The 2001 Chough was ranging from the St Agnes campsite to Troy Town Maze. Image by Bryan Thomas.
Two days later after the Chough, we twitched another crow and mega. This time on St Martins but didn’t have to worry as the Magpie stuck around for over three years visiting other islands during it’s stayand pics all Bryan Thomas.
Late yesterday afternoon, Jo and I were approaching Morning Point and I could see a number of gulls feeding. I casually said ‘it’ll would be good to see an Iceland Gull’ I lifted my bins up from a distant and the first gull I layed my eyes on was a juvenile Iceland Gull!! i really wasn’t expecting that. We observed it for a good 30 minutes and it showed well. We were just about to leave before another heavy shower came through when I could see a Yellow-legged Gull coming in to join the large number of gulls already present including 5 Lesser black-backed and a single Common Gull. We still got soaked to the bone by the time we had walked the ten minute home.
With only a handful of Iceland Gull in the UK, I was still kinda of surprised to see this individual at Morning Point
This Yellow-legged Gull was one of two from three days ago
I found this HUME’S WARBLER this afternoon at Newford Duckpond and it proved hard to get as it was pretty mobile.Photo by Martin Goodey
It was pretty late morning, 11.30, when we decided to get out in the biting northerlies. However, in the sun on the sheltered side, there were still 3 Black Redstart at Little Porth with another 3 birds at Porthloo where there was also a Merlin. Nearly two later we reached Newford Duckpond and I thought I caught what sounded like a Hume’s Warbler call in the Sallows to my right as we approached the pond. But nothing after ten minutes and we sat down for a bite to eat next to the ducks. The Yellow-browed Warbler was very vocal and elusive and I managed to see the Siberian Chiffchaff. It was not until nearly an hour later that I could hear that call again that I heard when we first arrived at the pond. I walked over to where I thought it was with the recorder on. I couldn’t see the warbler but I caught it on the machine when it called a few times. Eventually I got a glimpse of the bird as it moved through fast through the back of the sallows and it appeared a grayish overcast on the upperparts but that’s all I could get as it was all too brief being chased off by a Goldcrest. I put the news out, HUME’S WARBLER, with the recording, and with in minutes Martin Goodey and Scott Read turned up followed by others. Martin relocated the warbler as I was on the mobile to Ren. I don’t mean I was sat or standing on my mobile. I was chatting to him on the mobile. Yes, we had a discussion about how folks shout at each other on soaps on TV and always look miserable. Not that I watch the rubbish. Then he went on to how Spurs were not doin so well in the league. That’s when I got miserable and put the mobile down. So, after pulling myself together, the hume’s had disappeared again only to be refound by call but no one could get a good view of it as it fed in the same bush with the Yellow-browed Warbler at times. I have no idea how Martin got the record shots that he did as I just had big twigs in the way or the butt end of the bird but I’m so pleased that he did.
Ren also got the Dusky and Yellow-browed Warbler and a Mistle Thrush on the Porth Hellick loop trail earlier on with 2 Swallow at Holy vale
The 3 Black Redstart were still at Little Porth with another 3 at Porthloo including this individual
Raven
Why couldn’t the Hume’s Warbler show like this Goldcrest in the sun?
Or this Chiffchaff?
And in all the time I was at Newford, this was the best I could get of anythin on the Yellow-browed Warbler
Iwas fortunate enough to also find the 2005 Hume’s Warbler at the Dump Clump. Most of us caught up with that individual as it stuck around for five days and showed a lot better than todays bird.
I managed to see up to 4 Firecrest today including this belter at Carn Friars
Yesterday the BROWN SHRIKE was very briefly seen near to the pump station at Porth Hellick. Despite a few of us searching throughout the rest of the day from 12.00, there was no further sign of it. Jo and I walked to Pelisry stables where we got a glimpse of the Hen Harrier. We returned to Porth Hellick and Graham Gordon let me know that he had heard a Dusky Warbler near to the pumping station. It wasn’t long until he relocated near to the start of the loop trail and that’s where most of us heard it. We also saw a single Siberian Chiffchaff, 2 Firecrest, 2 Woodcock, 2 Jack Snipe, 1 Black Redstart, 1 Merlin, heard the Cetti’s Warbler in the area and on the pool, a Little Grebe.
This Little Grebe at Porth Hellick is the only one I’ve seen this year on Scilly
Grey Heron
This morning, I didn’t get to Porth Hellick until nearly 10.00 as the wagon broke down outside the COOP. Graham and Higgo were already in the area trying to find the very elusive Brown Shrike when I arrived and again I walked the fields to the stables. There was a single White Wagtail and 2 Swallow flew east and the Mistle Trush was still present. Back at Porth Hellick, the Tufted Duck turned up after goin missing for a few days and the Yellow-browed Warbler was in between the two hides. At Carn Friars, a Firecrest gave me stunning views with 3 Chiffchaff and at the loop trail there were also another 2 Firecrest. Returning home there was a single Black Redstart at Old Town Bay with another 3 birds at Little Porth.
Firecrest at Carn Friars
Not many Chiffchaff around at the moment and I only got less than ten birds.
This White Wagtail was at the stables with Pied Wagtails
In the garden there was only a single Redwing feeding and it turned out to be a Icelandic Redwing. At 16.00, Jo and I were at Morning Point where there were 2 Yellow-legged and a single Common Gull. It was almost dark when we returned home and heard a Firecrest in the campsite garden.
Icelandic Redwing showing well in front of the bedroom window.
There were 2 Yellow-legged Gull with the 150+other gulls including 3 Lesser-black backed and a single Common Gull.
“The Palestinian people, who have to deal with the illegal occupation of their territory every single day, deserve international attention and support.”
In yet another win for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, officials in Norway’s capital Oslo recently passed an order banning Israeli settlement goods and services.
The ban comes as part of the newly adopted 2019 scheme which was approved by Oslo’s recently-elected City Council. The institution is currently led by the Socialist Left (SV), Labour and Green parties.
The recent ruling in the country happened despite huge efforts made on part of Israel and its right-wing allies in Norway “to repress accountability measures in support of Palestinian rights.”
Five other local municipalities have already banned Israeli products in Norway, in addition to one county.
By passing the new ruling, Oslo’s City Council has committed to not include “goods and services produced on territory occupied in violation of international law by companies operating under the permission of the occupying power.”
According to the BDS movement, this is because such bans do not differentiate between “Israeli and international corporations that operate in Israel’s illegal settlements.” In an official statement on the matter, Sunniva Eidsvoll, leader of the Oslo chapter of the SV and of SV’s Oslo City Council group, said:
“The Palestinian people, who have to deal with the illegal occupation of their territory every single day, deserve international attention and support.”
She also stressed that it’s a global responsibility to ensure that human rights and international laws are adhered to.
“I am proud that the Oslo City Council is now taking steps to prevent goods and services purchased by the city from supporting an illegal occupation of Palestine or other territories,” she added.
BDS officials welcomed the latest move in a statement issued by their Europe campaigns coordinator Alys Samson.
“We welcome this legally and morally responsible step taken by the Oslo City Council. Local councils are showing they are undeterred by repression, and continue to pave the way, despite inaction by national governments,” she explained.
“A ban on goods and services from Israel’s illegal settlements is the very least that government institutions should enact to cut their complicity with Israel’s regime of apartheid, settler-colonialism and occupation,” Samson added.
The city council’s move comes just over a week after Michael Lynk, the U.N. independent expert on human rights in the Palestinian territories, called for an international ban on all Israeli settlements products as a step towards ending Israel’s 52-year-old illegal occupation.
The BDS movement has been in action since 2005
The global movement against the Israeli occupation was established by over 170 Palestinian civil society organizations, unions, and cultural and rights groups. The campaign aims to pressure Israel into complying with international law and grant Palestinian citizens their most basic of rights. It allows people from all over the world to take part in the fight against Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian territories.
Supporters of the movement include academics, politicians, artists, and organizations as well as some Israeli citizens. In the past decade, BDS campaigns have scored significant successes including influencing several countries to suspend free trade with Israel.
However, there have also been some setbacks, particularly because the movement is often attacked by the U.S., Canada, and several European countries.
Nevertheless, the BDS’ impact is evident and this explains why Israel sees the movement as a strategic threat and accuses it of anti-semitism — a claim activists firmly deny, calling it an attempt to discredit them.FacebookTwitterPrintMore
The image above was the first Brown Shrike for Scilly and England was on Bryher, Sept, 2001 and was Originally identified as a Red-backed Shrike. Photo by Tony Blunden
Yesterday morning, Graham Gordon and I had a brief look at Porth Hellick and all we saw of note was a vocal Cetti’s Warbler, single Swallow, Firecrest and the Tufted Duck. At Higher Moors, we heard a possible Water Pipit fly south with Meadow Pipits. In the garden, which is now a field with 4 pigs in it and a sea view looking over towards Peninnis Head, as we have now moved into a new home, there were 2 Swallow hawking and on the garden list already, there were Pied and Grey Wagtail and flocks of Redwing feeding only a few meters from the window.
Later in the day at 17.10, when it was almost dark and too late for anyone to see it, news came out of a BROWN SHRIKE at Salkee. It was seen at 15.30 on wards but the observer forgot their mobile. How convenient!! Like most of us, I know what I would of done if I forgot my mobile and found a mega Scilly rarity. Even if I thought it was a possible Brown Shrike. Hey, but were all different, aren’t we?
The day before, 5th, there were 2 Shoveler at Porth Hellick..
And the following day, they were replaced by this Tufted Duck
So first thing this morning on the 7th, Higgo and Chesney connected with the Brown Shrike. When Graham and I arrived, we were told that it had flown off towards Porth Hellick Beach and was last seen heading for the ringing station. A Hen Harrier was distantly being mobbed by crows over the reeds but our mission was to relocate this shrike that was last seen nearly an hour ago. Everyone moved on and went searching in the area of Carn Friars. I made my ways to the original fields where it was first found and seen nearly an hour ago. No sign, so I kicked the Salkee fields for a good 30 minutes and flushed some 20 Snipe and then returned to the Brown Shrike fields and still no sign. I tried the NW fields and surrounding area of Salkee Farm and shortly afterwards I found myself scanning the shrike fields again. There was another squally shower coming through and I sheltered myself under a pittosporum on the muddy path overlooking the field. At the same time, the sun was still shinning on the willows at the far end of the field from where I was standing. With my naked eye, I noticed a bird pop out, a meter from the ground in the willows. As the sun was shinning on it, it looked pale and I thought it was goin to be a female Chaffinch. When I put my bins up, I immediately realised that it was a ROSE-BREASTED GROSEBEAK!! I couldn’t take it in and couldn’t believe that I discovered a mega yank while looking for a Brown Shrike! In the time that I was processing it all in my brain, if I really was looking at a grosebeak, it flew down towards the ground, showing off a red underwing, and disappeared behind some scrub just as the downpour began. I knew that Graham was not far away and I told him to get his ass over, on my mobile. I don’t mean, him to send me a picture of his butt on his mobile to my mobile. How stupid that would be. He’s still got a stone age phone that only does calls and texts. forty seconds had gone and I called him again then I contacted Higgo, who was fifteen minutes away. Graham and I had been in the field for ten minutes and still no sign of the Grosebeak. Another ten minutes went passed and there, perched out in the open front on, was the grosebeak! Where did he come from and how long had he been there?? It was only when it moved slightly did I realise that the bloody thing was only 10 meters or so directly in front of me. I shouted Graham quietly, if you can shout quietly, and just as I reached for my camera, the grosebeak flew off low strongly towards Salkee Farm where I lost it before I could even lift the camera to look through the viewfinder. I turned around to find that I had also lost Graham. He was on the path talking to Ren! I was so damn pleased with my find but how much I wanted someone else to see it as well. We all spent a good 30 minutes in the same fields that I had been kicking before in the last hour but nothing. Understandably, everyone’s mind was on the shrike, as it was a Scilly tick for us all and the Grosebeak is a mega but this was my firth bird that I’ve seen on Scilly. To cut a long story short, a handful of us did the Carn Friars area and further afield for the next four hours and not a sniff of a shrike or the grosebeak. No one payed any attention to the latter species and wasn’t even searching for it.
The next day, 8th, Graham and I were picking grapes all day and were busy extracting Blackcaps, Song Thrushes and Blackbirds out of the nets that are there to protect and stop them from eating the grapes. At Trenowth, we found some 15 Goldcrest, 6 Blackcap and 2 Chiffchaff inside under the nets. Don’t worry, we opened up each end of the rows and all the birds escaped to freedom. All we were hopping for was a Black and White Warbler just like the individual that got trapped in the same type of nets on St Martins winery last month!.
Up to 6 Siskin were seen at Deep Point but we only had this male in the same area
My first Rose-breasted Grosebeak was this cracker on Tresco, Oct ’93 and now I’ve seen five on Scilly. In Oct ’93 Other megas that Oct included Hermit Thrush on the same island and on St Mary’s, Upland Sandpiper and an Eyed-browed Thrush feeding on Blackberries only a few meters away off Porthloo Lane! Photo by Ren Hathway
And here is a photo of my first Rose-breasted Grosebeak that I ever saw on Tresco in Oct ’93 I also got the Hermit Thrush on the same island and on St Mary’s, an Eyed-browed Thrush feeding on Blackberries only a few meters away off Porthloo Lane!
Seaview with the pigs from the houselooking SSE
And looking ENE
I took these House Sparrow through the window from the new house. There are small numbers of Green, Gold and Chaffinch and over 60 House Sparrow feeding in the field just meters from the same windowwhich needs a clean.
Pink Floyd Co-Founder Roger Waters- Julian Assange’s Persecution Makes Me ASHAMED to be English!
Legendary former Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters discusses Wikileaks founder Julian Assange’s latest extradition hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court and why it makes him ashamed to be English, why he believes the UK and US are attempting to kill Julian, why the extradition case shouldn’t even be happening and is a mockery of British justice, the mass protests in Chile against the neoliberal US-backed President Sebastián Piñera and how the military crackdown is reminiscent of the Pinochet era
SCILLYSPIDER 2 