6th November 2020
I had to go and have a better look at the Red-flanked Bluetail at Porth Hellick this afternoon after the brief and obscured views from yesterday
I woke to dull skies and SE winds and ‘Billy’ the Iceland Gull, as I opened the window. I was working up at Holy Vale and it was not until gone 10.00 that I got out in the field. As I was already in the east end of the island, I made my ways towards Pelistry where I had Firecrest, Lesser Redpoll, Woodcock, 80+Chaffinch and a Glaucous Gull flew south stright through. Next to Borough Farm, I was on the mobile to Graham when I almost trod on a Lapland Bunting on the same track where a Sparrowhawk took one in October. I also kicked another Woodcock and Redwings were in small numbers feeding in the fields nearby.
‘Billy’ was closely watching me at my window
This Lesser Redpoll was at Pelstry
My first Glaucous Gull of the year was this juvenile over Pelistry
On the mobile to Graham and I almost put my foot on this Lapland Bunting at Borough Farm
I had 2 Sparrowhawk today including this individual that was nearby to the where the Lapland Bunting was
A scan from the track down to Watermill Cove, at the bramble hedges in the north sloping fields and I got onto a distant silhouetted shrike. It’s the first week of November, SE winds and therefore, surely it’s goin to turn out to be a Brown Shrike! It wasn’t long until it came into better light and a little closer that I immediatly could see that it was in fact a Red-backed Shrike. For the next ten minutes, the shrike performed well in catching wasps and bees. It was now 14.00 and from mid-day onwards, news was coming out, that yesterdays Red-flanked Bluetail was showing very well at Porth Hellick. I was torn in what to do. Shall I continue in searching for my own bluetail or should I go and have a look at the bueaty that’s already present? An hour later and I was observing the bluetail on the Porth Hellick Loop Trial at close range with Robin and Dick. For a good ten minutes, the bluetail was always on view as it showed off in front of us before being chased off Robin to other side of the boardwalk. At Holy Vale, I flushed 2 Woodcock, some 25 Goldcrest moved through and after goin missing for a few days, the Greylag and Russian White-fronted Goose were back in the field south of the stables. I finished the day off at Little Porth and got a single Black Redstart with ‘Billy’ the Iceland Gull, out on the rocks near to Pilchard Pool. Shortly afterwards just before dark, Robin saw ‘Billy’ back in the pig field. Probably waiting for me to throw some scraps out from the window. I was in the COOP mate!
This Red-backed Shrike at Watermill, was the third I’ve found this year after two birds in the spring including a cracking male
Although the Red-flanked Bluetail performed well at the loop trail, the light was unfortunately pretty dark inside where it was feeding
Both the Greylag and Russian White-fronted Geeese were back in the fields just south of the stables
Out of the 50 Goldcrest I saw today, including a flock of 25 birds in Holy Vale, this was the only pic I could get of one. Graham also had a flock of 23 feeding in the grass at the campsite. Also, there were good numbers of Robin in and scattered around on my walkabouts, there was a total of 70-80 birds and not one Yellow-browed Warbler.
The Curious Case of Priti Patel | George Monbiot
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