17th Jamuary 2021
I was sat in my kayak beached from the tide goin out and Sanderling, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Turnstone and 4 Purple Sandpiper, including the individual above, continued to feed less than a meter at times as they passed either side of the kayak.
Fed the juvenile Glaucous Gull from my window first thing and at 09.00 I made my ways down to Sharks Pit, passing the 2 juvenile Iceland Gull at Town Beach. I was back in the with the 100s of waders at the east beach of Samson again in the warm sunshine. As they fed on the shore, With the kayak, I drifted in and beached myself. The tide went out and with five minutes, I didn’t know where to point the camera as the waders were at arm’s lengths away! Scanning with my bins I picked out 4 Purple Sandpiper and it wasn’t long until they too were almost touching the nose of the kayak. I was in another place with the waders and just sat there for nearly an hour in my kayak. I could have easily stayed longer but it was so still and inviting to get back on the water and try out somewhere else. I made the move when a Peregrine scattered everything including, 250 Oystercatcher, 27 Common Gull and 170 Black-headed Gull and only a single Mediterranean Gull. No sign of the family of Brent Geese or the 4 Spoonbill but I did get an adult Yellow-legged Gull on Green Island.
Less numbers of Sanderling from 200 two days ago to 120 today
Only 5 Dunlin
And some 100 Turnstone
This Ringed Plover with colors rings on both legs, never came closer enough like most of the 250 Ringed Plover
And the stars of the show were 4 Purple Sandpiper
I could only pick out a single Mediterranean Gull Out of the 170 Black-headed Gull.
A Peregrine spooked everything including the 27 Common and 170 Black-headed Gull
This smart adult Yellow-legged Gull was on top of Green Island
Back on the water and I rowed down the Tresco Channel to New Grimbsy and back up again. Continued through the south of Tresco to Round Island and back up past the west of St Martins. The six to seven miles I kayaked, of note, all I got were the 2 Eiders. Robin tried to put me on the 3 Slavonian Grebe just north of the Eastern Isles but I just couldn’t locate them and had to make do with close-up views of the 3 Common Scoter. For my effort of Kayaking all over the shop I also counted up to 25 Great Northern Diver, 9 Grey Heron and 50+Curlew. It had gone 16.00 when I returned to Sharks Pit and as I was close by, I decided to try Lower Moors for an owl that was seen yesterday evening. The Cetti’s Warbler was noisy and my first Siberian Chiffchaff of the year was very vocal near the Shooters Screen. I stood still by the hide and the light was still good as up to 3 Woodcock started flying around. Snipe were calling and I heard 12-15 Water Rail all over the moor and at 17.10, a Short-eared Owl flew through at close range. Ideal!
Both male Eiders were atill present with one off Pentle Bay, Tresco and the other off Middle Town Beach, St Martins
The 3 Common Scoter were off the north end of the Easten Isles
Altogether, I had a total of 25 Great Northern Diver
Stopped off at the Eastern Isles to have a pee, where I kicked up 3 Snipe, after being sat in the kayak for three hours since leaving Samson.
This Common Sandpiper has decided to overwinter at Porthcressa and yesterday, I got to see it for the first time.
This 4th winter HerringxLesser Black-backed Gull hybrid at Morning Point, is presumed to be the same bird that Richie and I had over a week ago that we observed very briefly flying away from us at the same sight.
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SCILLYSPIDER 2 