Wryneck at Maypole

3rd April 2021

This Blue-headed Wagtail performed well at Porth Hellick pool this afternoon but no sign of the Ashy-headed Wagtail that was still present yesterday but only in the morning.

Cracking day and here was me thinking about goin kayaking. I got out in the field later than I wanted and did the loop around the Garrison. all of note were fly through Ring Ouzel near the Stevel and in the east horse paddocks there were a single Kestrel, 2 White Wagtail and a male Merlin. The latter species, I had on a post yesterday only meters from my window. During the stroll, Darren Hart found a Hoopoe at Pelistry and that made my decision to slowly make my ways to the east of the island on me bike. The stables was full of horse riders but I still managed to get the first Pied Flycatcher of the year for Scilly that performed well in the warm sun. I had just arrived at the last field on the left before the beach of Pelistry Lane and the Hoopoe flew across the field and sat in a tree and was on view but distant for a good ten minutes for the small crowd present. It moved to feed on the deck and was still present when I left and observed 4 Siskin fly west over the farm immediately followed by 3 Jackdaw goin south.

The 2 White Wagtail showed well in the east horse paddocks of the Garrison

With 2 Redstart on St Martins earlier in the day, I was hoping to bump into one while birding but was rewarded with my earliest returning record of Pied Flycatcher instead.

My second Hoopoe in less than a month but this individual, found by Darren Hart, kept it’s distance at Pelistry

It had just gone 13.00 and as I approached Maypole Triangle from Holy Vale on me bike, I took the right turning at the junction and at the side of the road was a Wryneck! This was only my third spring sighting of this species in spring, including one 27th March, 100 years ago! I moved as fast as I could, but slowly, struggling to get my camera out of my rucksack. It was too late as a car flushed it and I watched it fly across the field towards Maypole Farm. I spent over an hour trying to relocate it, but nothin. At Porth Hellick, I got what I presume is one of yesterday Blue-headed Wagtail from yesterday, on the pool but nothin else of note except the 3 Shovoler and on the down there were 2 Wheatear. I finished the day off back on the Garrison where there were 2 Redwing and a single Fieldfare. Throughout the day, Swallows and Sand Martins were trickling through but only 2 House Martin and both Willow Warbler and Blackcap were at most of the sights that I visited.

This smart looking Blue-headed Wagtail showed well at Porth Hellick

While taking pics of the wagtail, the 3 Shoveler dropped in and landed at close range from me.

2 Wheatear on Porth Hellick Down were the only ones I saw all day

There were 2 Redwing in the east horse paddocks on the Garrison

Altogether I had a total of 12 Blackcap including this male at Maypole where I had 4 while searching for the Wryneck

Also 15 Chiffchaff and including this individual at Porth Hellick, 12 Willow Warbler

Also a small influx of Robin with at least over 50 birds including this very scruffy individual

While this Robin, that was chasing the one above, was in good shape

Well over 120 Linnet scattered around the island with the highest count being 46 at the stables

Yesterday I kayaked over to Tresco after work and spent a short time there before dark. With very small numbers of hirundines on St Mary’s, I was kinda of surprised when at Abbey Pool and there were some 150 hirundines hawking including, 60 House and 60 Sand Martin and 30 Swallow. Otherwise all I noted in the general area of the two pools were, 6 Willow Warbler, 4 White and 2 Pied Wagtail, 6 Sandwich Tern, 5 Shoveler, single Tufted Duck and off Pool Road, the 4 Cattle Egret.

Only a fraction of the 150+hirundines hawking over abbey Pool

Including over 60 House Martin

Fly catching in the evening light off the roofs of the town were 4 White and 2 Pied Wagtail

The 4 Cattle Egret have now been present on Scilly for nearly five months after arriving in October

Robin Mawer caught me returning back to St Mary’s

I got a cracking shot of the sunset taken from his bedroom window

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The Destruction of the Amazon Rainforest | George Monbiot

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