26th April 2021
Only been on Bryher for five minutes and came across this Richartd’s Pipit west of Rushy Bay
In the last few days, the strong easterlies have turned up some scarcities including 2 little Bunting, Purple Heron and rarer than the two latter species, male Bullfinch, all on St Agnes. While on Tresco, Woodchat Shrike and St Mary’s, up to 3 Golden Oriole and a single Hoopoe. On Bryher, nothin! That was due to no one visiting the island because of tides and weather. Before I made my ways to Bryher in the kayak, the first birds I see directly only meters away from my window as I opened the curtains, is now 2 Turtle Dove after one arriving to join the other individual yesterday. I arrived on the Bryher at Rushy Bay and as I carried the kayak up the beach, I heard Tree Pipits and good numbers of hirundines were above me. It felt good, and I had only just left the kayak when I heard a Richard’s Pipit nearby. After twenty minutes, I relocated the pipit feeding with some 20 Meadow Pipit and 15 Wheatear in the open area just west of the fields. Good start and I was joined by tony Blake, staying on Tresco who also saw the large pipit. After searching through the Rushy Bay, there was an obvious arrival of both Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Tree Pipit with six of the latter species. There was also a Turtle Dove but when I had left and Tony went to have a look at the dove, he also had views of 2 male Golden Oriole perched together on the west slope of Samson Hill. I was at the hotel and was tempted in returning but I was thinking, I’ll get lucky and see one later somewhere on the island.
There are now 2 Turtle Dove to wake up to as I open my curtains first thing
The Richard’s Pipit proved mobile but did show well at times. I think this is only my second spring record of this species
Got this Turtle Dove at the Rushy Bay fields but missed out on 2 male Golden Oriole that Tony Blake had shortly after me leaving the area
One of the 6 Tree Pipit also in the fields
Both Blackcap and Chiffchaff spent a lot of time flycatching
I spent a good hour in Popplestones area and for my effort of note I had a single Pied Flycatcher, my first 2 Cuckoo of the year, up to 14 Tree Pipit and 3 Siskin west. It wasn’t until I got to the church that I had another Pied Flycatcher and the boatyard, a Black Redstart. while trying to get pics of the redstart, I could hear a Serin and observed it fly SW towards Samson Hill. I went in search of the finch but all I got was the Marsh Harrier rising on thermals. News came on earlier that there was a female Red-footed Falcon on St Martins. It was now almost 17.00 and was debating if to kayak all that away or just make the few minutes crossing to Samson.
Altogether I had 20 Tree Pipit including a group of 8 birds
also 35 Chiffchaff
40 Blackcap
10 Whitethroat
Over 50 Wheatear
2 Pied Flycatcher
And over 30 Swallow
Only 3 Ringed Plover
I took the easy ride and ended up spending an hour on samson where I saw 10 Wheatear, 3 White Wagtail, 2 Chiffchaff, single Willow Warbler, Tree Pipit, the Marsh Harrier and the male Pintail from Tresco. On North Hill, I flushed a Short-eared Owl on the summit with no idea that it was there.
I kicked this Short-eared Owl off the summit of North Hill with no idea it was there until it was too late
Marsh Harrier
Some 12 Whimbrel were on the shore with a single Dunlin
Up to 3 White Wagtail were feeding on the beach
Also 10 Wheatear
only 2 Linnet present
Stonechat
Wren
As the Woodchat Shrike and the Purple Heron were seen on Tresco throughout the day, I made the short kayak across and only managed to get the Woodchat Shrike distantly on top of a hedge sloping down opposite Dolphin House. Good numbers of hirundines and now 5 Canada Geese were on the Great Pool. Returning back to the kayak, I had cracking views of 5 Yellow and 2 Blue-headed Wagtail just west of Simpsons Field. It was while on Tresco that news broke of a female ROCK THRUSH at Blue Carn, St Mary’s. Tony Gilbert called me on Saturday morning to tell me that he had a bird with a red tail perched on rocks at Blue Carn and thought it might be a Nightingale. He also told me that it was streaky on the front. That’s not a Nightingale, streaky and perched on rocks but I gave it a good half an hour in the area shortly after he called me and no sign. It was while chatting to Tony, on my ways back to St Mary’s this evening, that it was in fact the Rock Thrush that he had seen. He did say it was also dumpy and had a longish bill at the time when he called me on Saturday, but he couldn’t get much else on it as he was looking into the sun. I just never thought about it being a Rock Thrush at the time. By the time I got home it was too dark to go anywhere and hopefully it will still be present tomorrow when I can catch up with it.
There were 2 Blue-headed Wagtail in the field west of the Great pool
With up to 5 Yellow Wagtail
And 7 Pochard including a female with a single duckling
Only a single Cattle Egret on Simpson’s Field
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