Purple Heron at Lower Moors

28th April 2021

Finally caught up with this stunning Purple Heron at Lower Moors after dipping out on it on Tresco, two days ago.

After all the good and rare birds I’m seeing from my home window in the last two years of being there, Andy Holden and Rik Anderson have named it, Castle Observatory window. And throughout the day from that window, I was observing the Turtle Dove, that’s now been present for six days, feeding just below the bird table with some 70 House Sparrow. It was just after 14.00 and I was at the airport picking up some parcels, when news came on the WhatsApp group, that the Purple Heron had just dropped into Lower Moors by the Standing Stones Field. Returning back to work, I had a quick look in the area where the heron came down. I entered the Standing Stones field and immediately flushed the Purple Heron to my right! I got good flight views before it came back down by the hides nearby. At Carn Leh, there were single Common Sandpiper and Whimbrel and it wasn’t until later on that I got out to Porth Hellick after work. Here the only bird of note was a Blue-headed Wagtail on the pool. A quick stop off at Porthloo found 3 Wheatear, 2 White Wagtail, 2 Whimbrel and the 2 Iceland Gull.

The Turtle Dove from the Castle Observatory window eyeing up a turnip

This is a fraction of the 70 House Sparrow that took just before dark from the obs window

There are also up to 4 Goldfinch on the feeders at te moment

I forgot to add these shots that I took from behind the dirty window of a Lesser Redpoll that I first saw on the feeders before dropping down for a drink and was a first for the garden

On the same day, I first saw this Redstart from the obs window but I took the record shot from the pig field and was only the second garden record

This Whitethroat yesterday was also only my second for the garden

I kicked the Purple Heron at close range on immediately entering the Standing Stone field with no idea it was there

There were single Common Sandpiper and Whimbrel at Carn Leh

A record shot of the Blue-headed Wagtail at Porth Hellick

Yesterday early morning I arrived at the airfield turning circle, with others already there, hoping that the Rock Thrush would be still present in the area. I wasn’t hopeful after a clear night and it being present since Saturday. Sure enough, it had moved on as there was no sign of it all day. However, it was still worth getting up at the crack of dawn, as there was a Nightingale singing on and off as well as two brief flight views, in scrub just east of the runway. There had been a fall of Nightingales, if you can call it that, including this one, 3 Nightingales were heard with singles also on Tresco and Bryher. On my way back down from the airfield, there was a Sedge Warbler giving it wellie at Porth Minnick but it wasn’t until I reached Lower Moors that it was obvious there had been a fall of Sedge Warbler. Altogether I had over 30 birds between the Standing Stones field and the main pool. Mixed in with them, were common migrants but in lesser numbers and as I approached the hides, I just caught a female ‘type’Hst above the reed bed to the east of the track. This was quickly followed by the Marsh Harrier near the center. I would of liked to have continued birding but I had to start work. Later on in the evening, I had a cracking male Redstart at the Longstones/Telegraph junction.

This Rock Pipit was having a good ole scratch in the morning sun

At Lower Moors there were over 30 Sedge Warbler

Chiffchaff were in smaller numbers

And only 4 Whitethroat

With just a single Tree Pipit

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