2 Scaup on Tresco

30th April 2022

Well worth kayak twitching this Dotterel at Shipman’s Head Down, Bryher this evening.

A very successful kayak twitch in the sunny calm conditions late this afternoon. Arriving on Tresco and immediately I got the pair of Scaup on the Abbey Pool that were discovered a few days ago. First observed past Innisidgen by Steve Brayshaw before settling on Tresco. After only getting record shots of the Scaup, I thought I would give it an hour of birding in the area and was rewarded with a stunning male Garganey at the south end of the Great Pool. It was hanging out with a male Teal and Shoveler. The only other birds of note were 26 Whimbrel, 3 Great Northern Diver, 2 Mediterranean Gull and the Eider at Pentle Beach. However, as I passed the west side of Tresco in the kayak, I got pretty close to 6 Bar-tailed Godwit, including some cracking summer plumage individuals and a single Whimbrel. Also there were up to 10 Wheatear scattered along the shore.

Out of all the species I’ve observed in the last week on Scilly, this pair of Scaup at the Abbey Pool, Tresco, were the rarest and an excellent spring record found by Steve Brayshaw. It’s a pity that they were always distant.

Left the Scaup and a few minutes later I discovered this male Garganey at the south end of the Great Pool

There were 26 whimbrel at Pentle Beach.

And on the west side of Tresco, there were up to 6 Bar-tailed Godwit. Size comparison with an Oystercatcher

I continued rowing across the channel to Bryher and made my way up to Shipman’s Head Down. Here I connected with the Dotterel that turned up yesterday. I spent a good twenty minutes with the plover and as usual for this species, it showed off superbly at very close range. I only left St Mary’s over two hours ago and I had time to return to Tresco to check out the Great Pool at the west end. Sand Martins were all over the shop on the pool with some 120. Mixed in with them were 40 House Martin and 60 Swallow but no sign of any of the Red-rumped Swallow from yesterday. There were also 3 Common Sandpiper at Simpsons Field and returning back home in the kayak, I kicked out two more of the latter species from the shore before I got home at 20.30.

The Dotterel showing off on the south side of Shipmanhead Down, Bryher. You can just make out Round Island in the distance above the bird in the above image

Yesterday, I was dropping off cases at Spanish Ledge, Porthcressa and all the gulls cleared off the roof tops, alarming. ‘Osprey!’ I ran out to see an Osprey circling above Porthcressa Bay.

Two days ago, 28th, I had a pretty good day starting off with this Serin at Peninnis

This was followed by twitching this male Pied Flycatcher that turned up at Carrag Dhu Gardens where it performed very well in the centre large Sycamore for the twenty minutes that I observed it.

Before seeing the flycatcher, on the golf course there were over 30 Wheatear, male Ring Ouzel, Hobby and this Tree Pipit. I also had a Jackdaw SE over the garden.

The 27th saw this Great White Egret, first on Tresco then being relocated in the Porth Hellick area, St Mary’s, before it settled down in a dead pine at Kittidown where I connected with it.

Also had a Whinchat, Whitethroat and this Golden Plover at the airfield on the same day as the egret

And the Woodchat Shrike was still present at the golf course on the 25th

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