2 Snow Bunting at Long Mynd, Salop

22nd November 2023

Time to leave Scilly for another winter and start my onwards travels. To where, I’ve got know idea at the moment. Touching down at Lands End, I got on a train north to Salop where I’ll be spending a week before flying off on a bigger plane, probably east. While I was in the county, 3 Snow Bunting turned up where I saw my first one for the Salop some 15 years ago, on the Long Mynd. I couldn’t get up to the Mynd for a while but when I did, only two buntings were present. They both proved pretty flighty at first but soon settled down just past the Rattling Hope turning where crippling views were observed as a couple of us lay down to eye level with them. They grovelled just off the track and were easily flushed by passing vehicles only to return again. I missed out on Snow Buntings that were on Scilly this autumn, although I did catch up with a male early on in the spring, so it was ideal to connect with these two confiding individuals.

My first Salop Snow Bunting some 15 year ago, was on the same track as where these two were but closer towards the gliding station. A single at Clee Hill three year ago, is the only other individual that. It’s probably more than likely the 3 Snow Bunting at Malvern, Worcestershire, less than a week before, were the same birds and made the short flight north to end up on top of the Long Mynd.

Other highlights during the time I was in Shropshire included, 2 Yellow-legged Gull at Hortonwood but a few days later, I turned up a Caspian Gull that flew south straight through. Not far away at Kynersley, I tried to visit the floods when ever I could and was rewarded with 2 Great White Egret most days and a high count for this time of year, 5 Green Sandpiper. 2 Brambling were also with a Chaffinch flock nearby. Otherwise it was keep an eye on Trench Pool and for a change, it couldn’t produce anythin of note.

I just got onto this Caspian Gull before it flew through south at Hortonwood

These 2 Great White Egret, commuting with Roadway and Crudgington Moor Lane floods, were my 6th and 7th for Salop after discovering the first for the county nearly thirty years ago at Woodlane with Matthew Webb.

Three of the 5 Green Sandpiper on floods at Crudgington Moor Lane

I had to visit Lincs for two days during the week and as I turned into my uncles drive at South Cockingham, 6 Waxwing dropped in very briefly. I just got this record shot of a single bird through the car window before it to also flew off.

Before I left Scilly there were a few Black Redstart knockin around

And the odd White Wagtail as well

Palestinian EXPOSES Gaza Media Coverage

Israeli terrorists genocide being covered up by Western media and Israel will walk away from their war crimes that they have been committing for decades!

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Israeli actress caught out pretends to be Palestinian nurse as Israel ramps up fake news

19th November 2023

There are two things that the Israeli terrorist state really excel at right now. Palestinians are being massacred, supported by the UK government and the other is propaganda.

It’s become clear over decades that the Israeli government has lied to the world into believing that they are the victims and not the oppressor. In over a month since Israel started genocide on the Palestinians in Gaza, the Israeli government has continued to lie to the world to prove that murdering over 12 000 Palestinians is justified. Israel so far has bombed scores of hospitals, schools and even a convoy of ambulances. Israel’s propaganda doesn’t stop. A few days ago, a video of a Palestinian nurse came out, viewed by millions, telling the viewer that Hamas is operating in the hospital where she is recording herself and using all the food, fuel and water. It turns out that the nurse is in fact a Israeli actress, Hanah Aabutbul, pretending to be a Palestinian. You can even hear the fake bomb sounds goin off in the background.

.And this is what Hanah Abutbul looks like when she’s not pretending to be a Palestinian nurse. Striking resembles wouldn’t you say?

Israel’s Lies DEBUNKED

How can you trust anything that the Israeli government is telling us with this fake video and other false claims??? You can’t!

1st CAPE MAY WARBLER for Scilly

10th November 2023

Mega find by Scott Reid who turned up the 4th British CAPE MAY WARBLER at Green Bay, Bryher this morning!!!

Shortly after 09.00, I was in the castle gardens when news broke on the Scilly Bird News WhatsApp group from Scott Reid ‘Bryher: CAPE MAY WARBLER!!!’ There was more but that was all I needed to read. I immediately rang up the gang and then called Bryher Boats. I booked Ren and myself on and then for anyone else who wanted to also go, I put the number out on the group. I relaxed and kept gettin calls asking me why wasn’t down the quay? After a coffee, I casually made my way down to see the rib flying out of the quay and towards Bryher. What!? Ah, never mind. There be another one goin. It was another rib that raced off into the distance! Twenty minutes later we were dropped off at Church Quay but before we got off I had to ask, where was the Cape May hanging out? I had no idea because I didn’t read the first message Scott put out. To my relief it was only around the corner and I ran the short distance like the devil leaving the others behind! I found Scott on the SW side from the quay who appeared relieved when I was by his side. Immediately on arrival, he put me on the mega yank! I gave him a bear hug and then Ren arrived and I gave him a cuddle. He complained ‘Last time you did that to me was when I found the Blue Rock Thrush and you gave me a bear hug!’ I couldn’t believe what I was hearing ‘Yes but you didn’t find the Cape May, so you only get a cuddle Ren’ For the next hour or so, with others, it gave us grippling views feeding out on the rocks in the warmth of the sun at very close range. It favoured a particular bush where it would spend most of it’s time before showing back out in the open returning briefly to the shore again. November the 25th last year, would you believe it? Scott’s wife discovered a Yellow-rumped Warbler at Old Town back on St Mary’s! This also spent it’s time feeding on the shore and gave us all exceptional views during it’s three day stay. It’s OK, I only cuddled Scott’s wife with her mega find. And Ren, if you want a bear hug from me so badly, goin and find a mega!

Blackburnian Warbler just over a year ago in October was only a stones throw away from this delightful CAPE MAY WARBLER today showing off in the warm sun.

Last years Blackburnian Warbler in October

And a month later, this Yellow-rumped Warbler turned up at Old Town Bay, St Mary’s

I booked the return at 17.00 and Ren and I were both eager to see what else was hiding away on Bryher. We had five hours to kill but as expected, with two weeks of westlies, it was very quiet. 12 Chiffchaff, 2 Goldcrest, single Dunlin, 3 Fieldfare and overhead, 2 Redwing. There was 2 Waxwing reported flying north over the tennis court when Ren and I were, north of the tennis court. However, we didn’t hear nothin of a species that’s very vocal when on the wing. At Popplestones Bay, a Common or Spotted Sandpiper flew across the bay. ‘That’s got to be a Spotted Sandpiper!’ We both thought. It didn’t take long to accept that it was a very late Common Sandpiper. Returning to the quay, we stopped off to have another look at the warbler with Scott, before jumping on the rib back home. Although I’ve seen them before on Scilly, I missed out on most of the mega’s and rarities that have turned up this autumn, thanks to work, but on this occasion, I just said to the boss, well I didn’t say anythin, I just went..

I’m sure I just saw Ren pass me in town with a a head touch, shinning it into every bush and at the same time, pishing like crazy and saying ‘Ere Ere Canada Warbler. Where are you? You little…’ I didn’t stick around and rushed home as quick as I could and locked the door!

A very late Common Sandpiper got us both goin for a few minutes at Popplestone Bay

There were up to 12 Chiffchaff in total

Little Egret in low afternoon light

Ranging seas crashing off Hell Bay, Bryher

A few days ago in the afternoon just after a storm, this Snipe dropped into the garden. After bathing, it started to preen where I took these pics from the window. Grey Wagtail and Redwing are daily in the garden while Snipe have become regular since mid-October.

Also in the garden, Collared Doves were also preening and having a good ole stretch as well as taking a nap. At the moment there are 50-60 doves visiting.

By the time that you have read this post, dozens or maybe 100s of Palestinian children would have been murdered by the Israeli terrorists state!!

Netanyahu: ‘I TELL YOU SOMETHING, WE’RE GOING OUT OF ARE WAY TO PREVENT CIVILIAN CASUALTIES’

So far 12000 Palestinians, 7000 being children, have all been murdered by the ISRAELI FAR RIGHT FACIST APARTHIED COLONISED TERRORISTS STATE in five weeks!!! 12000 is an underestimate number as it’s rises everyday

To put it into context: Less than 10000 Ukrainians have been killed in the over 600 days!!! And the bombs that are raining on Gaza with children murdered every 10 minutes, are funded by the UK and US and others!

NOT IN MY NAME!

Turn Away

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ISRAEL IS A FAR RIGHT FACIST CONONLISED APARTHIED TERRORISTS STATE!!!

Waxwing at the Dump

4th November 2023

A Waxwing that’s being bombing around St Mary’s in the last few days, was thought to be the same one from St Agnes. Until Viv Stratton pinned it down at the Dump today where it turned out to be a different individual.

Just after 10.00, I was just getting stuck into my weeks shopping when a call from Viv Stratton changed all that. ‘Waxwing in apple trees at the Dump! I grabbed 6 Cottage Cheese, as they will all be gone by the time I return later and ran out the shop. I paused to put the news out and shortly after, no sign of Viv but still feeding in the apple trees, was the Waxwing. Ideal! Some twenty minutes later, there was a small crowd all enjoying the stunner as it filled it’s face with apples. 30th Oct, it was while at Harry’s Walls that I heard a Waxwing, looked up and observed it shoot towards town. In fact in the direction of the Dump. I passed it off as probably the adult from St Agnes the day before. That is until Viv Stratton pinned it down at the Dump this morning where it was identified as a 1st winter.

The Waxwing showed well at times but also spent a lot of it’s time playing hide and seek in among the apples

There were also 3 Fieldfare feeding in the apple tree with a single Blackcap

The last Waxwing that was on Scilly was this individual four years ago in late Oct on Tresco where it got it’s head stuck in an apple!

In 2012, first week of November, there was up to 5 birds in the Sallyport area feeding on Rosehip.

Later on, another call from Viv, got me this time to Porth Mellon where there was a dark-bellied Brent Goose on the incoming tide. It was just across the road from where the Waxwing was. News came out that the Grey-cheeked Thrush for it’s seventh day, was still showing well at Rocky Hills. By the time I got there, I got soaked to the bone and only got a handful of record shots before it flew off down the road.

I took these pics from the road of this dark-bellied Brent Goose, looking onto Porth Mellon Beach

The week long Grey-cheeked Thrush still showing off from the gate at Rocky Hills.

A very brief look at Shooters Pool and there was this Siberian Chiffchaff.

I returned to the Dump later on, no sign of the Waxwing but on the otherside of the path was this Yellow-legged Gull

On the day I had the Waxwing fly through Harry’s Walls, 30th Oct, I also had this cold looking ‘Northern’ Willow Warbler nearby

On the same day at Lower Moors there were single Lesser Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, 5 Siberian Chiffchaff, 3 Yellow-browed Warbler and 2 Willow Warbler including this individual

Former British Soldier EXPOSES Israel War Machine

You cannot wave the Ukrainian flag and not the Palestinian flag as well!!!

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