Twitched the Isles of Scilly for the first time since 2004 and successfully connected with the Great Blue Heron on Bryher. It was only the third time I’d ever been on Bryher, the first being in 1996, and the last with a very young Tom in 1999, and on both previous occasions whilst I was staying on St. Mary’s.
Anyway, along with Mark Dowie I flew from Newquay and chartered the Falcon boat to take us directly there before the crowds arrived. From the top of the town we could see the Great Pool, where the Heron had been the previous couple of days and it was some relief when Mark picked up a Heron. Although we were quite some distance away I was convinced it was the Great Blue, and sure enough, when we eventually arrived at the Great Pool, it quite clearly was.
After watching for an hour or so I wandered around the island, picking up a Grasshopper Warbler (heard only), and a nice Wood Warbler. And also doing some general touristy photo snaps…
… of the Great Pool looking from Fraggle Rock campsite…
…and Tresco as viewed from our landing point…
We departed, along with three others who had made it across, in the same boat when it turned up with the arrivals from the Scillonian. An interesting departure as the low-tide meant we first got wet feet getting into a small rowing boat first. The journey back took quite a while as the tide was so low heading around the north end of the island before passing the Tresco gardens…
…and arriving at St. Mary’s.
I then had a great afternoon just doing some general birding and visiting some places I’d not been for many a year, concentrating on the Garrison picking up the distant long-staying Long-tailed Duck, then into then into Hugh Town for closer (although still distant views of the duck…
…then to Penninis (found a female Ring Ouzel)…
…before walking to Old Town, through Lower Moors, past the duck pond where we used to visit with the boys when they were toddlers to feed the ducks…
…and on the Porth Loo where I found a pristine male White Wagtail.
A great day! I then took some video of flight back to Newquay…
20 April 2015 09:35 - 11:55
Sunny 14C 14E
Mallard, Shag, Great Blue Heron, Oystercatcher, Great Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Swallow, House Martin, Wood Warbler, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler,
St. Mary's
20 April 2015 12:20 - 18:30
Sunny 14C 14E
Gadwall, Mallard, Long-tailed Duck, Fulmar, Shag, Grey Heron, Kestrel, Peregrine, Oystercatcher, Snipe, Razorbill, Black-headed Gull, Great Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Swallow, House Martin, Chiffchaff, Wren, Starling, Ring Ouzel, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin, Stonechat, Wheatear, Dunnock, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Rabbit, Common Rat. Holy Blue
