 |
| Rob, Mal and Ptolemy - Horse Point sea watching - 22nd September 2021 |
I am fortunate to hang around with some eminent ornithologists, entomologists and ecologists. Sometimes they like to invite me on trips, to teach them how to drink and to play them proper music in the evenings.
This years Agnes trip was one such opportunity. As well as Ptolemy, Dave and Mal in our Troytown digs - next door we had rare finder extraordinaire David Price and his friend Peter.
You might remember David from such mega finds as the Agnes Blackpoll Warbler in 2015 or more recently the Sulphur-bellied Warbler in Devon. What. A. Legend.
The seven days spent on-isle plodding around Agnes were preceded with a full days birding in Cornwall and of course the Scillonian crossing either side - giving good birding opportunity. The weather systems in advance of our visit didn't suggest mad Yank rares or beasts from the east. There was of course still plenty of migrants, a smattering of scarce and even a cheeky shorebird in the mix. Whats not to like!
The trip list was a tidy 90 species, rising to 91 if you count Muscovy - which let's be honest you all want to. Jonny Holliday told me that now we are allowed to officially tick Ruddy Shelduck, the best bird on the British List*, he reckons Muscovy's are incoming. Not my words.
*As good as Black Duck
We spent Friday 17th September merrily birding Cornwall, starting with some quality wildfowl. I mean quality. Cornish birder Bob Bosisto had given me solid gen for parking and viewing the Foxhole Ring-necked Duck - having arrived pre-dawn we walked down to it's favoured pool at first light.
 |
| Call Ducks aka Rankin's Duck - Foxhole 17th September 2021 |
 |
| Muscovy Duck - Foxhole - 17th September 2021 |
 |
| Ring-necked Duck - Foxhole - 17th September 2021 |
Having commenced proceedings with some suitably elite birds we trundled onwards, deeper into Cornwall. Our next stop-off was the Hayle Estuary.
 |
| Greenshank - Hayle Estuary - 17th September 2021 |
 |
| Mediterranean Gulls - Hayle Estuary - 17th September 2021 |
Always enjoyable, this was my best ever visit to the Hayle, with stacks of waders including double figures of Little Stint and a Curlew Sandpiper. The notice board in the hide tipped us off to a nearby Red-backed Shrike at Sancreed, just up the road from our next destination; Drift Reservoir.
 |
| Gannet - at sea - 18th September 2021 |
 |
| Manx Shearwater - at sea - 18th September 2021 |
Once disembarked at St Mary's a quick walk round the Garrison was followed by securing tinnies at the Co-op before boating it over to our new home for the week; St Agnes. Even the walk from the quay to our Troytown accommodation produced Pied Flycatcher by the lighthouse, followed by Spotted Flycatcher in one of the orchards off Barnaby Lane. After such an arduous journey we of course had to hydrate and ensure that the locals and bar maids knew we'd arrived. Heading to the Turks Head is was reassuring to see some Mallard-type ducks on the big pool as well as a Water Rail.
Our first full day on Agnes dawned with much excitement, I am pretty sure we covered the whole isle and Gugh several times over. A Rosefinch was seen by some on Gugh, otherwise there was a good showing of migrants with; Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Spotted Flycatcher, several Whinchat, Wheatear, Yellow Wagtails and even a Wryneck.
 |
| Wheatear - St Agnes - 19th September 2021 |
 |
| Spotted Flycatcher - St Agnes - 19th September 2021 |
 |
| Wryneck - St Agnes - 19th September 2021 |
As well as the passage migrants, waders kept us entertained throughout the trip, with Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper seen daily.
 |
| Ringed Plover - St Agnes - 19th September 2021 |
 |
| Common Sandpiper - St Agnes - 19th September 2021 |
The Wryneck was a bit of a flash point to be honest. I got crippling views and was able to show passersby including a couple of pram-pushing families, who showed various levels of interest, ranging from disgust to ambivalence. Awkwardly, no one else I was staying with saw it. There is no signal on Barnaby Lane and I had to jog up to the lighthouse to get the news out. One of our group has never seen a Wryneck and it had of course gone by the time everyone arrived. After that no one talked to me for the rest of the trip and I had to sit on my own at the Turks.
Monday and the new week dawned with renewed optimism, we set about thrashing the isle to see what was lurking. The answer; plenty of migrants, some belter locals and awesome scenery. Sand Martin, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat, Spotted and Pied Flycatchers, Redstart, Whinchats and Yellow Wagtails kept us entertained.
 |
| Whinchat - St Agnes - 20th September 2021 |
 |
| Spotted Flycatcher - St Agnes - 20th September 2021 |
 |
| Bishop Rock - from St Agnes - 20th September 2021 |
 |
| Pied Flycatcher - St Agnes - 20th September 2021 |
Tuesday was more of the same, with lingering migrants, exploring more of the island, learning migrant hot spots and adding Sanderling and Tree Pipit to the trip list. The Tree Pip was in the same field as the Wryneck we don't mention (pictured twice above). It is pure coincidence that field happens to be next to the shop where you can purchase beers and other alcoholic refreshments or food.
 |
| Tree Pipit - St Agnes - 21st September 2021 |
 |
| Extreme, praise for Odin, Olde Ones respect - St Agnes - 21st September 2021 |
 |
| Sanderling - St Agnes - 21st September 2021 |
 |
| Tree Pipit - St Agnes - 21st September 2021 |
With a whiff of favourable wind we decided a sea watch would be a sensible way to commence proceedings on hump day. We marched down to Horse Point for first light and were treated to the raw beauty of nature; stunning sunrise, passing seabirds, a huge pod of dolphin, Rob's harrowing flatulence and the inherent beauty of the island itself.
 |
| Sunrise - Horse Point sea watching - 22nd September 2021 |
 |
| Bishop Rock from Horse Point - 22nd September 2021 |
 |
| Gannets - Horse Point sea watching - 22nd September 2021 |
 |
| Rob, Mal and Ptolemy - Horse Point sea watching - 22nd September 2021 |
 |
| Dolphin - Horse Point sea watching - 22nd September 2021 |
 |
| Gannet - Horse Point sea watching - 22nd September 2021 |
 |
| Whimbrel - St Agenes - 22nd September 2021 |
Wingletang Down, Porth Askin, Beady Pool and Horse Point are my favourite part of the island. It feels wild and you can look out south, deep into the Atlantic Ocean. Just very, very cool and it feels like a truly wild place. Our early morning efforts were rewarded with a Gannet super-highway, hundreds if not thousands of Shag feeding amongst the rocks viewing west, Razorbills, Sooty and Manx Shearwater. On our return walk to Troytown we had a Whimbrel on Porth Askin. With lingering warblers and Whinchat elsewhere on the isle it was a top day of it.
For Thursday's festivities we decided to island cheat on Agnes and day-trip it to Bryher. The main draw was the Baird's and Buff-breasted Sandpipers reported. Whilst the Buff-breast had done one - we got crippling views of the Baird's, as well as both Pied and Spotted Flycatcher around the tennis courts. It was also great to visit Bryher for the first time since 2012, a brief visit to see Buff-bellied Pipit, to properly explore. As a raw bonus; Twitter came to life when we bumped into Scilly resident Scott Reid!
To be honest, Friday and much of Saturday before our boat off-isle blur into one. Walking around enjoying the island, bumping into the odd Wheatear and getting close views of Peregrine.
Comments
Post a Comment