Saturday 17 September 2011

Succession of Tropical Storms really starting to pay dividends..........

The Isles of Scilly has been at the forefront of British Birding for a very long time and today showed glimmers of previous golden days...........

A succession of deep Atlantic lows has really been reaping rewards over the past week or so, with waders being the major talking point, particularly Buff-breasted Sandpipers in bumper numbers - and Sabine's Gulls in record numbers

Today however, St Mary's played host to both a NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH and first-winter female BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER in Lower Moors - the latter showing well on occasions in trees and bushes at the Airport Lane end of the Trail. The waterthrush was seen prior to 0700 hours and late yesterday evening in front of the Bird Club hide and was later relocated this afternoon not far away from the warbler. Both arrivals follow on from Scilly's earliest-ever RED-EYED VIREO - on the Garrison and Sallyport on Tuesday-Thursday of last week

A juvenile SOLITARY SANDPIPER continues to show down to just ten feet on Newford Duckpond, with two PECTORAL SANDPIPERS at Lower Moors and at least 4 of the recent 8 juvenile BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS on the Airfield. Long-stayers include the mobile EUROPEAN BEE-EATER and the juvenile WOODCHAT SHRIKE near the airfield.

With such quality birds so early and the predictions of more hurricanes and tropical storms to follow the same track, this sets to be a hugely eventful autumn. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and Common Nighthawk must be on the cards !