Scilly Sojourns - September/October, 2020 - Pt.2

This is the second part of my report on my visit to the Isles of Scilly at the end of September/beginning of October. You can find Pt.1 here:-http://peglerbirding.blogspot.com/2020/10/scilly-sojourns-septemberoctober-2020.html.

In Pt.1  I mentioned that I had four main objectives for the visit. Happily, by the end of day 2 on St Mary's, I had achieved two of them - namely to get better photos of the insula subspecies of Speckled Wood butterfly, and seeing my first ever dragonflies on the Scillies. This continues the story.

Thursday, 1st October

A pre-breakfast visit to the path above Littleporth Beach at the bottom of the garden produced one of my favourite subjects in pleasing light - a Stonechat.

Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) (male) - Littleporth

I also took some shots of Rock Pipit, and can't resist showing two of these, which make me smile each time I look at them!

Rock Pipit (Anthus petrosus) - Littleporth

Following my disappointment at not being back at base the previous day when my wife, Lindsay, had spotted one of my objectives, a Hummingbird Hawkmoth, just outside the kitchen window and had even got a record shot of it, I had done a recce of the area around Sally Port on the Garrison and come to the conclusion that it was worth a visit on a sunny morning. This was such a morning so, straight after breakfast, this is where I went! 

I only had to wait about 10 minutes before a Hummingbird Hawkmoth appeared, and I had just short of 10 minutes with this specimen before it disappeared. If I was a better photographer, I'd probably have managed to freeze those whirring wings somewhat better, but I'm quite pleased with the results anyway - which is why I'm showing multiple images!

Hummingbird Hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum) - Sally Port

One gets the impression that if one of these meaty-looking beasts collided with you at speed, it would hurt. And isn't that proboscis amazing!

After this session, I went back to base for a coffee and took some shots of a Wren with a crane fly. Sadly, my camera settings were wrong and the ones of it seaizing the insect were blurred. The only one salvageable just shows legs protruding from its bill.

Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) - the garden, Littleporth

As wet weather was forecast for the afternoon, I made the most I could of the morning by heading up to Peninnis once more. There were still reports of Wryneck coming in from Peninnis and I had yet to see one there. I arrived to find a gentleman who had just seen one, but lost it again. A search of the area revealed nothing.

In the distance, someone was stalking a bird atop a rock. I left him to it but took a distant shot before it departed as he closed in. It was yet another Lapland Bunting sighting!

Lapland Bunting (Calcarius lapponicus) - Peninnis

There were signs that the forecast rain was coming in soon and it was time to head back to base. As I was leaving the head, a couple of Great Black-backed Gull were having an altercation.

Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) - Peninnis

On reaching Porthcressa Beach a Shag was close to the shore and, rather than diving for food, was 'snorkelling' - a behaviour that I have not noted before in this species.

 

Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) - Porthcressa

The rain started when I reached Littleporth, virtually at the bottom of the garden of 'home'. I could not resist some more Stonechat photography.

Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) (female) - Littleporth

Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) (male) - Littleporth

Fortunately, the rain lasted less than two hours, and there were signs that the rest of the afternoon could brighten up considerably. It seemed that the best option was for me to stay locally, so I went down the path between the back of the property and the beach at around 15h00.

The intial result was yet more Stonechat shots - maybe this post should have carried a Stonechat warning at the outset?!

Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) (female) - Littleporth

Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) (male) - Littleporth

There was yet another behavioural aspect that I have not seen before, and that was Turnstones digging in the sand. They weren't just probing, but seriously digging. My shot of a bird with its head totally below surface level didn't come to much, but hopefully this next shot will indicate how seriously they were digging.

Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) - Littleporth

The wing pattern on these birds, coupled with the white back, when in flight, is delightful.

Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) - Littleporth

My main intention for this session was one of sitting in the rocks between Porthcressa and Littleporth beaches (known as Little Carn) to see what the rising tide might bring to me. This is a view from Porthcressa to Littleporth showing the rocks. Incidentally, the bottom of the garden of our base can be seen at the extreme right-hand side of the image and is the left-hand white wall atop the sea-wall. The two trees are a feature of the garden boundary.

 

view from Porthcress Beach towards Littleporth

My tactic of sitting in the rocks really paid off, although I wish that I'd had a cushion with me - my relatively recent loss of 12 kg weight has left me with a lack of padding to my backside! The birds seemed to be oblivious to my presence, as the rising tide brought them ever closer.

A Rock Pipit landed beside me and preened.

Rock Pipit (Anthus petrosus) - Little Carn

The Turnstones were the first waders to come close.

Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) - Little Carn

A Starling came to show off its finery

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) - Little Carn

Finally, the Sanderlings arrived, and I had a wonderful session with them before I had to leave or risk getting marooned!

Sanderling (Calidris alba) - Little Carn

The day had ended on a high, and I was delighted.

Friday, 2nd October

This was to be our worst weather day, with extremely high winds causing all flights and sailings to the islands to be cancelled. Although there were sunny periods in the morning, the winds increased even further in the afternoon, and brought rain with them.

I ventured out in the morning, avoiding coastal paths and staying relatively local. Very little resulted. I was pleased to photograph a Stonechat in our garden - I reckon that not many people can say that!

Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) (male) - the garden, Littleporth

By the western corner of Littleporth Beach a female of the species was obliging.

 

Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) (female) - Littleporth

I got as far as Old Town and Lower Moors, with the only sighting that caused me to use the camera being a distant Little Egret in Old Town Bay.

Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) - Old Town Bay

The rest of the day was a total wash-out!

 

I shall save the rest of my report for Pt.3, to be published shortly.

In the meantime, thank you for visiting. I hope that there have not been too many Stonechat for you! Stay safe - - - - Richard