Hello! Well since my last posting I have left one epic archipelago to another. First off a massive shout out to the Farnes massive: My fellow wardens and everyone else. Thankyou! Been a great year that was only made better by the fabulous people associated with planet Farne. The birds were brilliant and here’s looking forward to another fantastic season in 2012.
From now on this blog will become slightly more Cornish me treasures yep. As today I stepped off Scillonian III onto the Isles of Scilly.
Now Scilly has a reputation to uphold and with the current good run I was giddy as we approached knowing some gripping (very nice looking) ‘rares’ were hanging about. And the reputation was ‘well’ upholded!
Right enough words. Onto the chunk. Stepping off the boat into my dads car and 5 minutes later was watching Upland Sandpiper striding around, my 3rd after 2 together in ’99, but this bad boy was super bright, close and sporting neon legs!
Upland Sandpiper at Maypole. Mega.
As today was my catch up day (get twitching out the way so the birding can begin) we hit Lower Moors to watch the Lesser Yellowlegs at ‘zero feet’. They are always awesome!
Lesser Yellowlegs, seen 3 or 4 from this hide over the years!
From there another spell at the Upland Sand just to make sure my balls never grow back (it blew them off the first time round see).
Then it broke: The Northern Waterthrush was still present! I had been planning on a long stake out til dusk but this was too good to be true. However upon arrival..there it was, showing well. WOW. Contender for bird of the year – it might be brown blah blah but it’s so unique and unlike anything in the Western Palearctic.
These terrible pics of the Northern Waterthrush dont do it justice but I was too busy enjoying it to put my bins down!
Having clinched the Waterthrush there was time for one last tart to Porthellick for the Wilson’s Snipe which duly showed well in front of the hide.
Wilson's Snipe. Nice but not a Waterthrush.
Hello Scilly.
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