Last day on Scilly

My third and last day of a short trip to the Isles of Scilly saw me resist the temptations of island hopping to stay on St Mary's. The day began as had the previous two with a quick trip to the Garrison for views of the Blue Rock Thrush. From there I meandered around Peninnis for the first time in years, reminiscing as I went about seeing my first Siberian Stonechat, a Short-toed Lark and an ill-fated Chough which spent a few days in the fields on the flanks of the headland in 2012.

Female Stonechat, Peninnis

Male Stonechat, Peninnis

From Peninnis I sauntered through the idyllic Old Town churchyard and on to the Standing Stones field where a male Brambling had joined the House Sparrows at the feeding station set up by the Isles of Scilly Bird Group. After this I strolled through Lower Moors, gaining another brief view of Monday's Spotted Crake, and up the road to Salakee, where the Citrine Wagtail which turned up on my first day was still hanging out with the cattle.

Teal, Higher Moors

Greenshank, Higher Moors

Continuing to Higher Moors there was time for a chat with some birding pals from the mainland and, bird-wise, nothing more exciting than a small flock of Greenshank. My energy levels were flagging at this point and with just 90 minutes to go before last check-in on the Scillonian III, I figured a return to Hugh Town was probably my best option.

Male Brambling, St Mary's

Song Thrush, Old Town churchyard

At this point my phone alerted me to news of a Spotted Sandpiper on the islands - I assumed the St Agnes bird which I had failed to see the previous day had returned but on looking again this time it (or another) was at Watermill, a 15 minute walk from where I was standing. Quickening my pace, I took the direct route through Holy Vale, where we spent several happy October holidays when the children were younger, past the refurbished Borough Farm, and down Watermill Lane towards the cove where the Sandpiper had been reported.

Spotted Sandpiper, Watermill

Juveniles of this species resemble Common Sandpiper but have more yellowy legs, shorter tails and plain tertial fringes

As I approached the beach I heard a Sandpiper calling, and on reaching the strandline the birders assembled there informed me that this must have been the Sandpiper flying off around the corner to the next cove! With just 15 minutes to go before I had to leave to board the Scillonian, I was not optimistic about it returning, but after 14 minutes it did just that, giving me a minute to take some quick pictures before a brisk walk back to town. It was a poetic ending to the trip as this was the only target bird I had missed up to that point - and a reminder of the promise and beauty of the islands which provided many happy memories of my previous visits.

The Spotted Sandpiper picked insects off the rocks in the background

A good bird to end a successful trip

Wessex waderfest

Dorset's extraordinary run of American waders continued into its fourth weekend with a Lesser Yellowlegs at Christchurch Harbour the most recent arrival yesterday. It all started with a Baird's Sandpiper on Brownsea Island which I managed to see back on 2nd September. After a gap of about a week, Stilt and Least Sandpipers were then discovered on the same day at the same site in Weymouth. During their extended stay a Buff-breasted Sandpiper arrived on Portland, then within the last few days a Spotted Sandpiper was found among the Common Sandpipers at Abbotsbury Swannery.

Spotted Sandpiper, Abbotsbury Swannery

A tricky bird to separate from Common Sandpiper - call was one of the factors which made Steve Groves think Spotted...

...yellowish legs, short tail and plain tertial fringes appeared to confirm it

This drake Scaup was also at Abbotsbury

Not quite yet in its smartest winter plumage

What was presumably the same Baird's was relocated on the Fleet last week, and what was presumably the same Stilt Sandpiper spent a few hours at Lytchett Bay, giving a few patch listers as well as county listers something to celebrate. Trying to photograph them all involved a fair amount of dashing around after work and at weekends and I never even got as far as looking for the Buff-breasted or the Yellowlegs.

I went back to Lodmoor to try to improve on my photos of the Stilt and Least Sandpipers

The Stilt Sand was much closer but the light was not great

A hint of the rufous cheek patch can be seen here

On a different evening, in contrast to the Stilt Sandpiper, the Least was in nice light - but much further away!

Not sure if these were an improvement on my original pictures

However, it was a first for Dorset, so good views took priority over good photos

Three visits to the Fleet hoping to improve on my appalling record shot of the Baird's Sandpiper also ended in failure. More successful was a late Saturday afternoon visit to the Swannery, where we had only just been shown to Helen's Hide by finder Steve Groves when the Spotted Sandpiper flew in and perched briefly on the shore under our noses.

Couldn't find the Baird's on the Fleet but enjoyed close views of a couple of Bar-tailed Godwit

These birds were feeding in Tidmoor Cove

Bar-tailed Godwit

Bar-tailed Godwits

Even Swineham got in on the wader action with a cracking species pair of Grey and Red-necked Phalarope spending the weekend on the same pool on Arne Moors. Getting them on the patch list required scaling a small oak tree and balancing the telescope on a tripod shaped bough to view over the Frome's riverside reeds! Of course, the provenance of the Phalaropes is more open to question, though with so many congeners from the Americas in the area, it is not totally out of the question that they too might have originated on the other side of the Atlantic. Had a Wilson's Phalarope joined them that might have provided supporting evidence for the theory - but alas it wasn't to be. Still, autumn is still young...

The juvenile Red-necked Phalarope was a new bird for me in Dorset as well as Swineham

The Grey (left) and Red-necked Phalarope often fed together on Arne Moors

Quite amazing that they settled on the same small pool especially as the Grey Phalarope had been present for about a week before its smaller cousin arrived

Red-necked Phalarope

 

Binge birding continued...

This post is the final hangover from a weekend of binge birding around Poole Harbour. Holes Bay certainly provided the highlights on Sunday - as well as the Spoonbill, waiting patiently by the PC World drain outflow provided ample opportunity to get up close and personal with a variety of other good birds.

This Buzzard was one of two scanning for prey from lampposts on the dual carriageway around Holes Bay. Buzzard has already appeared on my blog this year but the photo was taken in 2014 so this is officially an addition to the photo year list (#79). I know, mad isn't it!

This Common Sandpiper was one of two present. I walked most of the length of the bay without seeing one but when I sat by the outflow both dropped in.

Another addition to the photo year list (#80). Bang it in!



Cormorant also graced the outflow (#81)...

...while I had to walk further up the drain to find Grey Wagtail (#82)...

...and Kingfisher (#83)

Spotted Redshank, one of my favourite birds, can give close views around the edge of the Bay

Spotted Redshank

On Sunday morning I also paid what felt like my first visit of the year to Swineham. Yes, my allegiance to patch has become that degenerate. I was rewarded for my efforts: as in, not much effort, not much reward. It did at least add a few ropey ticks to the photo year list:


Goldfinch, making its first appearance this year (#84)

Great Tit (#85) - singing like it was spring

Redwing in the shadows in Lady St Mary Churchyard, Wareham

Male Reed Bunting at Swineham

Robin at Swineham

Shelduck at Swineham (#86)

Several Common Snipe flushed from the wet grass around Swineham (#87)

Stock Dove (#88) with Lapwing in the paddocks at North Bestwall

Snowdrops added a spring-like feel to Sunday morning

My last photo year tick of the weekend was a Coal Tit seen on a family walk around Wareham Forest (#89)

The Fellowship of the Ging, Wareham Forest



Little Egret showing off its plumes in Holes Bay



Spotty youth

I could claim it's superior fieldcraft, but I've also had a fair bit of luck in getting close to Spotted Sandpipers over the last few years. First there was a bird on the Exe Estuary in October 2010 which, after much patience, came within a few metres. Then, at the end of last year, the Lyme Regis bird popped up on the sea wall during a flying visit. And this morning, after being initially elusive, the first winter bird in Christchurch Harbour - possibly the Lyme bird relocating - allowed a reasonably close approach. Perhaps it was payback for the long-staying Cornish bird in October 2006. I was on Scilly when Matt Jones told me that this bird got too close for him to photograph. On my return, I went straight to the Hayle Estuary in biblical rainfall, and got more soaked in 10 minutes of looking for the Sandpiper (which wasn't there) than at any other time in my life. Anyway, here are this morning's efforts:


Spotted Sandpiper - in Common Sandpiper, the wingbar extends further onto the inner wing

Spotted shows plain tertial fringes (notched on Common)

The legs are yellower, and the bill is more pink with more of a 'droop', than Common Sandpiper

Spots can just about be seen coming through on the underside to the rear

Another view of the wing bar and shorter tail (compared to Common)