PENINNIS HEADLAND - BOAT TO ST AGNES - PORTH KILLIER - GREAT POOL - PERIGLIS - PORTH WARNA - PARSONAGE - BOAT TO ST MARYS - HIGHER MOORS AND PORTH HELLICK (POOL AND BEACH ) - OLD TOWN
WEATHER: cloudy with a lot of sunny spells, very light winds.
This was our best day of the tour so far, by a country mile. However, you wouldn't have thought that, after our first walk of the day out to the Peninnis Headland. We set off at 8am and walked to the headland seeing nothing much, only common species and plenty of House Sparrows. We scoured the headland and only came up with Rock & Meadow Pipits, Linnets and Stonechat. Not a single Wheatear, Whinchat or any other migrant species.
At Porthcressa we noted Grey Heron, Greenshank, Kingfisher, a single Mediterranean Gull, Little Egret and the usual gang of Oystercatchers.
view of Porthcressa Beach (Hugh Town) viewed from Peninnis Headland
We boarded the 10:15 boat to St Agnes and fifteen minutes later we alighted at the quay and headed for Porth Killier. It was a high tide and many waders sat on the rocks including Curlews, Oystercatchers, Turnstones and lots of Gulls. We had some target species which included both Rustic & Little Buntings, they had been seen yesterday in the general area of the Great Pool. We saw nothing there.
From the embankment we scanned the rocky shoreline and found our first Whinchat we also saw Northern Wheatear and lots of Rock Pipits. Periglis was full of waders, hundreds of them! Sanderlings, Dunlin, Ringed Plovers, Curlews, Oystercatchers, Turnstones and one single Curlew Sandpiper. We also saw a leucistic Rock Pipit, an amazing sight.
the 'white' Rock Pipit, not albino but leucistic, pictured here with a 'normal coloured' Rock Pipit
Passing the Cricket Pitch we walked up the Old Lighthouse Cafe, but before coffee we headed down to Warna Cove after reports were coming in of the SPOTTED SANDPIPER. When we got there, the bird was still present, hooray! A UK lifer for everyone. It showed very well as it fed on a bank of washed up sea-weed, the bright yellow-legs were a give away,
Spotted Sandpiper in winter plumage, the yellow leg colour is an important ID feature
After a nice Coffee and cake we strolled around to the Parsonage to view the sycamore trees, a Yellow-browed Warbler had be seen there. It was Debbie and Lynda who spotted the bird first, in fact they found it twice. The second time the bird showed really well and for quite a while, we had fantastic views of this stunning Asian Gem.
As we were debating where to go next a shout went up that a Richard's Pipit was showing well just around the corner by the cafe. So off we marched back around to the field with a stone Snowman and Reindeers standing in it!
Richard's Pipit showed very well.
The Pipit was extremly obliging and everyone had great views of it, it was at a nice distance for digi-scoping too!
It was now just before 2pm and with no reports of the Buntings we decided to go back to St Marys and make our way back to Porth Hellick hoping that the WILSON'S PHALAROPE was still present (this is an extremly rare bird for Scilly - the last one was seen 15 years ago!).
a 'twich' - the Richard's Pipit attracted at least 20 people!
We got to the Stephen Sussex hide, around 3pm (a brand new, bigger hide, very nice I must say), there was sitting room for all of us! The bird was present and fed all the time we were there. It did fly off down the lake for a short spell but it came back, it was distant and at one point it worked its way a little closer but then turned back. Wowza!!! Another lifer for my group!
Wilson's Phalarope taken from the Stephen Sussex Hide at Porth Hellick Pool
Other species on view included Common Snipe, Teal, Moorhen and we heard Cetti's Warbler. We ate our late picnic lunch before moving on. A short walk found us in Porth Hellick where a few birds were seen, such as Greenshank, Grey Heron, Oystercatcher and Little Egret. We made a feeble effort to see the Paddyfield Warbler which had not been seen since early this morning.
Walking back via Old Town we made another feeble effort to see the Rose-coloured Starling which had been seen again this afternoon, we searched a few roof tops but moved on after a short while without seeing it.
Back at the digs around 5:30pm, we had walked another 7 miles today, a little less than yesterday! Denis (The Menace) Cooper, (83 years old), completed both days, he is amazing and a shining example to all of us.