PENINNIS HEAD - OLD TOWN BAY - LOWER MOORS - AIRPORT TRACKS - PORTHLOO LANE
WEATHER; plenty of sunshine, with some showers. High winds gusting up to 50-60 mph.
We should have left the island today but the weather had other ideas!! We knew that the Scillonian Ferry had been cancelled but were hopeful that the planes would fly. By 10am we were made aware that nothing was flying today, the winds were far too strong. As no planes or ships are availbale on a Sunday we are stranded on St Mary's for another two days, what a shame!! Our flight has been rescheduled for Monday!
Just 200-300 meters from our doorstep a Short-eared Owl had been found, it was in a field along the track to Peninnis Head. We were there in minutes and had excellent views of the only owl we are likely to see on Scilly. A few Meadow Pipits walked around in the same field but just like the Rabbits in there, they kept well away from the owl which sat in the grass sheltered from the wind by a hedge.
a Short-eared Owl, it looked Ok but it was probably exhausted
We then walked out to Peninnis head with the strong wind in our backs and as we dropped down towards Old Town bay we found some shelter. The bay was calm-looking but no many birds were in it, a few Oystercatchers, Ruddy Turnstones, Little Egret and a Grey Heron.
Old Town Bay from Peninnis Headland. Doesn't it look lovely? But photographs do not show the strong wind, we could hardly stand up at this point.
We walked up to the Old Town Inn and decided to have our lunch there, a sandwich and a coffee went down well, it was nice to be out of the wind. From the Inn we walked up a track to the airport, as no plane activity was taking place, we thought that a few birds may have dropped down onto the airfield. No such luck, nothing was seen up there.
The pool in Lower Moors was just as bad, only a few Mallards, Moorhens and a single Greenshank were seen, we sat there for 30 minutes and nothing changed. So we walked through the marsh, stopping at Shooter's Pool to note a few Chiffchaffs and more Moorhens.
Greenshank at Lower Moors Pool.
On Porthloo Lane we stopped to view a sheltered hedge at the Rocky Hills track. We found two Spotted Flycatchers, a single Pied Flycatcher, Song Thrush, Blue Tit, Wren, Robin and Blackbird.
Spotted Flycatcher
Pied Flycatcher
We all split up at this point, Denis had already headed back to the digs, Debbie and Lynda headed that way and Lyn walked into town via Porthloo beach. I walked back to Old Town via the 'Dump Clump' track and then up the hill to our guest house. No-one reported any further sightings. The wind had won the day! It had blown us all away. Let us hope that tomorrow brings a more peaceful day.