Scilly Tour – October 2024
Another amazing week guiding our 8 guests on the magical isles of Scilly! Six of us, with Paul as guide, joined the Scillonian III at Penzance on Friday 4th October for our 8 day tour of Scilly. The birding started as soon as we were on board when a flock of TWENTY-SIX (!) Chough flew over the boat!! Birds seen on the way over included Arctic Tern, Sandwich Tern, Great Skua, Sooty Shearwater, 20+ Great Shearwaters, 100+ Cory’s Shearwaters and 4 European Storm Petrels among the many Gannets and Kittiwakes.
Once on St Mary’s we were straight out into the field, our bags being delivered straight to the hotel, so no wasting time there! We met up with Liz, another guest who had arrived a day earlier and the 8 of us headed up to Penninis Head, via Hugh Town where we picked up 3 BLACK REDSTARTS on the beach. where we joined a small crowd watching the SHORT-TOED LARK in a weedy field. Our first scarce bird of the trip. This was followed shortly after at the Standing Stones Field with a stunning juvenile RED-BACKED SHRIKE.
DAY 2
Our second day on Scilly was a bit of a washout but we managed a to get out for the morning before an early finish due to heavy rain. We stayed on St Mary’s and highlights included 4 GREAT WHITE EGRETS, 3 Firecrests, 2 Whinchats, Kingfisher and a host of commoner waders. After a superb evening meal each night we retired to the lounge to do our own call over and update the bird list. By the end of day two we had seen 77 species.
DAY 3
Our 3rd day started off well with a LITTLE TERN showing extremely well at Porthcressa Beach. This is a very rare bird on Scilly and attracted a lot of attention. Heavy rain was forecast during the early morning and we got thoroughly soaked walking around the Garrisson. However, once we arrived on Tresco for the rest of the day, the sun came out and we were soon stripping off layers! Paul picked up a distant OSPREY on Puffin Island from our boat to Tresco and we had great views of it later as it flew past the hide along Great Pool. A single RAVEN flew across to Bryher and then news reached us that three DOTTEREL had left Bryher headed in the direction of Castle Down on Tresco. After a stomp across the moor we reached the downs and were soon watching the three birds. With a bit of patience the birds approached within 50ft, much to the delight of those in our group with cameras! After a look at a stunning Golden Pheasant in the Abbey woods, we had a leisurely lunch watching Red Squirrels in the cafe.
During lunch, news broke of a TAWNY PIPIT on the airfield at St Mary’s and the decision was made to go for the bird as soon as we got off the boat. Thankfully, being Sunday, the airport was closed and the bird was still present when we arrived, showing extremely well! On the way back to the hotel we detoured through Lower Moors and picked up the bobbing JACK SNIPE from the ISBG hide, species number 90 for our tour!
DAY 4
Our fourth day was spent on Bryher and after a dry morning, we once again got a soaking during the afternoon. Thanks fully the Fish Cafe remained open and were very kind in providing us with a table and chairs inside. We also pretty much drank their fridge dry of Prosecco and Cider! Prior to this the mornings birding was hard going with very few birds around. A WHOOPER SWAN was on Big Pool and a smart Peregrine gave great views overhead. The highlight however was the HOOPOE our guide refound (after 5 days missing) on Popplestone Beach! And our first Merlin of the trip flew across to Tresco to harrass the Meadow Pipits on Castle Down, before resting on a rock and allowing distant scope views. Just four new species added on day four (94).
DAY 5
Tuesday saw our group completed when we were joined by Sarah-Jane. We mopped up a few of the birds we had already seen so she could have a bit of a catch up and as we had covered nearly 20 miles walking in the last two days, the group needed a steady day. Little Tern and Great White Egret were seen in Old Town Bay and our first YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER was chased by a FIRECREST at Shooters Pool along with a showy Kingfisher! There had been an elusive ORTOLAN BUNTING in a weedy field by Old Town for the past few days and as two of our group had already seen it, the rest spent the rest of the day staking it out. It was finally located by one of our group and gave good views for about 30 minutes. It also became our 100th species of the tour!
DAY 6
Today started with a mooch up to the Garrison to kill a bit of time before heading on the boat to St Agnes. We added a few more species with RING OUZEL, 3 SPOTTED FLYCATCHERS, Blackcap and our first Redwings of the trip. St Agnes was quite hard work and despite spending some time looking for the Wryneck, it didn’t show for us. We did have great views of a PINK-FOOTED GOOSE and managed to add Reed Bunting, Whimbrel, Golden Plover, Fieldfare, Wigeon and Red-breasted Merganser to the trip list. We had our traditional pint and a bag of crisps in The Turks Head, enjoying undoubtedly one of the best views of any pub in the country. Day 6 total was 112 species.
DAY 7
Our penultimate day was spent on St Mary’s, the group having decided to spend some time looking for the WRYNECK that had eluded us on Peninnis Head all week. This remained the case and sadly the bird was only seen briefly by some of our group due to a few birder with seemingly zero fieldcraft, chasing the bird around in the gorse! While we stood and waited at the top of the valley we had great views of a male Ring Ouzel on the rocks, a Golden Plover over, 2 Ospreys flying past, 5 Whooper Swans flew into Porthcressa Bay and even managed to scope a SHORT-EARED OWL distantly over the Garrison!
Late afternoon we headed back to the hotel, via Lower Moors (to avoid a heavy shower!) where TWO Jack Snipe showed well from the hide. While some of our group called it a day, the rest headed over to the Golf Course to see another DOTTEREL and a couple more Jack Snipe at Sandy Lane!!
Day 8
After a hearty breakfast (as every morning at The Bell Rock Hotel!), the group headed back to Penninis to try our luck again for the Wryneck. We welcomed a beautiful sunny morning and as we left the main track Alan picked the bird up on the dry stone wall. We then enjoyed the WRYNECK all to ourselves for the next 30 minutes before it flew down into the gorse on the west side of Peninnis Head. We decided to have a coffee at the Old Town Cafe before looking for the Red-backed Shrike reported all week at Porth Minnick. En-route we picked up 2 Whooper Swans and a Lapwing overhead and had another brief look at the Short-toed Lark before heading into Old Town. Three Firecrests were in the Church Yard and a Yellow-browed Warbler called from a field opposite. As we walked round to Porth Minnick a Great Northern Diver flew past at sea but our plans to see the Shrike was scuppered when a broken message on the radio had us all stomping off to The Garrison where an ISABELLINE WHEATEAR had been found! The rarest bird of the week saved until the last morning!
By now the group were tired from the fast walk to The Garrison and also elated with the new bird, so we agreed to call it a day and celebrate with a final (liquid) lunch in The Atlantic Inn. Whilst a few went off for a look round town the rest claimed seats at a table on the outside upper deck, which gives amazing views across The Roads to Tresco and St Martin’s. Simon got onto a large bird of prey drifting across the bay which was identified as a female MARSH HARRIER and we watched as it disappeared over the north of the island. Then another bird of prey was picked up by Paul high over the end of the golf course. Scope deployed in record time and we were soon watching our 117th species of the trip, a BLACK KITE!!
The boat trip back was pleasantly comfortable and we were again treated to close views of Cory’s and Great Shearwaters and a few European Storm Petrels.
A fantastic week, full of birds and great laughs with a superb group of people. Lots of lifers, year ticks and Scilly ticks for everyone! Huge thanks to all our guests and Daniel and staff at The Bell Rock Hotel for making the week so memorable. We are already taking bookings for 2025 AND 2026!! www.birdingpro.com to book!
