Lingering rarities from November included the Green-winged Teal at Porth Hellick Pool and the Sabines gull at Little Porth. The Black-necked Grebe and Long-tailed Duck were still at Tresco on the 1st and a Firecrest was at Porth Hellick Loop on the 3rd. The Siberian Chiffchaff at Higher Moors was also still present. The drake Scaup was again on Porth Hellick Pool on the 4th and a Red-throated Pipit was at Periglis, St Agnes on the 6th. A Red-breasted Merganser was off Higher Town, St Martin’s on the 9th and the island also held six Bar-tailed Godwits, eight Golden Plovers and a Lesser Redpoll. A drake Black Duck began a lengthy stay on Tresco on the 10th and was still present into the New Year. A Yellow-browed Warbler was also on Tresco and an interesting ‘intermediate’ Canada Goose was on the heliport. Elsewhere, a Blackcap was in gardens opposite Porthloo Beach, St Mary’s and more than thirty Sanderling were on the beach there.
A very un-seasonal Willow Warbler was along Pool Road, Tresco on the 11th and three Med Gulls were in Pentle Bay. The drake Scaup on St Mary’s was unfortunately found dead in a stream at Higher Moors on the 13th. On the 14th a Water Pipit was on St Agnes. The 20th saw a Richard’s Pipit on the airfield at St Mary’s and three Slavonian Grebes were seen from Innisidgen on the 23rd. The end of the year was wet and very quiet, with little in the way of new birds. Numbers of Golden Plover and Lapwing increased slightly and two Short-eared Owls on Tresco were noteworthy.
Paul Freestone © ISBG
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