Friday (27/08)
Wryneck – 1 on the lane from New Grimsby to King Charles’ Castle, Tresco and 1 Hill, Bryher.
Hawfinch – 1 near Fraggle Rock Café, Bryher.
Grey Phalarope – 1 seen from the Scillonian III on the return crossing from St. Mary’s to Penzance.
Green Sandpiper – 2Porth Hellick.
Common Sandpiper – 1 Porth Hellick.
Garden Warbler – 2 on the Garrison.
Whitethroat – 1 on the Garrison.
Whinchat – 1 Lower Moors and 1 Bryher.
Spotted Flycatcher – 2 on the Garrison, 4 in the pines on Rocky Hill Lane and 8 on Bryher.
Pied Flycatcher – 2 on the Garrison, 1 Old Town Churchyard and 2 Bryher.
Tree Pipit – 4 on the Garrison, 1 Peninnis, and 1 Bryher.
Yellow Wagtail – 2 Peninnis, 1 Porth Hellick and 6 Bryher.
Saturday (28/08)
Osprey – 1 flew over Tresco Abbey Gardens.
Great Shearwater – 1 on the daytime Birders’ Special pelagic trip 5 miles west of Bishop Rock.
Sooty Shearwater – 25 on the daytime Birders’ Special pelagic trip 5 miles west of Bishop Rock.
Manx Shearwater – 2500 on the daytime Birders’ Special pelagic trip 5 miles west of Bishop Rock.
European Storm-petrel – 2500 on the daytime Birders’ Special pelagic trip 5 miles west of Bishop Rock.
Dotterel – 1 on the west side of Shipman Head Down, Bryher.
Green Sandpiper – 1 Lower Moors.
Spotted Redshank – 1 at Stinking Porth, Bryher, this is a scarce bird on Scilly.
Garden Warbler – 1 Garrison Campsite.
Lesser Whitethroat – 1 inland of Stinking Porth, Bryher.
Spotted Flycatcher – 2 Garrison Campsite.
Pied Flycatcher – 1 Garrison Campsite, 1 St. Martin’s Vineyard and 1 near St.Nicholas’s Church, Tresco.
Redstart – 1 on the path from New Grimsby towards King Charles’s Castle, Tresco.
Tree Pipit – 2 Garrison Campsite.
Minke Whale – 2 on the daytime Birders’ Special pelagic trip 5 miles west of Bishop Rock.
Short-billed Common Dolphin – 250 on the daytime Birders’ Special pelagic trip 5 miles west of Bishop Rock.
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna – 67 on the daytime Birders’ Special pelagic trip 5 miles west of Bishop Rock.
Sunday (29/08)
Sad news, the Glossy Ibis was found moribund on Porthloo Beach a few days ago and was taken into care but passed away overnight on Thursday.
On a happier note, the last of the daytime Scilly Pelagic specials on the M.V. Sapphire went 3 miles southwest of Bishop Rock and rounded off the season in spectacular fashion with a cetacean spectacular:
Humpback Whale – At least 2 plunge feeding next to the boat (photos).
Fin Whale – Similarly at least 2 plunge feeding next to the boat (photo).
Minke Whale – Again 2 plunge feeding next to the boat (photos).
Short-billed Common Dolphin – 600+
Also seen on the trip were: 3 Great, 25 Sooty & c.5000 Manx Shearwaters, and 4 Great & 2 Arctic Skuas.
Meanwhile seen on/from land were:
Bluethroat – A female was seen briefly in the evening on the mud bordering Porth Hellick Pool.
Wryneck – 1 possibly 2 on Bryher.
Hobby – 1 over Porth Hellick Pool.
Golden Plover – 5 on Castle Down, Tresco.
Common Sandpiper – 1 on Porth Hellick Beach.
Ruff – 1 flew north over Porth Hellick and later seen on the pool there. It or another near Borough Farm, St. Mary’s.
Bar-tailed Godwit – 3 Bar Point.
Marsh Harrier – 1 seen from the Scillonian III flying towards Tresco.
Mediterranean Gull – 2 Tresco Channel.
Yellow-legged Gull – 1 on the Garrison.
Arctic Skua – A dark morph in the Roads.
Swift – 1 over Lower Moors.
Garden Warbler – 3 on the Garrison, 1 Lower Moors and 1 on St. Agnes and
Wood Warbler – 1 reported in a coastal field behind Carn Leh.
Whitethroat – 1 on the Garrison and 1 Lower Moors.
Spotted Flycatcher –10+ on the Garrison. 1 below St. Mary’s Hospital, 1 Lower Moors, 8 on Bryher, 5 on St. Agnes, 3 on St. Martin’s and 1 in the pines above New Grimsby.
Pied Flycatcher – 1 in St. Mary’s Hall Garden, 1 on the Garrison, 1 near the lighthouse on Peninnis Head, 1 in the pines above New Grimsby, 1 on St. Martin’s and 2 on St. Agnes.
Whinchat – 2 on Peninnis, 2 on the Garrison, 1 on the airfield and 3 on Bryher.
Redstart – 1 in the pines above New Grimsby , Tresco and 1 on St. Martin’s.
Tree Pipit – 6 on Peninnis, 2 on the Garrison and 2 on Bryher.
Yellow Wagtail – 4 on Peninnis, 2 Lower Moors, 1 on the Garrison and 1 on Bryher.