Saturday (20/08)
The daytime Birders’ Special pelagic trip 6 miles south of St. Mary’s was again excellent, sighting included: 19 Wilson’s Storm-petrel (including a flock 10), 200 European Storm-petrel, 5 Cory’s Shearwater, 33 Great Shearwater, 6 Sooty Shearwater, 500 Manx Shearwater, a Great Skua, 2 Grey Phalarope, 60 Short-beaked Common Dolphin, an Ocean Sunfish, and a Blue Shark.
Spotted Crake – 1 still on Porth Hellick Pool.
Hobby – A first-summer bird was over Content.
Common Sandpiper – 1 Old Town Bay.
Kingfisher – 1 Old Town Bay.
Sunday (21/08)
The second daytime Birders’ Special pelagic trip of the weekend went 11 miles east of St. Mary’s and again produced a bonanza of birds: 10 Wilson’s Storm-petrel, 200 European Storm-petrel, 3 Cory’s Shearwater, 31 Great Shearwater, a Balearic Shearwater, 500 Manx Shearwater, 7 Sabine’s Gull, a juvenile Long-tailed Skua, an Arctic skua, a Great Skua, 6 Arctic Tern, 3 Grey Phalarope(photo) and 20 Short-beaked Common Dolphin. It later transpired that a possible Caspian Gull (photo) had been photographed from the back of the boat, but this was not confirmed until examination of the photographs. This was only the fourth record for Scilly.
Spotted Crake – 1 still on Porth Hellick Pool.
Black-tailed Godwit – 6 on Abbey Pool, Tresco and 1 Porth Hellick Pool in the morning with 9 there mid-afternoon.
Wood Sandpiper – 2 on the Great Pool, Tresco.
Green Sandpiper – 3 on Tresco.
Common Sandpiper – 2 on Tresco.
European Storm-petrel – 3 past Giant’s Castle.
Sooty Shearwater – 1 past Giant’s Castle.
Pomarine Skua – 1 past Giant’s Castle.
Kingfisher – 2 Porth Hellick Pool.
Monday (22/08)
An evening Birders’ Special pelagic trip 3 miles west of Bishop Rock was again excellent producing: 3 Wilson’s Storm-petrel, 120 European Storm-petrel, 17 Cory’s Shearwater, 36 Great Shearwater, 50 Manx Shearwater, a Sabine’s Gull and 2 Great Skua.
Icterine/Melodious Warbler – A Hippolais warbler seen briefly behind the Cadet Hut on the Garrison was one of these two species.
Black-tailed Godwit – 1 still on Porth Hellick Pool.
Hobby – The immature bird that has been around the islands all summer was seen at Watermill Cove.
Kingfisher – 1 at Porth Hellick Bay.
Tree Pipit – 1 was trapped, ringed and released at Porth Hellick Ringing Station.
Tuesday (23/08)
This season’s pelagic trips continue to produce the goods, the evening’s sightings, again at Pol Bank, 3 miles southwest of Bishop Rock were: 10 Wilson’s Storm-petrel, 225 European Storm-petrel, 17 Cory’s Shearwater, 82 Great Shearwater, 3 Sooty Shearwater, a Balearic Shearwater, 250 Manx Shearwater, 9 adult Sabine’s Gull. A first-summer Long-tailed Skua, 3 Great Skua, 6 Short-beaked Common Dolphin, an Ocean Sunfishand 2 Blue Shark, 1 of which was caught, tagged and released.
Also seen at sea from the Scillonian III on the early evening return from St. Mary’s to Penzance were: a probable Wilson’s Storm-petrel, 6 European Storm-petrel, 4 Cory’s Shearwater, 4 Great Shearwater and 3 Bluefin Tuna.
Wood Sandpiper – 2 on the Great Pool, Tresco.
Green Sandpiper – 1 on the Great Pool, Tresco.
Osprey – 1 flew Tresco over at 11:30.
Pied Flycatcher – 2 on St. Agnes
Spotted Flycatcher – 2 in Lower Moors.
