Hook-with-Warsash and Weston Shore

Carrying on the run of Grey Phaloropes, another one nearby wasnt a hard decision to make, i simply wanted to see another of these blinding birds. On arrival, we managed to walk straight past it, walking further up to a recognisable face; Dave took us to where it was. Not showing as well as what we had hoped, but it was there all the same. This bird was still North of the Main Scrape.

A second bird had just been found on a similar pool but South of the Main Scrape, this bird showed better and closer, but it still wasn't good enough for high quality shots. A few Med Gulls fed out in Southampton Waters, and Yellow Wagtails and Wheatears followed the Cows.

A brief visit to Titchfield Haven resulted in an hour long seawatch with nothing of note but a Black Tern and a Mediterranean Gull, though there evidently was some movement this afternoon as the pager says.

This Mediterranean Gull showed very well from the beach, picking insects off the still water © Ashley Howe

A final bit of twitching to the day, came when a juv Sabine's Gull was found at Weston Shore. Not having a clue where that was, we phoned Steve Menzie, who comfirmed our thought and sent us towards Hythe. Little did we know that both of us were wrong! Once in Hythe we couldnt find a single soul and no Sab's Gull.

A call from Simon Ingram, revealed the bird was exactly the other side of The Solent. Racing back through Southampton, picking up Simon and then to Weston Shore we finally clinched this quality Hampshire bird.

Juvenile Sabine's Gull in poor light off the jetty © Ashley Howe

Portland and Weymouth: Day 8

First light at the Observatory, with Manx Shearwater seen from the patio and a dark morph Arctic Skua. Gale force conditions heading in a Westerly direction, haulted pretty much any movement.

Searching the top fields got us a Whinchat, thats all. Ortalans weren't to put in an appearance in these conditions and i dont blame them. 2 Grey Phaloropes were then in Chesil Cove feeding on the rafts of seaweed quite close in. And the Tawny Pipit was still at Barleycrates Lane.

OMG! a half-decent record short using digiscoping, the Tawny Pipit was the most ideal of targets, moving well and in terrible gale force winds, and the latter pic of yet another Grey Phalorope in Chesil Cove, this one from Steve © Ashley Howe & Stephen Menzie

Steve wanted to go and slate the Hooded Merganser, but once there he soon saw sense, and realised that this bird has potential. We got back to mine early afternoon to catch up on some sleep.

Starting to come into a better plumage, this time 2nd winter still in the same place, © Ashley Howe

West Cornwall, Dawlish, and Portland: Day 7

First light, revealed no Melodious Warbler in 1.5 hours. But a Wryneck was seen briefly at Land's End while Steve had a Gropper knocking around the car park in brambles. A Chough was at an undisclosed site within Cornwall.

Up at Dawlish Warren, the Semipalmated Sandpiper was picked up on the Bight easily amongst masses of Sanderling and Dunlin. A Wryneck was in the area, but having seen 4 in as many days, we couldnt be assed to stop and wait for it to put in an appearance. A brief search around Bowling Green Marsh didn't get the Marsh Sand, which hadn't been seen since the day it was found.

A decent shot of the Semi-palmated Sandpiper feeding out on The Bight considering the distance © Stephen Menzie

Continuing to head East, we got to Portland in time see the Tawny Pipit briefly. A late night watching some half-witts play scrabble at the Obs was far from amusing before we could fianlly get some sleep on the couches.

St. Agnes: Day 6

Packing up a went tent, wasn't the most ideal of starts to the day, but what needs to be done, has to be done. God, we are an organised bunch, and even made it in time down to the quay to catch another boat over to Agnes. The juv Buff-breasted Sandpiper was on Pereglis Beach and showing well amongst decent numbers of Turnstone, Sanderling, a single Dunlin, and Oystercatchers, more waders than we had seen in recent days.

My first digiscoped attempt of a bird since i got my SLR in 2006, i still havent improved much © Ashley Howe

On the Scillonian, back to Penzance, seawatching was well worth the effort, with c350 Manx passing. A juvenile Sabine's Gull picked out. Steve picked up on 2 Grey Phals. I had 2 Balearics. When Steve then noticed a large shear. It remained unidentified. But a second passed the boat at surprisingly close range revealing itself as a stunning Great Shearwater.

We spent the night at Porthgwarra, showing our hardcore birding capabilities again, kipping in the car.

Tresco and St. Mary's: Day 5

We woke to terrible weather, and a mess that suggested we had been invaded by Rats. My beloved digestives had nearly all gone and the rest were half nibbled :'(

Ideally we wanted to get to Bryer but no boats were going this morning, randomly i made the decision that we were both going to Tresco, dont ask me why. But as expected we saw diddly squat. a dozen or so Greenshank on the Great Pool, a Pied Fly in the Abbey Gardens and cracking Golden Pheasant...obviously dont count for jack....

Still, clearly one of the best looking birds there is © Ashley Howe

The boat across was a very wet and windy one, but Petrels had gathered between the islands to feed as presumably it was a tad more sheltered than battling the real elements of the open Atlantic.

On St. Mary's a dash up to airfield got us a juvenile Dotterel on the 8th fairway. A wet looking bird, but it did show well, and views and pictures would have been better, if our optics weren't totally soaked. Fish and chips ended a miserable day on a fair note.

Juvenile Dotterel on the 8th fairway, ashame the weather was so bad © Ashley Howe

St. Mary's and Aggie: Day 4

Treating ourselves to a half lay-in, Howe and Menzie slept in till 9 am!! Before catching a boat over to St. Agnes. I was walking with a chap called John while Steve spoke to this guy with his family. Heading accidentally in seperate ways. John and myself got the juv Red-backed Shrike no problem. Then going to find the others round by Big Pool where i noted a Wryneck flying up from the beach near Big Pool towards the 'fruit cage' area.

Trekking back round to Castella Down to show the others the Shrike, it had disappeared but soon put in another appearance. Steve found another Wryneck in the area before it flew off strongly, then another flew out the bushes 10 minutes later, and again disppeared. However no sign of any Melodious Warblers.

I'm not even going to try and edit some of my pics of this bird, Steve's were clearly better © Stephen Menzie

Back on St. Mary's we were convinced there must be something around the Garrison like a Wryneck, not that we had any luck finding one, but Pied Flys were still about.

St. Mary's: Day 3

Up early again, more Pied and Spotted Flys around the Garrison, this time with the addition of a few Blackcaps, a Reed Warbler, but nothing ground breaking, abit of a lazy day to be honest, sticking around the Garrison.

Till the evening where our second pelagic took place. Even flatter than yesterday, no winds, and apparantly a good night for cetaceans (as in Dolphins).

Reaching just 1.3 miles out, Ashley Fisher and Ross Newham spotted a big whale sp. Surfacing, then quickly diving. Immediately thought to be a Humpback Whale, we followed this already stunning beast, till the I.D. was confirmed for about 45 minutes. Totally guessing its next appearance was hard. Sometimes we were close, sometimes abit out. But once the 50-ish foot Whale surfaced literally meters away from the 40-ish foot boat and disappearing under straight away. I remember clearly the skipper shouting out the window "ooooo, i think we've pissed it off now!", and in the time, the Whale fully breached literally meters infront us.

Humpback Whale surfacing, then diving. fully showing its its fluke © Ashley Howe

Possibly the most amazing thing i have ever seen, definately as good as seeing any 'Mega' which being the first for the Scillies, a 'Mega' in its own right. The rest of the Pelagic didn't matter, but more Common Dolphins, Bonxie, Black Terns, Manx and Sooty Shearwaters and fewer Stormies again. A couple of Blue Sharks were firsts for myself as well.

A stunning out of focus shot of a Sooty Shearwater © Ashley Howe

St. Mary's: Day 2

Having been mocked for being caught asleep on benches in Porthcressa Bay, we decided to get up early, beat the typical teenager stereotype of being lazy buggers and actually get out and find something. Spotted and Pied Flys were the best we could muster up around the Garrison.

Steve's favourite, this Sparrow had the biggest tick ever, we tried catching it, so we could it off its head, our little traps didn't really very far and were knocked over in the wind © Ashley Howe

After breakfast we walked the whole way around St. Mary's, with a stunning list featuring Wood Pigeon, Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Linnets, with a wide range of visible migration with about 6 Wheatears. I had to take a breath once i had counted such a record breaking number.

I wonder if there is any healthy looking birds anywhere on Scilly? © Stephen Menzie

Our efforts of proving ourselves as hardcore birders were smashed when we were caught again asleep on the beach at Porth Hellick, this time by Ashley Fisher. Dammit!

Marazion Marshes and the Isles of Scilly

Driving down through the night...and catching a glimpse of this massive stocky cat, walking besides the road in the Dartmoor area, was quickly identified as a potential Puma...well by me, Stephen thought it was a bear ha ha...we'll let him off though, bless him, he was driving after all.

A few hours kip in the car, then we went looking for an Aquatic Warbler at Marazion, as expected no sign, but at first light, an Otter coming out of the reeds and staring us in the face, before making a quick exit, was yet another good mammel tick for myself.

This beast kept coming down scaring Steve's beloved Sparrows, bless him, he was so fascinated with them, especially those with ticks on their heads © Ashley Howe

The Scillonian started to sort things out and turnt things back into a birding trip, Sooty, Balearic and Manx all noted. A Basking Shark was yet another tick for us both. On arrival we set up the tent, and went down for our first pelagic.

This Sparrow managed to avoid the ticks..unlike someone else i know earlier in the year ha ha © Ashley Howe

Not a very productive pelagic, with very little seabirds about presumable because there was nearly no wind. A count of about 30-40 Stormies, but yet a surprise when a Wilson's was called out by Higgo. A bird at mid-range giving enough to tell it was larger, the above wing-bar, the white in the rump reaching further round, and also in moult. A Common Dolphin swam parallel with the Boat, and a fascinating thing with the glowing Plankton.

Pennington Marshes

An early evening trip down to Fishtail Lagoon, got Dan and myself this gorgeous beast:

Oh how i wish i didn't mess up my camera, i think iwould have better pics than this, but what a stunning bird through the scope © Ashley Howe

Also in the area was the usual 2 Spoonbills, LRP and a Spotted Redshank. Again i was in a dodgy mood...my boss wouldnt let me have the day off to go for that Gull again...oh well there will be others im sure...eventually.