Sunday 25 October 2009

Scilly 2009. Dendroica overload.

+40 miles



I've just got back from the Scillies. Via Newcastle. I had never been to the Scillies before, and anticipation was running high. Day one: Blackpoll Warbler. Day two: American Redstart. Day three: Common Nighthawk. In the event it wasn't quite like that. In fact it wasn't like that at all, but it was nonetheless a brilliant and relaxing holiday, just the tonic. No nappies for one thing.

Let's meet the Team!

And you even get photographs, which may help contextualise some of the previous waffle on this blog. It is important to note the location of most of the photographs. Frankly it speaks volumes.

H, left, and David the Obsessed, right


Monkey


Show-home Shaun


Dave "gigabyte" Mo, left, and "Hawkeye" Hawkins, right.


Sam S

Sir Les of the Garrison


A Wanstead-based birder

Bradders Snr somehow avoided the camera, but just take Bradders Jnr and you're almost half-way there. Anyway, together this bunch of intrepid birders found almost no rare birds. Best efforts were heard-only Red-throated Pipit and several heard-only Yellow-browed Warblers. The disappointing truth was that there wasn't actually much to find, and not that we were that we mostly in the pub.

Having said that, where else can you see Wryneck, Radde's Warbler, Richard's Pipit, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Lapland Bunting, Rosefinch, Cattle Egret, Spoonbill, YB Warbler, and Red-throated Pipit, all basically within walking distance of each other? Not many places I would warrant, but we were there for the big one, the mega-yank, and it didn't happen. To be precise no yanks happened. It was still superb.

Synopsis

Weather: Sunny

Shirt-sleeves: Yes

Birds: Not many

Beverages: Doom Bar

Sustenance: Pasties and Cake. And Doom Bar.

Horrible. We had to spend a week here.

TBC...


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