Isles of Scilly birding trip '23

After setting target for large shearwaters and petrels this autumn, decided that SW Cornwall was the place to go, in particular the Isles of Scilly.

23/08 Mousehole

Arrived late afternoon and snuck out for an hour or so of birding in coastal scrub south of Mousehole.

Had great views of two migrant sedge warblers, as well as 160+ manx shearwater offshore.

In addition to c. 30 chiffchaff including individuals seen calling with flat and high-pitched calls, which differ from the typical up-slurred calls. I would think that those would be juvs.

24/08 Pendeen

To try and get better views of chough i headed to Pendeen on the north coast. After talking to some of the locals at the lighthouse seawatch point, went on a coastal walk in hope of seeing some wandering choughs. Recorded at least 18 wheatear along the clifftop grassland from Pendeen to Cape Cornwall.

Had one grey wagtail and seven whimbrel going south at Cape Cornwall, as well as totals of c. 5 raven, 25 fulmar, abundant stonechat with young, 15 rock pipit, 80 linnet, c. 40 rock dove. The area near Kenidjack Cliff Castle seems a good place to observe visible migration.

Other taxa saw purple loosestrife along a stream and sheep's bit scabious, as well as one grey seal.

Saw two chough feeding and preening on the clifftop grassland. They had colour rings.

Chough

Chough

25/08

Departed Penzance on the Scillonian, where saw one sooty shearwater early on with several Manx shearwater. C. 24 Cory's shearwater and 10 or so great shearwater were seen. 

At 5pm departed on the Scilly birder pelagic. Reasonably ubiquitous shags were seen on rocks whilst heading out, along with fulmar, which gave superb fluttering feeding flight and shearwater views. On way out there was abundant Cory's shearwater with a few great shearwaters, and smaller numbers of Manx shearwater.

Cory's shearwater at close range

Cory's shearwater

Small raft of Cory's shearwater

Great shearwater on sea

Great shearwater in flight

We stopped off at Bishop's Rock lighthouse to see the well-twitched red-footed booby. Then had a flyby sooty shearwater. There was a lull in bird activity after setting adrift at an underwater feature known to attract feeding seabirds. In the choppy waves, we saw modest numbers of European storm petrels feeding.

A skua appeared in the sky, heading for the boat, and it turned to show a broad chest, short tail, with initial thoughts amongst many of 'bonxie'. It flew overhead giving great views in the bins. Calls came out to get photos, although by then it was just the tail end of it disappearing into the cloud. Several sea-birders were considering it as a probable south polar skua. Photos confirmed it to be a 2 cycle or older south polar skua, the second of the year recorded during the pelagic, and a lifer for most of the visitors. Have included a link to photographs as i didn't get any clear ones. 

Also notably we had one Wilson's petrel fly by the boat, appearing between the waves. With a broader, paddle shaped wings, and larger size than (European) storm petrel evident.

Saw short-beaked common dolphin and Atlantic bluefin tuna on the boat as well as a blue shark, which was tagged and released.

Blue shark

26/08 St Mary's

A day on land. Firstly wandered over to Sandy Lane to see the juv woodchat shrike. After a bit of getting the right angling through the trees, it was visible perched on the overhead electricity line. Could see the light primary flash and chunky bill.

Woodchat shrike

A walk from Porth Hellick along the coast to Old Town bay showed a good fall of wheatear (45), and saw two whimbrel, two ringed plover. One snipe dropped into the reeds adjacent to the water at Porth Hellick bird hide.

Whimbrel

Ringed plover

After a walk around St Mary's old town church, i saw a bird fly up from the tall grass to a bush. A brown backed bird, with longer, rounded edged tail than nearby robins, and some streaking on back. A grasshopper warbler.

27/08

The Sunday pelagic. Saw more storm petrels with more obliging views, as well five whimbrel on the way out, sandwich terns, and a juv yellow-legged gull.

(European) storm petrel

Storm petrel

Storm petrel

Storm petrel

Storm petrel

The red-footed booby was showing better today.

Red-footed booby on Bishop's Rock lighthouse

One of the undoubted highlights, a small skua approached the boat, and was a juv long-tailed skua, which circled the boat three times. Great views, the flight action reminded me of merlin, and it had cold tones, as well as a blunt central tail feathers. We also saw 2 arctic skua.

Long-tailed skua

Long-tailed skua

Long-tailed skua

Arctic skua

A Portuguese man o' war was seen drifting past the boat. One of the herring gulls pecked it but soon thought better of it, apparently this colony of individuals has a nasty sting. Also 2-3 blue sharks were visible swimming beneath the boat - we may need a bigger boat! As well as 20+ short-beaked common dolphin.

Portuguese man o' war

Short-beaked common dolphin

Short-beaked common dolphin

In the afternoon we recorded c. 10 wheatear around the island and had a flyover tree pipit at St Mary's airfield. One common sandpiper seen at boulders off Morning Point Battery with turnstone.

28/08

Recorded two chiffchaff, and three sandwich tern from the garrison walls. At Old Town Bay had one of each of common sandpiper, greenshank, and curlew.

We were looking at wheatears when Ren pulled out a second juv woodchat shrike, perched on the fence at long range at Salakee Down. It was tricky to nail the identification due to the distance, and after it giving us the run around for a while, sat in some dead pines for long enough to get some photos, and confirm the id. Also had two flyover tree pipits and c. 20 wheatear.

Walking up the hill east from Holy Vale Nature Walk saw one spotted flycatcher.

On the Scillonian back saw c. 200 Cory's shearwaters, c. 10 great shearwaters, one storm petrel and three sooty shearwaters, the latter giving great views.

Shortly after departing St Mary's harbour had at least 40 harbour porpoise. Also c. 40 short-beaked common dolphin, at least five common bottlenose dolphin with more uniform colouration.  An unidentified whale blowing air near the surface was seen, which may have been a minke whale.

All in all a great trip, with great birds. Most impressed with the heathland around Porth Hellick, and the stories of red-footed falcons, rock thrushes and a myriad of other birds which have landed on this east coast of the island in recent times. As well of the abundance of seabirds offshore.

Heathland and boulders around Porth Hellick

Heathland and boulders around Porth Hellick