Scilly - 5.10.25

Today I headed over to St.Agnes where there were a few good birds to see. As we arrived news broke from back on St. Mary’s of an American (formally Buff-bellied) Pipit up on the Garrison but it’d gone missing possibly heading toward St. Agnes. 

Yellow Wagtail

The first interesting bird of the day was a monochrome Yellow Wagtail on the cricket pitch that had been found the day before and was mooted as a possible Eastern bird. As it was the call and lack of long hindclaw indicated that it was just a bog standard Western.

Hoopoe

On the nearby Periglis beach the Hoopoe was showing down to a few feet. I’d never seen one on the isles in my first 14 visits but this was my 3rd in the last 3 visits! I scanned the beach for anything else and found a Whinchat. 

Spotted Sandpiper

My next stop was St. Warna’s cove. Here I plonked myself down on the grass above the beach and as the tide was out I thought I’d be in for a long search for my next good bird. As it was I was in luck as there in front of me I picked out the Spotted Sandpiper as it hunted the numerous flies attracted by the rotting seaweed. After the Sandpiper had flown off to the waters edge I noticed 3 pipits chasing each other. 2 called like Rock Pipit but 1 was giving a call I didn’t recognise but I just couldn’t pin it down to take a closer look.

American Pipit

I headed back to St.Mary’s and briefly stopped off at Porthcressa where I saw a nice summer plumaged Great Northern Diver. I then went home for a shower only to see news of the American Pipit was again on the Garrison so a quick power walk up to Woolpack Battery saw me arrive in time to see it showing down to 10 feet. My 2nd on Scilly and 4th in the UK but after 5minutes of viewing it suddenly took flight and called as it went. It was then the penny dropped and the bird I’d heard on Aggy was an American Pipit.

Throughout my tip it was on Aggy and photos said that there were in fact 2 birds. Maybe I’d found one but we’ll never know!!