Scilly - 6.10.26

Juvenile Sora

During the week I’d tried 3 times to see the Juvenile Sora at Porth Hellick but either the hide was full or the bird was hiding so I made the conscious decision to get up early and get to the hide for dawn. I arrived and was the first one there but there was no sign as dawn broke. 3 others turned up and a few minutes later one of them picked it out along the edge of the southern reedbed. It then showed well until I had to leave to get back before breakfast.

Adult Sora

The other reason I decided to see it so early was that an adult Sora had been found on Tresco the previous day so I thought it’d be good to try and see both. Negative news came in early from Tresco but we still decided to head over. Just before we docked on Tresco positive news came through so I power walked round to the David Hunt hide and upon entering met John Judge who said look in my scope and hey presto  there it was. Both Sora in just over 3 hours and I think I become the first birder to ever see 2 Sora in a day!

Along Pool Road we had good if brief views of a Yellow-browed Warbler and behind Abbey Pool another showy Lapland Bunting.

American Golden Plover

News then broke of a juvenile American Golden Plover at the far end of the island which was a fun walk! On arrival it took flight calling with 3 Golden Plover but thankfully landed again allowing good if distant views. This was exactly where I saw my last one back in 2020.

A female Common Scoter showed well in Tresco channel and whilst sat on the boat Mark picked out a Glossy Ibis that landed in a small field next to the pub.

Wilson’s Snipe

Back on St.Mary’s I wandered down to Lower Moors where from the ISBG hide my 4th Wilson’s Snipe showed excellently just a few feet away. 

Yellow-browed Warbler

Lapland Bunting