Venus Pool - Wood Sandpipers x 2!!

What a welcome back to Shropshire! There I was, taking in my 2nd Great White Egret at Tittenley Pool, when my phone burst into life announcing there were TWO Wood Sandpipers at the ole Patch Venus Pool! 'So what' you might be thinking? So... I'm 40 mins away from my bogey wader patch tick!! Yes, I did hit the road and killer luck continued to track my return - they were still there...

Record shots only I'm afraid out in the middle and no long lens but how sweet they are after a very looooong wait!

I've seen quite a few in the County and elsewhere but Patch ticks are few and far between nowadays. VP bird no 177 

Porthellick Pool - Pec Sands x 2!!

A change is as good as a rest and I had hardly any opportunities for land based birding. With two Pec Sands reported the previous day at Porthellick, I spent the morning there in the hope of an image or two?

They weren't exactly showy but in the first 30 minutes, they threatened to come really close until an unappreciated slam of the hide door ensured a swift departure to the far side!!

Firstly however, a rare Scilly wader! I've seen three Pec Sands on Scilly, but only two Lapwings!

Getting the two Pecs together was nigh on impossible but this is the best I could do!

One coming closer and reflection opportunities!

The closest approach and virtually the only small gap in the reeds!

My final pelagic this evening!  Bring it on...

Scilly pelagic no 10 - Atlantic Crossroads

I was correct, it was a very WET Sunday, it was rain / drizzle for virtually the whole 7 hours from an 8.00 start. But that doesn't mean it wasn't another special Sunday? In fact, Wilson's Petrel (10+) gave their best showing of the whole trip which plus another 2 Cory's Shearwater and 10 Great Shearwater meant it was a 10th successive BIG 3 sweep!

The Atlantic may seem to be a featureless random ocean but with prevailing winds, currents and movement of fish it becomes a migration highway. And the Isles of Scilly regularly act as a crossroads between the Arctic and Antarctica. Sabine's Gulls having spent the Summer in the the North of Canada or Greenland head south east whilst Wilson's Petrels head north from Antarctica to the relative warmth and food in the north Atlantic.

And today we were to witness the amazing journey these pelagic birds make, surviving through unimaginable conditions!

The first and only Sabine's Gull of the series heading south ...

Having a look to see if there is any food on offer?

Luckily Higgo was busy squeezing fish livers, the decision to stay was a no-brainer!

I'd have loved to have got them in the same frame but here's the first Wilson's Petrel, heading north!

And this is why birders come - moments like this!

Despite the rain, classic Wilson's moments!

And yellow webs shining out - with todays birds, an estimated 26 Wilson's for the 10 pelagics I've done!

One or two more yellow webs to come?

Scilly Pelagic no 9 - classic pelagic magic!

The wind had dropped from the previous evening, a gentle 15 mph westerly beckoned with a 2 metre swell and the weather was set fair! Hardly t-shirt weather but blue skies beckoned early on! Nearly 'all change'  on the crew scene, fitting nicely into the pano-phone shot!

And all eyes focused on the horizon! Eagle eyed Bob and Bella ready to sniff out those Dolphins?

I've posted far too many Cory's Shearwater images but they were once again showing well with 14 seen plus 2 Great Shearwaters...

Always pleasing to see the tracking set to ignore temporary obstructions here!

A backlit Sooty Shearwater passing close by...

 The ever present European Storm Petrels, seen on every trip out and often overlooked as they not exactly easy catch and the light was just about good enough to capture them!

But once again, the prize and 9th consecutive BIG 3 result - Wilson's Petrel (2 seen today) Pretty obliging too!

Spoiling us with classic upperwing opportunities!

Even managed to catch a couple of Common Dolphins!

A new bird for the trip (on the way back in) was this juv/1w Mediterranean Gull...

Kept us amused for 5 mins or so...

An early start for what is often 'Special Sunday' but is destined to be 'Very Wet Sunday' whatever happens!

Scilly pelagic no 8 - Wind and Waves!!

The remnants of Hurricane Gert are arriving over the next 24 hours and with force 6 or stronger forecast for this evening plus 3 metre waves, a bumpy ride was in prospect! Harbours are sheltered places however and this was the placid scene there!

The plan was to go out via the Eastern Isles to escape the worst of the elements and then drift for an hour or so?

Other than Cory's Shearwater (22 seen), it was hard work but there is no finer sight than one working the winds and waves effortlessly. This image is a fantastic memory of the scene :-)

But they also came close again!

And for the first couple of hours, amazing light!

Just 2 Great Shearwaters and 2 Great Skuas to keep us company plus a single Wilson's Petrel to save the day when we least expected it!

 Here's the late evening scene! A single image doesn't convey the mobile scene!

The journey back was pretty long winded as we were heading into the wind and waves. Here's a bit of rock and roll to tempt you onto Sapphire (or put you off for life)...

More wind, waves in prospect for a long daylight session starting at 11.00 am in the morning...

Scilly Pelagic no 7 - another Cory's fest

Another evening fishing trip, another BIG 3 performance and as we headed out south of St Marys from 4 miles in a 15mph south westerly... another Cory's Shearwater spectacular. The beauty of these pelagics is you don't actually know what you are going to see or how well! Here's some of the best images from the trip often in tricky light and not surprisingly, Cory's Shearwaters (estimated 40 seen) predominate!

Always nice to capture than in context with their environment despite the lack of big waves this eve!!

Approach, upper wing moments...

And really close fast fly-pasts!

Here's one of the 20 Great Shearwaters, emerging for take off after a plunge!

Sadly the lone Wilson's of the evening was too late for photography but to finish, here's Bella resting on my knee gazing intently at the pasty I'm eating! Could you resist?

More wind, a big sea in prospect for tomorrow! Can't wait...