St. Mary's - Lower Moors - Jack Snipe

One thing you can say about Jack Snipe is that they are small, cryptically marked and 'disappear' within their normal habitat. So, it's fair to say these are 'showing well' eh? Try as I might, there was always some vegetation in front of the little blighter!

Even when feeding seemingly in the open!!

The biggest surprise of the evening was when it disappeared and then scuttled across the grass (briefly stopping) below the hide!

It was sooo close but still managed to get grass in the way!

It was even close enough to record it with my phone, whilst merrily bob.. bob.. bobbing along....

St Mary's airfield - Tawny Pipit

I haven't hitched a lift for... well I won't say how many years but with a Tawny Pipit showing 'well' in a small field by the terminal and coming closer. I stuck out my thumb out to the first van I saw by the Health Centre. What a great guy... 'Dougie' took me all the way there but just as I was raising my bins to the bird... it flew!! Best not repeat what I said but all was not lost as it returned 10 minutes later :-)

The field with Scillonian in the distance...

The Tawny Pipit!

Quite distinctive with the sandy plumage standing out like a beacon amongst the Meadow Pipits!

The closest approach and starting to become a bit wary!

Before retreating and then eventally flying as another Helicopter landed!

 Walking through Old Town, I was reminded that if you park a bike against a wall covered in vegetation, you might not find it when you come back! It must grow at an amazing rate!

St. Mary's - Penninis - Ortolan Bunting take 2

The Ortolan Bunting was causing the customary blockage of pedestrians this morning and I got one or two opportunities to take some pics under delightful blue skies...

Never easy to pin down with a clean background...

But close-up crops keep clutter to a minimum...

And nice to get the lichen covered wall shot again!

Blue skies this time and with news of the Tawny Pipit showing well at the airfield, another good bird beckoned...

Penzance - Eider reflections

I've sat in this same position many times, looking at the rocks and harbour wall for birds? This drake Eider paddled past on a couple of occasions amongst some 'interesting' reflections in the water!

I prefer the splash of blue...

9.15 and it's off to St Mary's...

Scillonian crossing

A fairly quiet crossing with noticeably few Manx Shearwater, I counted a mere 6 for the whole journey! A few Common Dolphins, Kittiwake, numerous Gannet and a few auks, mostly Guillemot on the water, sometimes close...

Two distant Great Shearwater were destined to be the highlight but this was overshadowed by a large raft  of birds which look flight less than a mile off St mary's - just like August once more - an estimated 200 Great Shearwater!! There were two Sooty Sheawater too...

And guess what, there is an evening pelagic looming too! I think I might be boarding Sapphire once more :-)

St Mary's - Penninis - Ortolan Bunting

The bags were dumped in the room, a few essentials bought from the Co op and then I headed up the coast path to Penninis to see the (normally) showy Ortolan Bunting? Except it wasn't doing anything today apart from hiding from the endless stream of walkers and dogs...  It took me well over an hour to locate it and then it was a matter of getting down low to capture it on the narrow path!

There was a bit of a verge which gave decent 'grassy' views...

Picking off seeds from the vegetation...

And giving some nice frame filling opportunities despite the side lighting!

It hopped up on the nearby wall to escape passers by, showing the potential for a different though more distant image...

But that's one for another day? I had a boat to catch....

RSPB Frampton Marsh - Little Stint

It's talk season and my latest venue was at Lincoln RSPB group. A great Thursday evening reliving some 'Memorable Birding Moments' followed up with overnight hospitality from Mike and Angela Catchpole (many thanks both!!) I made the correct decision to give Gibraltar Point a miss with the Red-footed Falcon doing another disappearing act and had a great four hours walking around RSPB Frampton Marsh! Waders by the 1,000, didn't manage to find the Long-billed Dowitcher but was treated to excellent close up views of this smart Little Stint...

They might all look the 'same' but I can't decide which ones to leave out as it walked about in front of me!

Feeding on tiny insects and invertebrates...

Been a long time since I've had one of these so close! You can't have too much of a good thing!

And what are the chances of one landing in Shropshire??