Scilly day 15 - Common Redstart

A back injury held me back today. I managed a short walk along Porthcressa beach late afternoon, where the only bird of note was this Common Redstart......

Favouring the wild 'rock garden' at the end of the beach!

So mainly on rocks :-)

But occasionally plants!

A very obliging bird!

At least I can still walk but having to be sooooo careful and no heavy gear!

Scilly day 14 - Eastern Yellow Wagtail

A troublesome back has scuppered my activity somewhat but I managed (via taxi!) to get to Lower Moors to check out the Eastern Yellow Wagtail reported there.....

Wow, was it showing well, right in front of the hide, as these images demonstrate!

The 'cold' grey and white plumage certainly fits with an 'eastern' origin but in the grass, difficult to assess the hindclaw.....

Eventually, it hopped onto the mud and the long hindclaw is clearly visible - an indicator but not conclusive for an 'eastern' origin.

The long hindclaw.....

And a final portrait of this cracking bird :-)

The key to it's identification is of course a recording of the call. I managed to get a flight call on my phone but it's too big a file to upload. It sounds identical to other recordings I've listened to on the net. I know others have got recordings so it will be wait and see? Call will indicate it's within the broad 'eastern yellow wagtail group', maybe a feather will become available and narrow things further to a subspecies group?

The day ended on another high note with late evening views of the Pallas's Warbler on the Garrison, no images managed - yet another Scilly tick!

Scilly day 13 - Subalpine Warbler take 2

The Subalpine Warbler continued to stay and show 'very well' in the Sycamores of St. Mary's Hall Hotel, only 400m down the road from where I was staying. It would have been rude not to have another look? And try to get better images of that spread tail......

Initially not easy in the dappled sunshine but there were one or two shadow free images....

With a strong wind blowing, it spent a lot of time low down in the crown of the trunk.

Picking off tiny aphids!

And generally looking good from all angles!

A nice series whilst on one of the very few bare branches!

This one will do nicely.......

And I never did get a worthwhile tail shot!

Scilly day 11 - Deaths-Head Hawkmoth

What a way to start the day, I even ignored the Subalpine Warbler for an hour or so as I made my way up to Longstone.....I've managed to evade the lure of being a 'mother' but I know many birders who love the daily ritual of the moth trap! Down here of course there's a much greater chance of something very special and they don't come more special than this! In fact I've been hoping to catch up with one of these since for longer than I can remember.......

Most describe it as the 'beast' or 'monster' - Death's-Head Hawkmoth.....

As freaky as they come!

A fence post is one thing but you get a sense of just how big they are when against a familiar object like an arm, hand or finger?

The colourful orange underside.....

A body fit to put a hornet to shame!

And in the open fingers - the  mother of all moths!!

I'm indebted to Mick and Will Scott for there hospitality and laying on a Cattle Egret too!!The moth was released later that evening ....

Scilly day 11 - Longstone Cattle Egret

After we had finished admiring and photographing the Deaths Head beast, Will had a look from the garden into the adjacent field and announced - Cattle Egret in with the cows!!

Yep, that's what you call in with the cows!

Looks like a bit of interaction going on with this one?

This was my 'crying out for a caption' image! * see winner below......

* 'Egrets, I've had a few, but then again, too few to mention'

The Egret eventually separated from the cattle but it disappeared into dip as I disappeared back to my appointment with the Subalpine Warbler!!

A pint awaits you @rpintean for being virtually the only diehard of the caption...... (remind me next year lol)

Scilly day 11 - Subalpine Warbler showing well!

After the dodgy record shots of the previous evening, time to get to work with an obliging Subalpine Warbler! A tad improvement in quality was noticed :-)

"It's showing well now at the end of the branch"!

So many leaves!

So many aphids,,,,,

Always on the move.....

"It's showing  in the open now...."

And nearly daring to fan that tail well for the assembled?

East or West (which might be best), wherever you're from, we will probably never know?

Scilly day 11 - Lapland Buntings

At least 5 Lapland Buntings on Peninnis today, flighty but as you can see, once settled they could be quite confiding. Looked like fresh first winter birds? Here's some images of a female.... 

Always on the look out and occasionally standing to attention!

A nice ruffle......

And just to show how slow the shutter speed was!! Impressionistic stuff!

One of two nicely marked males....

Not always a fan of head on shots of Laplands but with these I could be converted!

They may not be aristocrats here on Scilly (you expect to see them!) but helped to continue the run of good quality birds..... The only thing that would drag me away was news of something better and guess what.... a Red-eyed Vireo was reported at Carreg Dhu.... yomp yoop....