Radde’s

A flashback to October and a Peninnis Radde’s Warbler that popped up in front of Tania and me. A dark dull rainy day under a gun metal grey sky so the photo isn’t as good as the views we had.

crossing flightpaths

Sometimes the improbable comes when you least expect it.

We achieved a good number of scarce and rare birds on the Isles of Scilly Tour earlier this month. It has to be said so far it’s not been a classic year; although there was enough to keep us entertained. One moment however will linger a long time in the minds of those of us that witnessed it.

We were walking up Buzza Hill from Porthcressa Bay on St Marys. Having just seen a Brambling we were waiting for it to reappear below us when a Kingfisher flew at speed along the shore. Not an unusual sight on Scillies, we saw several while we were there. However, it was the demise of this particular Kingfisher that was unusual. From high above us we saw a Peregrine stooping. The two birds were destined to meet. In a flurry of feathers the Peregrine didn’t waver as it snatched the Kingfisher from the air and flew on with it’s colourful payload.

The Scilly Season

When you read this I will hopefully be ensconced on the Isles of Scilly; the enchanted Isles as they are so rightly called.

They really are beautiful. Any words I put together could not capture the feeling of being among the open heaths, the secluded bays, the azure water and the lure of rare birds. We’ll be on our tour looking for those elusive rarities until the 9th October. Lets hope the winds are favourable and a few Nearctic Avian surprises arrive. Something like a Red eyed Vireos perhaps. The photos below are a montage of a couple of birds I have photographed previously on the Scillies; one on St Marys the other on Gugh. Here’s hoping.