PENINNIS HEADLAND - PORTHCRESSA AND SALLY PORT - BOAT TRIP TO ST MARTINS - BACK TO ST MARYS - STANDING STONES FIELD
WEATHER: a lovely sunny day with a chilly east wind, quite warm in sheltered spots.
We had a good start to the day and a good ending but the bit in the middle was disappointing and uneventful. Our first birding excursion after breakfast was a walk out to Peninnis Head to look for a Wryneck that had been showing on and off yesterday. We had a quick look at the Short-toed Lark along the way, it was still present and we saw a couple of Skylarks fly over, a new species for the list.
At Peninnis headland we saw many Meadow Pipits dashing about, Dave found a Whinchat as we searched the rocky area around the lighthouse. Then a couple of birders behind us found a Richard's Pipit in a grassy field, we joined them just as the bird flew up and landed somewhere near where we were standing a few minutes ago. Walking back to investigate we inadvertantly flushed the bird from under our feet, it called as it flew out over the sea and was lost to sight, only half of the group saw it well enough to tick it.
Before walking down to the quay to catch our boat we headed to Porthcressa beach, at the west end called Sally Port, a pile of rocks line the beach, it is where a Black Redstart had been found yesterday. A group of people were watching the bird when we arrived and most of the group saw, I missed it and had no time to wait for it to reappear, we had a boat to catch.
A Ring Ouzel look-alike seen on Peninnis and photographed by Phil Naylor
The best thing that happened during our trip to St Martins was lunchtime and the Cornish Pasties at the Bakery!! The trip across was very pleasant we saw a few species the walk from Lower Town to Upper Town was enjoyable but the birding on the island was dire.
The scenery from the main path across the island was stunning we could see many islands in beautiful sunlight, the colours were amazing, especially of the sea.
Reports of a Firecrest and a few Redwings came through, we searched an area for the Firecrest and found a Goldcrest. Other species seen were: our first Peregrine of the trip, also Kestrel a few waders down on the white sandy beaches and a couple of Chiffchaffs during our seacr for Yellow-browed Warblers.
Parasol Mushrooms seen on St Martins
Our intention was to stay on St Martins all day but we voted to leave early and go back to St Marys at 2pm, this turned out to be a good decision. Back at Hugh Town on St Marys we split up for a while, some wanted to go gift shopping others wanted to walk to Lower Moors and I wanted to see the Black Redstart.
We all met up again in the Standing Stones field near Old Town, 3 migrant species had been found in the field and we hoped to see them all. Groups of birders were watching different areas and within minutes Dave had seen all three species and I had seen two of them. The Red-backed Shrike was showing well, catching bees and other flying insects, it moved around quite alot. The Wryneck was more illusive, but it favoured a small elm tree without leaves and we all saw it in there, a bit obscured but visible.
apir of Stonechats taken by Phil Naylor
The third species was far more difficult to see, a Yellow-browed Warbler was doing the rounds in a copse of sallow and willow trees, with a few Chiffchaffs for company. Three of us perservered and the other four wandered around the field hoping to get a view from another angle.
We called it a day around 5pm and walked up the hill to our guest house. Dinner was taken in Hugh Town at the Atlantic Hotel. Our last day was over and news of a change of departure for tomorrow's ferry was met with mixed feelings. We were now leaving 3 hours earlier because of the weather forecast of high winds.