Late news from the Weekend

Bit of late news from Tim Twiggs who visited the reserve on Saturday and Sunday: A summer plumaged Water Pipit was around the main pool on Saturday with 8 Sand Martins and an adult Kittiwake also present. On Sunday there were two male Wheatears on the reserve.

Matt Sallis was also there on Sunday morning and captured the Wheatears on film. Matt also states that Skylarks were very abundant.

Recent Sightings

The main pool hosted a cracking drake Pintail on Saturday and Sunday accompanied by the now resident three Scaup. The Water Pipit put in another appearance today and there were 7+ Red-throated Divers feeding in a group offshore. No sign of the Ring Ouzel yesterday or today despite extensive searching. Steve Sargeant saw it perched on top of some bare twigs amongst the gorse, about 50m in from the road entrance on the left (west). It was about 30m away from the footpath and he watched it for about two minutes and then it dropped down out of view. Needle in a haystack springs to mind! Thanks to the following for their sightings this weekend: M.Curtis, D.Eva, J.Chapple, A,George and me ;-)

A belated Happy New year!

Firstly an apology that i've not updated this blog for ages! Been busy with Cornwall Birding and the new Isles of Scilly Bird Group website. Fortunately it is a relatively quiet time of year at St Gothian but there have been a few good birds worthy of going to look at. Your probably sick of seeing the photos of the Buzzard killing the Grey Phalarope on the main pool on the 11th January, so if you want another look, click HERE.

The Water Pipit has been around since the beginning of the year but can prove elusive. It was seen most recently on the 12th February, the same day as a cracking male Ring Ouzel (right) snapped by Steve Sargeant. This was probably the same bird seen by Tim Twiggs on 7th January.

Three Scaup are on the main pool at the moment and other wildfowl of note this year include Shoveler and Pintail. A Jack Snipe was also seen on 7th January.

Hope spring brings some more goodies and i will endeavour to keep the blog updated with your sightings!

Wednesday 17th December 2008

Water Pipit, Med Gull (2w) and Pintail (drk) on the reserve today (from J.H.Johns)

The Rest of May 2008.....

Wednesday 21st May - A Hobby was present hawking mainly over the main pool from 6.30 - 6.50pm Nothing else of apart from a drake Tufted Duck. (from T.Twiggs)

Friday 16th May - Little Tern reported this morning (RBA). No sign of any Garganey, but Yellow Wagtail flew east, Wheatear (3) and Common Sandpiper again. Still plenty of Swifts (c25) this morning (from P.Freestone)

Thursday 15th May 2008 - GARGANEY (male and female) on main pool this evening, WATER PIPIT reported this morning. Also 2 Reed Warbler, 1 White Wagtail, 4 Arctic Terns, 20+ Common Terns and 3 Sandwich Terns, Black Redstart, 3 Northern Wheatear, 10+ House Martin, 30+ Sand Martin 4+ Common Swift and Raven. (from H.Cook, T. Twiggs and A.Brown)