Tuesday 9 October 2018

St. Agnes and St. Mary's

There was only one choice of island destination today and that was St. Agnes. At Porth Killier, the Greenish Warbler which had been found the previous day showed wonderfully and improved on my brief views of a Suffolk bird a few years ago. We watched a first-winter Red-backed Shrike do a few feeding circuits near the Nag's Head Rock and I jammed a brief view of the Wryneck opposite Grinlington Farm. A Yellow-browed Warbler and a Firecrest were in The Parsonage, to where the Greenish had a brief foray. While having a lunchtime drink at The Turk's Head, a Merlin dashed past us. Feeding in the channel was a Kittiwake and a couple of first-winter Mediterranean Gulls, while at least four Lesser Black-backed Gulls were knocking around.

Greenish Warbler at Porth Killier

1CY Red-backed Shrike near the Nag's Head Rock

Wryneck opposite Grinlington Farmhouse

We didn't do much birding on St. Mary's we caught up with the famously showy Merlin on a roof in town, as well as noting Wheatears on Porthcressa and Porthmellon.


Merlin in Hugh Town