Peninnis

Saturday October 19

Waking to heavy rain pounding on the flat roof over the bedroom and a dimpled sea, I phoned to cancel the cart booked for to-day. Which turned out to be a mistake. After yesterday’s almost constant rain, we expected the same after last night’s forecast.

By 10 o’clock, the sky had cleared, the sun shone and we had another beautiful, upper teens, sunny day. We’ve had our best October weather ever = a paucity of birds. But.... the islands look lovely.

When did I last walk King Edward’s Drive on Peninnis and only see a few Sparrows, Starlings, one Blackbird and a Wren ? Until we got to the very confiding summer plumaged Snow Bunting feeding along the path. 

Many photos later, most of them trashed as he was feeding in dappled shade and amongst bramble and grassy tufts, we sat in the seat at the end, enjoying the view of the airfield. The tide was coming in again, fountains of spray cascading over exposed rocks. Gannets fished in Old Town Bay and then glided past the lighthouse, two Rock Pipits careered madly about, why no Stonechats this year? Nor chaffinches ! We did see one Greenfinch on the walk back. We’d intended walking down to Old Town Cafe but could not see any heads in the outdoor sitting area. Closed again - as they were last Saturday. 

Buzza Hill down to Porhcressa in Hughtown was steeper than I remembered, a real penance for my knees. We sat on a bench half way down, admiring another great view and taking some photographs.

Porthcressa beach and Hughtown from the south. Our flat is on the northerly sidof this narrow sandy neck. The twin mounds of Samson can be seen across the water.

Betty came plodding up to their hired house on top. Soon after she stopped for a chat, a Peregrine came into view, almost overhead, and then hovered. What a treat. Superb against the pure blue sky. Shame I couldn’t find it in my viewfinder.
Dibble and Grub was.....closed! 3.00 p.m. and no lunch at all.
Mumfords was ......closed. 
Papers, and then a drink and snacks back at the flat. 
I haven’t been able to get online at all to-day, a real bummer.
Sunday I'm on.....had enough internet last night - about 1 minute - to paste the acccount and then nothing again. Will now try to post some pics.

Hottentot Fig, this flower is wild on the islands

I have to take at least one pic of Pam when she's not looking. She thinks she looks like 'a poor old b.....r ' here

Very Little

Thursday October 17

Very little done, very little seen, very little to report.

Stayed in bed late, reading, it's the only comfortable place in the flat. The chairs and sofa are excruciatingly uncomfortable for even a short time.

I did some laundry, Pam used the dancing spin dryer, time for lunch at Dibble and Grub. The pager asked all birders to stay away from Old Town church this morning, as there was a funeral. Most of the attendees were at Porthcressa in their black or purple smarts.We had a delicious home-made burger, the food is good here, the view as good.

We walked about the Little Port area, seeing nothing, enjoying a chat with Betty and Steve. They hadn't gone for the Pallas's Gropper either. Betty likes at visit all the islands every trip, they'd been to St Martins and seen no birders at all.

The Co-op for essentials, time to batten down for the evening.

 

Flesh not Bad, Spirit Weak!

Thursday October 16

A beautiful, warm and cloudless day, showing Scilly at its best. The Sora seems to have gone from Tresco. What should we do? Eventually, we went to Old Town, the Telegraph end of Lower Moors was closed due to tree felling. It will be interesting to see what's been done.

We walked to the ISBG hide at the pools, seeing the Little Grebe very closely and well in full sun - through four large men's heads, 3 enormous lenses and an annoying bin-less photographer in a camo jacket who kept ducking and weaving.No chance of a photo for me. I waited about an hour to no avail. A lone Greenshank flew in as did a Grey Wagtail.

 

Greenshank

The Grebe tiurned up again, head above green slime festooning parts of the pool. A Jack Snipe was said to be hidden below the hide but we never got into a position to see it.

Trying the other- Hilda Quick - hide, we were in time to see a Kingfisher get its feet onto a near perch before dashing off. Shame.We did have views of a Water Rail and a Common Snipe.

Big excitement, a Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler on Gugh. The CB was buzzing wth news of  hurriedly arranged boats to Agnes - even though Gugh Bar is covered until 5.30.

Time for a snack at Old Town Cafe, lemon drizzle for me, tiffin for Pam. We sat on the bench, in shirtsleeves, looking over Old Town Bay, before walking back via the school and the Dump Clump to Porthmellon. 

 

Incoming sea breaking on rocks in Old Town Bay



Pulpit Rock at the end of Peninnis

No birders to be seen anywhere...... 

Must have a look online to see if there's a plan for the new school. The old primary school is a Wellbeing Centre with an enormous new, windowless building on the dump side. Gym?

Sitting watching the tide come in at Porthmellon was lovely. A ship called the Mannin was being nudged into place by the harbour master's boat - then back again. It appears to be a building supplies boat. A Wheatear hunted for insects in the tideline seaweed,



 

A Carrion Crow stayed until an Alsation was let off the lease and, Sandwich Terns fished in the Roads.

 

 

Time to read the papers, full of last night's 2-0 win over Poland and qualification for next year's Brazil World Cup.

Doesn't seem as though anyone saw the Pallas's Gropper after the initial sighting. More rumours of good money for the boatmen I guess.
PS
We've discovered that the Mannin is here to check, and replace where necessary, the boat mooring points in Hughtown Harbour.

 

Bye Bye Bryher

Tuesday October 15

We woke to a light drizzle and wet paths, what a novelty. Having packed and made use of the excellent WiFi to read Emails, we breakfasted at 8.45. Apart from Pam's dislike of the overdone (for her) granary toast, another very good meal. The food is impressive.

Pam had expressed a wish to take the afternoon boat but I demurred. Bryher is described as a 'walker's island' and I no longer am. It's very rugged and most paths seem to go uphill, steeply. Very few birds too.

An extremely low tide meant using the quay that used to be called Annequay after Anneke Rice. It had to be partially re-built and changed its name. The Firethorn had to take a very slow and circuitous route through the shallow water back to Mary.

Back at the flat, we unpacked, sorted ourselves and then went to the allotment area of Peninnis in the hope of a Wryneck. We met Betty on the way, they now stay at the top of Buzza. Fortunately, the Wryneck was showing well on the densely shrubbed hillside above the children's play area. I was able to fire off a few shots.

 

 

 

After a chat with Pat, Reston had steamed off to take photos, we returned to Portcressa and lunch at Dibble and Grub. The best sandwich we've ever eaten out. A very thick layer of Egg Mayonnaise with a generous sprinkling of small chunks of thick crispy bacon in extremely fresh bread. All eaten sitting outside  in  warm sun, watching Sandwich Terns and Gannets fishing in the afternoon sun-silvered bay.

 

Sandwich Terns on a rowboat in Porthcressa Bay

After some essential shopping in the one and only small supermarket, the Co-op, we returned to the flat in time to see the only Black Redstart on the islands, flitting about the beach below our window.I took a couple of shots out of the window before it flew off east.

 

 

Marj and Jen started birding after watching Turnstones fossicking amongst the seaweed below the flat. They were there again to-day.

 

 

The big CB news at the moment, setting birders rushing off - except for us - is a Richard's Pipit on Halangy Down. It's leading them a merry dance. I'm always reminded of my puzzlement, many years ago, when seeing Dix Pipit written on the sightings board outside the Porthcressa Inn. Seems fine now, but it took a day or two for the penny to drop.

England's last match to qualify for the World Cup to-night, against Poland. Hope the result is better than the last time we played them in a decider, when their goalkeeper, who played a blinder, was described as a clown by Brian Clough. I remember it well.

 

 

 

To Hell and ......Back To-morrow

Monday October 14

Happy Birthday Pam. Up in time to open all her lovely cards before it was time to leave for the Health Centre so that I could have my eight stitches removed. All done, quick and painless. I'd spread some Savlon on the wound this morning and last night to soften the scabs.The nurse suggested Vaseline to keep the scar supple and commented on what a neat job had been made of it.

I'd booked a birthday surprise, 1 night dinner BandB at the Hell Bay Hotel, Bryher, prompted by the fact that many places on Scilly are closed for the winter, or not open on a Monday. We took the 12.30 on Firethorn, the Bryher/Tresco boat not one of the Boating Association ferries. All the islands seem to have their own fast ribs now too. A minibus and trailer met us and drove us up the very rough and narrow track to the Hotel.

Our suite with a sea view is called Swift. From the outside it's grey stuccoed,  part of a row of four, reminiscent of elderly council houses, set in lovely gardens.

'Swift' - our room is downstairs - one of the less expensive !!

The inside is a roomy 'suite' - open plan - consisting of a  well appointed bedroom, sitting room and a two wash basin bathroom.

These rooms are more expensive - that's ours, back right

Lunch finished at 2 p.m.  and there are no buggies for hire. We'd planned to go elsewhere to eat if there were. We both ordered a sandwich, me Yarg and pickle, Pam, Coronation Chicken. Very ordinary. I hope that the dinner is better.
A short exploratory walk took us down through the gardens to the seashore, overlooking Great Porth, looking directly into the afternoon sun.

We walked on round the pool but the only birds to be seen were Starlings, House Sparrows and Meadow Pipits. A lone Wheatear bounded along the beach.

Great Porth

I really didn't feel like walking to-day, it was my decision to return to the hotel, drink coffee and eat fudge.
Dinner at 7.30 was excellent. We both had Ham Terrine, followed by Lamb Chops and a lamb loin something or other. I had Lemon Curd Tartlet, cherries, raspberry sorbet and jus, Pam had Sticky Toffee Pudding, Vanilla Panacotta and Banoffee Ice-cream. Sounds a lot but all portions were small. As we walked out, the waitress appeared with our petit fours which we took back to our room to eat.
I decided that we would catch the early boat in the morning, walking and birding is too difficult here.
A most enjoyable experience but not one I'd be in a hurry to repeat - unless I came up on Euromillions.

Another Fine Day

Sunday October 13

Not our last day with The Bug after all, I have my photo card license with me, just not the paper one. Pam thought that the card didn’t have a number on it, but it does.

Rather chilly first thing, overcast with an edgy wind. Neither of us were eager to set forth either, it was an 'old' morning. Bless him, the cart hire man had already filled out the insurance form ready for a signature and put Pam’s back cushion in place.

To give us a chance to face the day, we drove to Porth Low first where we saw two Wheatears, a Curlew and a collection of Oystercatchers huddled on the beach anticipating the rising tide, in a true Scilly scene.
 

The roadworks along Telegraph finished yesterday, we could park near Lower Moors entrance, don the backpack with its load of camera gear and walk through the wooded area. Slowly, as were looking and listening for birds, mainly Yellow-browed Warblers, the island has several at the moment.

Shooters Pool had a distant Chiffchaff and a well concealed Snipe, which confused us by bobbing - until its head and longer beak came into view.

I sat in the ISBG hide at the pool for about an hour, watching and attempting to photograph a Jack Snipe feeding at the far side of the pool. Two Grey Wagtails were doing circuits of the area, occasionally landing for a short while before madly dashing off again. What a waste of  energy.

 I needed to use the loo at Old Town cafe - shut again to-day but the loos stay open. As I came out, Pam called a dark Heron flying towards us from Peninnis Head. I got it virtually overhead before it flew towards Lower Moors. The juvenile Purple Heron , a stroke of luck, some birders haven’t seen it after a week or more. A Scilly tick for us.

Would the small gardens at the top of Bishops View which leads down to Porth Low hold anything. No. But it was sheltered. We watched two Song Thrushes having a fight before going on to Newford Duckpond. 

 

The original bird. Scilly has many Song Thrushes, unlike the mainland.



Despite our best efforts, we saw only a lovely first winter Willow Warbler. 

Time to go on to lunch at the Kaffeehaus. We booked pasties yesterday, hoping that they would be better than the two previous places. They were, but considerably smaller.Still not good enough.....

Newford Duckpond again, where we had terrific views of a Yellow-browed Warbler. Our best yet.

It was getting chilly again as the afternoon wore on and the sky clouded over. Time to make our way homewards - the pretty way as there was still time to spare for the Bug. 

A large number of birders have spent to-day looking for the Grey-cheeked Thrush in Old town Churchyard area. The dreaded ‘mobile and elusive, showing occasionally in an area with very restricted viewing’.We didn’t bother. A very good bird but not a tick, it can wait for another day before we join.the lemmings. It had obviously flown to the fields/woods behind the splendid new school, from the evidence of clusters of birders looking through gates and over walls along there.

Walking back after dropping off the Bug, I met John H and Peter R who had seen both the Thrush here and then the Sora on Tresco, having only arrived yesterday. They were eager to know where we’d seen the Heron though !

Stitches out at 9 in the morning, thank goodness, then we are free to enjoy Pam’s birthday.

Two Buggy Days

Friday October 11

An even later start to-day. I woke at 7.30 after a good night’s sleep - and stayed there, reading. All I could see was inhospitable looking grey sky until I sat up and saw a sunlit harbour, reflected light flashing off the swinging windscreens of the myriad boats dotting Town Bay.

Pam went shopping. I read, did word games and listened to my CB, waiting for something worth a sortie. The flighty Purple Heron turned up in a field along the track to Harry’s Walls, I decided that it would have gone by the time we got there.  I was proved right.

After a late lunch, we walked to Porthcressa which has had a facelift. The beach front has really been tarted up. We found somewhere to sit where we could scan the bay and enjoy the hot sunshine. A Little Egret, two Curlews, a flock of Black-headed Gulls, one Dunlin, a Kestrel hovering over Buzza, small flocks of Starlings, Shags and Cormorants on the exposed rocks and numerous fishing Gannets out to sea.

The Gry Maritha came surging around the corner to disappear round Peninnis and, 15 minutes after sounding the departure hooter, the Scillonian creamed the other way. The not strong in the first place, wind, eased totally this afternoon. We were too hot in the sun.

Nice sunset from the flat window.

Apologies for the wonky skyline - leaning too far out of the window. I lost my perspective. Nothing else fortunately.

This is the end of a very frustrating first half of England’s vital qualifier against Montenegro. No real midfield quality, few scoring chances - and they were all missed. Same old story.

The end result was 4 -1 to England. Andros Townsend made a spectacular debut. Good but flattering. A lot of underhand behaviour by the Montenegrans went unpunished, they deserved to lose.

Saturday October 12

We hired a buggy again for  both to-day and to-morrow.. The age limit for driving is 75 and Pam will exceed that on Monday. When I looked for my paper driving license where it’s always kept... it wasn’t there. Bother.
A little later, 9.30, but we were there by 9.20. It takes 10 minutes to complete the forms.

Lower Moors was the first stop, Shooters Pool to look for the Spotted Crake. Two Mallard and nothing else. An oncoming birder told us of two Jack Snipe seen from the ISBN hide, so we gave up and hot-footed (!!) it there.

Just the one birder in the hide when we arrived, reporting that the Jacks had disappeared into the reeds. We stayed for 40 minutes admiring the three pretty distant Greenshanks, feeding avidly, squabbling, hopping on one leg, never still. 

A Kingfisher made two short appearances, perching momentarily on a metal spike, one female Teal swirled about. Breakfast/Brunch was calling. 

Another call-in at Shooters Pool gave us less than cracking views of a Jack Snipe asleep in the reedbed. Three birds were pesent ... somewhere. 

Back on the road, half a dozen birders peering through a gap in the hedge along Telegraph road was irresisitible. Just in time to see a Lesser Whitethroat and Blackcap, I didn’t see the Redwing.

Old Town Cafe was closed for the day, we climbed up the slope to Tolmans where we were the sole customers. The menu was for lunch. I asked the waitress if it was too late for breakfast, the chef said no so we both had a Full English. It’s a long time since I ate : bacon, egg, sausage, mushrooms, hash browns, fried potato, tomatoes, a slice of toast and baked beans. Actually I didn’t. Pam had all but two bits of mushroom and I left the tomatoes and fried potatoes. Stuffed. 

Despite waiting 20 minutes, patient standing time for us, we did not see the Red-breasted Flycatcher, nor did many others.

I love the Saturday Telegraph best of all. To make sure of getting a copy, we drove back to Hughtown before returning to Old Town Churchyard for another look.

Trying to decide whether to take the lower path again or the higher one near the monument, we were joined by Steve Joyner (no pun intended). He told us about their India trip and the next one in the new year and asked about Borneo which Betty is keen to visit. A flock of about 20 Redwings flew over whilst we were talking.

A CB message reporting the incredibly elusive Purple Heron flying from Lower Moors towards the airfleld sent us scurrying down the steps for a better aerial view. No deal. It was also reported flying this morning and we missed that too. What made it worse, as I came out of the loos,  a man was showing his wife a photo of it, which he’d taken on his phone.

The bird has led birders a merry dance over the last week, few have seen it.

We drove on to spend time in Carreg Dhu gardens where we saw two Goldcrests.

More lovely butterflies to-day. Speckled Wood is the commonest, we’ve also seen Red Admiral, Comma and Clouded Yellow.

Four hours after our gigantic breakfast, we had room to visit the Kaffeehaus near Telegraph. I had the best Apple Streudel I’ve ever eaten and Pam had apple and ginger cake fresh from the oven. The owner was there to-day, she was lovely. As was the helper who has offspring in Manila, Byron Bay and the States and used to run St Mary’s campsite. We were the only customers, they had time to chat ! A Sparrowhawk flew past as Pam was paying the bill and chatting. I listened.

Porth Low, one of our favourite places to end the day. As I finished commenting that we’d had Wheatears in three bays yesterday, none to-day, they must have gone, three of the said birds flew in. Two Little Egrets looked for food amongst the low tide rocks along with a Grey Heron. One Curlew and the ubiquitous Oystercatchers the only other species present.

Time to drop off the Bug and trudge back to the flat. Another lovely sunny day.