SEABIRD PELAGICS (see www.scillypelagics.com)

St. Mary’s - A Quail at Porth Hellick, a Spotted Flycatcher in Lower Moors, 2 White Wagtails at the quay, 3 Turtle Dove along Sandy Lane and another near Buzza Tower. An immature male Marsh Harrier was seen over both Higher and Lower Moors.

Tresco - A Red-breasted Merganser, a Common Gull, a Pintail, a Jackdaw and a Raven.

St. Agnes -  A Bar-tailed Godwit and a Turtle Dove.

Samson - A Roseate Tern and a female Marsh Harrier.

St. Martin’s - A Raven flew over the cricket pitch in the evening.

Annet - A Spotted Flycatcher.

The first evening pelagic of the year produced a Great Skua, 20 European Storm-petrel, 15 Manx Shearwater and rather unusually for a pelagic trip a female Pied Flycatcher & a Garden Warbler.

Click HERE to see Bob Flood’s video of the Black-browed Albatross seen recently from St Mary’s on Scilly Pelagics website.

There are a few places left on the Birder Special Pelagics this August:

• August 1st & 2nd - 1 place
• August 8th & 9th - 1 place
• August 22nd & 23rd - 7 places

visit the Scilly Pelagics website for booking and further details.

All of todays birds were at sea. A Great Skua and 100 European Storm-petrels were seen from the Scillonian III morning trip (Penzance to St. Mary’s) and A dark phase Pomarine Skua and 80 European Storm-petrels on the Scillonian III evening trip (St. Mary’s to Penzance).

Scilly Pelagics - Todays all-day pelagic produced at least 5 *WILSON’S STORM-PETREL*, 80+ European Storm-petrels, an adult Sabine’s Gull, 6 Manx, 2 Balearic and 2 Great Shearwaters. Also,  a 120-130 lb Blue Shark was landed, tagged and released.

St. Mary’s - Common Sandpiper (3) and an ‘islandica’ Black-tailed Godwit at Porth Hellick Pool today.

Scilly Pelagics - This evenings Pelagic 8 miles SE of St. Mary’s produced - 1 Cory’s Shearwater, 1 Sooty Shearwater, 20 Manx Shearwater, 3 Great and 1 Pomarine Skua, 70 European Storm-Petrels and a Sabine’s Gull.

Scilly Pelagics - Birds seen from this evenings pelagic 6 miles south of St Mary’s included: Sabine’s Gull (2), Balearic Shearwater, Manx Shearwater (5), Bonxie (2) and Storm Petrel (50+).

St Mary’s - Only report today was of a Common Sandpiper in Hugh Town.

Scilly Pelagic - European Storm-Petrel (15) and Manx Shearwater (15) on this evenings pelagic. Also on the pelagic 2 Blue Sharks, one over 7 ft and 100 lbs+!

St Mary’s - Greenshank (3) at Porth Hellick Pool this evening (Thanks R.Mawer)

Scilly Pelagic - Species seen from this evenings Pelagic included: *WILSON’S STORM PETREL* (the first of the year), 35 European Storm-Petrels, 20 Manx Shearwaters and 2 Great Skuas.

No news from the islands themselves but this evenings pelagic 6 miles south of St. Mary’s produced the second record in British waters of SCOPOLI’S SHEARWATER. Scopoli’s Shearwater is the Mediterranean subspecies of Cory’s Shearwater and is a candidate for future splitting. The first record was also in Scillonian waters on a pelagic on 02/08/04. Also seen were European Storm-Petrel (40+), Great Skua, Manx Shearwater (4), Ocean Sunfish and Blue Shark.

After years of successful seabird expeditions off the Islands Scilly Pelagics now have their own website. For all this years trip information and some great photos go to www.scillypelagics.com/.