Tuesday (01/08)
Cory’s Shearwater – c800 in Scillonian waters from the Scillonian III on the return crossing from St. Mary’s to Penzance and 200+ off Porth Hellick Down and also seen in 100s from other island headlands,
Great Shearwater – 200 in Scillonian waters from the Scillonian III on the return crossing from St. Mary’s to Penzance.
Sooty Shearwater – 15 in Scillonian waters from the Scillonian III on the return crossing from St. Mary’s to Penzance
European Storm-petrel –8 in Scillonian waters from the Scillonian III on the return crossing from St. Mary’s to Penzance.
Common Swift – 1 over Parting Carn.
Wednesday (02/08)
Cory’s Shearwater – Still a few off the headlands and again close into the mouth 0f Porth Cressa Bay.
Black-t1iled Godwit – 1 on the Great Pool, Tresco.
Thursday (03/08)
Wilson’s Storm-petrel – 17 on the evening pelagic/fishing trip 5km southwest of Bishop Rock. The Scilly record count for a year has already been exceeded with at least a month of the pelagic season remaining.
European Storm-petrel – 100 on the evening pelagic/fishing trip 5km southwest of Bishop Rock.
Cory’s Shearwater – 150+ feeding at a “Tuna boil” off Porth Hellick Down, 33 in Scillonian waters seen on the crossing from Penzance to St. Mary’s and 130 on the evening pelagic/fishing trip 5km southwest of Bishop Rock. 10 were seen from the Scillonian III on the return crossing from St. Mary’s to Penzance.
Great Shearwater –40 in Scillonian waters seen on the crossing from Penzance to St. Mary’s, 3+were feeding with the Cory’s Shearwater at the “Tuna boil” off Porth Hellick Down and 85 on the evening pelagic/fishing trip 5km southwest of Bishop Rock. 15 were seen from the Scillonian III on the return crossing from St. Mary’s to Penzance.
Sooty Shearwater – 1 in Scillonian waters seen on the crossing from Penzance to St. Mary’s and 3 on the evening pelagic/fishing trip 5km southwest of Bishop Rock.
Great Skua – 1 on the evening pelagic/fishing trip 5km southwest of Bishop Rock.
Grey Phalarope – 1 on the evening pelagic/fishing trip 5km southwest of Bishop Rock.
Shoveler – 1 on the Great Pool, Tresco.
Pintail – 1 on Abbey Pool, Tresco.
Whimbrel – 1 South Beach, Tresco.
Common Sandpiper – 1 on Porth Hellick Pool.
Green Sandpiper – 1 on Porth Hellick Pool.
Greenshank – 6 on Porth Hellick Pool.
Common Swift – 1in off the sea at Deep Point and 1 over Tresco.
Wheatear – The first returning bird of the autumn was 1 at Deep Point.
Blue Shark – 1 caught tagged and released on the evening pelagic/fishing trip 5km southwest of Bishop Rock.
Friday (04/08)
Wilson’s Storm-petrel – 4 on the evening pelagic 8 south of Scilly. 1 was seen from the Scillonian III on the morning crossing from Penzance to St. Mary’s and 1 on the return trip in the evening.
European Storm-petrel – 50 on the evening pelagic 8 south of Scilly.
Cory’s Shearwater – 62 on the evening pelagic 8 south of Scilly and a few distantly off headlands. 59 were seen from the Scillonian III on the morning crossing from Penzance to St. Mary’s and 10 on the return trip in the evening.
Great Shearwater – 39 on the evening pelagic 8 south of Scilly. 59 were seen from the Scillonian III on the morning crossing from Penzance to St. Mary’s and 15 on the return trip in the evening.
Sooty Shearwater – 2 on the evening pelagic 8 south of Scilly. 1 was seen from the Scillonian III on the morning crossing from Penzance to St. Mary’s and 2 on the return trip in the evening.
Common Sandpiper – 3 on Porth Hellick Beach.
Wood Sandpiper – 1 on Lower Moors Pool.
Garden Warbler – 1 in the pines on the track to Spray View, Deep Point area.
Wheatear – 2 at Deep Point.
Crossbill – 1 flew low over Longstone calling.6
Saturday (05/08)
No reports on a stormy, “batten down the hatches” day.
Sunday (06/08)
SCOPOLI’S SHEARWATER – 1 on the daytime pelagic trip 10 miles northeast of St. Mary’s Quay. This is a least the seventh within the 9 days. 9 of the 10 seen in British waters have been from the MV Sapphire.
Wilson’s Storm-petrel – 2 on the daytime pelagic trip 10 miles northeast of St. Mary’s Quay.
Cory’s Shearwater – 155 on the daytime pelagic trip 10 miles northeast of St. Mary’s Quay.
Great Shearwater – 35 on the daytime pelagic trip 10 miles northeast of St. Mary’s Quay.
Sooty Shearwater – 3 on the daytime pelagic trip 10 miles northeast of St. Mary’s Quay.
European Storm-petrel – 120 on the daytime pelagic trip 10 miles northeast of St. Mary’s Quay.
Blue Fulmar – 1 of this very rare colour morph ten miles northeast of St. Mary’s Quay.
Green Sandpiper – 1 on Porth Hellick Pool.
Common Sandpiper – 1 on Porth Hellick Pool.
Common Swift – 2 over the Garrison and 2 over Higher Town, St. Martin’s.
Tree Pipit – 1 flew over Longstone.
Minke Whale – 1 on the daytime pelagic trip 10 miles northeast of St. Mary’s Quay.
Short-billed Common Dolphin – 20 on the daytime pelagic trip 10 miles northeast of St. Mary’s Quay.
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna – 25+ on the daytime pelagic trip 10 miles northeast of St. Mary’s Quay.
Monday (07/08)
The outstanding “Scilly Pelagics” season continues to produce jaw-dropping birds.
*** RED-FOOTED BOOBY*** – 1 on the daytime pelagic trip 2 km southwest of Bishop Rock (photo). This is the first record for Scilly and only the second for Britain, the first was found exhausted on a beach at St. Leonard’s-on-sea on 4th September 2016. It was taken into care and in December was flown to Grand Cayman, where it died in quarantine.
SCOPOLI’S SHEARWATER – 2 more on the evening pelagic trip 5 km southwest of Bishop Rock.
Wilson’s Storm-petrel – 4 on the daytime pelagic trip and 6 on the evening trip 5 km southwest of Bishop Rock.
Cory’s Shearwater – 105 on the daytime pelagic trip and 45 on the evening trip 5 km southwest of Bishop Rock.
Great Shearwater – 35 on the daytime pelagic trip and 75 on the evening trip 5 km southwest of Bishop Rock.
Sooty Shearwater – 6 on the daytime pelagic trip and 2 on the evening trip 5 km southwest of Bishop Rock.
European Storm-petrel – 80 on the daytime pelagic trip and 200 on the evening trip 5 km southwest of Bishop Rock.
Yellow-legged Gull – 1 on the evening trip 5 km southwest of Bishop Rock.
Short-billed Common Dolphin – 30 on the daytime pelagic trip 5 km southwest of Bishop Rock.
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna – 15 on the daytime pelagic trip 5 km southwest of Bishop Rock.
