Melodic Martin's

Thursday 14 th October was fairly dull weather wise but was quickly brightened by a Great Northern Diver in Portcressa Bay. The remainder of the morning was quiet with only a brief glimpse of a Yellow Browed Warbler in Sallows at Porthellick, although it was fairly vocal, and 4 European Golden Plover on the airfield of any note.

News of a Melodious Warbler (a lifer) however, quickly changed my mood and by early afternoon I was on my way to St Martin's. A winter plumaged Slavonian Grebe was seen from the boat and shortly after landing a Marsh Harrier was out towards the Eastern Isles.

Directions for the Melodious were a bit vague "between the school and the polytunnel". On finding the latter I quickly realised that there was some distance between the two and that this was going to be far from 'a walk up and tick job'. Indeed the last and possibly only sighting of the day so far of the Melodious was "a brief sighting early morning". The prospects of actually seeing the bird seemed low and this combined to a non appearance of a Common Rosefinch in the same area left me with a distinct feeling of 'I shouldn't have bothered'.

I headed back towards the quay on the news that a Tawny Pipit had been refound. On the way the obligatory St Martin's Sanderlings were added to the trip list. The Pipit was showing very well at the top of the beach but had a nasty habit of ducking behind various tufts of marram grass just as I was about to press the shutter. Images were frankly a bit disappointing but you can tell it's a Tawny I supppose:

Tawny Pipit - doing its best to hide from a gang of twitchers

The Tawny Pipit flew off along the beach and I quickly lost any interest in trying to relocate it when I heard there was a Melodious Warbler on show at Seven Stones, just around the corner. After a tense wait a hippo was found round the back of the pub and sure enough I glimpsed a Melodious/Icterine in elms.

The bird showed briefly on and off for the next 20 mins but I was not able to get good enough views to satisfy myself, although the photographic evidence was fairly conclusive.

Time was pressing as boat departure was nearing. The bird had moved further up the hill behind the pub into the next set of elms. Here it gave far better views and I was able to see no pale panel on the wing coverts, very obvious short wing length, a very yellow breast and the long pale hippo bill. Latterly, it showed right above our heads.

Back on St Mary's I killed some time before dinner in the ISBG hide at Lower Moors and finally got my first glimpse of the year of Water Rail.