Isles of Scilly - 13th October 2023

So staying up at Longstones worked against me somewhat today when a pallid harrier initially found on St. Martin's cruised over to Lower Moors and plonked itself down in thick vegetation for around ten minutes. Not really knowing which way to run, I decided to look out over the moors from Rocky Hill. The vista was ideal but second guessing what was going to happen next was problematic. There wasn't any news for a few minutes, and I was feeling skittish. The yips got to me and I decided to run down Rocky Hill for Lower Moors. Within a minute of leaving, a message popped up, the harrier had alighted and was seen to pass Buzza through Porthcressa, over Hugh Town towards the Garro. I was stuck in an arboreal corridor with no chance of seeing anything. The moment had passed, and the bird was gone.

The weather was grim today, really terrible, heavy rain set in and I was once again chasing my losses. The ruff was still present on Porthloo beach, a wryneck decided to appear right in front of me along Trench Lane, and the incongruous sight of the ever present glossy ibis battling the strong breeze over Standing Stones was all I could muster from a disappointing day.