Scilly 2023 week 1 - 16th-22nd September
For most of the first week we stayed on St Mary's. The weather was mixed with showers, strong winds and sunny spells most days. On Friday 22nd we visited Tresco where the highlight was the seafood sharing platter at the Ruin Beach Cafe.
Below are some jellies found on Tolls beach at low tide
Moth- trapping was very good on the first two nights. On Saturday 16th the traps contained an extraordinary 9 Convolvulus Hawmoths (I've never had more than 2 in one night before) and 2 Death's-head Hawkmoths (which I don't see at all most years) and a Diasemiopsis ramburialis which was new for me. On Sunday 17th we were down to 7 Convolvulus Hawkmoths, and I caught an astonishing total of 30 in the week.
Birding in the first week was enjoyable, but there was only one mega-rarity - Cliff Swallow, my third (it would have been a UK✔️ for Alison but unfortunately she did not see it). We found a Wryneck, 2 Wood Warblers and a Firecrest and went to see a Red-backed Shrike that had been found by others. Notable other rarities seen by only the initial observer or very few others were a Red-eyed Vireo on St Mary's and a Black-and-white Warbler on Tresco.