Early Morning in the rain, next stop Tresco (2nd September)

Spider picked me up at 6:30am near the Quay with the intention of relocating the Citrine.  It was still too early and dark to bother for the wagtail so we first visited Lower Moors were we drew a blank.  The airfield was our next attempt to relocate the Buffy.  With the rain starting to come down heavly we soon managed to relocate the JUV. BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER squatting in the rain beside an equally drenched Golden Plover.  After admiring the Buffy from closer quarters (without the heat-haze this time thankfully) we tried for the Citrine but to no avail.  The scene on the beach seemed identical to yesterday with several feeding Rock Pipits, White Wagtails and the remaining Pied Flycatcher, the only difference being no Citrine.

juvenile Buffy on the airfield in the pouring rain

I took the decision to make a day-trip to Tresco, just to increase the variety of sites I could visit.  The boat-load along with me were dropped off at the southern tip of the island, were I took the footpath around the eastern side, bypassing Abbey Pool, Great Pool and the large pine trees on the eastern border.  Only a few waders on the pool, including 4 Black-tailed Godwits, several Greenshanks and a Pied Flycatcher near the path.  The east side of the island was less productive than I had originally hoped for, not a surprise given the continues stream of light rain and fog.  Most birds seemed to head quickly for cover as I only saw a further 2 Pied Flycatchers, a few Wheatear and 2 Little Egrets.  The heathland at the northern extreme of the island can only be described as barren.  The thickening fog and rising waves were as inhospitable as they sound, only a few Wheatears and Rock Pipits braved the conditions, at least I could enjoy some solitude.

the desolate coastal heathland at the northern extent of Tresco