Autumn is the traditional time for birding on Scilly to be thrown into the spotlight, but this year it happened early on August Bank Holiday Monday. A Black Stork, the first for Scilly since 1975, drifted over St.Agnes then St.Mary’s before disappearing. If it had hung around it would have drawn some attention from mainland birders and caused quite a stir on the islands.
Since then birding has been “ticking over”. The eastern influence brought in with the stork has remained the main theme with a Booted Warbler skulking on St.Agnes for several days and a juvenile Rosy Starling frequenting Peninnis. Unfortunately the later wasn’t a pink stunner as the name implies, but a “fawn yawn” juvenile.
Scilly is always known for the unexpected and a Lesser Yellowlegs found on Tresco was certainly that. Found by Will Wagstaff on the Abbey Pool the bird has stayed for over a week now and is still present at the time of writing. This bird was a surprise as Yellowlegs are North American shorebirds and this one appeared, the first in six years, without an obvious westerly blow to aid its passage.
Scilly News will be updated regularly and quickly with all the latest birding news from the islands – as and when it happens!