Cream Tea Birding: St Martin's, Scilly 2

Helen and I have recently returned from another great week on the Isles of Scilly and as usual we spent the whole week on our favourite island of St Martin's! After last year's excitement of finding a Rose-breasted Grosbeak on the island (13/10/19) as well as a Buff-bellied Pipit (14/10/19 accepted as the same bird from St Mary's 9/10/19) I was preparing myself for far less excitement this year!

The first three days consisted of relentless buffeting N/NW winds (not the best for Scilly) and even when they veered to the West the weather system seemed to be more localised rather than the hoped for winds from further afield. However, on the morning of the 7th the wind finally abated and I enjoyed a lovely calm morning birding the north end of St Martin's whilst Helen was out running. On my return to meet Helen for coffee, I did some "pishing" in an area that I had been checking daily and out popped a Red-eyed Vireo! Though not as rare as the Grosbeak, I was made up finding another Yank passerine and it signalled the the start of the Yanks to the South West! A Swainson's Thrush was found on St Mary's later that day and a Black-and-White Warbler on Tresco and another REV in Cornwall the following day! Quite impressive from a weather system that on the face of it, did not look that impressive.

Aside from the excitement of the Vireo, it was another great week on this beautiful island.

I personally clocked up 65 miles of walking on the island and it is certainly a special place to both of us. I very much look forward to returning very soon!