Scilly - 10.10.16

Today myself and Steve decided to head over to Bryher hoping to connect with the juvenile Common Rosefinch. Before the boats set sail we had another look at the Subalpine Warbler and got much better views of it this time. 2 Skylark flew over while we were there.

We then ventured back up Peninnis Head where after a bit of a wait we saw 2 of the 3 Lapland Bunting feeding amongst the rocks. Here I picked up another Scilly tick when I found a Tree Pipit as it flew over head.

Red-Eyed Vireo (photo by Ian Williams)

9 Little Egret were in the Tresco channel and once on Bryher we headed for the area opposite the Fraggle Rock café but despite over an hour on site there was no sign. In fact there was no sign again! It was feeling like it was going to be a very quiet day and not even finding a male Ring Ouzel at the dump and seeing only my second Scilly Buzzard could lift the mood. We chose to get the early boat back as there was so little to see and that decision turned out be a very good one indeed! Half way back to St.Mary's the pager bleeped and upon checking it I was amazed to read that a Red-Eyed Vireo had been found in Carreg Dhu garden! I informed Steve that we may have to do a bit of power walking once we had docked! Once the boat had been tied up it was a mad scramble to get off and rush to the garden. It took us about 15 minutes to get there passing Tring birder Ian Williams on the way but we eventually arrived just before Ricky and Terry had arrived in a taxi. A nervous minute wait was had but I finally got onto the bird but I was only seeing the underside of it as it was high in the trees but it then moved and I got a side view of the head showing off the distinguishing features allowing me to tick my first ever RED-EYED VIREO in the UK. It also became my 450th species on my UK list. No sooner as we had good views it flitted off out the back of the garden and vanished just as Ian, Ricky and Terry arrived in position. Happy and exhausted Steve and I headed on a slow walk back to the house. But as it turned out the others did see the bird in fact having better views than we did as it appeared lower down for a few minutes soon after we had left.