On the 13/10/22 a first winter male Blackburnian Warbler was found on Bryher, Isles of Scilly. To be honest at the time I didn’t feel too enthusiastic. My last dipped on the Scillies, the Great Blue Heron in April 2015, had left me on the verge of a nervous breakdown and the idea of joining the entire capacity of the Scillonian looking for small bird wasn’t too appealing. However seeing the images and an unusually good write up in the i on Saturday gave me some regret.
So when Tony, who I’d assumed had gone without me, rang I was ready to go. Set off late on Sunday night heading for Leicester where we did up John and Colin after midnight. For a change the journey was smooth reaching Penzance with two hours to spare.
Initially I took a seat on the open deck to search for sea birds. Initially I had a good number of Gannet and Kittiwake then further out a few Manx Shearwaters and auks including a Guillemot but as we got out into open water the sea got very rough and I felt ill. I’ve never been seasick but I had been feeling unwell for a few days, likely having over done it last week. However I spent the rest of the voyage sitting inside and was glad to set foot on St.Mary’s quayside. Of course it was from one large boat to a smaller one, so crowded you get some respect for those hoping for a better life in rickety vessels in the Mediterranean or the channel, but in more sheltered waters it was an easier passage. On Bryher I managed a good pace to Popplestone Fields. Got a few of those ‘That’s the bird but can I really tick it views” fairly early but I knew it had show well before and didn’t wait long to get a good view. Next it was the matter of getting a photograph and like most others I became a headless chicken although with birds that have a regular circuit it is often better just to wait for the bird to come your way again. Eventually got a few “usable” images. I don’t consider myself a photographer but a birder who just wants his own record of a good bird so was glad when our time ran out I could stop trying to get a better image.
While waiting for the “Surprise” to return I got time to admire the beauty of the Scillies.
Straight from the small boat to the Scillonian III then back to the mainland. Spent some of the time outside but was still a bit shaky and with the seats mostly occupied found standing up, although the sea was much flatter, hard work. Did manage to see only my second Great Shearwater but not the the Minke and Humpback Whales that others were seeing. Eventually called it a day and got some sleep inside but missed what would have been my first Fea’s/Desertas Petrel off Wolf Rock.
For more on the Blackburnian Warbler check the RBA account by finder and the weekly round up. I wondered why a yank warbler was connected to a Lancastrian town but reading wikipedia found it is also the surname of an English ornithologist.
Still present on Sunday 23st mid afternoon at the start of teachers’ week.
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