A touch of Red Eye

Walking around the beautiful Island of Bryher in the Isles of Scilly last week we decided to leave early and return to the island of St Mary’s. It turned out to be a good decision as we chanced upon one of those birds that is the epitome of the Scilly Isles in October; the thing that drives every bird watcher that goes there to search every field corner and each sycamore tree. A Nearctic bird … a bird from America. On the 10th October this year that Nearctic visitor manifested itself in the form of a splendid Red-eyed Vireo.

The Scilly Season

When you read this I will hopefully be ensconced on the Isles of Scilly; the enchanted Isles as they are so rightly called.

They really are beautiful. Any words I put together could not capture the feeling of being among the open heaths, the secluded bays, the azure water and the lure of rare birds. We’ll be on our tour looking for those elusive rarities until the 9th October. Lets hope the winds are favourable and a few Nearctic Avian surprises arrive. Something like a Red eyed Vireos perhaps. The photos below are a montage of a couple of birds I have photographed previously on the Scillies; one on St Marys the other on Gugh. Here’s hoping.