Isles of Scilly - 11th to 12th October 2020

To be honest, I was still annoyed this morning. The only way to appease this was to head to Bryher again in the hope that the bird was still there.

A couple of hours had passed with no sign at all. I'd ambled off in the hope of finding something else lurking within the vegetation. I could hardly believe it when my phone chimed with the news that the Swainson's thrush had been seen again. Sprinting back to the location, and a short wait, the diminutive catharus appeared, and showed brilliantly at times as it flitted around the thickets.

Such redemption and a huge relief after the calamity of yesterday. A brilliant bird, noticeably smaller than song thrush, with clean pale underparts and that diagnostic eye-ring. It was just wonderful to observe.

The day had started on the Garrison where a single flyover redwing was the only sighting of note.

Later, a walk around Porthloo beach was brimming with waders with at least 45 sanderling, and two bar-tailed Godwit feeding along the shoreline with the oystercatcher and turnstone. Five curlew flew across the bay.

Roast dinner at the Atlantic never tasted so good.

The 12th started grey with low cloud and rain that stopped by around 9am but any bright interludes were brief.  The day before was notable for an influx of yellow-browed warbler with conservative estimates of 80 across the Isles.  A few lingered on with at least seven seen/heard today on a walk around St. Mary's.

Three swallow flew low over Penninis toward the end of the day.