October 27, 2004
Scilly - where rarities go to die
Okay, so this is a bit off-track given I couldn't really be further from Scilly if I tried, but can't resist this... Today seems to be a v bad day for rares on Scilly, with firstly the Cream-coloured Courser being taken to mainland Cornwall's version of The Priory for distressed waders, the sanctuary at Mousehole, to be fed a recuperative diet of pasties... followed by the unfortunate Done-in (the) Ovenbird, firstly with a broken leg, then being escorted limping into care also...
Hmm, bit of a bugger for those twitchers planning on doing the Double this week. Or maybe not - perhaps the birds will be in adjacent aviaries... And none of the expense of getting to a far-away group of islands.
On the subject of which - couldn't believe my eyes reading a birder's personal website recently - the birder in question having the nerve to complain about the price of the inter-island boat fares on Scilly (the princely sum of c.£6) when so far this autumn he's twitched Purple Martin, Cream-coloured Courser, Yellow Warbler and finally Chestnut-eared Bunting (and for all I know tried for the Rufous-tailed Robin and Ovenbird)... all off-mainland, so each an impressively expensive trip in its own right, and a monument to one birder's desire to build a substantial list. Okay, each to their own, but when you're spending hundreds (thousands?)of pounds in what's ultimately a fairly selfish pursuit, don't criticise the locals for trying to make a modest living. Good grief.
Would provide a link to this site so others can be equally astounded, but hey, life's too short. However (he said cryptically) I can tell the difference between a Redwing and Rose-breasted Grosbeak...
Not so it seems Our Own Correspondent in the Shetland Times - a tremendous typo recently celebrating the early autumn and our recent rare wheatear in particular:
"A pied wagtail, a very rare vagrant which breeds in South East Europe and Asia was identified on 10th October bringing the Shetland records for this species to five."
Splendid!
Follow the Weather Starling…
£6.40 actually. But you have to admit that the author of the web site has the most inspirational and original of literary styles.............not!
Posted by: Mike Cross at November 21, 2004 10:33 PM