Rare bird sighting causes excitement on Scilly
A rare bird has caused excitement on the Isles of Scilly over the last few days.
picture by Kris Webb
A visitor staying on St Martins spotted a male Rock Thrush at the entrance of Little Arthur Farm on April 9th and again in flight near to the Daymark the next morning.
It is only the fifth sighting of the bird on Scilly, the most recent being on Bryher in 1996.
Scilly birder Kris Webb said a group headed across to St Martins and connected with the Rock Thrush at Bread and Cheese Cove on the 10th.
"A lot of us might not see another one in the UK," he said, adding on his blog: "Through the scope the thrush was distant but what a corker as it perched on rocks. It was on view throughout all the time we were there and was even observed singing! We all got better views later on when it was joined by a Black Redstart."
The Rock Thrush breeds in mountain regions in southern Europe across central Asia to northern China.
Other birds currently showing on the islands include a Red-rumped Swallow, Willow Warbler, Wryneck, adult Purple Heron, Western Subalpine Warbler and Hoopoe.
Kris said that birding on Scilly this spring has made a "very good start".
Read more at Kris's blog here.