October 1996 was a superb month for me, including a great Scillies trip. We'd booked our flights for Saturday 12th, but with exciting news hitting us leading up to the day, we set off early and arrived on St Mary's on Friday 11th. Immediately on arriving we hurried over to Sallyport to obtain stunning views of one of the best birds I've seen in Britain - an absolutely stonking
Black-and-White Warbler. This turned out to be the first of five neartic passerine ticks over the next six days, and the first of 16 ticks for me in October 96!! As soon as we'd seen the warbler well, we rushed to the quay for a boat to Tresco. On landing, we legged it to the Borough Farm area and were soon watching a
Buff-bellied Pipit. Oh man - what a day. And what a trip, with the other main highlights being
Red-eyed Vireo (my 300th tick) at Longstone, St Mary's 13th and
Bobolink on Bryher on 14th.
I had to leave the islands on 17th in order to get home for Isabelle's first birthday on 18th. This was in itself a good move as I took a detour through Portland to see the fantastic
Northern Waterthrush.
Back in the (pre-digital) day, I used to buy the odd photo from the rarity photographers that were part of the scene. Most though have no details on them so I can't remember who took the photos. Either way, I'm sure they wouldn't mind me posting them here so you can see what I enjoyed on 11th October 1996!
Black-and-White Warbler - superb and OMFL!
Buff-bellied Pipit - smart, when it was rare and a good blocker.....
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