For many visitors to Scilly this October, their only 'new bird' was this EASTERN YELLOW WAGTAIL from Siberia, typified by its very grey-and-white plumage tones, buzzing quality to its call notes and long hind-claw. Jim Lawrence obtained the large images and Keith Vinicombe the image on the roof. It was one of three flava wagtails that were present at the time, this bird eventually giving itself up for two days at Pelistry.
The undoubted star arrival of this autumn's Scilly season was this first-winter female BLACK-EARED WHEATEAR on the Garrison rocks on St Mary's. Supremo bird photographer Gary Thoburn captured these beautiful images of the bird as it flycatched from the rocky boulders, the bird remaining for just under a week. It had initially been found by Lee Woods and other Suffolk birders on the Thursday but its identification was not clinched until the Saturday. St Mary's also hosted a first-winter PIED WHEATEAR for a brief period and was photographed by Graham Etherington.
