Indigo no go. 27th October 2020

The relentless autumn of 2020 will be remembered for many years, so it was hardly a surprise that it is not all over.

Others had predicted a US arrival following a fast moving Atlantic weather system. I had predicted nothing and so was about to show how little I know (again).

On Saturday 24th the storm ripped through SW England.  Almost immediately, in the afternoon, Jamie P (who else) found a Rose-breasted Grosbeak on St Agnes (well, Gugh). A great bird and find, but a relatively expected American passerine on Scilly. The next morning Red-eyed Vireos were found on Gugh and Bryher. Great stuff, it's always exciting to hear of Yank waifs making it over the pond, but why is it always the same species on Scilly? Andy, Jonno and I mused over that on Whatsapp as the kids carved pumpkins on a lazy Sunday.  But I had spoked too soon - the next message was more arresting. 

INDIGO BUNTING, St Agnes. Darn it. I didn't really want to travel all the way back to Aggie given how much I've been away recently and how much work I had to do. I tried to resist, but somewhere deep down knew I was going. Monday was impossible as I had to wait for the arrival of my new car, but I mused possibilities for Tuesday. The weather was predicted to be stormy and the Scillonian had now moved to it's winter schedule. Twitching Scilly isn't as simple as it should be. 

I have seen an Indigo Bunting in the UK. In fact I came off Scilly for one way back in 1998. The bird was in the unusual east coast location of Wells Wood, although we now know east coast American birds are not so unusual. The Norfolk bird appeared on the same day three other east coast Yanks (Cliff Swallow, Northern Warterthrush and Red-eyed Vireo), so it was widely assumed to be a wild bird and subsequently first for the UK. Alas the BOU decided otherwise - it turned out to be in an unusual moult sequence which was considered more typical of captive birds. The records was placed in the bin (Category D). Over time new evidence came to light on the moult, but a recent (2019) review by BOU concluded that the record should remain in the sin bin.

Since 1998 there have been two more UK records. The first was a widely twitched bird on Ramsey Island in South Wales in 1996. I had declined to go for this, having just returned from my first season in Cape May.  A spring male photographed in an Anglesey garden in 2013 was also accepted (bizarrely in my opinion). there is one Irish records, from way back in 1985. Given how frequent this species is on the Azores another was overdue.

Cutting back to the current bird, it was still present early on the Monday (26th), and people were on their way. The weather and Monday timing meant that no-one could arrive until well in to the afternoon though. Meanwhile the option of a day trip flight from Lands End appeared and it was twitch-on for Phil Woollen and me. 

Cruelly the bird disappeared at 2pm, so pretty much everyone who twitched it that day missed it (aside from a very fortunate few). They would have to stay overnight. By this stage we were committed too, and had to role out the old mantra of 'we won't see it by staying at home'. It was a long shot but there was surely a decent chance it would reappear. 

Phil collected me at 10pm, and it was good to catch up so the miles flew by. By 4am we were at Lands End, taking in a few hours sleep before waking to fog and the possibility of not flying. Sure enough the planes were delayed, and so the small airport slowly filled with birders and tourists alike. Early negative news led to a dampened mood amongst birders, but I was feeling buoyant and determined to be philosophical.  Over the years I've become much more relaxed about dipping. There's no point in letting them get to you, just enjoy the day as best you can.

We were in the air around 9.30 and made the 10.15 Osprey crossing to St Agnes. Strange to return so soon after leaving. The weather was good, if a little breezy, and we headed towards the Big Pool / Threshing Mill area where the bunting had been present. Still no sign, and so it was set to continue.

Most people headed to see the nearby Red-eyed Vireo, but I arrived too late to see it well. I did manage brief views a couple of hours later, but these were restricted to the 'arse end' of the bird and therefore disappointing - I even dipped on the compensation! The only other bird of note I saw was a Firecrest.

We departed on the 2.15 boat and loitered outside the Cavorna (cheese and onion btw). Our taxi took us back up to the airport at 3.45 and as we gathered outside someone picked up a distant Glossy Ibis in a nearby pig field and then flying. Probably bird of the day! 

Photo by Kriss Webb (aka Spider)

And that was pretty much that. We were back on the mainland and in the car by 5.00pm and home by 10.15. 

Until the next time!