The Isles of Scilly is one of the best places in the country to see rare migratory birds. October is usually the busiest month, with hundreds of birders coming to the islands, but the spring often sees unusual migrants too. Although more well known for its migrant birds, Scilly's population of resident bird should not be overlooked. An interesting introduction to birdlife on Scilly written by Peter Robinson is included below, with some useful contacts. 

Also see the birding section of the Scilly Up To Date archive.

Once you are on the Islands you can keep up-to-date with what's going on by looking at the Bird News Board outside the Pilots Gig Restaurant back door (opposite the Mermaid). In October the board moves to a more prominent position outside Porthcressa Inn.

Birds and the Isles of Scilly

Generally speaking, bird species using the Isles of Scilly can be divided into a three distinct categories: breeding seabirds, other breeding birds and migrants.

Seabirds:
At least fifteen seabird species breed or attempt to breed annually, more than at any other site in England and Wales. The islands are perhaps nationally important for breeding Storm Petrels, Shags and Roseate Terns. The majority of breeding seabirds are confined to the Western and Northern Rocks and the Eastern Isles; most of these areas are closed during the breeding season and landing is difficult at any time. Current pair totals (1996) include about 1,000 Shag, 150 Fulmar, 50 Cormorant, 250 Kittiwake, 200 Guillemot and 300 Razorbill. Although Storm Petrel numbers and precise locations remain unknown (but are being examined) the pair total doubtless exceeds 5,000, and may be higher. Manx Shearwaters numbers have declined markedly since the 1950's and may now be around 200/250.

Landbirds:
In keeping with offshore landbird communities generally, a number of species present on mainland Britain are absent from Scilly, e.g. there are no breeding woodpeckers, owls or buntings. Tit species are represented by just Blue and Great Tit, whilst Carrion Crow and Raven (1 pair) are the only breeding corvids. Breeding waders are represented by just Oystercatcher and Ringed Plover. Compared with mainland populations some farmland passerine species occur at unusually high densities, e.g. Blackbird, Song Thrush, Wren, Robin and Dunnock; Song Thrushes may be twelve times more abundant than on the mainland. Reasons for this have yet to be examined, but doubtless include several factors, e.g. the near absence of frosts and the particular style of farming carried involved.

Migrants:
The annual presence of rare migrant passerines and waders in autumn, including some North American species, suggest Scilly is important to migrant birds generally, whereas in reality the islands are too far west to be used by most birds travelling from or through Britain. Nevertheless there is a distinct northward movement of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs in spring, with similar numbers of Sedge and Willow Warblers on return migration. Autumn concentrations of rare vagrants, particularly late September and October, can be impressive and annually attract large numbers of birdwatchers from Britain and farther afield. Over-shooting southern European migrants, e.g. Hoopoe, Night and Purple Heron, Golden Oriole, Subalpine Warbler, can be a feature of spring migration, but the timing is far less predictable than in autumn.

Up to date information on the presence of rarities in Scilly can be obtained by telephone from Birdline or Birdline Southwest (see contacts).

Throughout spring and summer launches provide transport between islands according to set times. During autumn departure and collection times are more flexible and may be dictated by the distribution of rarities about the islands.

Each year the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company use the RMV Scillonian for a pelagic trip on one Sunday in August. The boat departs from and returns to Penzance, not Scilly (see contacts).

Contact Address's: