ISLES OF SCILLY 11–18 and 18–25 October 2008 10–17 and 17–24 October 2009 Leaders: Vaughan Ashby and Svetlana Annenkova

The Isles of Scilly are the finest place in England to observe scarce and rare migrant birds in autumn. The leader will use his 24 years of knowledge of these most beautiful islands to guide you so that, by the time you leave, you will be as enthralled with Scilly as are all long-term visitors.

Day 1 We meet in Penzance early in the afternoon to coincide with the arrival of the first London train. For those of you travelling a long distance, arrangements can be made for the previous night's accommodation in Penzance. We fly to the islands by helicopter from Penzance Heliport, an experience in its own right. We will fly along the coast to Land's End before heading out into the Atlantic Ocean over the Sevenstones Reef and Wolf Rock. After only 20 minutes we will be appreciating the sheer beauty of the islands from the air. For those of you who do not wish to fly, arrangements can be made at no extra cost to travel by boat, the Scillonian III, a trip of about two and a half hours. Be warned, however, that it can be rough! During the short bus journey from the airport on St Mary's, we will be able to appreciate the character of the island with its small bulb fields and tall hedges to protect the flowers from the wind. After checking into our guesthouse with its superb views over the harbour, we will spend the rest of the afternoon exploring parts of the main island, looking for birds found prior to our arrival. In the early evening we will return for our evening meal (the food is excellent) followed by a trip into town for the birdlog at the Scillonian Club and a nightcap. There are several good places I know!

Days 2–7 The daily itinerary will be entirely flexible to ensure that we see all of the good birds. Although the birds vary from year to year, we can reasonably expect to see most of these scarce migrants: Ortolan, Snow and Lapland Buntings, Yellow-browed, Barred, Melodious and Icterine Warblers, Richard's and Tawny Pipits, Rose-coloured Starling, Common Rosefinch, Eurasian Wryneck, Red-backed Shrike, Greater Short-toed Lark, Firecrest, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Spotted Crake and Jack Snipe. In addition, we usually see several rarities, which can include a few of the following: Red-eyed Vireo, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Blackpoll Warbler, Upland Sandpiper and American Golden-plover from the west and Dusky, Pallas's and Radde's Warblers, Red-throated and Olive-backed Pipits and Eyebrowed Thrush from the east. The trip is not all about chasing rare birds though, as we will also enjoy the stunning scenery, magnificent walks, historical sites and fresh air! During the course of the week we will visit at least two of the other islands by launch. Tresco has its sub-tropical gardens and two lakes, which attract most of the ducks on the islands. It is an island of contrasts, with the north being wild moorland and the south more cultivated. There are virtually no vehicles on this or, indeed, any other island except St Mary's, which is a most pleasant experience. St Agnes, home of the original bird observatory, has even smaller fields and taller hedges than St Mary's to protect the flowers from the winter storms. From here we can clearly see the Bishops Rock Lighthouse, the last piece of land until America! There are cafes scattered around all the islands, so we can stop whenever we are in need of refreshment and, if all the fresh air tires us, we can call a taxi on our CB radio!

Day 8 After our final breakfast, we will have time for a last look around St Mary's or for relaxation and shopping! Around lunchtime we will return to the airport for our flight back to Penzance, where the tour will conclude.

General Information A general degree of fitness is required for all of the walking, although the pace is easy. There are a few steep hills and some muddy paths, so walking boots are recommended. A mixture of clothing for wind and/or rain is recommended, although it is often quite warm at this time of year. There are all the usual facilities on St Mary's including Post Office, banks, shops, pubs, hospital, museum, etc.

Group Size Maximum group size: 14 plus 2 leaders.

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