Scilly the first time
Continuing with my reminiscences regarding the first time that I visited iconic birding sites, say hello to... the Isles of Scilly! Dateline Friday 13th - Monday 16th October 1978. "There's a Semi-palmated Plover on St. Agnes." "Don't you mean a Semi-palmated Sandpiper?" "No, plover, first for Europe. It's American." The species that Tim Boultwood had just mentioned I had never heard of. I didn't even own an American field guide. "I'm going down this weekend. Leave Friday night and drive back on Monday. Interested?" As a burgeoning twitcher, the fabled Isles of Scilly had yet to appear on my birding CV. That was something that I was desperate to rectify. Tim picked me up from outside West Croydon station Friday mid-evening. There were two other passengers - Nick Gardner and Steve Robinson. We settled down for a leisurely drive to Cornwall, taking in service stations, much birding banter, and all mixed with not a ...