Abstract

ABSTRACT A Short-toed Eagle Circaetus gallicus was present on the Isles of Scilly between 7th and 11th October 1999.This constitutes the first record for Britain, and the possible origins of the bird are discussed.very time you arrive on the Isles of Scilly in October, you hope your fortnight will be part of a classic autumn. Looking back over the past three or four decades, certain rarity-packed years stand out. The autumns of 1975, 1983, 1985 and 1987 were all not to be missed, and that of 1999 certainly bears comparison with these. For aficionados of St Agnes in particular, things had started well, with a fine first-winter male Siberian Thrush Zoothera sibirica found on 5th October on the Gugh (a small island linked to St Agnes by a sandbar) by the Bradshaw family (minus Colin). Next day, Ren Hathway saw one of his superb illustrations come to life, when he chanced upon a White's Thrush Z. dauma at Troytown. Continuing theeastern theme, while the rest of us were glued to the spot waiting for a glimpse of the White's Thrush, KDS found a Radde's Warbler Phylloscopus schwarzi. Many people wait a lifetime to see a vagrant Zoothera in Britain; two in two days was simply breathtaking. As a result, it was not surprising that most thoughts were of birds from the east, and what might appear next. Would it be a Yellow-browed Bunting Emberiza chrysophrys? Could another Bimaculated Lark Melanocorypha bimaculata make an appearance? On 7th October, TRC, MH, KDS,