AL'S BIRDING BLOG: August 2023

17 August 2023

RED FOOTED BOOBY-BISHOPS ROCK-ISLES OF SCILLY-17TH AUGUST 2023

Drawing the masses to Scilly was a Red footed booby, with last week's pale-morph first-summer relocated on Bishop Rock from 14th. The Scilly Pelagics team kept half an eye on the lighthouse in the belief that it would make an obvious roosting spot between feeding trips if it was to extend its Scillonian stay. It undoubtedly made for quite a shock, however, when it loomed into view from the MV Sapphire on Monday evening. Plans were soon put into motion for a morning raid on to the scillies with fellow wirral birder Mark turner,the St Mary's Boatmen's Association were arranging for shuttles to take birders out to the lighthouse – Britain's most south-westerly point.We arrived at Penzance heliport and soon made it over to St marys where Scillies finest Higgo was waiting for me to take me down to the quay.

All smiles from me old mate Higgo on arrival

A nervous hour pursued as we made our way to Bishops rock when a birder called out that the Red footed booby was sat out on top of the lighthouse.As we approached we all got cracking views of the bird.

Bishops Rock

Red Footed Booby

All smiles after connecting with the Booby

There are six species of booby, all of which are predominantly found in equatorial waters. Three of these reside in the Atlantic ocean; Brown, Masked and Red-footed.

Britain's first record of a Brown Booby was as recent as 2019. Remarkably an adult bird was found in Cornwall and twitched by a few before disappearing, only for second bird (an immature) to be found nearby and seen by many, including me. Since then Brown Booby's have been seen and claimed annually, and one was photographed in Scotland this week. Another twitchable one will happen soon.

Red-footed Booby first occurred in September 2016, when one was picked up on a Sussex beach and taken in to care. To the best of my knowledge it dies in care, as rescued seabirds so often do. Until now there hadn't been another. Masked Booby is largely a Caribbean species, but the appearance of one in the UK wouldn't come as an enormous surprise.