Well where do I start! .After the news broke on this bird I was meant to go with Stew Pinner but all the planes were booked up so I had to wait to fly from Newquay at 7.30am on Thursday morning.I picked Higgo up at 12.30am from Birmingham and we headed south reaching Newquay airport at 4am.We got our heads down and woke up just after 7am to find that the fog had set in.Anyway 6 hours later and a blown engine on the airplane the nightmare ended when I landed on St Marys airfield just after 2pm.The Grosbeak had been showing but had disappeared but thankfully it was refound in Joe Penders back garden,on his feeders.The views I had were crippling from his kitchen window.I was made up as the whole trip had been frustrating but this rounded off a great trip. I was also made up as I had missed the St Agnes bird by one day in 2007 as we were driving home from a five day stint on the Scillies. Anyway after plenty of handshakes and hugs I departed just after 5.30pm and made it back home just after 12pm.A great 24 hours birding that rounded the year off with so many grip backs!
THERE HAVE BEEN 23 RECORDS OF THIS SPECIES IN BRITAIN AND IRELAND
2007 Oct 23 to Oct 29 Isles of Scilly 1 7 days St Agnes, first-winter male, 23rd to 29th October, photo.
2006 May 4 to May 5 Norfolk 1 2 days Holme, first-summer male, 4th to 5th May, photo.
2005 Oct 8 Western Isles
1 1 day Ardmhor plantation, Barra, first-winter male, 8th October, photo.
2001 Oct 13 to Oct 14 Isles of Scilly 1 2 days St Martin's, first-winter male, 13th to 14th October, photo.
2001 Oct 6 to Oct 9 Devon 1 4 days Lundy, first-winter male, 6th to 9th October, photo.
2000 Sep 29 Co.Kerry 1 1 day Great Blasket Island, female, 29th September.
1998 Oct 30 to Nov 1 Isles of Scilly 1 3 days Bryher, first-winter male, 30th October to 1st November, photo.
1995 Oct 30 to Nov 1 Isle of Wight 1 3 days Ventnor, first-winter male, 30th October to 1st November.
1993 Oct 12 to Oct 14 Isles of Scilly 1 3 days Tresco, first-winter male, 12th to 14th October, photo.
1991 Nov 5 to Nov 6 Yorks 1 2 days Bridlington, first-winter male, 5th to 6th November, photo.
1988 Sep 29 to Oct 11 Pembrokes 1 13 days Skomer, first-winter female, 29th September to 11th October.
1987 Oct 10 to Oct 13 Guernsey 1 4 days No locality, 10th to 13th October.
1987 Oct 9 to Oct 21 Isles of Scilly 1 13 days Tresco, first-winter female, 9th to 21st October.
1987 Oct 7 to Oct 24 Co.Cork 1 18 days Cape Clear Island, juvenile female, trapped, 7th to 24th October, photo.
1986 Oct 10 to Oct 25 Isles of Scilly 1 16 days Tresco, first-winter male, 10th to 25th October.
1985 Oct 27 Devon 1 day Lundy, first-winter female, trapped 27th October.
1985 Oct 9 to Oct 28 Isles of Scilly 1 20 days St Mary's, first-winter male, 9th to 28th October, photo.
1985 Oct 3 Co.Wexford 1 1 day Near Kilmore, first-winter female, picked up injured, 3rd October, died 7th October, now at Natural History Museum, Dublin.
1983 Oct 19 to Oct 20 Co.Cork 1 2 days Firkeel, first-winter male, 19th to 20th October.
1983 Oct 14 Gwynedd 1 1 day Bardsey, first-winter male, trapped, 14th October.
1983 Oct 10 Co.Cork 1 1 day Bull Rock, first-winter male, 10th October.
1983 Oct 10 to Oct 19 Isles of Scilly 1 10 days St Agnes, first-winter male, 10th to 19th October, taken by a cat.
1983 Oct 9 to Oct 15 Co.Cork 1 7 days Cape Clear Island, first-winter male, 9th to 15th October, photo.
1983 Oct 7 to Oct 8 Western Isles 1 2 days Newton, North Uist, first-winter male, 7th to 8th October, died in care 8th October.
1979 Oct 12 to Oct 29 Isles of Scilly 1 18 days St Mary's, first-winter, 12th to 29th October, photo.
1979 Oct 11 to Oct 12 Co.Cork 1 2 days Cape Clear Island, first-winter female, 11th to 12th October.
1976 Oct 20 to Oct 26 Isles of Scilly 1 7 days Tresco, immature female, 20th to 26th October, photo.
1976 Oct 16 to Oct 31 Isles of Scilly 1 16 days St Mary's, female, 16th to 31st October, photo.
1975 Dec 20 to 1976 Jan 4 Essex 1 16 days Leigh-on-Sea, immature male, 20th December to 4th January 1976.
1975 Sep 26 Sark 1 1 day Banquette Valley, 26th September.
1967 Oct 5 Pembrokes 1 1 day Skokholm, adult female, trapped, 5th October.
1966 Oct 6 to Oct 11 Isles of Scilly 1 6 days St Agnes, female, 6th to 11th October, trapped 6th.
1962 Oct 7 to Oct 8 Co.Cork 1 2 days Cape Clear Island, first-winter male, 7th to 8th October.
