14/10/2022 Bryher, Isles of Scilly

Blackburnian Warbler: This is the first time this  American bird has been seen in England, with only three previous records all of which are in Scotland and typically on inaccessible islands like Fair Isle and St Kilder, Bryher in Scilly is much more easier to get to. 

So I was quick to make plans and go!
Well I say easy. I left the house at 1am before collecting Kristian and driving through the night down to Penzance to board the Scillonian which ferried us for three hours to St Mary's. A quick jump onto a smaller boat and a short ride over to Bryher. 
And once we saw the bird and repeated the joined back but in reverse we didn't get home until 2am, a long day indeed!

The bird showed well after a short wait as it foraged high in the Elm trees. The biggest issue was getting in the right position and navigating the c300 twitchers who also made the journey over to see the bird. 
The Blackburnian warbler doesn't get its name from the lower league northern football team Blackburn, but is one of the few birds names after a woman, Anna Blackburne (1726 – 1793) who was an English naturalist. 
Despite the long car journey and this was one of my best twitches, not only was it for a stunning American warbler but there was plenty of familiar faces, laughs and chats to be had.