2023 marks an incredible year for rare seabirds sighted around the UK, and the Isles of Scilly has been at the heart of it all. Birdwatchers have been delighted with multiple rare species, but perhaps most exciting has been the arrival of first a red-footed booby on 7th of August, followed by a brown booby on the 28th of August, which have been spotted simultaneously resting on the Bishop Rock Lighthouse. Both species, which are relatives of our more familiar gannets, are non-migratory and are commonly found in tropical waters; they are rarely seen as far north as the UK.
An estimated 600 birders have made the trip to the Isles of Scilly to twitch the red-footed booby, which was first spotted on the Bishop Rock Lighthouse on the 14th August. This is only the second sighting of the species in the UK, the first of which was found on a beach in Sussex in a poor condition in 2016, and subsequently taken into care. The red-footed booby has reliably returned to its preferred perch atop the iconic lighthouse, whilst also being seen feeding offshore.
Both species were identified by birders aboard MV Sapphire, a local tripper boat that operates as part of Scilly Pelagics. The company is in its 23rd year and has experienced its best ever season for rare birds. The Bishop Rock Lighthouse is famous for being built on an isolated rock in the Atlantic Ocean at the most south-westerly point of the UK – and is now proving to be an attractive resting point for vagrant booby species. Given the logistics involved in reaching this geographical location, the numbers of birders making this seabird pilgrimage has been remarkable.
Bob Flood, Founder of Scilly Pelagics and global seabird expert says, “This event is already legendary in British birding. It couldn’t have been scripted. We’ve seen around 600 birders visit already, which is incredible for the time of year. It’s high season and most transportation and accommodation is fully booked – some have even resorted to hiring private jet boats from Penzance!”
Mark Thomas, a birder from Yorkshire who twitched the red-footed booby on Monday, was the first person to spot the brown booby from aboard MV Sapphire.
Mark says, “Whilst enjoying the red-footed booby – sat high on the Bishop Rock Lighthouse – I happened to scan through the closest group of birds perched on the lower terrace of the lighthouse. To my amazement, I caught a brief view of what looked like a brown booby. I quickly alerted skipper Joe Pender who skilfully manoeuvred the boat around the lighthouse, to be greeted by the undeniable sight of an adult brown booby at no less than 30 feet!”
Whilst an exciting time for seabird enthusiasts, it is important to recognise that 2023 has seen a global record high for sea temperatures as a result of the climate crisis.
Julian Branscombe, CEO of the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust, the local wildlife charity that looks after around half the land on the archipelago, says, “There is a chance that tropical species, like boobies, are being forced to forage for food further afield; we may see more unusual species in our waters consequently and may find that populations of tropical bird species are negatively impacted if climate trends continue. Whilst thrilling in many respects, we need to work with conservation colleagues on a global level to assess the health of our seas and the wildlife that relies on them.”
Bob adds, "My philosophy for events like this is to enjoy the spectacle whilst fighting against the causes. This has been wonderful to witness, whilst not losing sight of why these birds might be here."
- ENDS –
