This is an avifauna for the Isles of Scilly - one of the most popular and exciting birding sites in the whole of Britain. The islands' position, out to the south-west of the tip of Cornwall, means that they are often first landfall for the lost migrant birds from both Europe and Asia to the east, and North America to the west. The annual October pilgrimage to Scilly is a fixed point on many birders' calendars, and these tiny islands have hosted a considerable proportion of extreme rarities and firsts for Britain". Scilly also has a small but interesting breeding bird population, including some important seabird colonies. This book discusses in detail the status and distribution, past and present, of every bird recorded on Scilly. For the great rarities, a breakdown of all records is provided. Extensive introductory sections describe the climate, vegetation, general ecology and land use of the islands, plus the history of birding and conservation on Scilly. This book is illustrated throughout with line drawings, plus a wealth of maps and charts."