THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE SCILLY ISLES – ANDREW COOPER

10^th February 2009

A full house lay in wait expectantly for Andrew Cooper – we were not disappointed! He is an excellent speaker and photographer, and having got the “Scilly Bug” has a wide knowledge of the islands.

The Scilly Islands or the Fortunate Isles lie 27 miles Southwest of Land’s End, and consist of 200 rocks and islands – only five of which are inhabited. They are classified an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a Special Protection Area (under the EC Birds Directive), a Marine SPA and have 26 SSSIs , 130 listed buildings and 238 Scheduled Ancient Monuments. At least 426 bird species have been recorded as resident or migrant on the islands, and 67 of these were recorded as breeding in 2000. The islands’ location means that they attract a wide variety of migrant birds, and as a result tourism is an important part of their economy attracting c.120,000 visitors per annum. The five main islands are St. Mary’s, Tresco, Gugh and St. Agnes (which are joined by a sand bar), St. Martin’s and Bryher.

St Mary’s is the largest of the islands and plays host to the numerous tourists/birdwatchers. Spring and autumn migration seasons are especially busy. In the spring many species `overshoot’ from Europe and these can include woodchat shrike, hoopoe, night heron and little bittern. In the autumn young birds may drift across from the continent, further afield from Asia or are blown across the Atlantic on fast-moving depressions. The summer brings internationally important numbers of seabirds especially on the outer rat-free islands where puffins, up to 17,000 European storm petrels, and Manx shearwaters can be seen. Large numbers of song thrushes can be seen on the beaches , and the Higher Moors and ponds on St. Mary’s attract wildfowl and waders.

Tresco is leased from the Duchy of Cornwall by the Dorrien-Smith family. The world famous tropical gardens were established by Augustus Smith around 1834, and provide a wonderful collection of plants and flowers from New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico and Australia including tree ferns, proteas, eucalyptus and acacias. Andrew showed some beautiful photographs of the gardens including one of a starling drinking nectar from a Mexican yucca. The two lakes provide nesting areas and shelter for a wide range of water birds.

St Martins is home to the many small flower fields, boxed in by protecting hedges, that produce the beautiful narcissi and daffodils. These provide an important source of income for the islands, and it has been found that `swaling’ the leaves produces ethylene which triggers a growing response in the bulbs, leading to early flowering. There are also wild heaths of purple heather and yellow gorse, sheltered beaches and towering cliffs. Seabirds and migrants can be seen around the Day Mark and linnets and stonechats in the fields and on the heaths. Sanderlings and ringed plovers occur on the beaches.

St Agnes and Gugh have been separated from St. Mary’s since the Bronze Age, and are joined by a narrow spit of land at low tide. Some of the flowers that can be found in these ancient landscapes include orange birdsfoot trefoil, dwarf pansy, fumitory, rosy garlic, corn marigold and the Bermuda buttercup – a South African species which is very invasive. The prickly fruited buttercup is very special.

Bryher, or the `place of the hills’ – is home to stonechats, linnets and song thrushes on its heathlands, and numerous waders on the beaches. The West coast is lashed by gales in the autumn, and Hell’s Bay is well-named. The East coast which overlooks the Tresco channel is calmer.

There are numerous outlying islands which are important sanctuaries for breeding seabirds, (Manx shearwaters, kittiwakes, fulmar, guillemots, puffins) and seals – some of the grey Atlantic bull seals can weigh up to half a ton. Annet is one of the most important of the outlying islands, having a maritime heath which is an SSSI, and is home to the smallest mammal, the lesser white booted shrew. Andrew was fortunate to witness the phenomenom of the shrews caravanning around in a nose-to- tail `shrew train’! There is also a large population of bats. Because they provide such important habitats for many endangered and rare species some of the islands are barred to visitors, but may be viewed from the sea by taking one of the many boat trips on offer. It is also possible to take a trip out to the Bishop’s Rock lighthouse, which was first built in 1847. Having been washed away in a fierce storm in 1858 it was rebuilt and sheathed in stone, to withstand the heavy seas. It is now an automated light, so there are no keepers aboard!

Andrew’s talk encompassed the whole fascinating environment of the Scilly Isles and was an intriguing invitation to visit the Isles again, and again and again!

Jo le Roux