Scarlet rosefinch on the Isle of May

Common rosefinch rarely found so far north

July 2011: The Isle of May National, off the coast of Scotland, has had an unusual visitor.

LONG WAY FROM HOME: Dave Pickett and the  common rosefinch that paid a surprise visit to the Isle of May

More commonly found in mainland Europe, a common rosefinch, also known as a scarlet rosefinch, appeared in one of the migrant bird traps on the island. The rosefinch is a small sparrow-sized bird with a mottled brown back but a bright pinky-red face and breast. They usually spend the summer breeding in northern Asia, east and central Europe.

During the summer, visitors can see large numbers of puffins at close range on the island and the huge cliffs hold vast numbers of guillemots, kittiwakes, razorbills, fulmars and shags, which can be seen from the boat and from viewpoints on the island. As well as the seabird populations, the island is visited by smaller birds which use the island like a motorway service station, as they head north in spring and south in autumn and are monitored and recorded by the world-famous bird research observatory.

Island is known for its seabirds
Dave Pickett, SNH's Isle of May reserve manager, said: ‘The Isle of May has been a base for migration bird studies for over 100 years, though most people know the island for the vast concentration of seabirds that researchers have been studying for the past 40 years. Much of what we know today about seabirds was first learned on the island, but people might not know that bird migration is studied as well.

‘Mark Newell of CEH found the bird in a research trap and alerted us to it. Part of the excitement of the Isle of May National Nature Reserve is that you never know what birds are going to turn up, and each morning there is a buzz when you go out to look. This little bird, a second-year male, will probably be off to join the main populations of rosefinches in Scandinavia soon, but it has been a pleasure to have it on the island.'