CORNISH CHOUGHS

Cornwall’s Chough population has had another successful breeding season in the tenth year since they returned to their former home. Read more »

The first Choughs in 150 yrs have succesfully bred in Penwith! Below are a few images of the young birds. Thanks to Marlene Rouncefield for submitting the images.

Penwith Choughs (Photos:M.Rouncfield)

You don’t get much closer to the Choughs on The Lizard than this! Many thanks to Brian McGeough for sharing these superb close ups.

Choughs on The Lizard (Photos:B.McGeough)

Above are a few superb images by Matt Sallis of this years Choughs on the Lizard. We are still awaiting an official update about the breeding success this year from the RSPB. Until we get something from the RSPB reprisentative then we wont be publishing or promoting anything other than your photos regarding the breeding Choughs in Cornwall. We are still happy to publish your sightings of Choughs anywhere in Cornwall.

Over the past six seasons the pair of wild choughs on The Lizard has successfully raised 24 young, many of which have survived to adulthood and recolonised other stretches of Cornwall’s coast. Come to the chough watchpoint at the National Trust’s, Southerly Point. Information wardens will update you on all the latest chough news and show you the birds as they fly to and from their nesting cave. Watchpoint closed in bad weather. The Cornwall Chough Project is a partnership between RSPB, Natural England and The National Trust. It is also part of Action for Birds in England, a partnership between RSPB and Natural England.

All 9 of this years young birds are still alive and well, which is remarkable. The 2 broods have been seen feeding as a group around Kynance recently, with a 11 choughs seen in one spot all together!! The recent wet weather has suited them making feeding much easier when the ground is soft. The Welsh choughs have apparently had a good breeding season too. Keep an eye out when your out and about along the cliffs of Cornwall and report all your Chough Sightings to RSPB’s Claire Mucklow at (claire.mucklow@rspb.org.uk) or on 01392 453775/07764 230246. Thanks to Claire for this update.

Chough at the Lizard, May 2007 (photo:C.Buckland)

Cornwall Birding has been given kind permission to bring you a short film by Peter McMurdie on our very own Cornish Choughs. The BBC had the original footage for their Springwatch programme, but unfortunately it didn’t get broadcast. That being the case Peter decided to make the film himself and it is shown HERE on his website. Many thanks to Peter for sharing this with everyone in Cornwall.

Video stills by Peter McMurdie

The four young from the Lizard are now independant and starting to explore on their own.  There are other young around Cornwall too along with sixteen non-breeding birds that at any time can be found between Cadgwith and Pendeen and possibly further afield. A good place to look is the cliffs from Porthcurno round to Pendeen, six birds were seen from Botallack recently.

All the young choughs are colour ringed and are sexed at the time of ringing so it is recorded which are male and female. All birds have two colour rings on on one leg and a BTO ring and colour ring on the other leg.

Could all chough sightings in Cornwall and further afield be sent to Claire Mucklow (address and phone numbers below) so she can keep the database of sightings updated.

claire.mucklow@rspb.org.uk  01392 453775 / 07764 230246  

The Cornwall Chough Project is a partnership project with National Trust and Natural England and is part of the Action for Birds in England programme a joint RSPB/ Natural England Project

Finally we have sunshine in Cornwall!! Spent a few hours on The Lizard this morning looking for the Choughs. The young have all dispersed but the two adults below showed well eventually on the cliffs near to the viewing area then both were feeding in the adjacent field with cows in. Plenty of Whitethroats and Stonechats feeding young. Not much moving at sea.

Cornish Chough – The Lizard 06.07.07 (photo:P.Freestone)

Pair of Chough -The Lizard 06.07.07 (photo:P.Freestone)

Fulmar – The Lizard 06.07.07 (Photo:P.Freestone)

Whitethroat carrying food – The Lizard 06.07.07 (photo:P.Freestone)