Identification Articles and Photos

Below is a list of current records on the ’work in progress’ list at the British Birds rarities comittee:

Read more »

Found on the 22nd May by local birder Rob Davey at Snowlands Fishery, Par. The Squacco Heron is the 24th record for Cornwall (CBWPS records) with the last at Mevagissey in 2004. The bird spends most of its time in the trees on the island of the main lake, occasionally coming down to fish. Thanks to everyone who gave their kind permission to use  images and John Chapple for Video. For all images and Johns superb footage see HERE.

Although the bird appears to have now disappeared, the question over it being a genuine wild bird still remains. With the amount of White-throated Sparrows hitching a lift on the QEII recently it seems that if it is accepted as a wild bird it must surely have been ship assisted. House Finch is an introduced species to Eastern America and is generally sedentary although in the eastern part of the USA some of the population undertake a partial migration to the south and south-west of the range, with adult females moving longer distances on average than males. The Lands End bird shows a lot of yellow above and below the eye and looks like the race frontalis although yellow variants can occur in all races.  Anyway, it was still a very smart looking bird and is captured superbly in the images below kindly submitted to Cornwall Birding by Andrew Jordan.

References: Finches and Sparrows - Clement, Harris and Davis (Helm Publishing 1999). Advanced Birding – Kenn Kaufman (Peterson Field Guides 1990)

Please follow the link below to see John Chapple’s excellent video of Sunday’s White-throated Sparrow at Boscastle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIjRSownx-k

On Sunday 2nd May 2010 there was a juvenile Shag on the rocks at Porthgwarra resembling the Mediterranaean race, P.a. desmarestii. It was present 07:30 – 08:05 hrs when it flew off west. It was present with 3 adults and 9 ordinary looking juveniles. There is no proof this race has ever been recorded here with certainty due to the variation in juvenile nominate aristotelis but today’s bird showed several of the features of the Mediterranean race, most obviously the gleaming white underparts, wing coverts (it looked like a drake Wigeon in flight!) and bright yellow bill contrasting with black culmen. The bill also looked rather long (another desmarestii feature) – see photo top right. However, the bill also looked quite deep – an aristotelis feature. I’ve seen a few of these in Cornwall now but this is my first for some years and the first I’ve managed to photograph.  Dave Flumm

Shag at Porthgwarra resembling the Mediterranaean race, P.a. desmarestii. (Photos:D.Flumm)

Bee-Eater at Lands End

Some superb images of a fairly obliging bird at Lands End on Saturday 24th April 2010. Thanks to regular Cornwall Birding contributor, Sam Williams for these shots. (click on image to enlarge)

To see more of Sam’s superb images visit his blog:  www.samandlisaswildlifephotos.blogspot.com

Below are two record shots of a Flycatcher thought to be ‘Taiga’ Flycatcher which was at Tregeseal, St Just on 6th November 2009. News didnt get out until the 7th and the bird was not seen again. Thanks to Lisa Williams for providing the images.

Below are three photos kindly supplied by Sue and Tom Carson of the Olive-backed Pipit at St Levan on October 29th. Sue says, “It was first sighted in a tree by the drive with the white railings near the turning circle.(Leading to the Grey Gables house), before flying down into the grass, where it foraged for several minutes. It took off and gave a soft call in flight, before turning back on itself and landing somewhere behind the church“. An excellent record and well done on capturing the bird on film. Thanks to the Carsons for allowing their use. (click to enlarge images)

Heres one we’ve been keeping for an appropriate moment and seeing as there isn’t a great deal to photograph at the moment now is that time! Thanks to Mark Halliday for this superb shot of a Black-tailed Godwit taken from the causeway bridge at Hayle in September.

Here’s a selection of Spoonbill images from around the region over the last few days. Many thanks to Mark, Ash and Andrew for kindly submitting them.

CLICK HERE to watch footage taken by Bob Flood of the recent Black-browed Albatross off St Mary’s IoS.

This gull was on the Estuary at Hayle on August 6th 2009. The jury is out as to its definate ID. Any thoughts? Please ‘comment’ at the bottom of the page. Read more »

Read Steve Rogers account HERE of this sought after seabird as it passed Porthgwarra on Sunday infront of just 14 lucky birders.

Just to show that Herring Gulls dont just eat McDonalds and Pasties in Cornwall, this photo was captured at Park Head by Racheal Theakerand shows a Herring Gull eating a MOLE! Thanks to Rachael for submitting the images.

Here  is a photo of the Snowy Owl seen at Falmouth on 7th February (kindly supplied by Odette Wills). The Sperris Quoit bird was seen on the 6th Feb and then again on the 11th. It was looked for on the 7th but not seen (per H.Cook) The Falmouth bird was seen briefly at 16.00hrs before it flew off having been mobbed by gulls. The bird has also been seen (and photographed) at Men-an-Tol and near Geevor Mine.

Here are some superb images of the Glaucous and Iceland Gull currently frequenting Newlyn Harbour (and a GN Diver for good measure!) Thanks to John Johns for submitting the photos.

Here are a few shots of one of the five Grey Phalarope in Mounts Bay. This individual was very obliging and seemed oblivious to the RSPB group and photographers (some with very wet feet!) stood just a few feet away. With the weather predicted over the next few days, it will be worth keeping an eye out in the bay for more of these Arctic, storm driven visitors. And no sign of a marauding Buzzard either!

Photos:P.Freestone (c) Cornwall Birding Images 2009

A cracking Grey Phal was on the main pool at St Gothian Sands NR, Gwithian up until 16.oohrs this afternoon. Unfortunately it met an untimely demise at the talons of a Common Buzzard!! Witnessed by a gobsmacked Tim Twiggs and Paul Freestone, both agreed they had never seen a Buzzard do that before! Here’s few shots of the poor birds end. Thanks to Matt Sallis for adjusting the shots in Photoshop.

Photos:P.Freestone

Finders report and photographs kindly supplied by Martin Bonfield.

Having arrived in Cornwall late on Saturday 4th October, I spent the first 2 days of my holiday working the valleys around Lands End. With only a couple of Pied Flycatchers to show for my efforts I decided that on Tuesday I would head over to the Lizard for a change of scenery. However, when I saw the weather forecast late on Monday evening predicting strong Westerly winds, I changed my plans and decided instead to go to Pendeen where the conditions should be good for seawatching. Read more »

Here are a selection of photo’s from the Cornwall Birding trip to Scilly last week. More photos in the Isles of Scilly Bird Gallery.