An American Golden Plover was found in a large flock of 900+ Golden Plover at Trewey Common on the 5th but could not be refound on the 7th or 8th. Black-necked Grebe numbers rose to 32 in Carrick Roads, a Curlew Sandpiper on Hayle Estuary RSPB, Snow Bunting at Godrevy, 2 Eider still present in the Penzance/Marazion area, Bittern at Marazion Marsh giving good views walking along the ice and 3+ Black Redstarts on Marazion seafront. Also an unseasonable raft of up to 25 Balearic Shearwaters were off Carbis Bay beach from the 5th until into the new year also offshore were 100’s if not 1000’s of Gulls feeding close to the beach, this consisted of mainly Herring Gulls and Kittiwakes but at least 5 Med Gulls were present, also offshore was a Red-necked Grebe, 20+ Common Scoter, BT Diver, 2 GN Diver , 3 Red-breasted Merganser, Goosander c.40 Razorbill and good numbers of Cormorant and Shags. Another Siberian type Chiff-chaff was at Kenidjack sewage works on the 6th, the Little Hendra Lapland Bunting was still present, a Lapland Bunting at St.Mawes, 2 Bittern at Marazion, Barnacle Geese still on the Camel Estuary, GN and BT Divers still off Newlyn, Carbis Bay, Marazion and St.Austell.

3 Cattle Egret flew over Higher Bosistow farm on the 7th. The bird every birder wanted to make it to Cornwall this winter finally arrived at Saltash on the 7th when 2 Waxwing were at the China Fleet club car park. Following large numbers in the rest of the country it was only a matter of time before they made it to Cornwall. They were not reported on the 8th but the 9th saw 2 at Copperhouse Creek and another 2 near Truro Cathedral. A female Long-tailed Duck was at Loe Pool, a Long-eared Owl flew over near Sennen, 25+ Black-necked Grebes off in Carrick Roads, Red-necked Grebe still at Carbis Bay and a Bittern at Perranarworthal on the 9th. Another Waxwing (adult female) was found at Wadebridge, unlike the other bird this one stayed put over the weekend allowing many birders to see it. It also gave the opportunity for some stunning images and video to be captured! The female Long-tailed Duck was still at Loe Pool and was joined by 31 Goosander and 5 Slav Grebe and 5 Eider were off Par. Good numbers of Diver’s and Grebes were off Mounts bay with 6 RT Diver, Slav Grebe, Great-crested Grebe, 2 BT Diver, 9 GN Diver, 3 Eider, 8 Common Scoter and a Pale-bellied Brent Goose.
13 Lapland Bunting and a single Snow Bunting was in a field near Brew Pool, Sennen the next day. Black-necked Grebe numbers hit a maximum of 52 in Carrick Roads. A Bittern was reported at Stithians reservoir but there was no sign on the 12th. A Siberian type Chiff-chaff was at Tregeseal old Sewage works. The 2 Bittern at Marazion continued to show up until the afternoon of the 11th, when both birds clashed leaving one dead!

A single Lapland Bunting was at Cape Cornwall Golf course the following day. There was no sign of the Waxwing at Wadebridge on Monday but nearby a female Goshawk was seen hunting at Cant Hill, a new species for the 2007-2011 BTO Atlas 10km square. Staying in the area, an immature Lanner Falcon of unknown origin was watched for 30 minutes at Walmsley Sanctuary. The same day 2 more Waxwings were seen with singles at Penzance and Portscatho. 18 Lapland Buntings were at St.Gothian on the 15th and so 2 Waxwings were in a private garden at Marazion, They stayed until the 17th. There was an unconfirmed report of 2 Rustic Buntings on Lands End Cycle track on the 16th. The next Waxwings to turn up were two at Launceston, followed by 7 over Saltash on the 19th. Also on the 19th an adult Pacific Diver was found just off Marazion associating with a GN Diver, confirming the earlier sighting from the 2nd. A juvenile Goshawk at Sancreed was thought by the finder to be an escapee. Elsewhere a Ring-billed Gull was at Par too. 22 Lapland Buntings at Pentire point on the 20th.
The Pacific Diver was still present on the 21st and stayed in the Mounts Bay, ranging the whole length of the bay from Marazion to Mousehole throughout the latter part of the month. An American Golden Plover was also found in a flock of 700+ Golden Plover near St.Ives and Waxwings were at Pendeen and 2 at Launceston. The American Golden Plover and the 2 Launceston Waxwing’s were still present on the 22nd plus a single Waxwing over Connor Downs. Another Waxwing added to the months count the next day in St.Ives and 2 at St.Just. The Ring-billed Gull was re-found at Par on the 24th.
The Pacific Diver was off Eastern Green beach on Christmas day, a Waxwing at Pendeen and the Ring-billed Gull still at Par. 3 Smew, 1 at Marazion and 2 at Dinham Flats (all redheads) were present on Boxing day. A juvenile Bewick’s Swan was at Newquay early morning and another 7 at Stithians reservoir in the afternoon. A 1st Winter Drake American Wigeon was at Walmsley Sanctuary on the 29th and there was a report of 2 redhead Smew at St.Gothian. Finishing off the month was a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker at Falmouth, Long-tailed Duck’s at Sennen and Helston, 2 Balearic Shearwater’s past Cape Cornwall, 5 Lapland Bunting’s at Gunwalloe and a Waxwing at Penzance which stayed into 2011.

Ash Hugo (c) Cornwall Birding 2010

The 10th saw a Pectoral Sandpiper and three Yellow-legged Gulls at Colliford Lake and three Firecrests were in Cot Valley. More than eight Lapland Buntings were at Old Lizard Head on the 13th. The following day an American Golden Plover was in a puddle near to Trevorian Pool, Sennen and a Ring-billed Gull was reported from the Hayle estuary. Spoonbills were at Torpoint and Walmsley and four Snow Buntings were at Porthgwarra. A Richards Pipit flew over the observers watching the American Golden Plover at Sennen on the 15th and a Yellow-browed Warbler was found at Gulval, Penzance. Three Snow Buntings were very approachable at Folly Fields car park, Marazion from the 16th and a late Swallow flew over Steeple Woods, St Ives. Yellow-legged Gulls were reported from Drift and Sennen. A ‘Siberian type’ Chiffchaff was at Kelynack Valley on the 17th and eleven Med Gulls were on the estuary at Hayle. A further six birds were at Marazion.

Two Black-necked Grebes were at Drift Reservoir form the 18th and another was at Kingsmill Lake with twenty-five Avocets. Two more late Swallows flew over Truro and Purple Sandpiper numbers at Jubilee Pool, Penzance reached fifty-one birds. Yet another Swallow was at St Austell the next day and a Black-necked Grebe was at Stithians Lake. A Jack Snipe was at Boswednack, St Ives and two Mealy Redpolls had been present for over a week at Burthallan Lane, St Ives. A Twite was with Linnets at Rame Head on the 21st and Lapland Buntings were at Gwithian, Helston (10+), Porthgwarra (2) and Rame. Snow Buntings were reported from St Levan and Marazion and a Yellow-browed Warbler and ‘Siberian type’ Chiffchaff were at Carminowe, Helston. Two Swallows hawked over Marazion Marsh and a Black-necked Grebe was off nearby Trenow Cove.

Another drake Mandarin was at Porth Reservoir, Newquay on the 22nd and eight Avocets were on the river Lynher at Wacker Quay. Twenty-two Lapland Buntings were in stubble fields at Chyvaloe on the 23rd and a Hawfinch put in a brief appearance near Nanjulian Farm, Nanquidno. On the 24th a possible American Herring Gull flew south from the Hayle estuary and a Richard’s Pipit was along the coastal path north of Kynance Cove. The following day a possible adult Pacific Golden Plover was on the Camel estuary at Dinham Flats and a Lesser Whitethroat was in a private garden in Falmouth. Elsewhere, eleven Lapland Buntings flew over Sennen School and a Glaucous Gull was in the cove on The Cowloe. An unseasonal Turtle Dove was in a private garden at Goonhavern from the 27th and a ‘Siberian type’ Chiffchaff was at Swanpool, Falmouth. A Water Pipit was at Perprean Cove, Coverack on the 28th and Lapland Buntings were at Pentire (5) and The Lizard (6). The Green Heron was still at Heligan at the month’s end.

P.Freestone (c) Cornwall Birding 2010

The following day Nanquidno Valley held more than seven Firecrests and two Yellow-browed Warblers. A Richard’s Pipit was a Dodman point and two Ortolan Buntings were at Levant, St Just. A Wryneck was at Roskestal farm, Porthgwarra and two Firecrests were in the valley. Seawatching at Gwennap Head produced sixty-nine Balearic Shearwaters and two Grey Phalarope. A single Snow Bunting was at Loe Bar and a Yellow-browed Warbler was south of the car-park at Porthcurno. Two Black Terns were at ArgalReservoir. Lapland Bunting numbers gradually increased and six birds flew over Carn Gloose on the 4th. Elsewhere, a second-winter Ring-billed gull was on the camel estuary. A Snow Bunting was a good find at Rough Tor, Bodmin on the 5th but, along witheverything else in the country, paled into insignificance when a GREEN HERON was found at the Lost Gardens of Heligan on the 6th. This first modern day record for the county attracted a heavy stream of admirers during its lengthy stay andwas well worth the £10 entry fee into the gardens! With the hype surrounding the heron, a White-rumped Sandpiper on the Camel estuary on the 7th almost went un-noticed having apparently been there for the previous four days! Also on the 7th, a Wryneck was at Kynance Cove andtwo Lapland Buntings were near St Just airfield.
New birds on the 8th included a Richards Pipit at Lands End and Snow Buntings at Sennen and Newlyn, the latter being extremely obliging and allowing for some very close up photo opportunities. A Long-eared Owl was hunting over fields west of St Ives. A Buff-breasted Sandpiper flew over Zennor on the morning of the 9th and a Red-breasted Flycatcher was at Porthgwarra. Ring Ouzels were recorded at Porth Joke, The Lizard and Nanquidno and an Osprey was at Ruan Lanihorn. The Hayle estuary held a good selection of waders including up to five Little stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Knot, Black-tailed Godwit andfour Ruff. A Lapland Bunting was at Windmill Farm. A ‘probable’ American Golden Plover flew in off the sea at Lands End on the 10th. Elsewhere, the day turned up an impressive array of scarcities across the west of the county including two Red-backed Shrikes, a Richards Pipit, a Red-throated Pipit, five Yellow-browed warblers, sixteen Firecrests, five Snow buntings, six Lapland buntings, two Wrynecks and over fifty Ring Ouzels!

On the 11th, a juvenile Rose-coloured Starling flew over Kenidjack Valley. The valley also had a Wryneck, Firecrest, Redstart, Ring Ouzel, Yellow-browed Warbler (3+) and three Hawfinches flew over. An elusive Great-grey Shrike was on the Lizard near Cadgwith on the 12th and a Spoonbill was on the Hayle estuary. A ‘probable’ Ring-billed Gull was at Flushing and Porthgwarra had bothLapland Bunting and Richard’s Pipit. A Red-throated Pipit was near the Lighthouse at Pendeen andfive Lapland Buntings flew north there. Red-throated Pipits reported the following day from Lands End and Porthgwarra may relate to the same bird. The Rose-coloured Starling was still at Porthgwarra and a Red Kite flew over there during the morning. Elsewhere, Kingsmill Lake, Saltash held five Spoonbills. Nearby, St John’s Lake had seven Spoonbills on the 15th andgull interest came in the form of a second-winter Caspian at Sennen and a ‘probable’ Ring-billed at Rumps Point, Padstow.
A Barred Warbler began a six day stay at Treen on the 16th and four Woodlarks flew over Porthgwarra. The following day saw a possible Azorean Yellow-legged Gull at Sennen and a Buff-breasted Sandpiper was with Golden Plovers opposite nearby Trevedra Farm. Both birds were present on the 18thwhen a Common Rosefinch was found at Church Cove, The Lizard. Two Dotterel were at Rough Tor, Bodmin Moor and a Yellow-legged Gull was in Sennen Cove. A Pallas’s Warbler at Nanquidno on the 19th turned out to be the only report of the year and a Cattle Egret at Veryan stayed only for that afternoon on that date. Fresh in on the 20th were a Radde’s Warbler at Cot Valley and a probable Pectoral Sandpiper briefly on the estuary at Hayle.

Four White-fronted Geese at Carbis Bay on the 21st were later seen flying over the Hayle estuary and a Ring-billed Gull was at Dinham Flats. Reasonable numbers of Yellow-browed Warblers and Firecrests were received from several localities including three of the latter species at both Marazion and St Levan. Birders on The Lizard were treated to three flyovers from a Common Crane on the morning of the 22nd. Elsewhere, three Yellow-browed warblers were at Porthgwarra. The second Little Shearwater of the month was seen flying west past Pendeen Watch on the 23rd where seawatchers also saw Leach’s Petrel, two Sabines Gulls, two Sooty Shearwaters, two Pom Skuas and thirty-seven Great Skuas. Their seawatching counterparts at St Ives were treated to a Long-tailed Skua, two Sooty Shearwaters and thirty-two Great Skuas.

The 24th saw a nice array of scarcities at Porthgwarra with a Red-throated Pipit, Richard’s Pipit and four Lapland Buntings and a supporting cast of three Yellow-browed Warblers, two Firecrests, a Dartford Warbler, two Woodlarks, a Ring Ouzel, a Snow Bunting, two Chough and twenty Brambling. Six Lapland Buntings were at Sancreed and a Lesser Whitethroat was on The Lizard. A possible adult Azorean Yellow-legged Gull was on the Hayle estuary on the 27th and twenty-seven Lapland Buntings were in fields at North Cliffs, Camborne. Further Lapland Buntings were at Trevose Head (4+) and a single bird was at Porthgwarra. A report was received after dark on the 28th of an AMERICAN BITTERN at Trewey Common, Zennor that had been present four more than four days. The bird had initially been seen by walkers and the farmer who’s land it was on who identified it as a Great Bittern. It was eventually seen and photographed by a birder on the 28th who identified it as Cornwall’s seventh record of American Bittern. The bird showed briefly in flight on a few occasions over the next three days, but unfortunately did not provide the kind of views the Green Heron continued to give at Heligan at the month’s end. The ‘probable’ sightings trend continued on the 30th with Hume’s Warbler at Rame Head and a Rough-legged Buzzard at Carn Marth, Redruth.

P.Freestone (c) Cornwall Birding 2010

Almost certainly bird of the month was found on Hayle estuary RSPB on the 6th, a Wilson’s Phalarope from Lelant Saltings platform, the bird was enjoyed by many that afternoon but was not found the next day after extensive searching. 2 Pectoral Sandpipers were also on the estuary. A possible 1w Citrine Wagtail at Treraven Meadows, Wryneck still in Kynance cove, Short-toed Lark and Lapland Bunting at Polgigga. Nanquidno held a possible Icterine or Melodious Warbler the next day and a brief Spotted Crake in Kenidjack.

Mega seabirds claimed this month, probable or possible Yelkouan Shearwater’s were seen from Porthgwarra on the 8th,12th,22nd, The Lizard on the 14th and St.Ives on the 15th. A probable Little Shearwater from Pendeen on the 9th and a bird observed sat on the sea off St.Ives island for c.10mins on the 16th

Four Glossy Ibis over Trevalga, Boscastle on the 9th. Melodious Warbler in 60 foot cover, Porthgwarra on the 10th for 2 days. Wryneck numbers peaked in the county at 6 on the 11th ., Lapland Buntings were also in good numbers with 8+ reported on the 27th. Davidstow turned up a juvenile Buff-breasted Sandpiper on the 11th which stayed put way into October, being mobile and elusive at times. Juvenile Dotterel in field at Arden-sawah Farm, Polgigga on at 11th and 12th. A Red-breasted Flycatcher was reported just north of Newlyn, late afternoon on the 13th but was not found in the evening, Wrynecks were at Cape Cornwall, Porthwarra and a brief individual seen and photographed in a private garden at Breage. A Red-backed Shrike was found by the hide at Drift reservoir on the 14th, seen again on the 15th, in addition a juv Red-backed Shrike in Kenidjack on the 16th, juvenile at Zennor on the 17th until the 19th, Kynance cove on the 17th and Lands End from 17th until 24th . An Ortolan Bunting and a Red-throated Pipit were at Polgigga on the 17th although the later was mobile and elusive. Also on the 17th were A Rose-coloured Starling at St.Ives island, 3 Lapland Bunting over The Lizard, a Wryneck also at The Lizard and between Kenidjack and Botallack, a Pectoral Sandpiper at Marazion Marsh and 2 Honey Buzzards , one over Hayle and one over Lands End. Another juv Red-backed Shrike was nr.Nanquidno on the 18th.

A Common Sandpiper was photographed on rocks below St.Ives island on the 18th but after the images were posted on the internet it was re-identified as a 1st winter Spotted Sandpiper, it was another short staying bird which couldn’t be re-found the next day. A Red-throated Pipit was also nr. St.Ives on the same day, seen with a Meadow Pipit flock between 0730-0820hrs and possibly the same bird was seen going to roost with a Meadow Pipit flock in the evening. An Alpine Swift over Carn Galver the next day. A probable Melodious Warbler was seen briefly darting for cover in scrub opposite Nanjulian Farm, Nanquidno and not seen for the rest of the day, 2 Lapland Bunting in field nearby. On the 20th 4+ Lapland Bunting and 2 Dotterel were on Davidstow airfield, Lapland Bunting near Nanquidno and at Lizard village and a Wryneck still at Botallack

Wrynecks and Ortolan Bunting’s still around the county for the later half of the month. A Tawny Pipit flew over Sennen on the 21st and a juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper was at Golden Lion cut off, Stithians reservoir also. On the 25th a Greenish Warbler was at Treeve Common for 3 days giving good opportunities for photo’s and video! Rounding off the month a Melodious Warbler and a Richards Pipit was also at Treeve Common, a drake Surf Scoter off Penzance from 26th until way into October, a Pectoral Sandpiper at Windmill Farm NR, a Honey Buzzard over Lelant on the 30th and a Long-billed Dowitcher ended the month at Colliford lake also on the 30th.

Ash Hugo (c) Cornwall Birding 2010

A possible future addition to the county list was reported on the 26th when a Short-tailed Shearwater flew west past Pendeen Watch at 1800hrs. This was the second reported from Britain and Ireland following a ‘possible’ past the Bridges of Ross, County Clare on the 18th August 2010. This species is usually found in Australian waters and migrates north along the western part of the Pacific Ocean into the Arctic region. Another or possibly the same bird was reported the next day flying east past Porthgwarra.

Also on the 26th a juvenile Red-backed Shrike at Nanjizal and a juvenile Montagu’s Harrier at Porthgwarra. The Red-backed Shrike was still present on the 27th and stayed until the 30. A Black Kite lingered over the moor at Porthgwarra and was seen again on the 28th. A Great White Egret flew out to sea at Lizard point. A Yekouan Shearwater flew past Porthgwarra on the 29th and a Lapland Bunting was at St.Just golf course. Rounding off the month an Ortolan Bunting flew over Old Lizard Head, a Lapland Bunting was near St.Ives, a Hoopoe was at Lands End Complex and an Aquatic Warbler was reported briefly at Marazion Marsh on the 30th. A Wryneck was at Boscastle on the 31st.

A.Hugo (c) Cornwall Birding 2010