MONTHLY BIRD REVIEWS

June proved relatively quiet, especially towards the end of the month, with few rarities and no ‘biggie’. Read more »

A few Cattle Egrets remained with three at Treganhoe Farm on the 1st. Woodchat Shrikes remained from last month at Lands End and Helston. A Lesser Whitethroat was at Penlee Point. On the 2nd a Golden Oriole flew south from Trinity Cottages, Sennen early morning. The 3rd turned out to be ‘Bee-eater Day’ with three in off the sea on The Lizard, four at Porthgwarra, three at Polgigga and two at Lands End. Read more »

Lingering rarities included the Ring-necked Duck at Stithians and the flock of Cattle Egrets at Drift. The Ring-billed Gull was seen intermitantly at Stithians and the Hume’s Leaf Warbler was at Tehidy on the 1st. Elsewhere on the 1st, Iceland Gulls were at Sennen, Newlyn and Walmsley Sanctuary and a Glaucous Gull was at Crowdy Reservoir. Eleven Puffins flew past Porthgwarra. Read more »

A very quiet month compared to 2007 with very little in the way of new rarities. Cattle Egrets remained around the Drift and Sancreed area and also at Stithians Reservoir. The Hume’s Leaf Warbler continued its stay at Tehidy Country Park. The Bittern was still at Stithians Reservoir until mid month and Iceland Gulls were reported daily from Newlyn Harbour. Read more »

Traditionally a quiet month, with maybe the exception of 2007, February didn’t disappoint. Many of January’s rarities lingered into this month, including the Hume’s Leaf Warblers at Tehidy and Cot Valley and up to twenty Cattle Egrets at Treganhoe Farm, Drift. Read more »

The Cattle Egrets still dominated the Cornwall Birding news on New Years Day 2008, the largest flock being 20 birds at the regular Treganhoe Farm location between Drift and Sancreed. Read more »

The Cattle Egret influx continued to gain momentum throughout December. Total numbers seem to be between 35-40 birds reported countywide, but how many more slipped through un-noticed? The largest flock were 19 birds at St Ives, near Halsetown and 15+ at Treganhoe Farm, Drift and at least 30 birds were still present in the county at the months end. Other birds left over from November were the Green Winged Teal at Hayle and the Water Pipit at St Gothian Sands NR, both still present at months end. Read more »

Ater a relatively quiet October, November started with a bang with last months BLYTH’S PIPIT flying over at Nanjizal and a Dusky Warbler in scrub at Porthcurno on the 1st. This was joined by a ‘Desert’Lesser Whitethroat that remained in the area for just under two weeks. Read more »

The Pectoral Sandpiper was still at St Gothian Sands NR on the 1st despite constant disturbance by dogwalkers and at Davidstow Airfield the Buff-breasted Sandpiper remained mobile. Another Buff-breast was reportedly seen flying over the A30 at Land’s End. A Great White Egret was at Ryan’s Field briefly at 09.00hrs. A Demoiselle Crane set pulses racing at Porthgwarra as it flew north but rings proved it to be an escaped bird. Read more »

A relatively quiet start to the month saw a Hobby at Nanquidno and last month’s eclipse drk Garganey still on the estuary at Hayle on the 1st. There were 32 Greenshank and 5 Ruff at Kingsmill Lake on the 2nd and a Blue-headed Wagtail with 40 Yellow Wagtails at Windmill Farm reserve. Read more »

Wader movement started slowly at the Hayle Estuary with Green Sandpiper  and 7 Common Sandpipers on th 1st and 24 Common Scoter flew past Rame Head. A juvenile Little Ringed Plover was at Ryan’s Field on the 2nd and an Egyptian Goose was at Millbrook Lake. The 3rd produced Ruff and 2 Green Sandpipers at Hayle and 3 Green Sands were at Clapper Marshes. On the same day there were 40 Med Gulls on the Camel Estuary at Padstow.  A Cory’s Shearwater was seen from Gwennap Head on the 5th and there were 20 Little Egrets on the Hayle Estuary. Read more »