Birding highlights in Cornwall September 2021

 September weather started with an easterly to north easterly airflow.  The month ended with strong south west to north westerly winds.

Little Stints were unusually plentiful with a group of nine on Hayle Estuary.  Elsewhere smaller groups of two's and three's could be found.  The influx was mirrored nationally with a significant number of Little Stints also arriving in the UK during the first week of September.  More info can be found HERE in this Birdguides link.

Little Stint at Hayle Estuary (Steve Rogers)

Wrynecks were recorded at the normal coastal sites including Land's End loop, Porthgwarra, Pendeen and Polpry. A Red-backed Shrike appeared at Boscreggan on the 3rd (2nd Autumn record) and an Ortolan Bunting was trapped in the nets at Nanjizal.  This species has recently become a sought-after county rarity, eg in 2019 there no reports at all.  Whinchats and Pied Flycatchers continued to be found in the coastal valleys.  Three juv Spotted Redshank at Stithians Res. were also notable.

The first decent rarity of September was a Greenish Warbler, appearing on the 5th at St Levan.  This is just the 10th record for Cornwall.  The wandering Glossy Ibis appeared at St Gothians on the 6th.

Flycatchers have been ever present from the end of August, but a sizable fall occurred on the 7th on the north coast.  Trevose recorded 49 Spotted and 8 Pied,  Kenidjack 33 Spotted and 3 Pied and Botallack another 4 Spotted and a single Pied.  Numerous other sightings of singles were also reported.  The true number across the county will never be known but suffice to say, this was the largest fall for many years.  A Dotterel was also found at Park Head on the 7th.

Spotted Flycatcher, Pistil Meadow, Lizard.

A large fall of passerines occurred on Wednesday 8th Sept with at least 12 Wrynecks, one Red-backed Shrike (Cadgwith) and another Wood Warbler at Pendeen. A Bonelli's warbler unassigned to species level was found at Land's End on the 9th.

The wind turned westerly overnight on the 10th.  At least seven adult Sabine's Gulls including a flock of four were seen off Pendeen and another at St Agnes. The largest movement of 17 Arctic Skuas was also recorded so far this season. 

Drift migrants continued to be found on the 11th with a Red-backed Shrike appearing at Sancreed.  This unusual location was just reward for Dave Flumm's perseverance.  It was Dave's 174th record from his house. The astonishing number of Wrynecks to be found continued, with at least a dozen on coastal headlands. Osprey continue to be recorded daily from Ruan Lanihorne over the last five days.  An adult Honey Buzzard flew north over Mullion (11th).

Wryneck at Pendeen 17th Sept 2021.

Three Glossy Ibis' appeared at Hayle Estuary on the 13th with another also at Drift. Another or same was found the following day at Foxhole.  An Ortolan and Nightingale were found at the Lizard on the 14th.  The juv Red-backed Shrike at Sancreed was still present for its fourth day.  A Dotterel was heard calling over Porthgwarra.  The first juv. Rose-coloured Starling of the season was found at the traditional site at Land's End complex.  A juv. Barred Warbler appeared at Portherras on the 16th.  

A change of weather overnight resulted in the first (?) Pectoral Sandpiper of the season at Carnsew. A Wilson's Petrel was seen for three minutes at East Pentire on the 17th.  This species has been non existent on sea watches this year so a well viewed bird was a welcome find for Steve Rowe.  A Pomarine Skua and Long-tailed Skua were seen off Pendeen.

The long staying Red-backed Shrike finally departed Sancreed on the 21st after eleven days in the same hedge.  It must have found something nice to feed on!  The juv Rosy Starling was still in the Sennen area on the 22nd.

A flock of two Pectoral Sandpipers were found at Stithians Res. on the 24th.  Another was seen at Loveny, Colliford.  So far this Autumn, Nearctic waders have been woefully short on supply.  Two juv Spoonbills put in a brief appearance at Marazion with one remaining until the month-end.

The wind turned north westerly overnight on the 28th.  A reasonable seabird movement of 23 Arctic Skuas, one Long-tailed Skua, two Leach's Petrels, Black Tern and 117 Balearic Shearwaters passed Pendeen on the 29th.  The month ended with more strong westerly winds and a decent haul of Balearic Shearwaters, eg 126 at Pendeen on the 29th.

Bird of the month: Greenish Warbler at St Levan

Runners up: Unusually high numbers of Little Stint, Wryneck, flycatchers and a single Wilson's Petrel.

Rufous Bush Chat at Coverack, Lizard, Sunday 22nd August

 A Rufous Bush Chat was found near Coverack on the Lizard on Sunday 22nd August.  Of all the predictions for the next first for Cornwall, this species was definitely not on the radar.  Its also just the 10th record for the UK.  (Another was found in Norfolk last year but that was the first in 40 years).  I still can't believe this species turned up in Cornwall.  It will surely be the bird of the year.

The lucky finder was Lizard stalwart Dougy Wright, out on a casual midday walk with his wife!  Steve Bury had also birded this same path the day before, so we can at least presume it had just arrived. It was tame and very showy, oblivious to its admirers.

The species has at least two obvious forms and this one has been identified as the Eastern form Syriacus. There is strong contrast between the rufous tail and pale grey-brown mantle. 

Syriacus breeds in the Balkans, Greece, Middle East and Turkey.  The species winters in NE and E Africa, from Sudan through Ethiopia to Somalia and Kenya. (P.Clement)

UK records:

1854 Nr Brighton, East Sussex

1859 Start Point, Devon

1876 Slapton, Devon

1951, Nr Dungeness, East Sussex/Kent

1959 Prawle Point, Devon

1963 Skegness, Lincs.

1972 Flamborough, N Humberside

1980 Prawle Point, Devon

2020 Norfolk

All records have occurred between 9th Aug and 20th Oct, majority in Sept.  (A further three have been recorded in SW Ireland).

Image by Paul Freestone 

Black-winged Stilt at Marazion marsh - 21st June 2021

  On Monday afternoon the RSPB warden found an adult male Black-winged Stilt at the new scrape on the marsh.  It stayed overnight and was enjoyed by scores of local birders as it fed well at fairly close range.  I managed to obtain some really pleasing pics the Tuesday morning from 05.30, along with Reuben Veal.  For an hour we had the bird to ourselves in stunning early morning light.  This is the first record since May 1992 at the marsh.

Black Kite at Porthgwarra 18th June 2021

 On Friday 18th June, Patsy and me found a Black Kite on the west side of the moor at Porthgwarra at 09.58.  It seemed to come in off the sea and headed towards Nanjizal, being mobbed by a local Peregrine.  It flew about 100 ft above us and moved steadily north east.  I managed to get a few record shots.  Its the second bird we have seen this Spring and was a different bird to the earlier one.  This one was aged as a probable 3 cal year bird.  It was obviously in serious feather moult and might also have been shot at as the feather condition was poor. 

Pacific Golden Plover at Stithians Res. June 2022

 An adult Pacific Golden Plover was found at Stithians Reservoir in front of the Stuart Hutchings hide on Wednesday 15th June by Charlotte Foote and Thomas Weston. They were convinced that it was a Pacific from the outset, having seen one in Norfolk last year, but were persuaded by a national information service that it was an American. Perseverance pays as local birders including John Ryan soon confirmed the original id.  Pacific Golden Plover is a great personal find as this is only the 7th Cornwall record. Five of the records have been recorded in the summer months and are wandering non-breeders.

Pacific Golden Plover is a difficult species to identify, though improved knowledge and better photographic equipment makes id easier now. All seven Cornwall records have been tricky to confirm; indeed three were reviewed and latterly confirmed as this species.

The species breeds across the Siberian tundra to west Alaska. It migrates to the Indian subcontinent and as far south as New Zealand and Australia.

All records:

2022: Stithians Res, an adult in breeding plumage, 15th-16th June.

2018: St Gothians, an adult in breeding plumage 29th June to 1st July.

2011: Hayle Est. an adult from 19th-20th July.

1999: Culdrose, an adult commuting between the airfield and ploughed fields adjacent to the main road, 19th-29th October.

1998: Bosanketh, St Buryan, close scrutiny revealed it to be Pacific, 3rd-4th May.

1994: Hayle Est. an adult moulting from summer plumage, 26th Aug.

1978: Stithians Res. juv originally accepted as an American Golden Plover and reviewed, 7th Nov.

Pacific Golden Plover, Stithians Res, June 2022 (pic S Rogers).

Greenish Warbler at Porth Joke and status in Cornwall

Greenish Warbler is a rare vagrant in Cornwall with just eight records up to June 2019. The two  records in 2019 are the first in Spring in Cornwall.  The species breeds in north and eastern Europe and Russia and has expanded its breeding range westwards during the last century. Migrates south east to winter in S. Asia.

1984: Nanquidno, 30th Sep to 1st Oct. Found by Dave Flumm. Paul Semmens, Lawrie Williams, Stuart Hutchings and Graham Hearl were also named as co-finders. It was present for two days and preferred the high canopy of the sycamore tree by the farmhouse with blue windows. It was also seen in the copse by the ford. This individual was by no means an easy ID and several observers of the day considered this to be a Two-barred Greenish.

2000: Kenidjack, 24th Sep. Found by John Swann and T. Whiley. This bird again spent much of the time in the high canopy in the copse part way down the valley.

2008: Pendeen, 16th to 17th Sep. Found by John Foster. This individual was found in the copse around Calartha Farm on the road down to Pendeen Watch. It was highly active and elusive at times. It was occasionally seen in the gardens adjacent to the copse.

2009: Church Cove, Lizard. 28th Oct to 1st Nov. Found by visiting birder Duncan Poyser from Cambs. Initially found at the bottom of the valley near Mariner's Cottage. The bird was highly mobile and could be found in the sycamores and elms in the churchyard as well as the copse at the bottom of the valley. This individual will be long-remembered for its see-saw identification between Green and Greenish. Eventually confirmed by sonogram on the call by Magnus Robb, Ilya Maclean and Hugh Harrop.

2010: Treeve Common, Land's End. 25th-29th Sep. Found by John Chapple.

2016: Porthgwarra, 24th August, M Elliott, J F Ryan.

2017: Millbrook, St Andrew's Street. 23rd-25th Aug.

2019: Lizard Village. 4th June. One seen briefly by Tony Blunden.

2019: Porth Joke, Crantock. 9th June. Singing male in willows below Treago campsite, found by Steve Rowe.

Male Greenish Warbler, Porth Joke 9th June 2019.

Black-headed Wagtail at the Lizard

An adult male Black-headed Wagtail was found at the Waterings, Housel Bay, Lizard on Sunday 19th May by Tony Blunden.  It spent all day in the cattle field catching insects.  The record followed a strong easterly air flow directly from Scandinavia.  It was present for just one day.

I have seen a lot of this sub species of Yellow Wagtail abroad in Cyprus, and this bird is one of the purest I have seen.  There was no white in the chin or hint of any supercilium.

A look at past Cornwall records makes this bird the third record.  Several previous records have been rejected on review or just not submitted, see below data kindly supplied by Derek Julian.

Ad male Black-headed Wagtail, Lizard, May 2019

Yearly sightings:

1964 – One at Marazion Marsh 29th June. (After review in 1993 was found as unacceptable by BBRC). [8] [12]

1978 – One at Pentire Farm, Polzeath 5th June. (After review in 1993 was found as unacceptable by BBRC) [9]

1999 – One, male, at Walmsley Sanctuary 11th-12th May. (Evans says present 3 days on about 10th/11th May) [1][2][3][10]

2000 – One at Maer Lake 25th-28th May. (Not submitted to BBRC?) [11]

2010 – One first summer male at Land’s End 29th April to 1st May. [4][5][6]

(2011 – One male at Drift Reservoir 16th September. [14] )

2016 – One female from Land’s End Cycle path 18th May. (Not submitted to BBRC?) [7]

(2019 – One adult male at Housel Bay, Lizard 19th May. [7] )



Site Records:

Camel Estuary

1999 – One male at Walmsley Sanctuary 11th-12th May. [1][2][3][10]

Drift Reservoir

(2011 – One male at Drift Reservoir 16th September. [14] )

Land’s End

2010 – One first summer male 29th April to 1st May. [4][5][6]

(2016 – One female from Land’s End Cycle path 18th May. (Not submitted to BBRC?) [7]

(Lizard

2019 – One adult male at Housel Bay, 19th May. [7] )

(Maer Lake

2000 – One at Maer Lake 25th-28th May. (Not submitted to BBRC?) [11])

(Marazion Marsh

1964 – One at Marazion Marsh 29th June. (After review in 1993 was found as unacceptable by BBRC). [8] [12])

(Pentire Head

1978 – One at Pentire Farm, Polzeath 5th June. (After review in 1993 was found as unacceptable by BBRC) [9])

References

1 – Slack R, Rare Birds Where and When Vol 1, page 129.

2 – Evans LGR, Black-headed Wagtails on Powys, Cornwall and Essex in Rare Birds Vol 5 No 3, page 204

3 – Rogers, MJ and the Rarities Committee, British Birds Vol 93, page 548

4 – Hudson, NAJ and the Rarities Committee, British Birds Vol 104, page 617;

5 – British Birds 109: plate 220

6 – Birding World 23, page 188

7 – CBWPS Website

8 – CBWPS Thirty-fourth Annual Report 1964, page 45.

9 – CBWPS Birds in Cornwall 1978, page 59.

10 – Birds in Cornwall 1999, page 91.

11 – Birds in Cornwall 2000, page 101.

12 – Rogers, MJ and the Rarities Committee, British Birds Vol 87, page 543.

13 – Rogers, MJ and the Rarities Committee, British Birds Vol 93, page 548.

14 – Julian DI, Personal Records.

Reference(s): Birding World 23 (5): 188, photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 104: 617; British Birds 109: plate 220

Juv Bohemian Waxwing in Truro

Dan Cole found a juvenile Waxwing in Truro late on Saturday 5th January.  Luckily it was present the following day.  Being the first for the year and generally very scarce in the west country this winter, it was duly ticked by a steady stream of locals. 

Its main source of food were the berries on the small pink sorbus tree next to Malpas House.  It flew across the river occasionally towards Tesco's car park but always found its way back to the pink sorbus.  How Waxwings sniff out such a small haven in a large city defies logic, but they somehow do it.  This bird is a juvenile and shows just one small red spot of "wax" on its secondaries and of course no yellow in the primaries.  That aside, this is still a stunning bird and always attracts attention.

Waxwing, Truro City Centre, January 2019.

Waxwing, Truro City Centre, January 2019. Nikon D850,

A collection of wheatears

I've been waiting an awful long time to see Pied Wheatear in the UK, let alone Cornwall.  I narrowly missed one in Shetland back in 1995 and I couldn't get to the male at the Dodman because I was working away. 

 

So its taken 34 years from seeing my first rare wheatear at Portgwarra to the recent Pied Wheatear at Trevose.  The male Desert Wheatear in November 1984 sticks in my mind most.  I think it was just the seventh UK record at the time and many top name listers made the overnight journey to Porthgwarra to tick it.  It was found by Laurie Williams and Rod Hirst on the moor just past the stone wall.  I can remember now as it stood out like a beacon in the heather.  What a find.

 

The adult male Black-eared Wheatear was found by Martin Elliott in the fields at the top end of Nanquidno valley in March 2002.  Despite its striking black and white plumage, this bird is of the Western form.  Its the only Black-eared I have seen in Cornwall.

 

The Isabelline Wheatear was found by Paul Freestone in October 2016 whilst birding on Godrevy Head.  It stayed just one day and was admired by scores of local birders.  It was the second record following a short stayer bird seen at Church Cove Lizard and by John Martin, a visitor birder.

 

So there you have it. A 34 year span to notch up the four rare wheatears.  Will there be more? Yes.  Wheatears are responding well to the increasingly hot summers.  A White-crowned Black Wheatear would be nice...

 

Cornwall's fourth Pallid Swift at Land's End

It was only a matter of time before a Pallid Swift would turn up in Cornwall this Autumn. With so many others dotted around the east and south coasts, one would surely end up in Cornwall.  On Sunday 18th an early shout went out of a swift seen flying over Rose Valley near Pendeen.  Several birders searched the various nearby valleys and likely spots but without luck. 

At around midday, another report was sent in to Cornwall Birding of a swift around the Land's End complex.  Luckily John Chapple had just arrived on site and connected pretty soon.  With close views overhead, he was sure it was a Pallid Swift and put the news out. I called John, got some details and arrived ten minutes later. I also connected quickly as the bird hawked low over the moor to the north of the complex. In perfect light with the sun behind us, we could see the paleness of the bird and why its called a Pallid Swift.  The dark inner axillaries/secondaries compared to an otherwise pale underwing was immediately noticeable, even at distance through my bins.  Within an hour, some 20 more birders had seen it.

After a close look at the accepted records, this bird is the fourth record for the county and my first for Cornwall.  The first record was at St Levan in November 2004.  First noted as a swift sp, it was later accepted as a Pallid Swift in 2005 (CBWPS Report 2005).  The second was at Wadebridge in June 2007.  The third was found by Kester Wilson at Nanjizal in May 2009.  There was another interesting swift in Nov 2016 found at Kenidjack and then Botallack/Pendeen, but it was eventually considered to be a Common Swift, possibly of the subspecies pekinensis, though the latter has yet to be accepted in the UK.

The images below were taken by myself.  John Ryan has also taken a close interest in this bird and given me for comparison, three images of the 2016 Common Swift at Kenidjack.  I have linked the photo's together for exact comparion.  The differences are subtle:

Pallid is overall paler and browner with obvious dark inner secondaries
Pallid has a less defined throat patch
Pallid has no white supercilium/patch in front of the eye
Pallid has a slightly larger head with the impression of a large eye
Pallid has less clear white trailing edge to the secondaries.
Pallid has less white showing in the leading edge of the wing

Pallid Swift, Land's End, Nov 2018, Steve Rogers.

Pallid Swift, Land's End, Nov 2018, Steve Rogers.

Upper image shows 2016 Kenidjack Common Swift by John Ryan, compared to the 2018 Pallid Swift at Land's End.



Upper image shows 2016 Kenidjack Common Swift by John Ryan, compared to the 2018 Pallid Swift at Land's End.

Upper image shows 2016 Kenidjack Common Swift by John Ryan, compared to the 2018 Pallid Swift at Land's End.

First year female Pied Wheatear at Trevose Head

(Text edited, video added, 5pm 15th Nov).

A Pied Wheatear was found on Trevose golf course on Thursday 8th November.  It was sadly suppressed (by instruction from the golf club manager) for three days as it was on the course whilst machinery was in use.  News eventually leaked out on the Sunday but it was too late to connect with it. Pete Roseveare got a tip off from Clive Thomas that it had been relocated on Dinas Head, about a half mile from its original location.  Thanks to Clive's nod, Pete and Bob saw this super rarity on Wed 14th early morning and duly let the news out for all to share and enjoy.  I managed to see it today (15th Nov) and got stunning close views with a dozen or so others. 

What a cracking bird it was and I am so pleased that the news came out.  For me its a first for Cornwall as I missed the 1991 male at Dodman Head.  And of course the Botallack male in October 2015 was identified retrospectively from photographs, so no one had any chance with that.  So the Trevose bird is the third for Cornwall and the first female. In birding slang, its an unblocker for me.

In context, two others turned up in the UK at the same time; a well watched male in the Wirral and another in the Northern Isles.

The species breeds as close as eastern Europe (Romania/Bulgaria) but the range extends well east towards Iran, Iraq, Caspian Sea, Afghanistan and onwards towards China.  It winters in India and north east Africa.

Video by John Chapple.

First year female Pied Wheatear, Trevose, Nov 2018. Nikon D850, 500mm F4 plus 1.4x Converter. Tripod.

Curlew Sandpiper at Wherrytown, Penzance, early November

A Curlew Sandpiper in winter plumage has been seen for the last few days on the shingle and rocks just in front of the Lidl superstore at Wherrytown.  As with most small waders, it is confiding and allows reasonably close views.   Its also unusual to see a winter plumage bird as most sightings are juvs in their impressive apricot coloured plumage.

November records are decidedly rare.  For instance none were recorded in 2015 and just three in 2016.  The vast majority of the population will now be in south west Africa.  Hundreds of thousands winter in Namibia.

Curlew Sandpiper, Wherrytown, Cornwall Nov 2018. Nikon D850, Nikon 500mm F/4.