Birding in Lockdown: Links to Garden Lockdown Listing League and our Birding Ideas Page, helping to make the most of extra time as a result of the lockdown.
Late news, 6/4, Botus Fleming: 1 Redstart. (K Pellow)
Late news, 9/4, Downderry: early this morning 25 Great Northern Diver, 11 Common Scoter, 4 Sandwich Tern, a Swallow and a Sand Martin. (A Payne)
Late news, 9/4, Falmouth Docks: 2 Swallow. (S Van Hear)
Late news, 9/4, Chacewater: 40-50 Golden Plover around top of Kerley Hill. (R Loader)
Porthguarnon: 2 Red Kite over. (J Ryan)
Marazion Marsh RSPB: 1 Grasshopper Warbler singing in SE corner. Also Water Pipit on beach. (S Rogers)
Porthgwarra: 1 Yellow Wagtail over. (M Wallace)
Little Kelynack: 1 Hobby (C Moore)
Tater-du: Red Kite flew east at 12.10pm. (M McKee)
Sancreed: 20 Willow Warbler, 2 Blackcap, 2 Swallow, flock 11 Raven. (D Flumm)
Newlyn: 3rd cal Yellow-legged Gull still. (M Ahmad)
Penzance: 37 Purple Sandpiper at Jubilee Pool. (M Ahmad)
St Ives Island: 1 Shelduck (heading east), 1 Black-throated Diver, 4 Shag, 2 Cormorant, 1 Fulmar, 18 Gannet, 3 Guillemot, 1 Razorbill, 1 Common Gull, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 3 Kittiwake, 12 Sandwich Tern, 12 Turnstone, 1 Purple Sandpiper, 1 Sand Martin, 12 Linnet. (P. Nason) Also c30 Turnstone and 1 Purple Sandpiper. (G Jones)
Towan Head: 45 Turnstone, 8 Purple Sandpiper. (S Rowe)
Gannel Estuary: 2 Whimbrel, 2 Curlew. (S Rowe)
Newquay, Pentire Head: 2 Swallows. (H Taylor)
Helston: 1 Red Kite (S Elton)
Little Treleaver: 2 Kite sp. (J Foster)
Coverack: 1 Red Kite, 1 Sand Martin over Trevothen (D Beadle) Also 6 Sandwich Tern, 1 Adder, 2 Porpoise and a Lizard (P Bedford)
Carnanton Woods: 1 Spotted Flycatcher, (first glimpsed on the 6th at Spitfire Corner better views today from same area), 2 Chiffchaff, 1 Sparrowhawk, 3 Skylark singing above runway. (S Grose)
College Reservoir: 6 Great Crested Grebe, 6 Mute Swan, 1 Teal, 1 Grey Heron, 1 Willow Warbler. (D Chaney)
Argal Reservoir: 9 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Mute Swan, 3 Moorhen, 6 Mallard (one with 3 ducklings), 4 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Blackcap, 2 Grey Wagtail, 2 Linnet, 1 Nuthatch. (D Chaney)
Falmouth Bay: 2 Eider (male and female), 1 Guillemot, 3 Sandwich Tern, 1 Collared Dove, 1 Kestrel, 3 Swallows (T Phelps, M Doyle)
Creegbrawse, Chacewater: Willow Warbler (arrived within same week for past 11years). (B Toms)
Saltash: 1 Swallow over garden. (G Lewis)
Botus Fleming – Carkeel – Moditonham – Botus Fleming: 17 Chiffchaff (14 singing), 1 Willow Warbler, 13 singing Blackcap, 2 Swallow, 5 House Martin this evening. (K Pellpw)
Polbathic Lake: Buzzard – swooped, taking something from water of spring tide covered salt marsh, Sea Eagle-fashion, before consuming it in nearby tree. Impressive! (A Blonden)
Crackington Haven: pair of Blackcaps in garden, 1 Swallow over. (J & B Teague)
Polperro: 1 Swallow 17.45. (A Matthews)
Cornwall Lockdown Diary, Day 18:
One of the highlights of the quarterly Palores newsletters (which I edit, and the Spring one will be on its way to you this month) is the Bird Report. Compiled by the tireless Tony Mills it is an amazing list of the birds, both common and rare, that graced the county in the previous three months. I am always astonished that so many species are picked up by our keen-eyed watchers.
But one of the effects of this current confinement is how we are all being taught to appreciate the homely birds that frequent our gardens and local patches. Who would look twice at a Wood Pigeon under normal circumstances? They are everywhere round us, clattering out of the trees and bushes sounding like someone frantically waving a plastic bag! But look closely at them and they are exquisite birds. The subtle greys, blues and pinks, the roundness of its features, and that repetitive, soporific call. It is a beautiful bird with a back story interesting enough to have made it one of the early subjects of the famed New Naturalist series. We are – quite rightly – having our compasses reset in this odd time.
Simon Marquis ([email protected])
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