Happy New Year One and All!!

Thank you for all the support in 2017, and wishing all our members and daily sightings contributors and readers all the best for a great birding 2018.

Late news, 31/12, Penzance: 1 Chiffchaff and 1 f Blackcap in a private garden. (R Phillips)

Late news, 31/12,Tuckingmill Valley Park: 3 Bullfinch, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Greenfinch, 2 Song Thrush, 10+ Goldfinch. Numerous Blackbirds, Dunnocks and Chaffinch. (D King)

Porthpean: 2 Surf Scoter, 10 Common Scoter, 1 Long-tailed Duck, 1 Black-necked Grebe, 1 Great Northern Diver. (P Jones) Also a 3rd Surf Scoter, 1 Velvet Scoter, 1 Red-throated Diver and 2 Black-throated Diver reported. (M Pringle) 3 Surf Scoter, 1 Long-tailed Duck, 8 Common Scoter, 1 Velvet Scoter, 2 Great Northern Diver, 1 Black-necked Grebe, 1 Fulmar. (B Field)

Newquay Boating Lake: 1^st winter Ring-billed Gull (initially reported yesterday as a Common Gull). (S Rowe)

Gannel Estuary: 2 Common Sandpiper, 5 Common Gull, 68 Wigeon, 4 Oystercatcher, 4 Bullfinch, 1 Blackcap, 1 Kingfisher. (S Grose) Also 13 Little Egret, 134 Curlew, 23 Oystercatcher. (S Rowe)

Newquay Tretherras School: 1 Firecrest in scots pine trees between school and community orchard. (S Grose)

Kynance: 1 Richard’s Pipit on Kynance approach road by cattle grid. (T Blunden)

Housel Bay: 1 female Black Redstart. (D Collins)

Newtown in St Martin: 5 Cattle Egret & 9 Little Egret, 1 Water Rail, 1 Chiffchaff. (D Flumm)

Frenchman’s Creek, Helford: Two egret roosts at dusk; one at estuary mouth with 21 Little & 1 Cattle Egret, the other with >40 birds including at least 10 Cattle Egrets but inaccessible and too dark to identify individuals specifically. Also 1 Greenshank, 3 Redshank, 40 Redwing. (D Flumm)

Carrick Roads: 3 Great Northern Diver, 1 Whimbrel. (D Chaney)

Falmouth, Pendennis Point: 1 Whimbrel, 5 Great Northern Diver offshore in Falmouth Bay, Castle Beach: 3+ Black Redstart, 2 Stonechat, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Grey Wagtail Swanpool Beach: 250 Shag and 20+ Gannet fishing offshore, and 5 Bottlenose Dolphin distantly. (D Chaney) Castle Beach: 2 Black Redstart, 1 Whimbrel. (D Eva)

Penryn: 1 Dipper, 1 Common Sandpiper. Gorrangorras, Penryn River: 3 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Whimbrel, 1 Greenshank, 2 Snipe. (D Chaney)

College Reservoir: 5 Goosander (4 redhead, 1 drake), 1 Goldeneye, 1f Gadwall, 1 Kingfisher, 5 Common Gull, 1 tristis type Chiffchaff, 1 Peregrine. (D Chaney)

Ruan Estuary: 6 Blackbird, 1 Black-headed Gull, 3 Buzzard, 6 Blue Tit, 5 Canada Goose, 2 Carrion Crow, 16 Curlew, 35 Dunlin, 53 Herring Gull, 10 Great Black-backed Gull, 1 Greenshank, 97 Lapwing, 2 Little Egret, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Oystercatcher, 3 m Pheasant, 4 Redshank, 2 Robin, 15 Shelduck, 2 Stonechat, 1 f Teal, 107 Wigeon, 6 Woodpigeon and 1 Wren.  (C Hughes)

Ponsanooth Sewage Works: 1 Green Sandpiper, 15+ Chiffchaff. (B Field)

St Merryn: 9 Starling (2 with rings), 14 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Blue Tit, 2 Dunnock and 4 Goldcrest in a private garden. (R Hughes)

Freathy: 1 Water Rail in private garden at 08:20. (M.Jordan)

St Breock: 1 Cattle Egret and 20 Little Egret at Hay Farm. (B Bosisto)

Cape Cornwall: 17 Chough, 1m Black Redstart at Porth Ledden. (N Wheatley)

Sancreed: 1 Pink-footed Goose, 10 Canada Geese. (D Flumm)

Drift Reservoir (members only): 1 Pink-footed Goose (same as above), 1 Kingfisher, 3 Wigeon. (C Moore)

Penzance: 1 Brent Goose off the prom (distant). 2 Harbour Porpoise.  Harbour: 1 drake Eider still. (R Phillips)

Mousehole: 3 Kittiwake, 3 Great Northern Diver, c30 Guillemot, c50 Gannet, 1 Minke Whale, 1 Bottlenose Dolphin, 10+ Harbour Porpoise, 10+ Common Dolphin. (G Adams) 

Crowlas: 1 Firecrest. (R Veal)

Trenow: 1f Merlin. (R Menari)

Ludgvan: Firecrest in the churchyard. (R Menari)

Nancledra: Barn Owl north end of Cuckoo Lane. (R Menari)

Egloshayle: 2 Hawfinch in the cemetery. (DI Julian) 5 Hawfinch. (B Field)

Walmsley: c500 Dunlin, c500 Lapwing, 1 Spoonbill, 1 Ruff, 9 Pintail, 8 Gadwall, 2 Greenshank, 20 Snipe, c200 Black-tailed Godwit. (BField)

Kea: 2 Spoonbill feeding at creek edge at Roundwood Quay. (B Robson)

Camel Estuary: 3 Goosander, 1 Slavonian Grebe, 1 Peregrine, 2 Bullfinch, 200+ Lapwing, 2 Widgeon, 8 Mute Swan, 3 Oystercatcher, c30 Dunlin, 2 Common Buzzard, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Grey Wagtail by water treatment works. 2 Great Black Backed Gulls, c15 Black headed Gulls, 2 Goldcrest, 1 Cormorant, 3 Little Egret, 1 Grey Heron, 12 Canada Goose, 16 Mallard, 5 Curlew, plus Robins, Blackbird, Wren, Song Thrush, Dunnock, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Redwing and a small flock of Long Tailed Tits. (D King)

Feock: 2 Hawfinch in trees by church at 11:20 plus numerous Bullfinch, 3 Goldcrest, Jay and several Redwing. (D King, D Eva, B Field)

Dozmary Pool: Drake Lesser Scaup still, 1 Merlin. (B Field)

St John’s Lake: 2 Great Northern Diver, 4 Brent Goose and 2 Spoonbill. (M Beer)

Polbathic Creek:1Kingfisher (fem) took 5 newts from garden pond, 3 Reed Bunting now regular at feeders, 4 Barnacle Goose still with Canada Goose. (A Blonden)

Hannafore: 1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Slavonian Grebe, 1 Red-throated Diver, 1 Chiffchaff. (A Blonden)

Lower Tamar Lake: 10 Goosander, 18 Tufted Duck, 1 Song Thrush, 3 Grey Heron, 1 Mute Swan, c25 Coot, 5 Great Crested Grebe, 3 Little Egret, 1 Kingfisher, c50 Mallard, 3 Marsh Tit,  2 Willow Tit, 2 Bullfinch, 7 Rook,  1 Wren. (R Mudge)

Upper Tamar Lake: 1 Kestrel, 2 Redwing, 3 Grey Heron, (the guns started on either side of the lake which cleared everything). (R Mudge)

Bude: 2 Snow Geese, 52 Canada Geese, 1 White hybrid, 28 Lapwing, 1m Stonechat. (R Mudge)

djc/sgr