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, 28/4, Tresillian River: 1 Reed Warbler, 22 Whimbrel, 4 Common Sandpiper. (A Nicholson)

Late news, 29/4, Tresillian River: 6 Common Sandpiper. (A Nicholson)

Late news, 30/4, Tresillian River: 5 Fallow Deer seen from the village on far side of river bank. (A Nicholson)

Late news, 30/4, Carlyon Bay: 2 Shag. (D Hastilow)

Late news, 1/5, Constantine: 3 Garden Warbler singing in hills to north of village, 1 pair Siskin. (D Collins)

Late news, 1/5, Scorrier: 1 Red Kite low over 10:00. (R Tassell)

Late news, 1/5, Wadebridge, River Camel: Grey Seal, 7 miles inland (near Anneka’s bridge, Wadebridge) with 60 cm fish. (S Marquis)

Wadebridge, Camel Estuary: 1 Osprey, had just been fishing on receding tide opposite treatment works before flying north over towards Walmsley at 3pm. (D Wilson) Also 17 Dunlin, 8 Whimbrel, 5 Ringed Plover + Curlew, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Shelduck on the estuary. (S Marquis)

Mabe Burnthouse: 1 Black-throated Diver flying NW inland 08:50. 2 Common Swift later, and Whimbrel flock over after dusk. (D Chaney)

Truro, Boscolla: 2 Dipper, 1 Mistle Thrush, 1 Stock Dove; Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Wren and Goldfinch all nesting. (D Eva)

Carharrack: 2 male Siskin on nyjer feeders. (R Hooper)

Falmouth: 6 Crossbill over Florence Terrace. (T Stuart)

Swanpool: 30+ Whimbrel until 0600, 2 Reed Warbler, 1 Reed Bunting both singing. (T Stuart)

Sennen: 40 Whimbrel. (P Walsh)

Heamoor: 20 Whimbrel. (P St Pierre)

Tresillian River: 8 Whimbrel, 1 Curlew. (A Nicholson)

Caradon Hill: 1 Tree Pipit, 1 Willow Warbler, 1 Chiffchaff, 1 Cuckoo, 1 Buzzard, 1 Stonechat. (D Sharp)

Hayle Estuary: 6 Whimbrel. (G Jones)

Marazion: 16 Whimbrel. (G Jones)

Penzance: 30 Purple Sandpiper. (G Jones)

Newlyn Harbour: 2cy Iceland Gull, 1 Guillemot, 1 Razorbill all from cycle ride. (G Jones)

Four Lanes: male Cuckoo at the radio mast. (P Flack)

Goonhilly Downs: 2 Skylark, 1f Stonechat, 1 Cuckoo heard. (H Norton)

Trevarrion: 9 Whimbrel, 7 Raven (1 active nest in tamarisk bush), 1 Reed Bunting, 3 Sedge Warbler, 4 Whitethroat, 21 Skylark, 11 Meadow Pipit, 13 Stonechat, 1 Shag, 11 Cormorant, 2 Kestrel. (S Grose)

Tregurrian: 2 Corn Bunting halfway up Trevarrion Hill. 1 Singing from tamarisk hedge, the other singing from field behind Watergate Bay hotel. (S Grose)

Whipsiderry: 2 Corn Bunting. (S Grose)

Downderry: 28 Whimbrel, 1 Sanderling. (A Payne)

Talskiddy: 4 Raven, 1 singing Meadow Pipit, 4 pairs Skylark, 4 Yellowhammer (B Bosisto, L Payne)

Goss Moor: 3 Cuckoo. (M Jones)

Trewordor: 1 (M) Whinchat, 1 Whitethroat (A Taylor)

Sladesbridge: 1 Sedge Warbbler (A Taylor)

Gluvian: 3 Swift, 25 House Martin over garden this afternoon (B Bosisto)

St Columb Road: Pair Siskin on feeder, pair Greenfinch visiting daily, pairs of Blue and Great Tits – both witnessed male feeding female.  (A&B Tregunna)

Trevelgue: 1 Cuckoo, 1 leucistic Starling. (S Grose)

Penwithick (private garden): 4 Goldfinch, 6 Chaffinch, 4 Blackbird, 1 Robin, 1 Song Thrush, 2 Siskin (1 male, 1 juvenile). (K Bowers)

Cornwall Lockdown Diary, Day 40:

Familiar spring weather has returned: cold, breezy, grey and damp. I don’t mind the change. We’re used to all sorts in this part of the world.

Back to the cliffs, this time at Porthmissen*. The rock here has eroded into the perfect avian high-rise.  The neat terracing is home to nesting Razorbills, Guillemots and a colony of Kittiwakes. Like quite a few birds they speak their own name. It is a cheery sound, once heard never forgotten. Nearly 400 were counted here a year or two ago so it is one of Cornwall’s main sites for this bird. But they are easily disturbed and breeding numbers are in decline to the point that it is now one of the country’s 67 red-listed birds: another sad story of the bird population statistics. Kittiwakes are the neatest, prettiest, most appealing of the gull tribe, spending most of their lives out at sea and only returning to solid ground to breed.

They wheel around the great cauldron that is Porthmissen, sharing the crowded airspace with the auks, Herring Gulls, Jackdaws, Rock Doves, that great stealth bomber the Raven, and plenty of Fulmars. A seabird city is a stirring sight (and sound).

*this trip (and all others featured in my reports) complied – to the letter – with current government advice about travel, social distancing and exercise.

Simon Marquis ([email protected])