***UPDATE – Swift work by Council contractors has seen the bridge now opened to traffic and pedestrains again, so access to the reserve is now possible.***
The bridge at Trewornan which is our link between parking and accessing Walmsley was hit by a lorry yesterday morning causing serious damage.
I’ve been inundated with questions about how members can get to the reserve.
The bridge is now totally closed to traffic and I imagine pedestrians as it is in a dangerous state with a section of parapet knocked away and 2 pedestrian refuge triangles hanging precariously.
It will no doubt take many weeks to rebuild and whilst our County Councillor has said it will take priority there will be a multi agency task force involved and we all know how slowly that could progress.
It is a listed structure and therefore building materials & craftsmanship will need to be monitored.
One suggestion is to park on the road to the bridge on the Polzeath / Rock side of the bridge having driven via Chapel Amble , St.Endellion or Delabole & use the usual public footpath.
Please do not block access to the hotel.
This may change however, especially when the council start work on the bridge.
Be aware that traffic at Chapel Amble for the past 2 days has been horrendous.
Highways recommend a diversion via Pendoggett and St.Teath but all routes are narrow & will be busy.
Polbathic: A big surprise this morning: for the first time in very many years a Shoveler (m.) was in the creek, albeit looking quite scruffy. That brings up 72 . . .and still no Starling, Redwing or Collared Dove. (Andy Blonden)
Bodmin Moor: My species count from January to the end of October 28th [I am now in Portugal] was 43 species in or over my garden. Close to Bodmin Moor. Rural garden surrounded by hedges and fields. (Lynda Small
Mabe Burnthouse: Have had a few issues this year, but to bring my garden year list up to date for the end of the year, the following additions – Peregrine over a couple of times, Linnet, Greenfinch, Chiffchaff, Mediterranean Gull (adult and 1st year) and Lesser Black-backed Gull – these were both on an exciting day when the farmer ploughed the field behind the house in readiness for planting the potato crop, in addition to several hundred Herring Gulls.
With spring also came Swallow, House Martin, Willow Warbler, Swift,, and as the year progressed, Nuthatch (one calling from the back hedge), Skylark, Golden Plover a distant flock flying west, Fieldfare in the back hedge, Brambling – one on a misty, low cloud day, and a garden tick to boot (any garden!) (Dan Chaney)
Garden Listing 5th December 2021
Polbathic: Four Fieldfare flew past, this morning, making 71. (Andy Blonden)
2021 Final Table
Thanks to all who took part – it was great fun! Well done to Matt Southam in particular, who managed an impressive 78 species.
Constantine: Added Linnet and Chiffchaff today so total now 55. The Chiffchaff was a single singing bird whereas the Linnet was one of a flock of about 30 that landed on the trees on the border of my property .
More interesting, however, is that I was looking through my telescope at a number of bigger birds circling in the distance over near Goonhilly Earth Satellite Station, which I can see from my living room.
They were Buzzards, in excess of thirty, circling upwards on a vortex and disappearing up into the ether. There may have been more had I spotted them sooner. I know that thoughts turn to Honey Buzzards when this sort of phenomenon happens, especially in South Spain, but the closer ones I could identify were definitely Common. I have not observed this event before during the 40 + years I have been here. (Tim Pinfield)
Lanlivery: Update 22nd March. Two new species: Green Woodpecker heard briefly and Goldcrest singing in the garden. Running total 42 species. (Phil McVey)
Wadebridge: My total edges up to 43 thanks to Canada Geese flying over and Skylark over nearby fields plus two nice ones on the bird feeders – Marsh Tit and Siskin. And singing Chiffchaffs have returned. (Simon Marquis)
Charlestown: one of our bird news contributors reports a Long-tailed Field Mouse (aka Wood Mouse) on their garden nut basket (D Hastilow)
Firstly, well done and thanks to all who took part in the ‘Garden Bird Race’ this weekend. The weather on Saturday was particularly unpleasant, Sunday, whilst a bit grey at least stayed dry much of the time. Of course today (Monday) was lovely blue skies … ! The final results table –
Chaffinch - Vic Booth
Well done to Dave Parker for coming top of the table with 34, although it was a close run thing with Tim Pinfield at Constantine only one behind. A number of inland sites shared joint third with 28 species. We also had two hour counts submitted, which is always interesting to see. We will repeat the garden bird race again in March, with more daylight and hopefully better weather, the challenge is to try and better your own score in addition to competing with everyone else! Should be enjoyable regardless. Rather than single out any specific highlights, below are the results sent in by those taking part (any new garden bird list additions highlighted in bold) –
Saturday –
St Austell 1 hour count: I live in town with a small garden surrounded by houses and a spattering of trees near by. I did the garden bird watching this morning from 10.45 to 11.45. In the hour I saw :-
Robin 1, Blue Tit 1, Wood Pigeon 32, Starling 22, House Sparrow 7, Blackbird 2, Dunnock 3 two males courting one female, Blackcap 1, Goldfinch 16, Carrion Crow 1, Herring Gull 15, Song Thrush 1, Magpie 1, Wren 1, Chaffinch 1, Raven 2 (Ann Graham)
Mount Village: 16 species – weather awful windy and wet – Pied wWagtail 2, Blue Tit 5, Starling 20, Chaffinch 6, House Sparrow 6, Blackbird 1, Goldfinch 5, Siskin 5, Collared Dove 7, Greenfinch 1, Great Tit 1, Coal Tit 1, Rook 3, Dunnock 2, Marsh Tit 1, Robin 1 (Jasmina Goodair)
Polbathic: I did a count on both days, with a very moderate result of 28 each day, with 25 species common to both days and nothing unusual. They were (in the order seen):
(Three early “shoot-throughs” by the Sparrowhawk, disturbed most of the small birds for some time). (Andy Blonden)
Sunday –
Wadebridge: Nothing particularly unusual but no sign of a House Sparrow, Starling, Collared Dove or Skylark which I was counting on. Nor of the Woodcock that occasionally graces us with its presence. (S Marquis)
Middlewood, new entry: Thank you for doing this. I chose Sunday for obvious reasons and although a few regulars were absent, we did see or hear the following: Blackbird(3), Blue Tit(2), Bullfinch, Chaffinch(5), Coal Tit(3), Dunnock, Great Tit(2), Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jackdaw (39 in one tree opposite), Jay, Long-tailed Tit(6), Magpie, Marsh Tit(2), Mistle Thrush, Nuthatch, Robin(2), Siskin(4), Song Thrush, Tawny Owl, Wood Pigeon(2), Wren.
Since January 1st, we have recorded, in addition to the ones above: Collared Dove, Common Buzzard(flying over), Goldcrest, Pied Wagtail, Raven(flying over), Redwing, Sparrowhawk, Starling(flying over).
Looking forward to hearing the first Chiffchaff! Best wishes (Jen Bousfield)
Thanks for your efforts to keep us stimulated! (Andy Blonden)
Coverack: 27 species for the Garden Bird Race on Sunday. Highlights included Firecrest, Lesser Black-backed Gull and garden year tick number 45, Linnet.
Marazion: Below a rather meagre list from the garden today. Failed to see numerous “expected” birds, the best highlight (if you can call it that) were numerous Razorbills, the first I’ve seen in Mounts Bay this year. There were also quite a few probable Guillemot, but tantalisingly just too distant to be confident of id.
Canada Goose, Teal, Common Scoter, Gannet, Cormorant, Shag, Moorhen, Sanderling, Black-headed Gull, Lesser, Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Kittiwake, Razorbill, Feral Pigeon, Wood Pigeon, Pied, Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Redwing, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch. (Dave Parker)
Grampound Road: Here’s my report for the Garden Bird Race 21st February.
House Sparrow, Collard Dove, Jackdaw, Blackbird, Starling, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Robin, Siskin, Blue Tit, Herring Gull, Magpie, Wood Pigeon, Greenfinch, Carrion Crow, Bullfinch, Dunnock, Great Tit, Rook, Jay, Song Thrush, Great, Spotted Woodpecker, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Blackcap, Redwing, Pheasant, Brambling (Rob Nicholls)
Constantine: Too windy and rainy Saturday so went for it on Sunday. Surprise sort of day with many birds turning up I did not expect and an absence of many of the regulars. I ended with a total of 33.
Little Egret, Canada Goose, Shelduck, Buzzard, Pheasant, Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Redwing, Skylark, Blackcap, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Raven, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Tawny Owl.
Shelduck was new for the year so my annual total here is now 51 (Tim Pinfield)
Praa Sands 1 hour count: 4 Blackbird 2m 2f, 2 Dunnock, 1 Black Redstart(f plumage) darting about the garden, 14 Rook, 8 Herring Gull, 9 House Sparrow, 2 Wren, 1 Woodpigeon, 1 Jackdaw. Many Thanks (Jonathan Evans)
Lanlivery: More of an amble than a race here, with only 26 species on Sunday and nothing unusual, although 12 species had singing males which brought a nice Spring feel to the day: Skylark (2 in song), Canada Goose, Pheasant, Wood Pigeon, Herring Gull, Buzzard, Tawny Owl (2), Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Marsh Tit (in song), Long-tailed Tit, Nuthatch, Wren, Robin, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch and Goldfinch.
No Magpies or Jays, which is really strange for our garden! All the best (Phil McVey)
Trethurgy: Not so much as a bird race but more of a muddy stroll in the garden. Total species 28 -mostly wet ones !
Highlights included a pair of Great-spotted Woodpeckers drumming on a large Ash tree in our garden plus a female Sparrowhawk landed on a rose arch close to a feeding station-everything disappeared immediately apart from a Magpie which stared at it and eventually made the Sparrowhawk fly off. A Meadow Pipit appeared late in the day, which may not be uncommon but it is for our garden. I opened the back door every half hour last night to try and hear a Tawny Owl but they were not interested. No sign of the Willow Tit either. (Geoff and Jacky White)
Dobwalls: Bird Race 21st Feb, 19 in total – House Sparrow, Carrion Crow, Wood Pigeon, Magpie, Herring Gull, Blackbird, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Raven, Starling, Collared Dove, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Jackdaw, Greenfinch and Goldcrest. (Chris & Janet Duffy)
Mabe Burnthouse: Jackdaw, Herring Gull, Magpie, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin, Carrion Crow
Mallard 2 over, Woodpigeon, Blackcap f, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Black-headed Gull distant, Starling, Great Tit, Pied Wagtail, Rook, Wren, Collared Dove.
21, comfortably more than double yesterdays tally … still a pretty grey day with rain at times, most birds seen out of the window at odd times. Mallard and Blackcap were both garden year ticks. (Dan Chaney)
Garden Listing 22nd February 2021
Mabe Burnthouse: Was sitting in the living room having breakfast to hear the distinctive loud honking of a group of Canada Geese flying past. Jumped up and managed to espy a skein of 14 flying in the direction of the Carrick Roads. Up to 39 now. (Dan Chaney)
Perranarworthal: Never managed much this weekend I am afraid, but 6 more species to add to the lockdown list, Curlew, Redshank and Greenshank in early Feb along with the first Rooks of the year for me, Firecrest on the 11th, Bullfinch on 12th and Greenfinch on 22nd. (Stu Bearhop)
Constantine: Two additions to the garden list today. Skylark singing in the distance and a Green Woodpecker yaffling down in the valley. List moves to 43. Also a Chiffchaff singing briefly, perhaps a migrant, and one of the wintering Blackcaps now sings most days. It must be spring! (David Collins)
Launceston: It seems very strange that since moving from Bude to Launceston we appear to have more wildlife in our new garden in town (Kensey Valley) than we ever did in Bude. Anyway for weeks since moving in and already another long list of birds to my new feeding station in the back garden, yesterday there were Bullfinch, Chafffinch, Robin, Dunnock, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Marsh Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Siskin, Goldfinch, over the house was female adult Sparrowhawk, female adult Common Buzzard and Raven. Each morning a large group of mixed gulls pass up the valley having spent the night on Roadford Reservoir plus the odd Cormorant. (Nigel Bastin)
Garden Bird Race update: Thanks to all those who took part, despite the pretty wet and dreary weather overall! We will provide an update tomorrow evening to allow for any later entries which may come in, along with updating the tables etc with any garden listing updates.
Garden Bird ‘Race’ Saturday 20th/Sunday 21st February: This weekend – the usual garden birding rules apply, the aim is to record as many birds as you can in or from your garden on either Saturday 20th February or Sunday 21st February (you can choose, or even do both!) Please email your total species list and highlights in to us at [email protected] (along with your name and location details for those who aren’t part of the main Garden Listing League). We’ll produce a brief roundup with highlights etc afterwards. Photos of birds or garden welcome. Good luck!
More info on our general garden listing league and the rules can be found Here
Feock: Siskin to add to my garden listing league. Still only second to bottom of list. I feel I am not trying hard enough! Very enjoyable all the same. One of our blackcaps is ringed so I have been able to pass that on to BTO. Cheers and thanks (Rosalind Smith)
Garden Listing 19th February 2021
Wadebridge: Another five to add to my tally taking me to 38. I’ve had plenty of Fieldfares but until recently no Redwing. In addition to that I’ve now had Greenfinch and Bullfinch, plus Pied and Grey Wagtail. (Simon Marquis)
Well done to all who took part in what was a successful month for the Cornwall Garden Listing League, with 94 species seen across 27 gardens. Plenty of good birds were to be had with ‘rarity of the month’ being Dave Parker’s White Stork on the 10th. There always remains some uncertainty around wandering White Storks in the UK and it could be from the White Stork Project in Sussex (more information on that HERE) but a grand bird to see nonetheless. Otherwise a Black Redstart that briefly visited Dan Chaney at Mabe Burnthouse on the 17th the only other really notable species perhaps, along with Black-throated Diver for Dave again.
Whilst most of us are inland, a handful of gardens are on or near the coast or estuarine habitats, boosting the overall species diversity – many of us could only hope for goodies like Gannet, Fulmar or Turnstone! Highlights include Eider, Common Scoter, Red-breasted Merganser, Shelduck and the three diver species, with Stu Bearhop enjoying Dipper and Andy Blonden Common Sandpiper. Moving inland, 8 gardens were treated to Firecrest, Siskins were seen in 9 and Treecreeper visited two, with Yellowhammer in two of the more Easterly gardens. With the species currently experiencing a drastic decline nationwide, Geoff White’s Willow Tit was a great garden bird. Other inland one-garden wonders include Phil McVey’s Marsh Tit, Tim Pinfield’s evening Woodcock flights and Simon Marquis’ Red-legged Partridge. Tony Wilson’s Mediterranean Gull and Ian Toogood-Johnson’s Grey Herons were respective garden ticks. Eight gardens recorded Little Egret and 6 saw Mediterranean Gull – both would have been fairly unthinkable only twenty or thirty years ago! Perhaps overlooked or under-recorded, only 6 gardens recorded Feral Pigeon. Moving on to the last week of the month and a new addition to the list saw 4 gardens witness Common Gulls – some evidence of a movement perhaps.
Tawny Owl was recorded from an impressive 20 gardens – as an early breeder the beginning of the year is a good time to listen out for them vocalising – how many people specifically targeted them we wonder?! Only 6 species were seen across all the gardens we have full lists for: Blue Tit, Dunnock, Wood Pigeon, Blackbird, Robin and Chaffinch. That will probably change as people continue to pick up new species – it’s about the commoner species and enjoying them as much as it is about the occasional scarcer visitors. Brighter visitors included Great Spotted Woodpecker, with no less than 21 gardens records and Jay from 18 gardens. Looking forwards to February, no garden has recorded Brambling and only Andrew le Masurier at Tresillian has had a Peregrine, so those are amongst the species to look out for in the coming weeks perhaps.
In the spreadsheet below you can see your list with the birds recorded against the master list of all lists. Apart from seeing who else has seen the same as you, it does make it a lot easier to spot any gaps you have on your own list.
(To scroll around the spreadsheet use the pale grey horizontal and vertical bars. To help find ‘your garden’ in the columns we assigned a number to each person in rough order that they signed up to the league. The first tab ‘sheet’ near the bottom left hand corner is the targets list, the second is the actual list for January as per the main spreadsheet.)
Rank
Updated
Name
Location
Last Year's Total
2022 Garden List
Notes
1
21st Dec
Andy Blonden
St Germans
72
78
Overlooking small creek
2
19th Aug
Andrew le Masurier
Tresillian
68
65
Inland woodland/farmland
3
31st Dec
Phil McVey
Lanlivery
61
66
Inland rural
4
25th Dec
Dan Beadle
Coverack
70
56
Scrub, farmland and hamlet. Sea distant.
5=
23rd Mar
Tim Pinfield
Constantine
68
53
Fringe of woodland, view down a valley.
5=
22nd Aug
Geoff and Jacky White
Trethurgy
47
53
Large garden in rural village
7
12th Nov
Rob Nicholls
Grampound Road
55
52
Rural village mid-sized garden
8
31st Dec
Gary Healey
Crowlas
55
50
Inland with large garden
9
2nd Mar
Tony Wilson
Callestick
60
42
Medium garden, wooded valley in farmland.
10
27th Nov
Vic Booth
Carbis Moor, St Austell
NEW
38
Quite isolated and surrounded by lots of old established trees and Cornish hedges.
11
31st Jan
Dave Peers
Swanpool, Falmouth
NEW
33
Borders small nature reserve, near pool and beach
12
3rd Mar
Dan Chaney
Mabe Burnthouse
55
31
Small garden (untidy but lots of cats in vicinity) on edge of village/housing estate.
13=
8th Jun
Nick Wilkins
Summercourt
NEW
30
Rural mature garden enclosed by farmland
13=
7th Jul
Deena Sharp
Liskeard
41
30
Housing Estate, distant views to farmland
15
14th Dec
Rosalind Smith
Feock
42
31
Moderate sized mature garden
16
23rd Mar
Bec Penny
Feock
42
27
Woodland garden.
17
27th Oct
Steve Ford
Helston
34
21
Average size, overlooks park, surrounded by tall trees.
Cornwall Garden Listing League 2021: January highlights summary now on the website, with an impressive 94 species recorded overall:https://t.co/0Ag5GWMKwc
(Still 11 months of the year left, whatever your garden or birding level you can still join in!) pic.twitter.com/SU60QbOLTA
Constantine: List up to 39 now with the addition of Mediterranean Gull and Carrion Crow. There were at least two Mediterranean Gulls flying directly over the house in a flock of Black-headed Gulls. The Carrion Crow was rather more difficult as there are Rooks all around us – there is a rookery just beyond the garden and they never seem to be away for long even in winter. So I had to wait for one to call to pick it up. Two very distant birds over the Helford River a few days ago might either have been Cormorants or Canada Geese – yes they were that far away! Will wait until I see them a bit nearer before adding either. What will be number 40? Neither Mallard nor Sparrowhawk as yet, so perhaps one of those. (David Collins)
Grampound Road: Goldcrest added on the 17th and Grey Wagtail on the 19th, bringing the total up to 40. (Rob Nicholls)
Dobwalls: A female Blackcap made a visit to the garden, number 33. (Chris &Janet Duffy)
Coverack: Chiffchaff and Blackcap for 33. Also c40 House Sparrow, good to see such high numbers. (Dan Beadle)
Trewoon, St. Austell: Large garden surrounded by other gardens, hedgerows, trees and a field used by a farmer for grazing sheep. Views over a wooded valley.
1st Jan – Opened the curtains and the first bird onto the list. A gorgeous male Great Spotted Woodpecker. Not seen since the summer, so a lovely surprise. Joined later by a female – the pair have been noted pretty much every day since. Other birds starting the list were Blackbird (2), Coal tit (3), Herring Gull (4), Jackdaw (5), Jay (6), Long-tailed Tit (7), Magpie (8), Robin (9), Rook (10), Woodpigeon (11) and Wren (12).
2nd Jan – Additions were female Blackcap (13) and Great Tit (14). Again, not seen blackcaps since the summer so another nice surprise. Didn’t know if this was a fleeting visit, but later in the week, not to be outdone by his mate, the male turned up and they have both been everpresent for the first two weeks of the year.
3rd Jan – The local pair of Buzzards (15) decided to put in an appearance on a beautiful sunny day, as always being mobbed by the resident Herring Gulls. They don’t get a peaceful life.
4th Jan – Collared dove (16), House sparrow (17) and Starlings (18) made it into the garden, but the star show of the day was a Raven (19) calling noisily as it flew over. The Herring Gulls had a new bird to mob!
5th Jan – Had to wait until the fifth day to see Blue tit (20) and Chaffinch (21). Where have they been hiding!
7th Jan – Heard a really strange bird call as I was topping up the feeders (they’re getting through the fat blocks at a rate of knots!). Looked up and two Grey Herons (22) were flying low overhead. A garden tick. A Redwing (23) also showed well later in the afternoon. Getting them in ones and twos now rather than the 30+ flocks from before Christmas.
8th Jan – First visits by the shy and secretive Dunnock (24), Fieldfare (25) and Greenfinch (26) today.
11th Jan – A couple of Goldfinch (27) arrived to feed on the seed heads left on the flowers in the garden. We never dead-head or tidy up the borders until springtime for this very reason.
15th Jan – A beautiful Song thrush (28) was feeding on the lawn and in the borders. Rare visitor to our garden. The local Tawny Owl (29) population also descended on our garden at 3 in the morning – a male and 2 females as far as I could tell. I must thank one of our cats for that, as it jumped onto our bed after coming in from its nightly hunting expedition and woke me up.
17th Jan – A Green woodpecker (30) flew through and down into the valley. I know these birds by a different name; they’re “Yaffles” where I’m from (born and brought up in deepest rural Berkshire).
19th Jan – Another stranger in these parts today. A lovely Nuthatch (31) graced the seed feeder. In fact, we had a mad half hour when there were birds everywhere you looked – the Nuthatch arrived with the tit and finch flock (3 Blue tits, 2 Great tits, 2 Coal tits, 4 Long-tailed tits, 2 Greenfinch, 3 Chaffinch, 6 Goldfinch). There were also 2 Gt Spot Woodpeckers, male Blackcap, Magpie, Robin, 3 Blackbirds and a Woodpigeon at the same time. It was hard to keep up with what was where. An hour later I looked outside and there was not a bird in sight – it couldn’t have been much different. (Ian Toogood-Johnson)
Garden Listing 18th January 2021
Pentire, Newquay: Regular visitors to the feeders in our garden so far in 2021 include:
Robin, Blackbird, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Chaffinch, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Wood Pigeon, Blackcap, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Greenfinch (Clive Gwilliam)
Male and female Blackcaps
Wadebridge: A few more goodies to add making my total 33: Blackcap, Goldcrest, Firecrest, Mistle Thrush, Buzzard (Simon Marquis)
Camborne (Penponds): Our current running total for January 2021 is 25. Large, mature garden with many trees/ hedges, large pond and farmed fields on 2 sides. Semi rural location.
Greenfinch, Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Redwing, Blackcap, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Magpie, Crow, Jay, Hering Gull, Starling, Wood Pigeon, Wren, 1 each of Grey Wagtail and Goldcrest, and Canada Geese flying over. (Joanne Eastman)
Liskeard: Siskins on the sunflower feeders. An uncommon garden visitor for me. (Deena Sharp)
Liskeard: Garden is on a housing estate, on the edge of a town with views across the valley to farm land.
Actually in my garden – Blue Tit, Blackcap (m), Coal Tit, Goldfinch, Robin, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Blackbird
Wren, Collard Dove, Starling, Magpie, Dunnock
Viewed from my garden:- Carrion Crow, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Jackdaw (Deena Sharp)
Male Blackcap – Deena Sharp
Feock: I live in Feock with a moderate sized garden with trees, shrubs, lawn, wild patches, and Cornish hedge.
My garden list for January so far. Long-tailed Tit, Bullfinch, Blackbird, Goldfinch, Collared Dove, Wood Pigeon, Buzzard, Blackcap, Great Tit, Green Woodpecker, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Magpie, Robin, Dunnock, Wren, Greenfinch, Sparrowhawk, Chaffinch, Herring Gull
One of the Wrens in the garden was climbing up the trunk of a whitebeam, pulling off pieces of lichen and presumably getting insects from the trunk. The wren climbed about four feet. I have never seen this behaviour before in wrens who are generally found on the ground. Is it usual? Many thanks (Rosalind Smith)
It is something that they can and will do – if the food is there, they will clamber through hedgerows, woodpiles etc – although perhaps something you don’t so often see on a vertical trunk, so nice to see. The recent cold weather spell may also be forcing Wrens to be more visible/noticeable than normal too. Anybody else noticing this? – (Gardenlisting eds)
Crowlas: 10th Jan . Please update my list to 31, Mediterranean Gull being the latest. My location is inland with large garden (Gary Healey).
Polbathic: Jan. 1st ended with 30 species (plus Bar-tailed Goose)
Jan. 2nd. addred: Shelduck, Kingfisher, Great Black-backed Gull, Firecrest, Heron & Buzzard. ie. 36.
Jan. 3rd: Sparrowhawk, Magpie & Song Thrush. 39.
Since then: Greenfinch, Grey Wagtail, Tawny Owl (heard), Red-breasted Merganser, Blackcap & House Sparrow. Total to date (10th Jan)= 45.
It’s been quite a good start, but I don’t anticipate anything else for a while unless a Starling or some winter thrushes turn up. Many thanks for getting the list going again, it’s already proved to be a boredom breaker! (Andy Blonden)
Hopefully, you’ll be instigating another Garden List for this year; the last one was very enjoyable. If that’s the case, my starting day’s list, from my St. Germans garden bordering Polbathic Creek, in order seen, is:
Mute Swan, Robin, Jackdaw, Rook, Wood Pigeon, Blue Tit, Hedge Sparrow, Cormorant, Herring Gull, Canada Goose, Dabchick, Wren, Siskin, Goldfinch, Little Egret, Blackbird, Stonechat, Snipe, Chaffinch, Carrion Crow,
Pheasant, Black headed Gull, Pied Wagtail, Mallard, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Redshank, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Curlew, Treecreeper (the first we’ve had for years!) Also Bar-headed Goose (still with Canadas) … (A Blonden)
Crowlas, 2nd January: 20 species up to the second if having an annual garden list? I had a Firecrest yesterday, a first for our garden (G Healey)
Following the Chairmans appeal for a new Treasurer, and the publicity on the website and social media we are pleased to say that we had three expressions of interest, all from people very ably qualified to do the job. We were due to meet early in the New Year but then lockdown arrived and everything is now on hold. The resigning Treasurer has kindly agreed to hold the fort for the time being. We hope to meet as soon as restrictions are lifted to move things forward with a financial team including the appointment of a new Treasurer.
Online Bookshop: CBWPS have a new online bookshop. Thanks to legacies and kind donations from members we have a range of second hand birding and natural history books. click Here to browse and find a bargain!
Keep a look out for colour ringed Blackcaps!
An ongoing study, coordinated by Oxford University and BTO, is investigating the wintering behaviour, movements, and breeding origin of Blackcaps that winter in Britain and Ireland, as we still know surprisingly little about these birds that now spend the winter with us. A key component of this project is a long-term colour ringing study to help monitor the potential effects of climate change and evolution of this novel migration strategy.
Over the last three winters more than 600 wintering Blackcap have been colour-ringed and around 130 fitted with geolocators, across Britain and Ireland, to track their migration and movements. A large portion of these birds have been marked in Cornwall, particularly in the Falmouth/Penryn area, but they could turn up anywhere.
If you see a Blackcap or have them visiting you garden, please check their legs for rings. Each bird has a total of three colour rings and a metal BTO ring, two rings on each leg. The combination of rings allows us to identify each individual and we can provide a history of it’s movements. Please get a photo, or note the order of the rings on the right and left legs, so that we can identify the bird.
Please report details to Greg Conway and Benjamin Van Doren at: [email protected]
COVID 19 Update Jan 4th: With a new National Lockdown in please our advice to birders remains the same – follow the guidelines issued by the government. Please see the statement from the Society on the website Homepage
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