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)
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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)
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