Nick Watmough has provided us with his take on this week’s photos.

‘Wader passage is usually a feature of the first week of September and that was reflected in the submissions to the sightings page. The week started with a lovely portrait from Adrian Lea of one of the four Dotterel frequenting a potato field near Nanjizal, and Gill Fisher’s nicely lit image of the Drift Pectoral Sandpiper. Further quality came from Brian Craven and Deena Sharp who both provided great shots of a Ruff at Davidstow and Phil Naylor who captured a moulting adult Black-tailed Godwit in Copperhouse Creek. Martin Webb provided an outstanding portfolio of shorebird images throughout the week. I would like to acknowledge his splendid portraits of a juvenile Dunlin on Ryan’s Field and a Ringed Plover in threat pose taken at Battery Rocks which received the accolade of “notable image” in the most recent Birdguides “Photo of the Week”.

Away from the shoreline Jon Irvine got out into Falmouth Bay with AK Wildlife and provided the sightings team with excellent shots of an intricately patterned juvenile Little Gull and a Great Shearwater. Nice images of lingering Ospreys on the Tamar and at Stithians came from Carl Stevenson and Adrian Lea whilst Gavin Williams offered a nice shot of a ringed White Stork that visited Davidstow. Also noteworthy was Fary Afshar ‘s splendid and technically accomplished photograph of a hovering Kingfisher. So good that in any other week I would be dithering over whether to choose this or Martin Webb’s Ringed Plover as POTW.

But context is everything, and this was not a normal week as a sight usually associated with Mediterranean and Caucasian wetlands was replicated at multiple sites across the county. A combination of breeding success followed by drought caused a mass displacement of Glossy Ibis from their Spanish breeding grounds. The first flocks appeared on the Hayle where they were photographed by G. Gillard, J. Witheywood and M. James. By end of the week multiple flocks of more than thirty birds were being recorded with one flock of ca 45 birds being tracked across the Lizard peninsular (image from Ed O’Connor), before being expertly intercepted and photographed at Ruan Lanihorne by Tony Wilson. Unfortunately, the iconic silhouette of a Glossy Ibis flock was unlikely to be POTW material. As such I was delighted to discover a lovely sharp image of a single bird in flight taken at Walmsley by Paul Davies perfectly exposed to display the iridescent feathering against a soft green background which is my choice as POTW.

Thanks as ever to all who contribute to the Sightings Page and my sincere apologies for not including passerines and other landbirds in this review – your time will come!’

Many thanks Nick – an excellent choice and congratulations Paul on capturing a great image.