For the final POTW 2025 we have to Nick Watmough to thank for his eloquent summary of this week’s images and a great choice.
“The Christmas break is always a tricky time for birders; for some there is the temptation of some extra hours in the field, others are constrained by the arrival of house guests, and everybody is rolling the good-light dice. All of which was reflected in a slightly reduced volume of submissions for the period – but as ever neither the interest or the quality dipped.
In the early part of the week the focus was very much on long staying scarcities with Tim Culmer, Gill Fisher and Adrian Lea all paying the Boscathnoe Dusky Warbler a visit. Whilst they were on site Gill and Adrian took the opportunity to get some nice flight shots of the local Goosander flock. The Helston Lesser Scaup pair received some attention (G. Williams, Mark James) along with the Marazion Greater Scaup (G. Williams, Martin Webb). Elsewhere Stuart Croft provided a beautifully composed and perfectly exposed image of the Tehidy Ring-necked Duck before it absconded to St Gothian Sands. The most action-packed duck image in the period is Gary Treadwell’s Eider flock enjoying the surf at Par Beach.
I also enjoyed the great submissions of waders notably a Common Sandpiper at Helston (Mark James), a Turnstone at Penzance Harbour (Martin Webb), a Purple Sandpiper at Marazion (Steve Rogers), a pair of Whimbrel at Castle Beach, Falmouth (Jon Irvine) and an Avocet at Millbrook (Linda Birtwistle)
Adrian Lea and John St Ledger both submitted images of the Stithians Pink-footed Goose, but as the weather started to get colder in the middle of the week more wildfowl arrived in the county. Bob Bosisto did very well to document the Tundra Bean Goose he found at Walmsley, a single Russian White-fronted Goose appeared at Roskestal (Paul Barrow) and on Christmas Day a flock of Dark-bellied Brent Geese appeared on Par Beach (Paul Bullen). Wadebridge hosted two Whooper Swans beautifully captured in flight by Adrian Langdon – an absolute master class in how to combine control of the camera (exposure) and processing (cropping) to create a stunning image.
Three other images caught my eye two from the prolific Martin Webb – a nicely exposed Carrion Crow from Marazion and his lovely composition of a pair of sleeping Purple Sandpipers from Penzance. The third and my choice for POTW, was Jon Irvine’s outstanding image of two Great Northern Divers off Castle Beach, Falmouth on Christmas Day – sharp and perfectly exposed with each of the monochrome divers offset by the grey sky and green water respectively. But this image is also full of character with one diver adopting a typical pose whilst surrounded by sea spray and the bird in the foreground tightly gripping a recently caught crab.
And that’s it from me for 2025 – a massive thank you to all the contributors to the CBWPS sightings page I have really enjoyed reviewing your photos every four weeks – keep them coming in 2026. And to all our members and followers on social media could I take this opportunity to wish”
Congratulations Jon, a great picture and thanks to all the contributors to our sightings page in 2025. Thanks also to the continuing support of Adrian’s Lea and Langdon, Jasmina Goodair and Nick Watmough for promptly reviewing the pictures each week , keeping our website and social media fresh and interesting. Here’s to some fantastic photos in 2026!
