We have to thank Nick Watmough for this weeks’ round up of the photos that accompanied your submissions to the daily sightings page.

“Whether it was the heat or lack of birds, there were noticeably fewer submissions to the sightings page during this period. That did not make adjudication any easier as there were some excellent images.
The week started well on Monday with a lovely portrait of a reeling Grasshopper Warbler from Dean Pollard.

The following day Martin Webb kept the page alive with some images of his trip to Stithians that included a graceful pair of Great Crested Grebes. Dean obliged again on Wednesday with a sharp image of a Corn Bunting from their North Cornwall stronghold whilst back at Stithians John St Ledger captured the first returning Green Sandpiper.

Stithians featured again on Thursday with Caroline Taylor’s nice capture of a young Great Spotted Woodpecker from the feeder hide. The same day Adrian Lea provided several images from a private site on the Lizard including a very smart Rock Pipit. More Green Sandpipers at Stithians from John St Ledger on Friday, when Regina Griffiths visited St Gothians and obtained some very pleasing shots of both Sand Martin and Swallow. Not much on Saturday apart from a nicely perched Kestrel at Colliford from Gavin Williams.

Not sure what happened on Sunday unless folk needed some fresh air after the stress of the World Cup quarter final, but there was a flurry of submissions. A Glossy Ibis that graced Stithians was captured by Steve Ford, Tony Wilson and Steve Cox – Tony and Trev Whitemore, who presumably arrived later in the day, also photographed a White Stork from the Devon reintroduction scheme. Trev also submitted a very nice photo of a summer plumage Black-tailed Godwit from Stithians whilst Tony moved on to Devoran where he captured the now moulting Spotted Redshank.

Elsewhere on Sunday Adil Khan was at Walmsley where he obtained a series of very good images of Swift, Sedge Warbler and Marsh Harrier. Adrian Lea was focussed on his local Swallows and Gavin Williams gave us a lovely photograph of a Yellowhammer from Tregonetha Downs.

It was not an easy decision but my POTW is Caroline Taylor’s Great Spotted Woodpecker – sure it is nicely exposed, sharp and taken against a diffuse background to emphasise all the features that age it as a juvenile. But the framing of this youngster to emphasise it slightly quizzical pose is simply excellent.

As ever thanks to everybody who illuminates the sighting page with their images – your patience in the field and time spent in post processing is very much appreciated.”