OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE 1997/98

President Steve Madge, Seawinds, Lower Trerieve, Downderry, PL 15 3LZ

Chairman Graham Sutton, Westering, Elm Drive, EX23 8EZ

Vice-Chairman Andy Pay, Salena Cottage, Wendron, TR13 OEA

General Secretary Michael Lord, Gue Gassel, Church Cove, TR12 7PH

Treasurer Roger Jones, 25 Trevarrick Road, PL25 5JW

Membership Secretary Debbie Melarickas, 20 Midway Drive, TR 1 1NQ

Recorder and Editor ' in ' Greg Conway, Tregenna, Cooksland, PL31 2AR

Assistant Editor 'Birds in Cornwall' Andy Pay, Salena Cottage, Wendron, Helston TR13 OEA

Conservation Officer Martin Rule, 2 Trussal Row, Treloquithack, Wendron, Helston TR13 ONT

Newsletter Editor Steve Rogers, Roseland, Cyril Road, Truro TR1 3TA

Field Meetings Officer Dave Thomas, Mirador, Whitecross, TR8 4LW

Editor ' Report' Peter Robinson, Riviera House, The Parade, St. Mary's, Isles of Scilly TR21 OLT

Recorder: Isles of Scilly Will Wagstaff, 42 Sally Port, St. Mary's, Isles of Scilly TR21 OJ

Public Relations Officer Tony Langford, Miango, Trewirgie Road, TR 15 2SX

Committee Members: Francis Couch, Dr John Ryan - retire 1998 Brian Craven, Richard James, Matt Southam - retire 1999 Royston Wilkins, Adrian Langdon - retire 2000

Records Committee: Greg Conway, Andy Pay, Steve Madge, Steve Roger, John Ryan, Graham Sutton & Vic Tucker.

Photographs Front Cover: Laughing Gull, (The Castle Grounds), Bude, Sep 23rd 1996 - Graham Sutton Back Cover: Grey Herons, Camel , May 1996 - Adrian Langdon CORNWALL BIRD-WATCHING & PRESERVATION SOCIETY SIXTY-SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT 1996

The Society gratefully acknowledges a generous donation from HRH The Duke of Cornwall toward the production of this report.

l BIRDING SOUTH WEST WHERE THE REGION'S NEWS BREAKS 0891 884 500 THE PREMIER SOUTHWEST INFORMATION LINE Run from the heart of the region by West Country birders. Up to the minute bird news from Cornwall and the rest of the Southwest; including brief national headlines. Hotline to report your sightings : 01426 923 923 Calls charged at 50p/min at all times. COBRA BIRD RECORDING SOFTWARE • UK or World species file • UK or World gazetteer • Lists include site, county, nation, year, month and many more • Rapid entry of records • Export records to recorders • Mapping facilities available • 50% discount for CBWPS members USED THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN Runs under DOS,Windows 3.1 or 95 • Write: 12 Redland Court Rd, Bristol, BS6 7EQ • Phone: 0117 924 6255 e-mail [email protected]

2 CONTENTS Page Review of the Year 1996 Andy Pay 4 Editorial Greg Conway 10 Submission on Records 10 Systematic List for 1996 13 Divers to Eurasian Spoonbill & Raptors to Gamebirds Greg Conway Wildfowl Dave Conway Water Rail to Plovers John Ryan Red Knot to Godwits & Warblers to Starlings Andy Pay Whimbrel to Phalaropes & Pigeons to Woodpeckers Steve Rogers Skuas & Gulls Mashuq Ahmad Terns to Auks & Sparrows to Buntings Stuart Jack Larks to Thrushes Matt Southam Exotica 144 BBRC Decisions 145 Pending Records 145 First & Last Dates of Summer Migrants 146 Contributors 146 Gazetteer 148 Ringing Report 1996 151 Report Backnumbers 157 A Study of the Breeding Success of the Kittiwake Colony at Land's End Dr Sarah Money 158 CBWPS Breeding Corn Bunting Survey 1996 Greg Conway 163 Pentire Farm Common Bird Census Derek Lord 166 The Black-necked Grebe in Cornwall Roger Lane 169 CBWPS North Coast Survey 1996 Andy Pay 171 Isabelline Wheatear at Church Cove John Martin 172 Lesser Scaup at Drift Reservoir Dave Flumm 174 Paddyfield Warbler at RSPB Reserve Dave Flumm 176 Chairman's Report Richard Hooton 178 Conservation Officer's Report Martin Rule 179 1996 Accounts 181 The Society's Rules 183

Printed by B.J Press Ltd, Unit 29 Threemilestone Ind Estate, Truro, Cornwall TR4 9LD Copyright: 1997 Cornwall Bird-Watching & Preservation Society

3 REVIEW OFTHEYEAR 1996

Approximately 55,000 records were submitted for 1996, a figure far in excess of that for any previous year. A total of 281 species and 14 recognised sub-species were recorded in the county. Lesser Scaup, Isabelline Wheatear and Paddyfield Warbler occurred for the first time so, with official acceptance of the previous year's Bay-breasted Warbler, the mainland county total moves on by four. A review of previous records of American/Pacific Golden Plovers has led to the acceptance of a 1978 record as the county's first Pacific Golden Plover; the 1994 bird thus becomes the second. A second Lesser Scaup was also recorded in 1996, as were the county's second and third Pied-billed Grebes. Also occurring were the third Killdeer Plover and Pechora Pipit, fourth Laughing and Ross's Gulls, fifth Great White Egret, sixth Sardinian and Dusky Warblers and the first Little Bustard for 76 years. It was a record year for Great Crested Grebe, Gadwall, Hobby, Avocet, Little Ringed Plover, Little Stint, Yellow-legged Gull, Black Guillemot, Hoopoe, Pallas's and Yellow-browed Warblers, Firecrest, European Serin and Snow Bunting. Also recorded in very good, and in some cases, exceptional numbers were Leach's Storm-petrel, Great Bittern, Tundra and Whooper Swans, Garganey, Marsh Harrier, , Jack Snipe, Grey Phalarope, Little and Sabine's Gulls, Spotted Crake, Little Auk, Wood Lark, Bohemian Waxwing, Cetti's Warbler and Siskin. On the downside, it was a poor year for Hen Harrier, Red Knot, Little Tern and Cirl Bunting. After a few days of mild south-easterlies, January's weather soon settled into a traditional pattern of Atlantic gales, mild temperatures and frequent, heavy rain. From 23rd, high pressure introduced a very cold, dry, easterly airstream, which only moderated in the last few days. Birds present from the end of the previous year included good numbers of Little and Black-necked Grebes, Red-breasted Mergansers and other waterfowl, the regular Eurasian Spoonbill, single Tundra Swan and Pink-footed Goose, a Green-winged Teal, four each of Velvet Scoter and Ruddy Duck, 32 Jack Snipe, nearly 50 Wood Lark at four sites, a dozen Water Pipits, 80 Black Redstarts and record numbers of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs.

First winter Little Gull (Ren Hathway) • «f/

On 2nd, a local wandering Dartford Warbler appeared at Predannack and the first of the year's 18 Iceland Gulls was at St. John's Lake. The following day a new Green-winged Teal was on Estuary. The stormy conditions soon had an effect, with probably the year's most bizarre record on 6th: an almost fully summer-plumaged Black Tern virtually grounded in a car-park at Helston. The next few days brought the year's first new Tundra Swan, Ring-billed and Glaucous Gulls and, on 11th, the first major rarities of the year in the shape of a Bonaparte's Gull at and a long overdue Killdeer Plover on the small lawns at Lamorna Cove. Both unfortunately failed to materialise the following morning, but dispersing birders found the first of some 96 Little Gulls forced inshore by the continuous gales. A major 'wreck' of 62 Leach's Storm-petrels occurred over the next few day, along with eight Grey Phalaropes and six Little Auks. Two more Tundra Swans and a Whooper dropped in from 18th. A Lesser Whitethroat at Carbis Bay on 21st was the precursor to an unprecedented variety and number of wintering warblers at both ends of the year. The third errant American of the month, a Long-billed Dowitcher, was found at

4 Copperhouse on 24th, followed by another Dartford Warbler in the west and the first of a good run of Black Guillemots. How single Sand and House Martins managed to arrive in a cold, cloudy north­ easterly on 30th is a mystery. Far less surprising, in fact, eagerly anticipated by all those who were aware of the situation up-country, was the first Bohemian Waxwing, at Latchley on the last day of the month.

The cold weather continued into February, with mainly light easterlies strengthening and veering south-easterly from 5th, bringing heavy rain. However, the county missed the large helpings of snow suffered by much of the rest of the country. From 8th, the wind switched around to the north-west bringing somewhat milder conditions, with some sunshine and showers, until the end of the month, when a cool, but bright, easterly became re-established. A Bohemian Waxwing in a Helston garden on 1st was to become the most visited of the rather disappointing winter's total of 27 (there were 10,000 in the country at the time!). It remained until 29th, but whether it left of its own accord or finally fell victim to the cat which spent much of the month patiently waiting for it to make a mistake, is not known. On 2nd a remarkable count of 90 Chiffchaffs was achieved at the nearby sewage-works. They included at least seven grey eastern race birds. Red-throated Divers arrived in good numbers early in the month, as did Great Bitterns, with three discovered on 3rd/4th, including a booming male on the Amble . A Smew was found at Stithians, also on 3rd. A flock of 11 Bohemian Waxwings at Gwallon on 6th could not be tied down. More unusual wintering birds found over the next few days included a Long-eared , five Ring Ouzels, a Common Redstart and a Common Whitethroat. An American Golden Plover was identified at Copperhouse on 24th and a fine adult Ross's Gull was found on the Lynher on 27th. The month drew to a close with a confused Great Bittern discovered in a St. Buryan pig-sty!

March started quietly, with a light northerly breeze and sunshine. It veered north-east from 5th, then south-east, with a brief warm spell. From mid-month, the wind veered further round to the south-west, bringing very mild conditions, then backed south on 23rd, with fog. By 27th, it was back in the north­ east and cold. The first Sandwich Terns arrived on the on 1 st, followed by nine Chiffchaffs at Porth Joke on 3rd. The county's earliest ever Willow Warbler was found on 4th and another Dartford Warbler on 5th, both at Nanjizal. Three Red Kites passed through at this time. A Northern Wheatear and a Tundra Swan turned up on 9th, with the first White Wagtail and 10 Sand Martins on 11th. Seven migrating Greylag Geese paused briefly at Stithians on 13th and a Yellow Wagtail arrived on the Lizard on 14th. A seawatch at on 15th produced the county's first ever March Pomarine Skua, and observers at Land's End the following day were treated to another rare sight in Cornwall: a Red-necked Phalarope in summer plumage, along with the first Garganey of the spring. The same day saw a Black Redstart at Soap Cove and the first of a bumper crop of Little Ringed Plovers, at Copperhouse. A Ring Ouzel arrived at Stepper Point on 17th. Three early hirundines were tempted across the Channel: a House Martin at Loe Pool on 19th, a Swallow at Maenporth on 20th and, best of all, a superb Red-rumped Swallow at Lamorna on 21st. The last bird remained for two days and was admired by many, but was clearly having difficulty finding food and keeping warm. Two very early Swifts appeared on 24th and the first two of the spring's record 32 Hoopoes on 26th, along with another Bonaparte's Gull at Newquay. The first notable influx of Willow Warblers took place on 29th. By the end of the month a very welcome total of 70 Slavonian Grebes had been counted around the coasts.

The wind remained light and in the east during the first week of April. For the next two weeks, it hovered between the south and the south-east, bringing a mixture of sun, mist and occasional rain, which was especially heavy on 16th. The temperature rose perceptibly on 20th. From 22nd, showery south-westerlies persisted, until the 27th brought a light easterly and warm, clear conditions. The month opened with six Greylag Geese at Maer Lake, another American Golden Plover at Sennen, a Common Sandpiper on the Gannel and a Cuckoo at Stithians. Perhaps the most envied observer of the year was the one who watched a Gyr Falcon at Treveal on 2nd. On 5th a Montagu's Harrier passed along the same valley, whilst it was the turn of Millbrook to host a Bonaparte's Gull. Four more Greylags moved through Maer Lake on 6th. The following day brought rare visitors from the south in the shape of a Kentish Plover in Mount's Bay, a Subalpine Warbler at Higher Kenneggy and the county's first ever Black-bellied Dipper, seen briefly on the beach at Treveal. A Common Redstart arrived at Penlee Point on 8th and a male Blue-headed Wagtail at Hayle on 10th, then the spring's second Red-rumped Swallow flew past Pen Enys Point on 12th. A typically elusive male Sardinian Warbler on the Lizard on 13th was associated with a large influx of Willow Warblers, as were 300 Chiffchaffs at Skewjack. After a quiet week, large numbers of common migrants came across around the 20th, including the year's first main arrival of Grasshopper, Sedge and Reed Warblers and Common Whitethroats. The first of a record 50 migrant Hobbies arrived on the same day, as did the first Whinchat. On 22nd, a further 150 Chiffchaffs were in the Skewjack area, with a good fall of 20 Spotted Flycatchers at Land's End, whilst a Golden Oriole was found at Trevone and an Osprey flew over the Tamar/Lynher . A Goosander at Calstock on 24th gave a further hint of possible breeding in the area. Another flurry of common migrants arrived on 27th, followed on the 28th by a group of five Barnacle Geese seen at , then over Harlyn Bay later the same day. Possibly Cornwall's last breeding male Cirl Bunting was singing on the Lizard on 30th.

Although largely sunny and dry, the first half of May was exceptionally cool, with a relentless north­ east wind. In mid month the temperature finally rose as south-westerlies brought in unsettled conditions which lasted until 30th, when the wind returned to the east. A Black Guillemot at Land's End on 1st was followed by a presumably equally lost Hooded Crow at St. Buryan the following day. The next four days brought some interesting migrants, including another Blue-headed Wagtail at Caerthillian, Golden Orioles at Sennen and Lizard Church Cove, two more Dartford Warblers at Caerhays and Penlee and two European Serins at Nanjizal. A total of 28 Turtle Doves in the Land's End area on 5th was an unusually high count, no doubt due to the prevailing weather, whilst a good count of 200 Willow Warblers was made at nearby Skewjack. Two Dotterel touched down at Nine Maidens on 9th, followed on 11th by another Blue-headed Wagtail, this time at , a female Montagu's Harrier at and another good fall of 150 Sedge Warblers at Skewjack. On 15th a Red Kite visited Loe Pool and perhaps the same bird was in the Luxulyan valley on 18th, the same day as another Golden Oriole was in Cot Valley. Passage of Sanderling peaked at an impressive 132 in Mount's Bay on 22nd, with a Kentish Plover on Hayle Estuary at the same time. Black Kites appeared at on 25th and near Penzance on 27th, the latter bird floating around the general area for the next three days. Also on 27th an Osprey called in at Tresillian and the county's latest ever spring Redwing hurried past . Some glamour was added to what was for most birders a disappointing month when a European Bee-eater was watched battling against a stiff easterly breeze at Sennen.

Some very welcome heat finally arrived in early June with winds mainly from the south-west to south-east during the first fortnight. Thereafter the wind was often light and variable, bringing calm, warm conditions, but still with little rain. The month began as the last had ended, with a European Bee-eater at Penzance, along with an unseasonal Bearded Tit at Marazion Marsh and two Golden Orioles at Trevone. From 4th to 6th, visitors to Praa Sands were entertained by yet another bee-eater. Other southern European species appearing in support were the spring's only Woodchat Shrike, at Nanquidno on 5th, and the final Golden Oriole of the year, at Penlee Reserve on 7th. A Tree Sparrow at Pendeen on 15th was typically confounding, a European Honey Buzzard over Land's End on the same day seeming somehow more relevant. A wing-tagged Red Kite was touring the far west at this time and a Bonaparte's Gull was found at Kingsmill Lake on 21st. Meanwhile two Purple Sandpipers had chosen to spend the summer at Godrevy. As usual, very little data was gathered on the state of our commoner breeding birds. Three pairs of Little Grebe bred at two sites and Little Egrets moved a step closer, with breeding activity observed at three south coast locations, though with no evidence yet of success. Canada Geese continue to approach pest proportions, the moulting flock of 567 at Colliford being a county record. A female Marsh Harrier was seen carrying nesting material at Marazion Marsh, whilst Hobbies maintained their toe-hold in the east, though only just, with one pair raising one chick. Black-headed Gulls bred at Maer Lake for the first time, yet another success for this marvellous wetland site. A survey of breeding along the north coast confirmed the good health of most of the species involved, including

6 Common Guillemot and and the formerly declining Herring Gull, though Puffins continue to give cause for concern and a question mark has been raised about Great Black-backed Gull. Back on dry land, Grey Partridge appears to have lost ground in one area whilst perhaps gaining in another. Quails had a good year and may well have bred. The Barn Owl continued its very worrying downward trend, with just six instances of confirmed breeding in the whole county. Little were found breeding at only two sites. Also apparently heading gradually downwards are Green Woodpeckers, although there was a welcome slight increase in the number of sightings of Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. Pied Flycatchers and Wood Warblers had yet another bad year and will soon disappear as regular breeding species if the current trend continues. On the other hand Cetti's and Dartford Warblers enjoyed a boom year. Ring Ouzels bred in the county for the first time since 1970. also hosted an increased number of Common Redpolls during the summer, although Common Crossbills were once again absent.

The first three weeks of July were largely unsettled, with winds mainly from the western half of the compass, yet very warm at times. From 20th the wind backed around to the south-east and it became very hot and sunny, but this lasted only for a few days and the wind was back in the west by 28th, with rain. Local birders were shaken from their summer slumbers by a rather elusive White-winged Black Tern at Marazion on 9th, the same bird re-appearing at Torpoint four days later. A Roseate Tern at Sennen on 19th was followed by a very early migrant Wood Warbler at Soap Cove on 20th. Two Ospreys patrolled the river at Ruan Lanihorne and three juvenile Garganey at Argal were possibly locally bred, as were three Common Teal at Stithians. A Spotted Crake at the Walmsley Sanctuary on 31st was the first of a good autumn for this species. Seawatchers had to content themselves with 22 Cory's and a single Great Shearwater during the month. Several night-time excursions to western headlands resulted in the ringing of an impressive total of 350 European Storm-petrels. A few Manx Shearwaters were also detected, suggesting the possibility of local mainland breeding.

August began dry and warm with the wind switching to the east for a brief period from 3rd. Thereafter it was mostly unsettled, with mainly light winds from all points of the compass and a mixture of sunshine and rain. From 24th the wind became mainly westerly and strong at times. The first Aquatic Warbler of the year arrived at Marazion Marsh on 4th, to be followed later by another seven there and four elsewhere. Two Roseate Terns were identified at St. Ives on 6th and an early Red- backed Shrike at Kynance on 7th. Well-watched Marazion Marsh produced the first of twelve Spotted Crakes on 10th. On the same day 123 Balearic Shearwaters were logged off Porthgwarra, contributing to an eventual count for the month of over 500, but only 17 Cory's and two Great Shearwaters were seen. The year's third Kentish Plover was at Landulph on 17th and the following day the first of the year's 18 Wrynecks, at Porthgwarra. A Sabine's Gull passed Pendeen on 25th. It was to be a good autumn for this species, with some 30 seen in all. The month ended with a ringtail Montagu's Harrier at Rame.

A large high pressure system to the north dominated for much of September. Northerly winds veered progressively through north-east and east, becoming quite strong in mid month and it remained dry. After the third week, Atlantic systems finally regained control and the month ended with westerlies and rain. A good count of 20 Grey Wagtails was made at Nanjizal on 1st, when Marazion Marsh hosted no less than six Spotted Crakes. Hawfinches near on 5th and Duloe on 8th were unusually early, but six Ortolans between 5th and 10th were right on cue. On 7th a juvenile Rosy Starling was found near Sennen. Porthgwarra had a good run of birds, with Dotterel on 7th, an early Long-eared Owl on 8th and Short-toed Lark on 9th. Curlew Sandpipers began to arrive from 8th, with an excellent final tally of some 300, but this was nothing compared to the invasion of Little Stints. From 14th to the month's end at least 900 passed through the county, vastly overshadowing all previous records. The 14th also saw another Short-toed Lark at Porthgwarra and a European Honey Buzzard flying over Treveal. Ten Ospreys were recorded during the month. The autumn birding season moved up a gear from 19th, with the Porthgwarra area holding two

7 Dotterel, the first of 35 Yellow-browed Warblers and a Melodious Warbler, five more of which had turned up by 30th. On 21st the first of a good run of European Serins was at Rame and a Barred Warbler at Porthgwarra. The last Aquatic Warbler of the year was found at West Pentire on 22nd, as were Spotted Crake at Lower Tamar Lake and another three Ortolans at Land's End. Our Chairman's dedication to the cause at Bude was rewarded with a Laughing Gull (our front cover this year) on 23rd. Next day there were two Spotted Crakes at Lower Tamar Lake, a Long-tailed Skua flew past Land's End and another Rosy Starling dropped anchor at St. Just. Another Ortolan and two Richard's Pipits continued the Continental theme on 28th, as did a Barred Warbler on 29th, but it was birds from the North American continent that dominated the end of the month, starting with a Red-eyed Vireo at on 28th. The last three days produced Buff-breasted and three Pectoral Sandpipers and a very popular White-rumped Sandpiper at Drift.

In contrast to much of the previous month, October's weather was ruled by a series of Atlantic depressions. Occasional ridges of high pressure did allow brief respites but the often strong winds were chiefly from the westerly quarter, bringing plenty of precipitation. Another Pectoral Sandpiper made landfall on 2nd, this time at Drift, and an American Wigeon was identified amongst Eurasian versions on Pool on 5th. A Red-breasted Flycatcher at Land's End on 6th coincided with the first Whooper Swans of the autumn and a peak count of 150 Siskins in what was to be an excellent year for them. By now Snow Buntings were appearing seemingly anywhere and everywhere: a flock of 72 at on 8th was the largest ever recorded in the county. A Dotterel was on Davidstow airfield on 9th. On the same day Porthgwarra hosted another Red-eyed Vireo and a Tree Sparrow, with a Red-throated Pipit on 10th. Another Short-toed Lark was found on 11th, this time at Nanquidno, and the year's second Buff-breasted Sandpiper arrived at St. Just on 12th. At the other end of the county another Rosy Starling was in Bude and the Lynher held a county record 19 Great-crested Grebes. Yet another Spotted Crake was found on 14th and two more Red-breasted Flycatchers made it to Porthgwarra. The fourth and final Short-toed Lark was at Nanjizal on 17th. From 19th to 30th nine European Serins were found, including no less than four at Porthgwarra on 25th. Meanwhile yet another Black Guillemot arrived inshore, at Pentewan, whilst Common Rosefinch, Hawfinch and two tricky Marsh or eastern Reed Warblers were found in the far west. A Great White Egret at Argal on 22nd disappointed many would-be observers by moving quickly on, but a Pechora Pipit found at St. Levan on 23rd made many people very happy by remaining for four days. A Bonaparte's Gull was found in Bude on 24th, with another Pectoral Sandpiper at nearby Lower Tamar Lake, but from the opposite direction a Dusky Warbler settled in at Porthgwarra. A Red- backed Shrike was at under-watched on 25th and another Red-breasted Flycatcher at the same day. Attention switched to The Lizard on 26th with the discovery of a Little Bustard, which was to remain for four days. The Eurasian Spoonbill returned for another winter on the Lynher and a Long-eared Owl found shelter at Hayle Kimbro. On 28th an unfortunate Leach's Storm-petrel hit the deck well inland at . The 29th finally gave the county's ardent seawatchers a classic day. Depending on whether you were at St. Ives or Pendeen that morning, you could have seen up to 65 Leach's Storm-petrels, 11 Grey Phalaropes, 64 Great, eight Pomarine, 22 Arctic and two Long-tailed Skuas, six Sabine's Gulls, 16 Little Auks and a Black Guillemot. Meanwhile a bustard-twitcher at The Lizard found the county's first Isabelline Wheatear. Several local birders, having dismissed a pale Northern Wheatear, only realised with hindsight that they had gone to the wrong field! That same afternoon a final Barred Warbler was seen at nearby Church Cove, whilst Bude continued its good autumn with a Red-backed Shrike which was to remain until 11th November.

Like the previous month, most of November's weather came from the Atlantic. Things quietened down after the first week and a north-easterly breeze developed for a few days from 12th, but strong westerlies soon returned and, following a very mild start to the month, it became quite cold later on. Two late shrikes arrived, a Red-backed at Sennen on 1st and a young Woodchat near The Lizard village on 3rd. Four more European Serins flew over the Porthgwarra area from 4th to 13th with a late Common Rosefinch there on 8th. On 10th one diligent observer patiently counted massed Woodpigeons and Stock Doves moving over Sancreed and ended up with county records for both, involving 20,000 birds in all. Birds of prey included a Red Kite at Nanjizal on 11th, a late Osprey at Land's End on 15th and five Long-eared Owls, including four at Porthgwarra early morning on 16th. The last Wryneck of the year was at Cape Cornwall on 15th. Nine wild Barnacle Geese were at the same day. On the sea, high numbers of Black-throated Divers arrived during the month, along with an exceptional 30 Red-necked Grebes. The next week proved to be one of the most exciting of the year. On the same day that two Great Bitterns were found, a female Lesser Scaup at Drift on 17th was a county first and a Pied-billed Grebe found at Loe Pool on 19th was only the second. Following a late Hoopoe at Praa Sands on 21st and another Red Kite over Hawkstor on 22nd, a second Lesser Scaup was amazingly found, at Stithians. This was a drake and it brought rapid relief to those who had missed the Drift bird. A new American Wigeon was on the same reservoir. Meanwhile another new bird for the county, a Paddyfield Warbler, which had been trapped a week earlier, was rediscovered at Long Rock Pool. It was to remain there for five weeks, eventually revealing itself to most of those who remained patient. An impressive flock of 2500 Chaffinches and 400 Brambling at St. Clement on 30th brought a dramatic month to an end.

Paddyfield Warbler (Kester Wilson)

The weather in early December was unexceptional, with mainly light winds from north-west to north-east. From 20th high pressure to the north introduced a cold, dry easterly airstream. Temperatures dropped steadily and the last few days were very cold indeed, with severe frosts rendering the ground hard and causing local bodies of water to freeze over. The year's third American Golden Plover was found at Stithians on 1st. A Willow Warbler at St.Austell was the first authentic winter record, with the second being found at Helston on 12th. On 2nd the last Sabine's Gull of the year passed Pendeen and another Long-eared Owl was found at Lamanva. A flock containing about 100 Wood Larks on 7th moved rapidly on. Yet another Bonaparte's Gull was found at Sennen on 14th, this time an obviously sickly bird which allowed ridiculously close approach. It died on 25th. As the cold weather arrived, so did good numbers of wildfowl. The month's figures included a total of 115 Pintail, including 66 on the Lynher, 61 Northern Shoveler on Loe Pool and a record count of 73 Gadwall at the same site. Seventy-nine Brent Geese arrived and the Green- winged Teal returned to Loe Pool on 16th. Bude turned up another Rosy Starling on 21st and another wintering Lesser Whitethroat was found at St. Mawgan on 26th. The Paddyfield Warbler and an accompanying Sedge Warbler at Long Rock were last seen on 27th/28th. By now huge numbers of Snipe had arrived in the county and could be seen in the most unlikely places in their quest for unfrozen ground. Fieldfares and Redwings were also about in high numbers and four more Great Bitterns were found as it grew steadily colder. Ten Velvet Scoter were on the sea. A finch flock at Marshgate held 450 Greenfinches and 700 Goldfinches. On New Year's Eve 15 Tundra Swans were on the Lynher, with two on the Camel Estuary, and 12 Whoopers at Maer Lake. Another Pied-billed Grebe was found at Hayle and some 25 Wood Larks were clinging on. By now many of the dabbling duck had moved on but 12 Goosanders on Loe Pool and Smew at Stithians and near Bude were the forerunners of a very exciting influx of sawbills. But more of that next year Andy Pay

9 EDITORIAL Acknowledgements:

To Mashuq Ahmad, Chris Bourne, Dave Conway, Greg Conway, Stuart Jack, Mike Lord, Andy Pay, Steve Rogers, John Ryan, Matt Southam, Graham Sutton for their invaluable assistance with the writing and production of this report. To Dick Burn, Greg Conway, Francis Couch, Brian Craven, Roger Henry, Stuart Jack, Sara McMahon, Steve Rogers and John Ryan for entering the 55,000 records received during the year. To Dave Conway for WeBS count data. To Steve Madge for providing details of CFNHC records. To Francis Couch for providing details of NCNHC records. To Keith Grant and Mike Langman for providing records from the DBWPS files. To Mashuq Ahmad, John Ryan and Graham Walbridge for providing details of sightings reported to Birding South West. To David Chapman, Steve Kolodziejski, Adrian Langdon, Graham Sutton and Peter Walsh for photographs. To Chris Button, Dave Flumm, Ren Hathway, Richard Thewlis and Kester Wilson for line drawings. To Greg Conway, Dave Flumm, Roger Lane, Derek Lord, John Martin, Sara Money and Andy Pay for articles. To the county records panel, consisting of Greg Conway, Steve Madge, Andy Pay, Steve Rogers, John Ryan, Graham Sutton and Vic Tucker, for their assistance with the assessment of county rarities and contentious records.

SUBMISSION OF RECORDS All records, including descriptions, for 1997 should be submitted by the 31st January 1998 to guarantee inclusion in 'Birds in Cornwall 1997'.

IMPORTANT: Records should be submitted periodically throughout the year by all observers, ideally at monthly intervals. This will help spread the immense work load and facilitate the early production of the Annual Report.

Ideally records should follow diary order (i.e. species seen at a site on a particular day); records in species or site order are equally acceptable. Details to include in your records Please make sure that your name, address and year to which the records refer are clearly stated on the first page.

To be of greatest value, your records should contain as much of the following information as possible, if relevant:- Species - English name (new or old). Date - 5.10, 5/10 or 5 Oct are all acceptable. Location - as accurate as possible, using names appearing on the current 1:50,000 Ordnance Survey maps, if possible, and including a grid reference for less well-known sites. Number - individuals, pairs, singing males, etc. Age - adult, juvenile, first winter, immature, female/imm., etc. Sex - male or female Direction N, S, E, W, NW, NE, SW and SE (for flying birds).

10 Records can now be received in a specific computerised format which must be generated from a database or spreadsheet, in a comma delimited format. Records should consist of the following fields: Site, Species, Arrival Date, Departure Date, Number of birds, Age, Number for age class, Sex, Number for each sex, Direction, Number for each direction, Notes. Please feel free to contact the county recorder for advice regarding computerised records.

Which records are required? All records are worth sending in but those for the categories listed below are particularly useful:- • First and last dates for summer migrants • All breeding records for common and rare species • Scarce and rare species • Counts of migrants and other large concentrations/roosts (eg. finches, wildfowl, gulls, thrushes, waders, seabirds, etc.) • Breeding colonies (eg seabirds, hirundines, etc.)

RARITIES County rarities All county rarities are given below in the County Rarities List. Species in Group 1 require a full description, from all observers, whereas those in Group 2 only require a description if requested. Descriptions should follow the criteria given below and be supported by original notes taken in the field. National Rarities Descriptions of national rarities should be sent to the County Recorder, who will then forward them to the British Birds Rarities Committee (BBRC) for appraisal. These descriptions should follow the criteria listed below or can be submitted on special BBRC forms, available from the County Recorder or Secretary BBRC, Mr M. J. Rogers, 2 Churchtown Cottages, Towednack, St. Ives, Cornwall TR26 3AZ. Please enclose copies of field notes and photographs where possible as these are most helpful.

Criteria for county and national rarity descriptions Note: All descriptions, no matter how brief, are of great value so do not be put off by the list below. This list is for guidance to show the type of information which may be useful to include in a description. Always include as much detail as possible, even the most trivial or obvious features should be noted as these are often invaluable when it comes to assessing records. Try to make notes and sketches in the field, or at least before you refer to any text books.

Information to be included in a description: • Species • Previous experience of the species • Location • Experience of similar species • Date(s) (first and last if known) • Weather conditions • Time(s) • A brief summary of how the bird • Number was found and/or identified • Age and Sex • Full details of plumage and bare parts • The finder and/or identifier • Calls • Duration of observation • Distinctive behaviour (while feeding, • Distance from bird(s) flying, etc.) • Optical aids used • Any other distinctive features • Species nearby for comparison

11 COUNTY RARITIES LIST Group A - Species requiring a full description

Cory's Shearwater Kentish Plover Yellow Wagtail - races except Great Shearwater Temminck's Stint flavissima Purple Heron Pectoral Sandpiper Rufous Nightingale White Stork Buff-breasted Sandpiper Bluethroat Bean Goose Red-necked Phalarope Savi's Warbler Pink-footed Goose Long-tailed Skua Aquatic Warbler Snow Goose Sabine's Gull Marsh Warbler 'Green-winged Teal' Ring-billed Gull Icterine Warbler Ring-necked Duck Yellow-legged Gull Melodious Warbler Ferruginous Duck Roseate Tern Barred Warbler Surf Scoter Rose-ringed Parakeet Pallas's Leaf Warbler European Honey Buzzard Long-eared Owl Red-breasted Flycatcher Montagu's Harrier European Bee-eater Woodchat Shrike Northern Goshawk Short-toed Lark European Serin Rough-legged Buzzard Horned Lark Twite Corn Crake Richard's Pipit Common Rosefinch Common Crane Tawny Pipit Little Bunting Stone-curlew 'Scandinavian' Rock Pipit Ortolan Bunting

Group B - Species not requiring a description, unless requested.

Red-necked Grebe Marsh Harrier Bohemian Waxwing Black-necked Grebe Osprey Cetti's Warbler Leach's Storm-petrel Hobby Yellow-browed Warbler Great Bittern Spotted Crake Bearded Tit Tundra Swan Little Ringed Plover Willow Tit Whooper Swan Dotterel Golden Oriole White-fronted Goose Pomarine Skua Red-backed Shrike Greylag Goose Iceland Gull Great Grey Shrike Ruddy Shelduck Glaucous Gull Red-billed Chough Garganey Arctic Tern 'Hooded Crow' Red-crested Pochard Black Guillemot Tree Sparrow Greater Scaup Little Auk Hawfinch Velvet Scoter Hoopoe Lapland Longspur Smew Wryneck Cirl Bunting Ruddy Duck Wood Lark - Plus any uncommon races Red Kite Water Pipit

In addition, the Recorder may at any time request full details of an unusual occurrence.

Greg Conway

WILDFOWL and WADER COUNTS The organising and collating of these important counts is the responsibility of D. A. Conway, Tregenna, Cooksland, Bodmin, PL31 2AR. Volunteer counters are always required and anyone interested is asked to contact Dave at the address above.

12 SYSTEMATIC LIST FOR 1996 Species are listed in the order shown in ' The British Birds List of Western Palearctic Birds' published in 1997 and obtainable from British Birds, Fountains, Blunham, Bedford MK44 3NJ, priced £2 post free.

The annual report has adopted the new species names used in the above list.

In most cases species sightings are placed in date order, i.e. localities with January records listed first and December records last. This is aimed at facilitating the extraction of data from reports.

The table or graph headed 'Approximate monthly county total' illustrates the maximum possible number of birds present in the county during each month. Mobility of individual birds is taken into account and this should help explain any anomaly between this table and the next section.

The 'Regular reports and maximum numbers' table gives maximum counts for selected sites for each month.

For many species, a complete review of historical data has been undertaken and from these the 'Monthly breakdown' and 'Top sites' have been calculated. Wherever possible due regard has been given to rare birds wandering from site to site but with several species, particularly seabirds, this is not possible.

Abbreviations used within the report include the following :

Est. - Estuary Res. - Reservoir CP - Country Park juv. - juvenile imm. - immature incl. - including tetrad - 2km x 2km grid square BBRC - British Birds Rarities Committee RSPB - Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

The symbol ' - ' in various tables indicates that either no birds were present or that no count was received for that particular period.

Please note the following name definitions : Porthgwarra includes the area south of the line drawn from Cam Les Boel to St. Levan. Mount's Bay refers only to the part of the bay between Mousehole and Marazion. St. Austell Bay includes Par Bay. Pentire Point refers to the headland north of Polzeath.

References Penhallurick, R.D., The Birds of the Cornish Coast, Truro, 1969. Penhallurick, R.D., The Birds of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Penzance, 1978. Cornwall and Preservation Society Reports 1931-1995. Field and Natural History Club Report 1996. British Birds Vol. 90, No. 11. Birding World Vol. 9.

13 RED-THROATED DIVER - Gavia stellata Uncommon winter visitor. Passage migrant. Thinly distributed along the entire coastline, but large concentrations of spring migrants regularly occur, albeit briefly, along the north coast off headlands between and Port Isaac, and more recently off the south coast at Seaton. The January total was rather modest but an early influx of spring migrants in the first half of February produced one of the highest totals for that month. As usual the majority of birds were concentrated in the vicinities of Seaton and Harlyn Bay, but by early March both sites had been all but forsaken. The last of the spring was seen flying over Madron May 28th. The first for the autumn was a very early bird off St. Ives Island Aug 8th, the first August record since 1986. Thereafter numbers were relatively low but higher than in recent years, with the December total being the largest for well over 20 years. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 38 117 36 15 3 - - 1 1 6 13 48 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Rame Head* 5 38 14 2 1 - - - 1 - 6 14 Seaton 5 28 1 ------2 Hannafore Point 3 3 3 ------2 St. Austell Bay 1 1 3 ------2 1 Newquay Bay 2 7 8 ------1 1 Trevose/Harlyn 8 37 1 ------10 Bude Bay - 6 1 - - - 1 - 3 1 6 * these figures involve a degree of duplication with birds moving back and forth between feeding areas and those at Seaton; the monthly totals take into account these apparent double counts. Apart from three off Pentire Point Apr 5th no other site held more than two birds. Inland: two Drift Res. Jan 17th, one there Feb 23rd-Apr 10th and another Mar 29th-Apr 7th (oiled, found dead on last date); one in Upper Valley Jan 28th flew toward Colliford Res.; one College Res. Apr 4th; an oiled individual at St. Erth Pools Apr 5th-9th; and one flew low over the town at Madron May 28th.

BLACK-THROATED DIVER - Gavia arctica Winter visitor. Passage migrant. Chiefly a bird of the more sheltered south coast with large gatherings regularly occurring between Dodman Point and Falmouth Bay. Veryan/Gerran's Bay regularly holds five percent of the UK wintering population. Reasonable numbers o ccasionally occur in St. Austell Bay, Mount's Bay and St. Ives Bay. Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Rame Head 4 5 4 3 5 - - - - - 3 1 Seaton/Downderry - 4 - 9 9 ------St. Austell Bay 1 - 1 - - 3 - - 5 2 6 1 Vault Beach - 10 14 ------3 Gerran's Bay 3 15 37 - - 6 - - - - 15 6 Very an Bay 13 14 26 ------26 45 Carrick Roads 1 ------1 Falmouth Bay 57 1 2 ------3 1 Loe Bar 1 - 11 2 ------2 St. Ives/Carbis Bay 2 15 1 ------1 - 7 Elsewhere: 11 at Apr 6th-9th was the only count exceeding three individuals.

14 In the first winter period numbers were around average. As in 1995, severe January storms agaii concentrated birds in Falmouth Bay, where 57 sheltered Jan 12th, having been almost certainly displaced from Gerrans/Veryan Bay. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 96 76 87 27 15 9 - - 5 7 59 66 The last for the spring were six in Gerran's Bay Jun 29th and three in St. Austell Bay Jun 30th. The first for the autumn were two in St. Austell Bay Sep 29th, increasing to five the following day. Numbers in the second winter period were around average, but the November total is very high, reflecting the early return of birds at regular wintering sites.

GREAT NORTHERN DIVER - Gavia immer Winter visitor. Passage migrant. Although the most widespread of the diver species, most birds tend to be solitary and rarely form more than small "rafts", unlike the more gregarious Red and Black-throated Divers. Concerted survey work has further confirmed the significance of the stretch of coast from St. Austell Bay to the Helford River, within which internationally important numbers (>50) have been located, though thinly distributed. Both St. Ives Bay and Mount's Bay hold good wintering populations. In the first winter period numbers were again high, comparing favourably with the previous year. Substantial counts were made around St. Ives and Seaton in January, no doubt concentrated by the severe storms. Spring passage was again very evident Apr 26th-Jun 6th, involving 44 birds, all but four occurring during May. Late singles were noted off Rame Head Jun 1st and in Mount's Bay Jun 5th. The first of the autumn were noted at Hannafore Point and Pentewan Sep 29th with a single off Pendeen the following day. Passage was very evident through October into mid-November. The totals for the second winter period were well above the norm. Some very interesting behaviour regarding roosting during the autumn was noted by RL in St. Austell Bay. On Oct 29th a group of 12, including a juvenile, gathered at dusk off Porthpean. Thereafter the roosting flock increased, peaking at 21 on Nov 18th, with 20 there on the 28th, but decreasing to 14 by the 30th. Any cohesive gatherings in double figures are exceptional outside the migration period. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 110 94 71 34 41 2 - - 3 36 88 89 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Rame Head 3 12 7 3 16 1 _ 5 13 Seaton/Downderry 14 8 4 12 5 _ 3 - Looe 6 7 2 - 3 1 2 4 3 St. Austell Bay 9 2 2 - - 12 21 14 Mevagissey Bay - - 1 - - 1 1 4 10 Very an Bay 2 3 2 - - _ 12 10 Gerrans Bay 5 1 3 - - _ 10 6 Carrick Roads 6 8 2 - - - 1 4 Falmouth Bay 2 - 3 3 - 1 - 1 Helford River 4 4 2 - - - 3 7 Loe Bar 1 1 12 - - - 3 1 Mount's Bay 9 5 8 4 2 1 _ 4 7 Hayle Est. 7 8 4 3 1 _ 1 - St. Ives/Carbis Bay 17 8 5 - - 1 1 10 Newquay 2 5 '- - - 1 4 - Camel Est. 4 3 4 - - _ 1 - The only other counts exceeding three were: five Cudden Point May 27th & St. Ives Island Oct 29th and four Sennen Cove Jan 14th. Inland there were singles at Argal Res. Jan 26th, Crows-an-Wra Oct 6th, Park Head flying west and Predannack both Nov 9th.

15 PIED-BILLED GREBE - Podilymbus podiceps Rare vagrant. Loe Pool: 1st winter Nov 19th-Dec 14th, reported dead on last date ARP et al. On Dec 10th it was found floundering, having become entangled in grass stems. It was easily freed, appearing no worse for its ordeal NJP et al. Hayle Harbour: 1st winter Dec 31st into 1997 LPW et al. The second and third county mainland records. The first occurred at Argal Res. in 1992, later residing at Stithians Res. until 1995.

LITTLE GREBE -Tachybaptus ruficollis Scarce resident. Occasionally breeds. Passage migrant. Winter visitor. In both winter periods numbers were again well above average, with totals for January and December being the highest for many years. Breeding was proven at Stithians Res. (two pairs raised two & four young) and Tehidy CP (one pair fledged two young from three attempts). Pairs were also noted during the summer at Caerhays, Swanpool and Loe Pool, and a single at Millbrook Pond. Other reports of family parties (Aug 31st), involved a pair with a juvenile at Tregantle and an adult with four apparent first years at Rosemelling Pool, both indicating the possibility of local breeding. The numerous breeding season reports were quite surprising given the low water levels at most sites in the county. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 145 121 86 10 6 13 19 52 61 76 140 158 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec St. John's Lake 8 10 4 - - - - 1 - 4 7 9 Millbrook 9 6 5 1 1 1 1 1 - 6 8 9 Lynher Est. 4 5 2 ------2 7 4 Siblyback Res. 2 1 2 - - - - - 3 4 3 2 Looe Est. 4 - 1 - 2 - 1 1 - 1 2 4 Tresillian 11 10 10 - - - 1 4 7 10 10 12 Pendarves 5 5 2 - - - 1 3 3 - - - Swanpool 13 16 10 - - 2 1 3 6 5 9 18 Argal Res. 3 4 2 - 1 - - 3 2 2 9 7 Stithians Res. 4 - - - - 6 6 6 17 12 8 6 Helford River 14 17 9 - - - - - 2 4 15 20 Loe Pool 3 3 - 1 - 2 3 13 16 6 4 3 Drift Res. 6 4 3 2 - - 1 1 - 6 14 9 Hayle Est. 22 14 12 1 - - - - - 5 14 17 Harlyn Pools 3 3 1 ------3 1 Camel Est. 9 10 7 2 - - - - 1 2 2 1 1 Elsewhere counts exceeding three were: five Penryn River Jan 15th, seven Caerhays Mar 10th.

GREAT CRESTED GREBE - Podiceps cristatus Rare resident. Breeds. Scarce passage migrant and winter visitor. Bred successfully at Lower Tamar Lake in 1930 but no further attempts were made until 1985. Summary of recent breeding records (with comparative data for 1989-1995): figures represent young raised; n = nest unsuccessful; p = present but not known to have bred. 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 Upper Tamar Lake 2 - - P - - 1 1 Lower Tamar Lake P P 2 2 2 3 1 1 Crowdy Res. 1 n 1 2 P 3 - 2 Colliford Res. P 2 n P 1 P - - Stithians Res. P - - P - - - Single pairs bred at Crowdy Res. and Upper Tamar Lake. A pair summered at Colliford Res., with singles at the other two sites. Low summer water levels at the main breeding sites proved far from conducive for successful breeding. At Lower Tamar Lake they were forced to relocate on the Upper Lake.

16 A relatively large number of records in late summer may reflect a higher number of failed breeders. Numbers in both winter periods were well above average but the December total was exceptional, due to a substantial influx which continued into early 1997. The count of 19 on the Lynher Est. Oct 12th appears to be a new county record! Approximate monthly totals 1996 (away from breeding sites): Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 31 38 31 16 4 2 4 7 12 22 20 68 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 7 7 6 1 - - - 2 3 - 4 10 St. John's Lake 5 4 1 - - - - - 1 1 2 11 Lynher Est. 8 12 11 11 2 2 4 4 7 19 13 16 Colliford Res. - - 1 1 5 3 1 - - - 3 - Crowdy Res. - - - - 2 3 1 3 2 - - - St. Austell Bay 2 4 1 1 ------1 11 Carrick Roads 1 1 2 ------4 Camel Est. 2 4 1 ------Tamar Lakes - - 7 8 2 - - 7 2 1 - -

RED-NECKED GREBE - Podiceps grisegena Scarce winter visitor and passage migrant. The majority winter on the south coast between St. Austell Bay and the Helford River but birds are also regularly encountered at north coast sites such at St. Ives Bay, Hayle Est. and Camel Est. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 18 19 23 11 1 - - - 2 3 30 15 Only four birds overwintered from 1995, but numbers in both winter periods were well above average, particularly the exceptional November total. Spring passage was again very good but differed from the norm with more than usual in April, and even a bird lingering throughout May (2nd-28th); this is the latest departure since 1988 when a bird remained in St. Austell Bay until Jun 18th. Hannafore Point: singles from 1995-Jan 6th, Mar 23rd-Apr 7th, May 2nd-28th, two Nov lOth-Dec 6th, but four Nov 19th and one Dec 7th-15th RMB,DCg,RS,EJW et al. Carnsew Pool/Hayle Est.: two from 1995-Feb 24th, one to Mar 2nd DSF,NJP,LPW et al. Cawsand Bay: singles Jan 2nd and Feb 17th RMB,SMC. Falmouth Bay: singles Jan 5th-Feb 4th & Mar 27th-Apr 2nd, five Apr 4th CLB,RCJ et al. Carbis/St. Ives Bay: one Jan 7th-Feb 8th but two Jan 1 lth-19th, one Mar 16th-17th, three Oct 14th, followed by singles Oct 28th & Nov 28th into 1997 SMC,AHs,NJP,VAS et al. Gerran's Bay: three Jan 10th, one Jan 12th-Mar 10th, five Nov 14th, two Dec 27th GJC,RL,PJMcV. Mousehole: one Jan 15th JL. Helford River: two Jan 16th, one Jan 17th & Feb 22nd, two Dec 17th into 1997 BC,CCW. Mount's Bay: one Jan 18th-Mar 9th, five Apr 7th FHHJHH,CCW et al. Lynher Est.: singles Jan 29th, Feb 29th, Nov 17th, Dec 14th AB,TSH,GDL,MST. Tamar Est.: one Jan 31st-Feb 14th PJR et al. Harlyn Bay: one Feb 3rd GJC. Sennen Cove: one Feb 9th, juv. Sep 25th-30th TG,RAJ,ICW et al. Carrick Roads: one Feb 10th PAM. Veryan Bay: two Feb 17th, one Feb 20th, seven Mar 10th, two Nov 9th, 14 Nov 14th, five Dec 12th, three Dec 27th MKA,CLBo,GJC,RL et al. Penryn River: one Feb 21 st CLB. Kennack Sands: one Feb 21st-Mar 2nd MA,RCJ,ARP. Stithians Res.: one Feb 23rd SK. : one Feb 24th NJP. Downderry: singles Mar 3rd, 28th & Apr 2nd but three Mar 4th SCM. Mevagissey Bay: two Mar 10th, one Sep 29th-30th GJC,RL. Vault Bay: one Mar 10th GJC.

17 Camel Est.: one Mar 29th DLJ. Drift Res.: juv. Oct 15th-20th & one Nov 23rd GH,GRW,MW et al. St. Austell Bay: singles Oct 17th-20th & Nov 7th-14th, three Nov 17th, two Nov 23rd, one Dec 4th 5th RL. Rame Head: two flew east Dec 27th EJW. 1995 Additions St. Austell Bay: singles Feb 12th and Nov 16th SMC. 1989 Correction Mevagissey: one Sep 12th (not 2nd).

SLAVONIAN GREBE - Podiceps auritus Uncommon passage migrant and winter visitor. Largest parties occur along the south coast between St. Austell Bay and the Helford River with small numbers regularly frequenting north coast sites such as St. Ives Bay, Hayle Est. and Camel Est. This species has become somewhat less numerous in recent years. January saw a considerable influx, more than doubling the total present at the end of 1995. Numbers continued to increase during February, eventually peaking in March, no doubt due to the arrival of returning spring migrants. This has given one of the highest March totals on record. The last bird of the spring was at Hannafore Point Apr 23rd and the first bird of the autumn was on the sea off Pendeen Watch Oct 15th, followed by an early returning bird at Hannafore Point Oct 27th. In the second winter period numbers were also well above average, particularly in December. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 45 55 70 11 - - - - - 2 31 57 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec St. John's Lake - 5 ------1 3 Lynher Est. 5 4 7 ------1 3 Seaton - 3 9 5 - - - - - 2 10 Looe 5 3 7 1 - - - - 1 3 4 St. Austell Bay 1 - 1 ------9 2 Gerrans Bay 4 - 12 ------3 12 Carrick Roads 2 5 2 ------1 4 Falmouth Bay 1 2 3 ------1 2 Helford River 4 6 11 ------2 1 Mount's Bay 3 3 2 5 - - - - - 2 5 St. Ives/Carbis Bay 3 2 ------2 Camel Est. 10 12 11 ------2 4 Elsewhere: singles Hayle Est. Jan lst-Mar 27th (two Feb 8th-Mar 24th), Sennen Cove Jan 6th-Feb 2nd, Fowey Feb 2nd, Porthoustock Feb 11th, Cawsand Bay Feb 17th-18th and two Nov 23rd, Tamar Est. Mar 31st, Pendeen Watch Oct 15th and Bude Breakwater Dec 21st-31st; two Rame Head Mar 1st and three Polhawn Cove Dec 28th. Inland singles were at Lower Tamar Lake Feb 27th-Mar 10th and Drift Res. Nov 28th-Dec 5th.

BLACK-NECKED GREBE - Podiceps nigricollis Scarce passage migrant and winter visitor. The rarest of the regular grebes in Cornwall, occurring, like the others, mainly off the south coast between St. Austell Bay and Falmouth. More likely to be encountered on freshwater sites than the Slavonian Grebe. In recent winters numbers have increased almost annually, particularly on the Carrick Roads, reflecting a doubling of the UK breeding population over the last two decades. See article on page 169. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 41 26 13 4 - - - 1 - 1 4 33

18 Carrick Roads: The flock from 1995 overwintered with 25 present Jan 11th but reducing to 20 Jan 15th, and 16 Feb 26th being the last noted. The first returning birds were ten Dec 7th, increasing to 13 Dec 26th and then 25 Dec 27th, which remained into 1997 SMC,DE,PAM et al. St. Johns Lake/Torpoint/Millbrook: one remained from 1995, increasing to two Jan 19th-20th with three Jan 27th, thereafter one remained until Mar 8th. In the second winter period one returned Dec 14th with three Dec 15th which all remained into 1997 RMB,SCM,EJW et al. Lynher Est.: three remained from 1995, increasing to six Feb 28th-Mar 10th, but then decreasing to three Mar 16th and finally two Mar 31st AB,SCM,REH et al. During the first winter period there was some interchange between St. Johns Lake and the Lynher Est.; nevertheless at least seven birds were involved. Swanpool: one very confiding individual Jan lOth-Mar 19th CLB,RCJ et al. Drift Res.: singles Jan 2nd & Oct 30th-Dec 1st DSF,GH et al. Carnsew Pool: one Jan 1 lth-Feb 25th, also frequenting Hayle Estuary SK,LPW et al. St. Mawes: two Jan 12th PAE Falmouth Bay: two Jan 15th, one Apr 5th SMC,TSH,MST. Mount's Bay: two Jan 25th, one Mar 8th & Apr 5th-6th, Dec 15th RJB,GJC,TSH,CCW et al. Carbis/St. Ives Bay: two Jan 26th, one Jan 28th & Dec 16th DJB,DSF,VAS. Helford River: one Jan 27th, probably overwintered & two Mar 9th LAHS. Camel Est.: one Jan 29th-Feb 20th & Mar 17th JJS,REW. Falmouth: one Feb 21st-23rd & three Dec 1st RCJ. Restronguet Creek: one Feb 24th SK. Tamar Est.: one off Landulph Mar 2nd-31st RMB,PE,AJM. Loe Pool: one in breeding plumage Apr 5th-19th GJ,RK,RLr. Newquay Bay: one Apr 7th-10th SMC. Colliford Res.: one near the dam Aug 28th PAM. Siblyback Res.: one Nov 16th-Dec 24th RMB,MPF,PJR et al. Hannafore Point: one Nov 17th SAP,AJP. St. Austell Bay: one Nov 22nd-26th RL. Penryn River: one Dec 5th-27th CLB. A total of 54 individuals surpasses the high of last year, becoming the largest documented annual total since 1948; this takes the county mainland total to c.685 since 1930. 1995 Additions Stithians Res.: two Jan 30th & one Feb 5th SMC. Colliford Res.: one Mar 4th SMC. Long Rock Pool: first noted Sep 30th SMC. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 189 116 55 23 2 - - 8 20 19 68 185 Top sites: Carrick Roads 285, Mount's Bay 74, Lynher Est. 37, St. Ives Bay 29 and Camel Est. 25.

NORTHERN FULMAR - Fulmarus glacialis Resident. Breeds. Most leave British waters to moult during September and October. Passage migrant. First bred in Cornwall in 1944 and has subsequently colonised the entire coastline. Breeding success is best assessed in July/August when adults vacate their ledges to moult, leaving well grown young in nests. Few significant movements were noted apart from Apr 18th at Towan Head and Aug 6th at Pendeen Watch. Peak counts: Rame Head: 1215 west and 748 east during the year (98 Mar 30th & 102 May 4th). Towan Head: 600 (0715-1015 hrs) Apr 18th, 175 at outfall May 19th & 300 Jun 30th. Hannafore Point: 96 west May 24th. Pendeen Watch: 1229 west Aug 6th-Nov 7th (697 Aug 6th, 204 Aug 11th & 206 Aug 12th). St. Ives Island: 1200 west per hour Aug 6th. Porthgwarra: 282 Aug 8th, 243 Aug 9th, 246 Aug 10th, 127 Aug 11th, 107 Aug 12th.

19 Inland: singles Holmbush Apr 3rd, May 29th & 31st, Summercourt Jul 7th (flew across A30), Probus Aug 8th (flew over Trewithan roundabout), Sancreed Aug 18th & Towednack Aug 22nd. Breeding records for 1996 from selected sites (with comparative data for 1990-1995); see summary of 1996 Seabird Survey for more details. Figures represent maximum numbers of pairs on ledges or young c = counted; p = present not counted. 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 Portholland 6c Swanpool lc 2c 2c 8 5 2 - Lamorna Cove lc lc - - - - - Godrevy/Derrick Cove 15c 45 102 71 76 - - Ralph's Cupboard P P 14 15 12 - - Western Cove 96 P 104 105 119 - - Kelsey Head 2c 4c 5c - - - - Pentire Point West 6c 7c 5c 2c 10c 5c 4c Blue phase birds were noted as follows: : one Jul 13th MJH. Towan Head: one May 26th & Jun 8th DAC,SMC.

CORY'S SHEARWATER - Calonectris diomedea Scarce passage migrant (mainly late July to early September) with occasional good years. Pre-1959 data is sketchy, although noted by Ryves (1948) as occurring around Wolf Rock. Since 1980 records have proven annual with regular reports from the main seawatching points in the west of the county. Porthgwarra: nine Jul 4th, seven Jul 14th, four Jul 30th, two Jul 31st, three Aug 4th & seven Aug 23rd DSF,JL,RLS,KAW et al. Pendeen Watch: three Aug 11th & four Aug 24, all west DCg,DSF,LL,PAM et al. A number of records have again been omitted through lack of documentation. Two were noted outside our recording area on the pelagic Aug 11th. The county mainland total advances to c.8517 since 1959. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - 1 2 2 6 1816 6580 103 3 2 2 Top sites: Porthgwarra 7970, Pendeen Watch 221, Scillonian III 100, Cape Cornwall 95.

GREAT SHEARWATER - Puffinus gravis Scarce passage migrant (mainly mid-August to late September) with occasional good years. Porthgwarra: singles west Jul 30th & Aug 23rd TDC,LHC,JHH,KAW. Pendeen Watch: singles west Aug 25th & Oct 4th SMC,PAM,JFR et al. St. Ives Island: one west Oct 3rd (flying very slowly, occasionally dropping onto the water) VAS. Other records were omitted due to a lack of documentation. Outside our recording area, one was seen on the Scillonian Pelagic Aug 11th. The county mainland total advances to c.4158 since 1930. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - - 2 - 2 81 538 3431 103 2 - Top sites: Porthgwarra 3032, MV Scillonian III 637, Pendeen Watch 263, St. Ives Island 116.

LARGE SHEARWATER sp. Porthgwarra: two west Aug 8th BSW.

20 SOOTY SHEARWATER - Puffinus griseus Passage migrant (mainly late June to mid-September). As in recent years passage was rather unexceptional with only one count over fifty. It has recently been reported that populations in some parts of the world have declined by up to 90%, apparently as a consequence of global warming.

Porthgwarra: 84 west May 20th-Oct 20th (one May 20th & 13 Aug 3rd). St. Ives Island: 47 west Jun 24th-Nov 7th (16 Oct 3rd) Rame Head: singles Jul 27th, Aug 10th & 26th, three Jul 31st & two Aug 2nd. Pendeen Watch: 151 west Aug 6th-Nov 7th (40 Aug 24th, 28 Aug 25th & 20 Sep 27th). Godrevy Point: three Aug 11th, one Aug 24th & two Aug 25th. Elsewhere: singles west Scillonian III Aug 4th & Oct 19th, Lamorna Cove Oct 10th, Rumps Point Oct 4th & Towan Head Nov 6th; 60 Land's End Sep 24th and two Mousehole Sep 29th. The May Porthgwarra bird is the first for that month since 1982. Top sites: St. Ives Island 6260, Pendeen Watch 5183, Porthgwarra 3394, Cape Cornwall 455, Newquay 342.

MANX SHEARWATER - Puffinus puffinus Passage migrant (mainly late March to October). Possibly breeds. Feeding parties off-shore in summer, presumably from breeding colonies on the islands off the coast of South . The last known mainland breeding colony, at Kellan Head, is believed to have become extinct in 1937. Subsequently numerous corpses have been recovered on a regular basis from north coast headlands where apparently suitable breeding habitat exists - riddled with rabbit burrows. The possibility of breeding occurring on mainland headlands and off-shore islands is worth further investigation. Records in the first winter period were restricted to three off Mousehole Jan 14th, one at Towan Head Feb 12th, five off Loe Bar Feb 26th and a single found dead at Porthpean Mar 2nd. Spring passage commenced with three flying west past Rame Head Apr 7th. Significant movements occurred between May 19th and Jun 24th. A number of rafts were reported during the summer, including 1000 between New Downs Head and Newquay on Jun 20th, described as "in large rafts along the whole stretch of coast"; 80 in a single flock off Newquay Jun 24th and 250 between Trevose Head and Newquay the same day. Night-time excursions to coastal headlands in July by CLBo,GJC,FMC,KAW et al. encountered birds coming ashore. These observations probably relate to wandering non-breeding birds in search of colonies, although if these birds are breeding actual proof would be very difficult to obtain. During mid- July small numbers were heard at Porthgwarra on at least three nights. At Rumps Point (Jul 20th/21st) 20+ birds were calling around the headland. A number of them appeared to be landing on the ground; two were caught and ringed. One at Cot Valley on Jul 17th actually flew inland up the valley. Autumn passage was reasonable with heavy movements noted on five dates between Jun 30th and Oct 4th with the majority noted on Aug 6th and 25th, and ended with a small movement on Nov 7th. Regular reports & maximum numbers: Pendeen Watch: 8291 west (May 21st-Nov 7th) with max. of 2500 Jul 1st, 2010Aug 25th & 1000 Oct 4th. Godrevy Point: 1000 west in two hours Jul 9th. Rame Head: 820 west and 55 east (Apr 7th-Aug 26th) with max. of 326 May 24th.

21 Porthgwarra: 3603 west (Apr lOth-Oct 20th) with max. of 1500 Jul 1st. Rumps Point: 1200 per hour May 25th, c. 3000 per hour Jun 30th. Stepper Point: 1000 per hour Jun 9th. St. Ives: 41,688+ west (Apr 1 lth-Nov 7th) with max. of 1200 May 31st, 3000 Jun 1st, 28,800 Jun 24th, 4000 per hour Jun 30th & 2400 per hour Aug 6th.

BALEARIC SHEARWATER - Puffinus yelkouan Uncommon passage migrant (mainly late July to late October).

Figure 2: Balearic Shearwater approximate monthly totals 1996

Porthgwarra: 348 west (Jan 7th-Oct 19th) with max. of four Jan 7th, 123 Aug 10th, 40 Aug 23rd. Pendeen Watch: 246 west (May 21st-Nov 17th) with max. of 17 Aug 6th, 20 Aug 11th, 49 Aug 24th, 24 Aug 25th, 15 Sep 27th, 40 Oct 4th, 12 Oct 5th & 14 Oct 15th. Lizard Point: one May 25th, ten Aug 8th, three Aug 9th, three Sep 26th & two Oct 13th. St. Ives Island: 175 west (Jun 24th-Nov 7th) with max. of 23 Aug 6th, 50 Oct 4th, 24 Oct 5th & 34 Oct 6th. Rame Head: 26 (Jul 20th-Sep 28th) with max. of nine Aug 10th. Downderry: singles Jul 15th, Aug 2nd & 3rd, two Aug 1st & Sep 28th. Towan Head: two Aug 6th, 11 Aug 24th, one Oct 3rd, two Oct 4th & four Nov 6th. Elsewhere: Penberth one Jul 20th, Scillonian III one Aug 3rd, off Loe Bar three Aug 8th, Pentire Point one Aug 8th, Clodgy Point two Aug 12th, Treveal one Sep 29th, singles Sep 29th & Oct 12th, Rumps point six Oct 4th, Killigerran Head seven Oct 12th and Land's End one Oct 28th. The annual total, involving at least 862 individuals, is the second highest ever; only exceeded by 1263 in 1961. The county mainland total advances to c.6591 since 1956, prior to which data is incomplete. The totals at Porthgwarra and Pendeen Watch surpass all previous records for these sites. Top sites: St. Ives Island 2807, Porthgwarra 1684, Lizard 597, Pendeen Watch 821.

EUROPEAN STORM-PETREL - Hydrobates pelagicus Uncommon passage migrant (mainly mid-May to mid-September). Small feeding parties in summer months (mainly north coast). Breeding was last proven in 1968, but may occur undetected on islands off the north coast. Exceptionally rare inland. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - - - 1017 26 444 1673 27 17 1 - Towan Head: 483 west May 19th-Aug 6th with max. of 157 May 25th, 134 May 26th & 120 Aug 6th. Porthgwarra: 419 west May 20th-Aug 28th with max. of 114 & 89 (tape-lured and ringed) Jul 14th/15th & Jul 15th/16th, 20 Aug 9th & 30 Aug 10th. Downderry: three May 22nd, 30 May 23rd, one May 24th, two May 25th, one Jul 1st & 3rd, & two Jul 7th. Seaton: 7 May 22nd. Mousehole: 54 May 22nd & 56 May 23rd. Rame Head: 29 May 24th, two May 26th, two May 27th, one Jun 11th, 20 Sep 29th. Lamorna Cove: two May 24th, singles May 26th, 27th & Jun 11th. Church Cove, Lizard: 47 feeding around sewer outfall May 24th.

22 Hannafore Point: 166+ west & 200 between Looe and Rame May 24th, 6 May 25th, 246+ west May 26th & one May 27th. Bass Point: singles May 24th & 25th. St. Ives Island: 1038 west Jun 24th-Oct 31st with max. of 1000 Aug 6th. Park Head: one c. 3km off shore Jun 24th. Pendeen Watch: 1379 west Jul lst-Oct 19th with max. of 1300+ Aug 6th, 42 Aug 19th, one Aug 20th &12 Oct 29th. Cot Valley: 88 trapped and ringed Jul 17th. Rumps Point: 59 trapped and ringed Jul 20th/21st, one Aug 6th. St. Agnes Head: 18 Aug 6th. Scillonian III: 55 Aug 7th & 30 Aug 23rd. Mevagissey Bay: one Aug 8th. Newland: one Sep 6th. Regarding the birds off Downderry (May 23rd), SCM comments "possibly up to fifty were involved, giving the impression of a definite circular feeding movement out in the bay rather than steady passage". A most unusual occurrence involved an individual caught by MT in a moth trap at Church Cove, Lizard Nov 8th, which is also the latest record since 1989. 1995 Addition Towan Head: 145 west in two hours May 29th.

Leach's Storm-petrel (Ren Hathway)

LEACH'S STORM-PETREL - Oceanodroma leucorhoa Scarce passage migrant (mainly early September to late October and generally a little later than European Storm-Petrel). Rare inland. Carrick Roads: one Jan 8th BSW. Hannafore Point: two west Jan 12th & one Jan 13th GDL,EJW. Mousehole/Newlyn: ten Jan 13th, 34 Jan 14th & six Jan 15th PAF,SJ,JFR,NWk et al. Loe Bar: a maximum of eight in mid-January GJ. Clodgy Point: one Oct 2nd BSW. Pendeen Watch: two Oct 4th & 32 Oct 29th GJC,DSF,JPM et al. St. Ives Island: one Oct 4th, eight Oct 5th, 65 Oct 29th, one Oct 31st JHH,PAM,NJP,VAS et al. Porthgwarra: singles Oct 6th & Dec 3rd JL,BKM. Lizard: one Oct 27th BSW. Sennen Cove: one Oct 28th TG. Land's End: one Oct 28th KAW. Camelford: one wrecked Oct 28th AJB,SJB. Towan Head: one Oct 31st & Nov 7th, three Nov 29th, one Dec 1st & two Dec 3rd SMC,TMC,TSH,MST. The annual total of 186 involves a certain amount of duplication but is the third largest county total ever, surpassed only in 1952 and 1974; the most recent large 'wreck' occurred in 1989 involving c.154

23 birds. The January 'wreck' involving a minimum of 62 birds is exceptional as there are only three previous records for this month. All previous winter wrecks have occurred in December. The Camelford bird is only the ninth inland record, and the first since the 1989. 1995 Addition Porthgwarra: one Oct 24th SMC. The county mainland total advances to c.2320. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 65 - 1 3 2 4 - 27 1179 660 219 159 Top sites: St. Ives Island 1550, Newquay 254, Pendeen Watch 172, Godrevy 63, Bude 48.

STORM-PETREL sp. Pendeen Watch: one west Aug 20th (possibly Leach's). Porthgwarra: one west Oct 20th.

NORTHERN GANNET - Morus bassanus Passage migrant throughout the year. Bred on Gulland Island, until 1478 but the nearest current colony is on Grassholm Island, Pembrokeshire. Regular reports & maximum numbers: Pendeen Watch: 14,762 west on 14 dates with max. of 1000 Jul 1st, 1500 Oct 4th, 2732 Oct 15th, 1016 Oct 16th, 3700 Nov 4th, 1880 in two hours Nov 15th & 1900 in two hours Nov 7th. Rame Head: 5063 counted on 26 dates between Mar 1st and Aug 4th. Pentire Point: 150 per hour May 27th. St. Ives Island: 1000 Oct 4th, 200 per hour Nov 7th, Porthgwarra: 800 Jul 29th Towan Head: 180 per hour Nov 6th Virtually all the large movements occurred between Oct 15th and Nov 7th. The majority were logged from Pendeen Watch.

GREAT CORMORANT - Phalacrocorax carbo Widespread resident. Breeds in low numbers on all coasts. Occurs inland on all reservoirs and most other freshwater localities from time to time. Surprisingly little information was gathered for this species considering the effort put into the summer seabird survey. Breeding reports for regular sites (with comparative data for 1990-1995); figures represent number of pairs, b = bred, p = present but no evidence of successful breeding. 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 Looe Island 30 40+ 35 11 P 15 b Mullion Island b 50 b b b 29+ b Hell's Mouth 8 7 7 5 8 6 6 The Mouls P 10 20 7 P P 6 Additional breeding records were received from the following sites: Pentargon (six nests), Gull Rock, Boscastle (seven nests), Merope Rocks (two pairs), Park Head (one nest), Penally Hill (one nest) and Port Isaac to Dannonchapel (five pairs). Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 180 192 173 96 92 L05 1 14 172 234 203 255 236 Regular reports & maximum numbers (away from breeding sites): Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 54 54 50 34 29 40 28 41 63 40 63 68 Lynher Est. 16 16 15 8 11 9 14 5 13 8 9 16 St. John's Lake - - 6 10 16 1 1 14 8 14 12 7 12

24 Looe Island - - - - - 60 - - - - 25 50 Fowey Est. - - - - - 1 - - 10 8 8 7 Siblyback Res. 4 1 3 2 1 1 6 11 9 5 4 2 Colliford Res. 15 5 7 7 3 8 16 15 17 16 22 17 4 5 4 3 - 2 1 2 12 2 2 8 Carrick Roads 11 3 11 ------11 6 Falmouth Bay - 30 5 - - - - 2 4 9 15 4 Helford River 3 1 5 2 1 5 1 2 3 11 8 8 Loe Pool - 7 - 2 6 5 5 16 9 5 12 - Hayle Est. 17 4 5 1 4 1 1 3 2 11 9 2 Mousehole 18 29 ------Camel Est. 5 6 - 5 - - 5 6 9 15 17 10 The only other significant counts were 13 Upper Tamar Lake Mar 20th and 12 Marazion Marsh Sep 25th. A number of 'white-headed' birds resembling the Continental race P. c. sinensis, were reported during the spring. However, this feature alone is far from reliable for racial identification, as old individuals of the resident population also show substantial amounts of white on the head. One useful field feature, but only with close views, is the shape of the gular patch (bare skin around the base of the bill), as illustrated in the 1994 Essex Bird Report.

SHAG - Phalacrocorax aristotelis Widespread resident, breeding in small colonies on all coasts. Passage migrant. Forms large "rafts" at favoured feeding sites in winter. Rare inland. A total of 436 breeding pairs were located in the county reflecting the effort put into the breeding seabird survey, which covered the coast north of Land's End to Boscastle. This figure compares favourably with c.800 pairs for the whole county located during the 1987 Breeding Seabird Survey. Breeding reports from regular sites (with comparative data for 1990 to 1995); figures represent number of pairs, b = bred, p = present but no evidence of successful breeding. 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 Godrevy Island 46 54 41 P 53 P 33 Godrevy Point 6 4 - - - - - Looe Island 6 20+ 29 24 P 10 P Mullion Island P 50+ P P P P P The Mouls 6 12 30 9 P P 5 St. Agnes/Trevaunance 15 20 15 20 20 - Western Cove 11 P 14 10 16 P P Other significant counts of breeding pairs include: 10 Beeny Cliff, 35 Gulland Rock, 25 Bedruthan Steps, 34 Navax Point to Portreath, 47 New Downs Head to Newquay, 15 Crinnis, 30 Ropehaven and 20 Trenarren. Regular reports & maximum numbers: Rame Head: 1575 logged on 25 dates (Jan lst-Dec 27th) with max. of 88 Aug 30th, 101 Sep 28th, 88 Oct 18th, 112 Nov 16th. Falmouth Bay: 413 Jan 5th, 436 Jan 24th, 67 Oct 11th. Coverack: 290 Jan 13th, 260 Feb 11th. Looe Island: 91 Jan 20th. Seaton: 51 Feb 9th, 75 Dec 28th. Black Head, St. Austell: 200 Apr 25th. Porthgwarra: 82 Aug 16th. Newquay: 181 west Oct 29th. St. Ives Island: 70 west Sep 10th, 283 west Sep 29th. St. Austell Bay: 100 roosting Oct 15th into 1997. Gerran's Bay: 200 east Nov 14th. The gathering at Falmouth Bay in January is the largest since 1990 when 480 were recorded at the same site.

25 GREAT BITTERN - Botaurus stellaris A rare winter visitor occurring mainly between late October and early March. Occasional passage migrant. Swanpool: one Feb 3rd-26th RCJ et al. Marazion: one Feb 3rd-26th, one Nov 17th-Dec 22nd, two Dec 25th-26th, three Dec 27th into 1997 CBC,BTC,DSF et al. Amble Marshes: one 'booming' Feb 4th ALn. St. Buryan: one Feb 28th found in a pig sty. This bird was later released at Strumshaw RSPB Reserve where it remained for several months before disappearing, presumably returning to the continent per DSF. Cargreen: one Nov 17th GDL. Drift Res.: one Dec 25th into 1997 GH. 1995 Addition Marazion Marsh: one Sep 11th JPM. Assuming nine individuals were involved, the county mainland total advances to c.120, making this by far the best year since c.12 in 1985. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 36 29 8 1 - - 1 2 5 2 13 22 Top sites: Marazion Marsh 32, Loe Pool ten, Par nine, Camel Est. five and Porth Res. four.

LITTLE EGRET - Egretta garzetta Formerly a rare vagrant but now an increasingly common passage migrant and winter visitor. A few birds may be resident and breeding seems imminent. Throughout the year numbers were again high, producing the second best annual total ever. However, the autumn influx was considerably smaller than in 1995 (see Figure 3). No large roosts were noted on the Lynher/Tamar Complex but lesser sites (see Map 1) held larger numbers of birds, notably Looe Est., Fowey Est. and Helford River, which all set new record totals. During the summer a total of 31 birds were present at eight localities, with breeding activity observed at three of these. However, there was no evidence of successful breeding.

Map 1: site maxima 1996.

26 Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 118 108 86 101 35 32 75 130 165 180 120 136 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 3 11 6 7 1 1 5 18 17 7 5 10 Lynher Est. 16 11 18 1 1 - 3 19 25 26 13 11 19 Looe Est. 5 14 13 17 3 1 1 3 4 5 6 10 Fowey Est. 1 12 1 - - - - - 7 35 - 18 Tresillian 2 3 2 3 1 - - 3 3 1 2 2 Ruan Lanihorne 2 3 3 12 2 1 7 14 15 6 3 3 Truro River 4 1 - - 1 4 1 4 3 5 1 6 Restronguet Creek 3 - 2 3 1 - 1 4 4 5 7 7 Helford River 25 11 14 12 6 9 9 3 28 23 15 10 Marazion 1 1 1 - - 1 1 1 3 1 6 1 Drift Res. ------4 4 - 5 1 Hayle Est. 10 9 8 12 6 8 10 8 11 14 12 10 Gannel Est. 5 4 3 3 2 - 1 1 3 4 4 3 Camel Est. 19 15 19 15 1 1 4 17 35 31 46 29 21 Elsewhere: singles Argal Res. Jan 1st & Sep 17th, Par Jan 22nd, Jul 17th & Nov 6th, Crowdy Res. Jan 28th, Laneast Jan 28th-30th, Poison Feb 2nd-4th (two 2nd Feb), Bonython Feb 2nd-4th, Bude Jan 8th, Feb 3rd-4th & May 13th, Poldhu Marsh Feb 19th-Apr 6th & Nov 16th-Dec 7th, Downderry Feb 24th-Apr 9th & Oct 30th-Dec 8th, Penberth Feb 5th, Mar 9th, Stithians Res. Sep lst-Dec 2nd (two Nov 11th & three Nov 23rd), College Res. Sep 19th-Oct 17th (two Sep 19th), Land's End & Gurnard's Head Sep 25th, Castle Beach Nov 23rd, Loe Pool Dec 4th, Chyandour Dec 11th, Par moor Dec 18th; two Caerhays Jan 7th-Apr 7th, New Mill Mar 8th and Poldhu Marsh Feb 4th; three at Rame Head Aug 4th and three roosting in field at Trerulefoot Dec 31 st; four Kingsand Mar 27th and Maer Lake Apr 4th; five Upper Tamar Lake Aug 5th-18th, two 19th; ten St. Johns Lake Jan 20th,

Figure 3: Little Egret annual totals (approx.) 1977-1996

GREAT WHITE EGRET - Egretta alba Rare Vagrant. Argal Res.: one Oct 22nd HKB. The fifth county mainland record. Previously recorded Lynher Est. 1991, Fal Est. 1989, Loe Pool 1951 and Godrevy 1948. Monthlv breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - 1 - 1 1 - - 1 1 - -

GREY HERON - Ardea cinerea Resident. Breeds. Scarce passage migrant. Breeding was reported from the following heronries during 1996 (with comparative data from 1988- 1995); figures represent number of occupied nests, p = present but not counted, nc = no count.

27 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 Stonaford 1 nc 2 ------Newbridge, 1 nc 3 5 5 nc 3 6 5 Shillingham, Lynher Est. 13 15 18 23 19 24 16 16 17 Trenant, Looe 8 7 7 8 9 7 9 1 1 13 Bear Wood 5 nc 6 7 6 - - - - Penpoll Creek, Fowey Est. 2 nc 2 1 - - 2 1 - Pelyn, Percuil 7 6 7 5 4 7 6 7 7 Pill Farm, Fal Est. 4 1 1 5 6 4 nc 6 5 Kea Wood, Malpas 6 6 5 9 7 10 12 10 13 Borlase Wood, Philleigh 3 2+ 7 6 5 4 4 5 9 Penpol Creek, Feock 2 ------Restronguet Creek 5 4+ 2 1 1 - - - - Polwheveral, Helford 11 1 1 1 1 12 13 12 1 1 10 1 1 Marazion Marsh 3 4 3 3 3 2 3 4 6 Pinkson Creek, Camel Est. 12 P 12 13 14 18 14 16 14 A total of 83 nests is a big improvement on last year. However, this merely reflects better coverage of breeding sites; overall the slight downward trend continues. No details were received for Treraven, but the apparent new site at Penpol, Feock is encouraging. Limited breeding success data reveals that 20 nests produced 47 young. At Polwheveral Creek LAHS observed that breeding activity was delayed by the cold weather in March and early April. Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 20 17 18 35 4 8 14 18 23 27 19 14 St. Johns Lake 25 1 - 8 1 4 10 17 1 17 2 6 Lynher Est. 14 7 4 3 3 8 11 6 10 5 7 9 Looe Est. 4 6 11 6 8 9 3 3 5 5 10 9 Fowey Est. 3 - 1 - - 4 - - 1 6 - 4 Tresillian 4 6 5 - - 6 1 8 7 4 3 4 Truro River 3 4 10 13 11 10 12 7 8 4 4 6 Restronguet 8 7 13 10 10 10 10 7 9 3 9 8 Helford River 17 9 20 23 19 14 10 25 23 17 19 20 Marazion 1 4 12 6 5 6 24 18 18 13 10 6 Drift Res. 5 2 3 2 3 3 7 5 9 6 4 3 Hayle Est. 4 2 2 2 2 4 12 5 3 2 5 3 Camel Est. 1 2 5 24 36 - 30 4 33 15 10 7 The only other large count involved a significant build up at Upper Tamar Lake during August which peaked with 25 on the 8th. No obvious migrants were apparent but there were a number of records from the far west during the autumn. In general it is very difficult to distinguish local birds dispersing after the breeding season from true migrants, although the latter certainly do occur.

WHITE STORK - Ciconia ciconia Vagrant. Escapee. Sennen: one Nov 11th TG,KAW. Porthcurno: one Nov 12th GGdJL. Tamar Est.: one Nov 15th BSW. All three sightings relate to a single wandering bird which originally escaped from Bristol Zoo, and therefore precludes inclusion in the county total.

EURASIAN SPOONBILL - Platalea leucorodia Rare passage migrant. Occasionally overwinters, particularly on the Lynher Estuary. Lynher Est.: wintering adult remained until Mar 14th and presumably the same bird returned Oct 26th, remaining into 1997 AB,PB,DCg,SCM et al. The county mainland total remains at c.189, since 1900. 1995 Correction Hayle Est.: 1st summer Jun 21st-Jul 3rd (not adult).

28 Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 7 6 10 17 16 16 5 1 18 48 35 10 Top sites: Ruan Lanihorne 29, Camel Est. 25, Tamar Est. 24, Hayle Est. 23, Marazion Marsh 20 and LynherEst. 19.

MUTE SWAN - Cygnus olor Resident. Breeds. Moulting herds in autumn. Winter visitor. After a period of decline during the 1970's and 1980's there has been a distinct improvement over recent years. Mortality caused by lead poisoning, through the ingestion of discarded lead fishing weights, is considered to have been strongly related to this decline. The increase in numbers has, somewhat significantly, coincided with the use of alternative materials for these items. The plight of birds on the Fal Estuary is still causing concern and is the subject of on-going research. A number of ailing individuals were recovered throughout the year, many affected by heavy metal poisoning. However the precise source of this poisoning still remains a mystery. Successful breeding was reported from the following localities (with comparative data for 1989- 1995). Figures represent number of young; n = nest unsuccessful or outcome unknown; more than one figure indicates more than one nest. 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 Cargreen 2 4 n - - - - - Millbrook 3 n n 4 3 5 6 - St. Germans n ------Polbathic n 6 - 5 4 4 n - Polridmouth 5 7 6 5 3 - - 4 Par Beach Pool 4 7 6 5 3 - - 4 Ruan Lanihorne 5 7 3 7/6 4 - 5 5 Tresillian River 2 - 3 4 - - - - Swanpool 3 3 5 5 4 7 1 n Stithians Res. 4 - 3 5 2/n 4 7 5 College Res. 3 7 2 - - - - - Argal Res. 1 1 4 6 - - - - Loe Pool 2 - - 3 5 - 6/4 5/n Marazion Marsh 5 5 1 n 6 5 - - Tehidy CP 3 3 4 9 - - - - Tehidy Golf Club n ------ADDroximate monthlv totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 340 306 303 207 269 204 203 273 244 269 260 254 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 15 15 7 4 4 17 13 7 8 9 9 14 Millbrook Pond 23 :2 8 32 22 22 19 13 5 7 _ 6 5 Lynher Est. 10 9 9 4 6 7 5 6 4 5 7 4 Looe Est. 21 ;2 0 24 9 29 22 18 28 12 17 20 18 Fowey Est. 38 :^ 8 6 - - - - - 1 3 3 3 Par Beach & Pool 12 4 25 7 16 3 7 20 22 24 8 2 Restronguet Creek 35 :3 4 17 31 33 15 16 28 18 24 25 25 Helford River 12 \2 3 21 21 21 8 14 7 15 13 14 14 Loe Pool 8 8 - 6 14 37 44 44 6 1 l 4 3 Marazion Marsh 3 3 2 2 1 7 1 5 18 15 2 - Hayle Est. 42 40 37 32 39 28 11 8 21 38 50 43 Tehidy CP 10 - - 12 12 16 12 12 12 15 15 15 Camel Est. 52 43 29 24 42 - 13 40 35 43 36 40 Elsewhere the only notable counts were 47 at Penryn River Mar 17th and 25 at Walmsley Sanctuary Dec 29th. The recent increase in numbers at Millbrook Pond may result from the release of birds rehabilitated by the RSPCA.

29 TUNDRA SWAN - Cygnus columbianus Scarce passage migrant and winter visitor. Annual since 1959. Porth Res.: adult from 1995 remained until Jan 6th GJC et al. Walmsley Sanct.: adult Jan 11th-15th FMC,TSH,DIJ,MST. Gweek: adult Jan 18th-21st.BC. Camel Est.: adult Jan 22nd-Feb 24th visited Walmsley Sanct. on Jan 24th, Feb 2nd & 22nd SMC,DIJ and two adults Dec 31st. into 1997 CLBo,DAC,GJC,DIJ. Fowey Est.: adult Mar 9th-10th MPF,KJ,RAJ. Lynher Est.: 15 adults Dec 31st.BSW. The Lynher Est. herd is the third largest recorded in the county this century. This is the best annual total since 1983, when 19 were also recorded. Assuming just two birds were involved in the first winter period the county mainland total advances to c.492, since 1930. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 120 48 33 6 - - - - - 27 134 123 Top sites: Camel Est. 68, 59, Hayle Kimbro Pool 56, Tamar Lakes 46, Hayle Est. 33.

WHOOPER SWAN - Cygnus cygnus Scarce passage migrant and winter visitor. Annual since 1971. Walmsley Sanctuary: adult Jan 22nd REW. Drift Res.: two adults Oct 6th and an adult Dec 8th GH. Nanjizal: two adults Oct 6th and a single adult Nov lst.KAW. Long Rock Pool: two adults Oct 6th and a single adult flew south-west Dec 8th DE,DSF,DMN. Tamar Est.: adult Nov lst.BSW. Colliford Res.: adult Nov 24th GDL. Maer Lake: two adults Dec 7th-8th, single adult Dec 28th and 12 adults Dec 31st. GPS. Lower Tamar Lake: two adults Dec 8th GPS. Camel Est.: adult Dec 9th, two adults Dec 11th-12th & Dec 15th-31st.GJC, SMC,FMC,DIJ et al. Bude Marshes: three adults Dec 29th and a single adult Dec 31 st.JCP,GPS. Even with much duplication a minimum of 25 birds were involved, making it the best year since 1990 when the same total was achieved. The Maer Lake flock is the second largest recorded in the county, only surpassed by 19 on the Tamar Est. in 1952. 1995 Addition Camel Est.: adult Oct 22nd SMC. The county mainland total advances to c.478 since 1930, prior to which data is incomplete. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 91 21 14 1 - - - - 1 60 172 118 Top sites: Camel Est. 83, Tamar Lakes 48, Hayle Est. 37, Marazion 41, Hayle Kimbro Pool 23.

PINK-FOOTED GOOSE -Anser brachyrhynchus Rare passage migrant and winter visitor. Hayle Est.: the 1995 bird remained until Mar 3rd, during which time it also frequented Copperhouse Creek and fields near High Lanes LPW et al. The county mainland total remains at c.66. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 4 3 1 - 1 - - - 28 21 3 5 Top sites: Mawgan Porth 20, Camel Est. 15, Hayle Est. seven, Tamar Lakes six.

30 WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE - Anser albifrons Scarce passage migrant and winter visitor. Most Cornish records relate to birds of the Eurasian race A. a. albifrons but small parties of the rare Greenland race A. a. flavirostris occasionally occur. The species was formerly more numerous in the county with a regular wintering flock at Walmsley Sanctuary from 1935-1973. The size of this flock peaked at an average of 146 birds between 1961 and 1965 (excluding a huge influx during the arctic weather of 1963), but since 1973 birds have wintered with less regularity, with none between 1982 and 1988 and again 1990/91. Reasons for this decline are not fully understood but the damming of the River Amble is probably a significant factor. This has resulted in a lack of salt-water inundation which in turn has considerably influenced the ecology of the site, particularly the vegetation. Lynher Est.: four Jan 7th associating with Canada Goose flock AB,PB,RMB et al. Maer Lake: two Feb lst-2nd GPS. St. Ives: four Oct 29th BSW. Porth Mear, Park Head: two adults flew west Oct 30th SMC. Stithians Res.: two Nov 4th RCJ. 1995 Addition Rumford: adult Nov 12th-15th SMC. Birds of the Greenland race A. a. flavirostris were noted as follows: Sancreed: two flew west Nov 11th DSF.

Walmsley Sanctuary: adult Nov 28th-Declst.SMC,BTC,DIJ,ARP et al.

GREYLAG GOOSE - Anser anser Scarce passage migrant and winter visitor. Many records undoubtedly refer to feral escapes and wanderers. Annual since 1973. Landulph Marsh: two Jan 27th PE. Cotehele: two Feb 18th per CFNHC. Stithians Res.: seven flew in from the south-west, remained for 20 minutes, then flew north-east Mar 13th MJH. Maer Lake: six Apr 1st.and four Apr 6th GPS et al. Colliford Res.: two Jun 18th, Jul 31 stand Oct 9th EJW. Crowdy Res.: two Jul 15th-20th BTC. Upper Tamar Lake: one Aug 14th-17th & Dec 29th SMC,DC1JHH. Lynher Est.: two Nov 16th, one Dec 15th and two Dec 27th-28th BCh,PE,EJW. Siblyback Res.: two Dec 29th SMC. All except the Maer Lake and Stithians Res. records relate to c. three feral individuals. The county mainland total advances to c. 208 since 1930. MonthlJan y Febreakdowb Marn *: Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 13 10 15 12 4 3 11 3 9 43 61 23 * one bird undated.

Top sites: Camel Est. 54, near Kynance 33, Stithians Res. 23, Tamar Lakes 16.

BAR-HEADED GOOSE - Anser indicus Rare but increasing, feral resident or escapee. A catergory D species. Newquay: one Jan 4th, a free flying bird which originated from Newquay Zoo SMC. Upper Tamar Lake: one Jan 13th & Aug 14th-Sep 10th SMC,DC1,JHH et al. Bude Marshes: one Feb 4th DIJ. Maenporth: one Mar 28th & Oct 29th, part of a free-flying collection CLB. Lynher Est.: one Oct 31 st SCM. Apart from the Newquay and Maenporth birds the other records probably relate to just one individual which wanders back and forth across the /Cornwall border with mobile Canada Goose flocks.

31 SNOW GOOSE - Anser caerulescens Vagrant. Feral escape or wanderer. Lynher Est.: one 'blue phase' Sep 28th, feral individual, AB,PB.

CANADA GOOSE - Branta canadensis Resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. Winter visitor. Prior to 1983 this species was almost exclusively confined to the far south-east of the county, except for occasional migrants. Records between 1968 and 1975 consisted of an average of just over one bird per year. Before this period there were only nine records. Away from the Lynher Estuary, where a small feral population has existed for many years, breeding was first confirmed in 1983. Subsequently breeding has occurred with increasing regularity, particularly at Colliford and Crowdy Reservoirs. This species is undergoing a population explosion, with numbers trebling in the UK since 1976 Within the county numbers have steadily increased but virtually doubled in 1995 (see Figure 4); very few are recorded in the western half of the county. At the present rate of increase it will not be lonj before numbers reach plague proportions as in other parts of the country. The largest numbers occur between June and August when birds migrate (presumably from South Western counties) to the moorland reservoirs to moult. At this time they are completely flightless and require protection from predators, as afforded by large water bodies. Breeding records were received for the following localities (with comparative data for 1988-1995). Figures represent number of young; B = bred; p = present during breeding season: 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 Crowdy Res. P 6 11 11 9 2 6 21 15 Colliford Res. 5 31 30 3 9 2 P P 5 Lynher Est. P 17 P P B B P 6 - Siblyback Res. 6 P 5 ------Rosedale Pond 8 8 B 6 - - - - - Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 472 580 260 142 151 903 835 823 1195 785 804 920

Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 100 56 13 11 7 4 - 8 34 2 58 Lynher Est. 160 160 35 8 7 9 22 86 288 28 250 127 Siblyback Res. 63 38 20 7 12 9 21 46 300 250 165 165 Colliford Res. 42 209 174 52 72 567 439 121 172 192 279 245 Crowdy Res. 57 2 3 15 32 260 300 - 2 53 13 Lower Tamar Lake ------200 10 - - Upper Tamar Lake - 103 - 362 123 - 284 The maximum counts at Colliford Res. and Siblyback Res. are both new site records.

Figure 4: Canada Goose annual totals 1977-1996

32 BARNACLE GOOSE - Branta leucopsis Jncommon passage migrant and winter visitor. Feral escape. Siblyback Res.: one Jan 13th-21st, Sep23rd-Oct 13th and Dec 15th MPFJS,RS. Stithians Res.: one Apr 6th-9th MJH. layle Est.: one Apr 11th presumed same as the Stithians Res. bird DSF,TSH,MST. Penzance: five Apr 28th BSW. larlyn Bay: five Apr 28th flew north-east, presumed same as Penzance birds REH. Colliford Res.; one Jun lst-29th and Nov 17th-Dec 31 st.SMC,DAC,EJW. .ynher Est.: two Sep 1st, one Oct 31st-Nov 3rd, nine Nov 16th-17th, three (presumed part of the previous flock) Nov 24th and one Dec 15th AB,BCh,GDL,EHW et al. Porth Res.: one Sep 3rd-17th SMC,SGR et al. Hepwell: one Sep 14th and Oct 24th AB,PB. East Looe River: nine Nov 15th. This flock visited Bay on the same date and later moved to he Lynher Est AB,BCh,GSG,DL et al. Tie single at Stithians/Hayle, five at Penzance/Harlyn Bay and nine at Looe/Lynher Est. are all onsidered to be genuine migrants. The remaining records related to three resident feral individuals. Also, a free flying flock of 11 at Newquay Jan 4th-20th had originated from Newquay Zoo SMC. Tie county mainland total advances to c.257 (plus c.40 feral individuals). Vlonthlv breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 10 26 17 6 - - - - 33 86 63 16 top sites: Tamar Est. 30, Godrevy/Gwithian & Porthgwarra 24 each, Camel Est. 19, St. Ives 14.

BRENT GOOSE - Branta bernicla Jncommon passage migrant and winter visitor. Joth dark-bellied B. b. bernicla (Western Siberia) and pale-bellied B. b. hrota (Arctic Canada and Greenland) races occur, the former predominating. No regular wintering flock exists despite ncreasing numbers of each race occurring in recent years. A total of 37 birds were recorded in the first winter period, the largest, groups being seven at Maer .ake Jan 26th and four each at Cargreen Jan 5th and Penryn River Jan 27th-31 st. The last birds of le spring were singles at Camel Estuary Mar 14th and Kennack Sands Mar 31st. le first of the autumn were 16 at the Camel Estuary on the early date of Aug 2nd, followed by three ying west at Downderry Sep 22nd, two there the next day and two 'pale bellied' at St.Austell Bay ep 23rd. Xiring the second winter period at least 108 birds were noted, with a significant influx during the last wo weeks of December, involving a total of 79 birds. The largest groups were four at Par Beach Dec 4th, six on the Camel Estuary Dec 15th, eight flying east at Harlyn Bay Dec 22nd, six off Rame Head Dec 24th, 30 at sea off Loe Bar and 13 on Loe Pool Dec 31st. Approximate monthly totals 1996 (all races): Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 32 8 2 - - - - 16 7 15 12 79 Regular reports & maximum numbers (all races): - Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Camel Est. 3 3 1 - - - - 16 - 3 - 6 Hayle Est. 3 2 ------1 Lynher Est. ------1 2 1 Birds of the pale-bellied race B. b. hrota were noted as follows: Hayle Est.: one Jan 28th VAS. St.Austell Bay: adult and juv. Sep 23rd-24th RL. Lynher Est.: one Oct 12th RWG. Pendeen Watch: two Oct 29th DSF et al. Towan Beach, Bohortha: three Dec 10th-11th RDP et al. 1995 Addition Camel Est.: one Dec 24th

33 GOOSE sp. These records relate to grey geese unless otherwise stated. Cargreen: two Jan 1st, probably Greylag Geese AJM. St. Ives Island: three east Oct 29th JHH,PAM. Gwithian: seven Dec 15th, possibly Brent Geese PTS. Malpas: four Dec 16th RL. Rame Head: five east Dec 22nd and one east Dec 23rd, probably Bean Geese EJW. Par Bay: 12 east Dec 23rd, 11 probably Greylag Geese and one probably Brent Goose PSC.

HYBRID GEESE Most birds result from breeding between escaped, or feral, species and the semi-resident Canada Goose population.

CANADA X GREYLAG GOOSE Upper Tamar Lake: one Jan 13th SMC. Colliford Res.: adult May 25th-Jun 8th & same bird with four young Jun 29th EJW. CANADA X BARNACLE GOOSE Siblyback Res.: one Jan 10th and Oct 26th-Dec 30th, also visited Colliford Res. Jan 27th-Aug 18th, and Hepwell Sep 14th. This individual has been present since 1994. Its size and plumage suggests a superficial resemble to one of the small races i.e. B. c. minima. AB,SMC,DAC,SCM,EJW et al. ROSS'S X BARNACLE GOOSE Hepwell: one Jan 7th & Oct 5th, presumed the same at Siblyback Res. Nov 23rd and Colliford Res. Dec 27th, probably of this parentage AP,PB,RMB. CANADA X SWAN GOOSE Siblyback Res.: one Nov 26th, probably of this parentage SMC. GREYLAG X SNOW GOOSE Colliford Res.: one Aug 18th, probably of this parentage DAC.

EGYPTIAN GOOSE - Alopochen aegyptiacus Rare visitor. Feral escape or wanderer. This category "C" species occurs as a feral species in the UK, mainly East Anglia, but with small populations elsewhere, including East Devon. Wadebridge: the bird first noted in 1987 was present throughout the year DIJ,Aln,REW. The county mainland total remains at c. 27.

RUDDY SHELDUCK - Tadorna ferruginea Vagrant, but the majority, if not all, are presumed escapes from wildfowl collections or wanderers from feral populations in the Netherlands. Par Beach Pool: female/immature Aug 18th-24th RAJ,IRS,WS et al. Tehidy CP: female/immature Nov 17th MJH. Hayle Est.: female/immature Nov 18th into 1997, also visited Copperhouse Creek, Ryan's Field and Carnsew Pool DSF,MJH,LPW et al. Assuming just two birds were involved the county mainland total advances to c. 36. Monthly breakdown * : Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 - - 1 3 2 6 3 2 6 11 - * one bird was 'undated'.

Top sites: Hayle Est. 11, Tamar Est. eight, Camel Est. seven, Drift Res. six, Upper Tamar Lake three.

COMMON SHELDUCK -Tadorna tadorna Resident. Breeds in low numbers on most of the main estuaries. Passage migrant. Winter visitor. After the breeding season the majority of birds vacate the county (see Figure 5) to converge at regular

34 moulting grounds, returning at the end of October. The nearest site is Bridgwater Bay. Breeding reports were received from the following localities (with comparative data for 1989-1995). Figures represent maximum number of ducklings; figures followed by 'b' indicate number of broods. 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 Tamar Est. 10 10 5 13 16 22 11 18 St. Johns Lake 20 22 13 7 - - 4b 7 Lynher Est. 31 30 34 9 22 9 3b - Ruan Lanihorne 20 25 34 15 23 26 37 24 Tresillian River 16 7 - - 32 6 20 26 Hayle Est. 41 15 18 7 12 8+ 34 18 Camel Est. 15 18 6 14 63 23 24 3 Elsewhere breeding was proven at Com Head (four young), East Looe River (nine young), Upton Towans (seven young) and Helford River (24 young). The gradual increase in breeding productivity over recent years continues.

Figure 5: Common Shelduck approximate monthly totals 1996

Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May J Lin Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 151 137 153 107 60 40 29 9 21 44 97 85 St. John's Lake 122 64 115 45 27 27 29 11 8 8 22 85 Lynher Est. 301 220 276 173 128 59 21 1 7 20 140 164 Fowey Est. 16 14 19 ------7 Ruan Lanihorne 22 22 76 1 12 79 104 27 24 10 10 24 36 Tresillian 54 48 39 46 30 40 15 6 10 20 30 _ Truro River 120 150 112 56 29 10 17 3 13 1 18 40 Restronguet Creek 37 31 26 36 14 21 3 2 - 1 24 30 Helford River 100 145 107 36 42 45 32 10 4 _ 19 42 Hayle Est. 41 53 52 63 54 56 51 13 2 1 10 32 Camel Est. 74 122 158 40 7 16 35 1 - 3 14 200 Overall numbers in both winter periods were well above those of the previous year, showing a welcome return to the norm of recent years.

MUSCOVY DUCK - Carina moschata Feral escape or wanderer. Breeds. This species has recently been added to Category D4 of the British List as a result of a small breeding population in Cambridgeshire. Records of apparently feral birds (away from farmyards and wildfowl collections) are required to document the progress of this recent breeding species. Trenance Lake: two Jan 9th, five Feb 23rd & Sep 7th TSH, MST. Millbrook Pond: one Jan 20th-Dec27th CB,CC,EJW. Helston Lake: three Feb 4th JFR. Tehidy CP: one Feb 16th-Oct 12th MJH. Seaton: four Mar 13th AJM. Porth Res.: one Sep 5th TSH,MST. Siblyback Res.: six Sep 28th, one Oct 19th & Nov 11th and two Oct 26th EJW. Harlyn Pools: one Oct 7th and Nov 22nd DIJ. r Swanpool: one Oct 13th-Dec 15th RCJ.

35 St. Andrews Pool: one Nov 1 lth-Dec 31st.RL. Hayle Millpond: two Nov 30th SMC. Penryn River: one Dec 6th-19th CLB.

WOOD DUCK - Aix sponsa Escapee. Feral release. A Category D species. Helston Lake: an extremely tame female Oct 17th-Dec 9th GJ,RK et al. The 11th county mainland record.

MANDARIN DUCK - Aix galericulata Rare passage migrant and winter visitor. Feral release and escapee. A Category "C" species. The majority of Cornish records probably originate from a small feral population in the Plym Estuary area of South Devon. Seaton: the male from 1995 remained throughout the year SCM. Cotehele: two females & a male May 3rd and a female Jun 2nd REH,AJM. Zennor: female Dec 31st into 1997 JFR et al. The county mainland total advances to c. 60, all since 1973. Monthly breakdown * : Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 3 1 6 4 4 - - 7 6 6 16 5 * two birds were 'undated'. Top sites: Lynher Est. nine, Camel Est. eight, St. Johns Lake/Millbrook seven, Retallack and Fowey Est./Lerryn six each.

EURASIAN WIGEON - Anas penelope Abundant winter visitor. Passage migrant. Occurs in very large numbers in cold weather. Numbers in both winter periods were well up on the 1995 figures, showing a 40% increase. The last birds of the spring were singles at Maer Lake May 16th, Marazion Marsh May 19th and two at Hayle Estuary Jun 29th. Autumn passage commenced with a male at Stithians Res. Aug 24th, followed by two at Drift Res. and ten at Hayle Est. Aug 28th. After a trickle of arrivals during September the wintering flocks increased rapidly. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 4403 3312 1345 38 4 2 - 13 1290 1744 2822 4427 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 47 58 47 1 - - - 1 1 27 65 130 Lynher Est. 454 320 303 - - - - 196 230 465 363 Colliford Res. 29 28 12 2 - - - - - 39 184 Ruan Lanihorne 390 315 200 - - - - 91 108 150 160 Truro River 160 60 83 ------46 110 Stithians Res. 300 8 100 2 - - 1 11 46 148 150 Hayle Est. 850 800 157 24 2 2 10 700 1100 1200 1200 Gannel Est. 70 76 8 - - - - 4 - 11 - Camel Est. 750 650 62 - - - - 127 150 350 800 Upper Tamar Lake - 54 - - - - - 6 - 8 155 Maer Lake 305 270 182 9 1 - - 4 24 148 265

AMERICAN WIGEON - Anas americana Rare vagrant. Long Rock Pool: 1st.winter male Oct 5th-14th PGA,DJC,NLG et al. Hayle Est.: same as above Oct 15th-30th DSFJK et al.

36 Stithians Res.: male Nov 23rd-into 1997 SMC et al. The 17th and 18th county mainland records - all since 1981. Monthlv breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - - 1 1 - - - 10 2 4 - Top sites: Hayle Est. eight, Skewjack four, Loe Pool two.

HYBRID WIGEON Hayle Est.: male (Eurasian x American Wigeon) Nov 24th & Dec lst-5th SMCJFR. Stithians Res.: male (Eurasian x American/Chloe Wigeon) Dec 5th SMC.

GADWALL - Anas strepera\ Winter visitor. Passage migrant. Although numbers fluctuate from year to year depending on the severity of winter weather, the species has become more regular over the last 15 years. Top sites are Marazion Marsh, Loe Pool, Par Beach Pool and Maer Lake, although, until 1996, Drift Res. held the record single day count. Numbers in the first winter period showed a marked increase over recent years. The last for the spring were a female at Swanpool Apr 28th and a male at Maer Lake May 29th. During the summer four were present at Loe Pool in May, reducing to two in June with a single female remaining throughout July and August. Early autumn arrivals include a female at Stithians Res. Sep 1st, a male at Hayle Est. Sep 9th and one at Siblyback Res. Sep 12th. Numbers built up steadily throughout November, followed by a significant cold weather influx in late December which produced a record monthly total and a new county record flock: 73 at Loe Pool Dec 28th ARP et al. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 88 108 31 9 5 2 1 3 6 4 40 170 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Par Beach Pool 9 8 2 - - - - - 15 Stithians Res. 6 - 1 - - - 1 1 3 5 Loe Pool 9 15 14 4 2 1 1 2 2 12 73 Poldhu Marsh 17 20 7 ------Marazion Marsh 9 6 3 1 - - - - 2 13 Drift Res. 4 13 - - - - - 6 18 Camel Est. 10 21 6 - - - - 1 6 Elsewhere the only significant count was 14 at Hayle Est. Dec 28th.

COMMON TEAL - Anas crecca Abundant winter visitor. Passage migrant. Breeding has been confirmed only sporadically over the last twenty years. All such records have emanated from Bodmin Moor with Crowdy Reservoir the most popular site. Numbers in the first winter period increased by 10% over 1995 figures and remained high until the middle of February. Thereafter a rapid decline ensued. Breeding was not proven in the county this year. However, during the summer a pair was at Crowdy Res. and a male remained at Maer Lake, whilst at Stithians Res. three in July may indicate local breeding. After a small arrival of autumn migrants during August, numbers rapidly increased into the second winter period. Approximate monthlv totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 4364 3466 631 159 17 3 4 77 740 1198 2559 3349 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 270 214 59 3 - - 9 41 124 St. Johns Lake 69 97 58 - - - 1 2 23 53 37 Lynher Est. 253 628 159 4 - - - - 10 34 308 168 Colliford Res. 95 92 29 7 - - - 6 25 30 79 274 Truro river 59 28 37 - - - - - 50 32 10 Restronguet Creek 300 26 ------40 15 416 300 Stithians Res. 112 6 1 4 10 - 3 6 15 1 1 19 90 Poldhu Marsh 140 - - 72 ------49 50 Loe Pool 45 24 - - - - - 4 4 _ 41 282 Marazion Marsh 74 27 31 16 2 - - 8 18 10 55 24 Hayle Est. 1100 900 94 6 - - - 6 400 780 315 605 Drift Res. 68 43 12 - - - - 14 62 80 9 143 Camel Est. 420 385 23 - - - 1 - 7 3 350 130 Crowdy Res. 110 22 7 - - 2 - - 7 20 36 146 Maer Lake 402 423 56 30 4 1 - 1 1 31 102 450 403 Elsewhere significant counts include 120 Jan 10th and 220 Feb 1st at Porth Res., 80 at Gunwalloe Marsh Jan 13th, 75 at Mawgan Porth Jan 16th and 142 at Upper Tamar Lake Dec 29th. Individuals of the North American race A. c. carolinensis known as Green-winged Teal which occurs as a regular vagrant, were noted as follows: Hayle Est.: male Jan 3rd-4th DSFJFR. Loe Pool: male from 1995 remained to Jan 4th and reappeared Dec 16th into 1997 SB,GJ,RK,DW. Assuming Pool record relates to the drake which first appeared in 1994, and the Hayle Est. bird is new, the county mainland total at c.42 occurrences involves c.31 individuals. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 7 5 3 3 1 - - - - 8 6 9 Top sites: Hayle Est. 10, Stithians Res. six, Marazion and Lynher Est. four each.

MALLARD - Anas platyrhynchos Abundant resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. Winter visitor. Feral release for wildfowling purposes at many sites. Successful breeding was reported from 26 localities across the county and suspected at many others. The numbers throughout the year were higher than those for 1995, particularly in the first winter period. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1606 1248 478 431 446 708 779 1438 1417 1294 1178 1352 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 171 117 29 41 52 47 66 37 40 77 94 87 Millbrook Lake 53 51 46 47 55 58 47 74 53 78 68 62 Lynher Est. 131 243 72 21 16 26 43 204 1 15 43 81 103 Looe Est. 69 68 43 34 18 29 42 90 39 100 59 78 Colliford Res. 76 54 1 1 18 27 22 40 62 21 25 35 68 Fowey Est. 92 1 1 1 16 ------36 45 84 Par 82 60 50 20 10 43 100 163 1 10 123 74 77 Restronguet Creek 13 40 35 - 2 2 - 9 71 33 64 72 Swanpool 43 53 35 19 22 64 102 1 18 60 60 57 60 Loe Pool 185 51 - 61 70 110 100 149 55 86 69 63 Tehidy CP 75 65 - 42 30 82 71 54 44 46 16 71 Gannel Est. 142 50 5 - - - _ 130 241 21 2 4 Porth Res. 85 29 12 12 - 18 16 68 122 26 50 10 Camel Est. 59 33 3 12 2 - 6 1 8 37 50 79 Crowdy Res. 65 21 - - 14 - 9 21 45 70 57 46

NORTHERN PINTAIL - Anas acuta Scarce winter visitor and passage migrant. Apart from feral birds the species has only bred once in Cornwall - in 1978. Numbers were significantly higher than 1995, in both winter periods. Most of the first winter period birds had departed by mid February, with the last of the spring being a male at Tresillian River Mar

38 21st, four on the Lynher Est. Mar 31st and a male at Gorran Haven Apr 9th, which flew off east. The first autumn migrants were singles at Hayle Est. Sep 8th, Loe Pool Sep 18th and two at Marazion Marsh Sep 21st. Numbers increased slowly throughout October and November with the majority occurring on the Lynher Est. A major influx occurred during December which resulted in a doubling of the Lynher Est. flock and records at eight additional sites. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 62 61 34 1 - - - - 6 19 36 115 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Lynher Est. 29 39 28 ------12 26 66 Stithians Res. - - 2 ------2 1 3 Loe Pool 4 4 _ - - - - _ 2 _ _ 7 Marazion Marsh 2 ------2 - 2 6 Hayle Est. 4 - 2 - - - - - 2 3 2 3 Camel Est. 7 18 1 ------4 S Elsewhere there were singles at Gannel Est. and Porth Res. in January; Siblyback Res. & Crowdy Res. in October; Par Bay, Drift Res., Restronguet Creek, Lamorna Cove & Rame Head in December; two at Swanpool Dec 26th; three at Tamar Est. Jan 22nd, Poldhu Marsh Jan 27th & Crowdy Res. Dec 15th; four at Hannafore Point Dec 21st.

GARGANEY - Anas querquedula Scarce passage migrant (mainly spring) with numbers fluctuating from year to year. Has bred on at least six occasions including three successive years 1981-83. Land's End: male Mar 16th and one Mar 23rd RAw,DSFJFR,VAS. Hayle Est.: female Mar 19th-24th, male Mar 31st.& Apr 5th, pair Apr 25th with the male remaining the following day GJC, DSF,PG,PAR LPW et al. Skewjack: male Mar 23rd seen at Porthgwarra the following day JHH,KAW. Landulph Marsh: male Mar 31st.GDL. St. Erth Pools: male Apr 10th-l 1th PAR. Nanquidno: five (two males) Apr 21st.KAW. Marazion Marsh: male Apr 29th, one May 4th and a male Jun 5th, fem./imm. Aug 17th-22nd (on Long Rock Pool Aug 17th), singles Aug 28th and Sep 8th-12th DE,DSF,JHH,BKM,JWt et al. Camel Est.: male Jun 14th JHH. Argal Res.: three juvs. Jul 22nd-Aug 5th, reducing to two Aug 7th and one Aug 13th-18th RCJ. Loe Pool: one Aug 22nd and two Sep 9th RK. Drift Res.: eclipse male Sep 11th GH. Porthgwarra: female Sep 29th KAW. The Argal record may relate to locally bred birds. 1981 Addition Stithians Res.: one Oct 3rd JPM. 1982 Addition Marazion Marsh: one Aug 29th JPM. The county mainland total advances to: c. 742 since 1930. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 2 244 180 80 13 39 118 41 20 1 3 Top sites: Marazion Marsh 264, Stithians Res. 89, Par 38, Hayle Kimbro Pool 37.

NORTHERN SHOVELER - Anas clypeata Winter visitor. Scarce passage migrant. An excellent year with good numbers in both winter periods. Numbers declined steadily during February and March with the last spring migrants being 15 at Rame Head Apr 4th, two at Maer Lake Apr 7th, four on Hayle Est. Apr 13th and two on Hayle Kimbro Pool Apr 20th.

39 The first autumn arrivals were three at Rame Head Jul 27th, followed by a slow increase until November, then a marked influx during December. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 213 131 50 25 - - 3 5 10 16 96 222 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Lynher Est. 10 10 6 ------4 21 Par Beach Pool 7 ------3 - - 1 2 Loe Pool 25 20 6 - - - - - 2 11 17 61 Marazion 35 10 14 2 - - - 2 1 2 10 16 Hayle Est. 40 27 3 4 - - - - - 1 10 21 Tehidy CP 6 8 ------Camel Est. 26 1 1 ------1 1 37 Walmsley Sanct. 20 21 6 ------26 Maer Lake 8 1 3 2 - - - - - 1 19 17

Elsewhere high counts include: 12 at Poldhu Jan 27th, nine at Pendarves Feb, seven at Hayle Kimbro Pool Mar 2nd & 13 at College Res. Nov 3rd. An additional ten sites held five or less birds.

COMMON POCHARD - Aythya ferina Winter visitor. Passage migrant. Probably bred at Crowdy Reservoir in 1977. Numbers were quite high in both winter periods with a significant increase in January well above the 1995 December total. During the summer at least one bird remained at Loe Pool throughout. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 553 409 68 7 4 1 10 20 44 48 278 328 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May J un Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 35 34 12 ------15 Lynher Est. 11 18 1 ------1 3 Siblyback Res. 11 9 - - 1 - - - 1 12 27 19 Dozmary Pool 15 7 2 - - - - - 7 10 14 8 Colliford Res. 4 4 2 1 - - 6 2 - - 22 9 Par 16 13 14 - - - - - 2 1 5 20 Stithians Res. 25 9 1 - - - - - 14 - 12 7 Loe Pool 174 149 - 4 2 1 4 18 19 24 122 1 13 Long Rock Pool 24 14 10 - 1 - - - - - 5 7 Drift Res. 57 26 6 ------8 49 Porth Res. 66 56 4 2 ------17 Upper Tamar Lake 73 19 ------14 12 Other large flocks included 13 at Walmsley Sanctuary Jan 11th, 18 at Swanpool Feb 11th, 31 at Tresillian River Nov 9th and 35 at Argal Res. Dec 16th. A further 13 sites each held less than ten birds.

TUFTED DUCK - Aythya fuligula Winter visitor. Passage migrant. Occasionally breeds. Breeding season reports were received from the following localities during 1996 (with comparative data for 1989-1995). B = breeding confirmed; p = present, success unknown.

1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 Colliford Res. P B 2B P P P P P Argal Res. P P P P - - - - Loe Pool P P P P P - P - Swanpool P P - - - P - - Stithians Res. P P P P - - - -

40 Breeding was not proven anywhere in the county this year, mainly due to the very low water levels at favoured sites. Numbers were well above average in both winter periods with a particularly high total in January. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 409 307 176 100 56 32 59 93 97 197 256 319

Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Siblyback Res. 22 14 22 14 15 - - 3 20 29 24 24 Dozmary Pool 35 16 16 14 2 - - - 1 1 6 11 14 Colliford Res. 20 21 4 2 10 8 33 41 23 29 45 53 Swanpool 97 105 60 - 1 4 - - 1 27 47 69 Argal Res. 14 4 5 - - - 1 1 1 1 22 27 College Res. 3 18 21 ------_ 4 1 Stithians Res. 4 5 12 22 22 12 - - 1 34 35 14 Loe Pool 77 62 - 47 6 6 24 48 40 68 38 56 Marazion Marsh 6 12 4 ------3 7 Drift Res. 66 22 8 1 - - 1 - - 1 17 22 Upper Tamar Lake 22 2 ------17 No other site held more than ten birds.

GREATER SCAUP - Aythya marila Uncommon passage migrant and winter visitor. Numbers fluctuate from year to year with highest counts in severe weather. Numbers recorded during the year were above those of recent years, comparable with the 1991 total. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Ian Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 5 12 1 1 3 1 2 4 7 19 14 11 Millbrook Pond: resident female, first noted in 1992, remained throughout the year GSG,AJM. Tamar Est.: female Jan 7th, pair Feb 2nd, four Nov 17th GDL,KP et al. Upper Tamar Lake: 1 st winter male Jan 12th-29th SMC,GPS. Loe Pool: 1 st.winter male Jan 22nd-Feb 19th, one Aug 2nd and four during September, one remaining Sep 26th, female Nov 22nd, two females Nov 30th, one Dec 16th, three Dec 23rd-30th and four females Dec 31 st SB,GJ,RK,ARP,DW. Mount's Bay: adult male Jan 27th-28th, two females Dec 7th-31 st.SMC,DSF,NJP,CCW. Lynher Est.: two males Feb 2nd were joined by a female Feb 3rd-Mar 2nd, two Oct 29th and a female Nov 1st into 1997 RMB,SCM,PJR,EJW et al. Harlyn Pools: female Feb 3rd GJC,DIJ. St. Johns Lake: four Feb 21st-29th, female Dec 14th-15th BTC,SCM,AJM,KP. Stithians Res.: two males May 1st-13th, juv. Aug 18th-19th, one Nov 8th and two females Nov 9th- 11th (one of which may have been a Greater Scaup x Tufted Duck hybrid), female Nov 18th-Dec 14th BD,FHH,MJH,RCJ et al. College Res.: eclipse male Jul 21 stand present at Argal Res. the following day RCJ. Colliford Res.: females Aug 18th & Dec 27th RMB,DAC. Treskilling Claypit: two males (one 1 st.winter) Sep 18th RL. Porthgwarra: female west Oct 19th SML. Lizard Point: six west Oct 28th MT. Swanpool: female Oct 28th-29th RCJ. St. Ives Island: eight west Oct 29th DE,JHH,PAM et al. Siblyback Res.: two females Nov lst-26th SMC,SCM. Drift Res.: female Nov 12th-Dec25th GH et al. 1995 Additions Colliford Res.: juv. female Nov 12th. Camel Est.: juv. female Dec 12th.

41 LESSER SCAUP - Aythya affinis Rare Vagrant Drift Res.: female Nov 17th-18th GH,DSF,SJJFR et al. Stithians Res.: lst.winter male Nov 23rd-Dec 23rd SMC et al. Argal Res.: lst.winter male (same as above) Dec 28th into 1997 SR et al. This species, long overdue in Cornwall, is a new addition to the county list, these being the first and second county mainland records.

Male Lesser Scaup (Kester Wilson)

AYTHYA HYBRIDS

COMMON POCHARD XTUFTED DUCK Dozmary Pool: male Nov 12th & 27th BTC et al, resembling a male Redhead (North American). Dozmary Pool: male Nov 13th-28th DAC,GJC,SMC et al, resembled a male Lesser Scaup.

TUFTED DUCK X GREATER SCAUP Stithians Res.: female Nov 24th MKA,GJC.

COMMON EIDER - Somateria mollissima Uncommon passage migrant and winter visitor. A few summer. There are only eight documented records pre-1900 and only records in eight years between 1931 and 1951. However, since 1952 this species has proved annual. Many of the birds which overwintered, following the December 1995 influx, remained during January and February with numerous individuals lingering into the summer. During the second winter period only 11 birds were noted. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 68 67 46 25 17 14 3 6 2 6 6 11 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Rame Head 5 1 1 1 - - - - 1 - - - St.Austell Bay 8 7 8 3 2 1 - - - - 5 1 Carrick Roads 17 18 9 ------2 Helford River 13 14 13 7 4 3 1 6 1 - - - Mount's Bay 7 6 6 7 2 - - - - - 1 3 St. Ives/Carbis Bay 3 2 ------Newquay 1 1 1 - - 2 ------Camel Est. 8 5 5 6 6 6 2 - - 6 - - Elsewhere: Port Isaac one Jan 7th and Feb 18th; Veryan Bay three Jan 10th, two Feb 11th and four Dec 14th; Kennack Sands one Jan 13th & Mar 2nd; Hayle Est. two Feb 8th-11th & Mar 13th-24th| Bossiney one Apr 1st; Godrevy Point singles May 5th & 17th, Hannafore Point two May 25th & Jun 7th; Penberth one Nov 10th; Kynance one Dec 27th. 1995 Additions Camel Est.: 16 Dec 13th. Par Beach: seven Dec 14th.

42 LONG-TAILED DUCK - Clangula hyemalis Uncommon passage migrant and winter visitor. Frequently encountered on freshwater sites. Numbers fluctuate from year to year. No birds overwintered from 1995 and only four new individuals arrived during the year. Mounts Bay: female Jan 20th-Mar 22nd PMA,DSF,JWt and a male Jan 27th-Apr 20th EJCSMCJHH et al. Tamar Est.: female Nov 17th GDL. St. Ives/Carbis Bay: female Dec 7th into 1997 IK,LL et al. The county mainland total advances to c. 415 since 1930. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 53 33 45 14 4 3 1 1 1 48 109 103

COMMON SCOTER - Melanitta nigra Winter visitor. Passage migrant (mainly late June to mid-October). A few summer. Significant wintering flocks regularly occur along sheltered coasts such as Gerran's Bay, St.Austell Bay and . Few birds were present during the first winter period but numbers improved for the second winter period after a reasonable autumn passage. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May J un Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 51 40 85 144 69 31 260 465 32 274 284 225 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Rame Head 1 4 23 120 57 6 116 85 1 33 9 9 Whitsand Bay ------16 - - - - Downderry - 2 22 13 - 7 70 27 1 2 - - Hannafore Point - 17 8 11 5 - - 20 - - - St.Austell Bay 30 - 14 - 5 - 30 2 20 43 16 Gerrans Bay 10 ------1 5 Loe Bar - - - - - 6 1 - - 25 2 Mount's Bay - 5 3 1 - - 7 1 - - 29 30 St. Ives/Carbis Bay - 6 - 1 8 9 36 3 79 35 2 Porthgwarra - - - - - 52 89 - 10 - - Pendeen Watch ------175 2 117 87 - Apart from 45 past Towan Head Nov 29th and 150 at Poldhu Cove Dec 27th, there were no other counts extending beyond 10 birds. Inland: a male was at Harlyn Pools Nov 21st-22nd DIJ.

VELVET SCOTER - Melanitta fusca Rare passage migrant and winter visitor (mainly November to February). Canick Roads: four fem./imms. from 1995 remained until Jan 14th, reducing to two Jan 15th and one Feb 17th SMC,DE,RAJ et al. Two fem./imms. returned Dec 28th rising to three Dec 29th MM. Rame Head: male Jan 13th GDL. ^Austell Bay: three (one male) Feb lst.and two fem./imms. Dec 19th into 1997 FMC,RL. Maenporth: male Mar 28th CLB. Downderry: two west Oct 21st.SCM. Falmouth Bay: two Dec 12th-15th CLB,ECJ,RCJ. Veryan Bay: two Dec 28th, possibly the Falmouth birds, BSW. Bude Bay: one Dec 29th SMC. Assuming 15 new birds were involved the county mainland total advances to c.406, all since 1930.

Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 49 81 25 12 2 - - 1 2 40 102 90 Top sites: St. Ives 82, Carrick Roads 51, Mount's Bay 36, Whitsand Bay/Rame Head 33. COMMON GOLDENEYE - Bucephala clangula Winter visitor. Passage migrant. Regularly encountered on most estuarine and freshwater sites throughout the county. During recent years there has been a distinct decrease in the number of birds visiting Cornwall. This has become evident at Carrick Roads where the wintering flock is 60% below the average of the 1970's and early 1980's. Numbers were around the average for recent years in the first winter period but a notable increase occurred in December. Carrick Roads and Stithians Res. once again held the largest gatherings. The last spring birds were females at Colliford Res. and Dozmary Pool May 4th and the first autumn bird returned to Hayle Est. Oct 23rd. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 57 68 54 15 2 - - - - 1 23 70 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Colliford Res. 5 2 2 - 1 - - - - - 2 6 Dozmary Pool 3 4 4 2 1 - - - - - 3 3 Carrick Roads 6 14 20 ------18 Argal Res. 3 6 ------Stithians Res. 5 8 9 9 ------5 12 Loe Pool 6 6 3 4 ------3 3 Hayle Est. 10 7 3 ------1 1 8 Camel Est. 8 6 6 ------1 6 Elsewhere no more than three were recorded at any one site.

SMEW - Mergellus albellus Scarce winter visitor and passage migrant. Stithians Res.: redhead Feb 3rd-10th RAJ,KJ et al. College Res.: redhead Dec 31st.BSW. River Neet, Bude: redhead Dec 31st.GPS. The county mainland total advances to c.303 since 1930.

Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 139 93 20 2 1 - - - - 2 13 36 Top sites: Siblyback Res. 79, Camel Est. 30, Colliford Res. 28, Tamar Est. 26, Loe Pool 14.

Map 2: Red-breasted Merganser site maxima 1996.

44 RED-BREASTED MERGANSER - Mergus serrator Winter visitor. Uncommon passage migrant. Rare inland. The majority of birds occurring in the county are encountered at Carrick Roads and other estuarine sites (see Map 2). They gather to roost, along with grebes and other waterfowl, off Turnaware Point and Loe Beach. At dawn they break up into small flocks to feed within the Fal Estuary complex. An exceptional year with record numbers in both winter periods. The last spring birds were brownheads at Hayle Est. May 11th and Bude May 14th. For the second successive year there was a record in July, this time on the Helford River Jul 17th. The first autumn migrants, both brownheads, returned to Drift Res. Sep 27th and Loe Pool Sep 30th.

Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 115 125 91 25 3 - 1 - 2 5 28 115 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 5 10 5 5 ------12 St. Johns Lake 8 4 2 1 ------9 13 Lynher Est. 10 13 13 9 - - - - - 2 3 12 Ruan Lanihorne - 4 10 1 ------Carrick Roads 76 66 38 7 ------12 65 Penryn River 4 6 2 ------5 3 Helford River - - 5 - - - 1 - - - 3 - Camel Est. 5 1 1 5 ------2 1 2 No other site held more than three birds.

GOOSANDER - Mergus merganser Uncommon winter visitor and passage migrant. Probably breeds annually on the Cornwall/Devon border. Typically birds occupy regular sites on Bodmin Moor and other inland water bodies, with significant flocks frequenting Hayle Est. and Drift Res. (see Map 3). However, numbers at Argal Res. and Stithians Res. were well below those of recent years. Average numbers were present in both winter periods with a definite cold weather influx in December.

Map 3: Goosander site maxima 1996. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 35 36 15 1 1 1 - 1 - 1 14 58

45 The last bird to depart in the spring was a brownhead on Hayle Est. Mar 27th and the first autumn arrival was a brownhead at Drift Res. Oct 30th. Four summer records deserve special mention, as follows: Calstock: male swimming up river Apr 24th JH. Camel Est.: female May 17th JHH. Hayle Est.: brownhead Jun 14th-19th LPW et al. Upper Tamar Lake: one Aug 4th DBWPS. The Calstock and Upper Tamar Lake records may be indicative of local breeding. Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. - - 3 1 ------Siblyback Res. 3 3 ------Colliford Res. 3 2 ------Argal Res. 3 5 ------Hayle Est. 8 8 5 - - 1 - - - - 7 Crowdy Res. 8 6 2 ------• - - - Drift Res. - 4 3 ------1 4 11 Porth Res. 1 ------12 Tamar Lakes 8 2 1 - - - - 1 - - - 5 Elsewhere: singles were at Dozmary Pool Jan 7th, Bude Feb 6th-Mar 22nd, Marazion Marsh (flying inland) Feb 26th, Falmouth Bay Mar 11th, Maer Lake Nov 22nd-23rd, Gannel Est. Dec 9th; two were at Bradford Nov 29th; three at Nanjizal Nov 18th, Stithians Res. Dec 27th & Marazion Marsh Dec 29th; four at St. Ives Bay Feb 11th, Popesmill Nov 25th & Lynher Est. Dec 21st; 12 (one male) at Loe Pool Dec 31st. The county mainland total advances to c. 1113. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 444 145 92 14 4 1 - 4 1 23 157 288 Top sites: Crowdy Res. 146, Siblyback Res. 103, Drift Res. 93, Hayle Est. 89, Argal Res. 77, Stithians Res. 69, Camel Est. 64.

RUDDY DUCK - Oxyura jamaicensis Scarce winter visitor and passage migrant. Annual since 1977. Drift Res.: female remained from 1995 until Mar lst.GH et al. Loe Pool: male remained from 1995 until Feb 8th GJ,RK,ARP et al. Siblyback Res.: female remained from 1995 until Jan 7th DCg,DGL,EJW. Stithians Res.: female Jan 1st, presumably the 1995 Argal Res. bird DE. Par Beach Pool: female Sep 22nd IRS,WS. Crowdy Res.: lst.winter male Oct 6th AJB,SJB,BTC. Two new birds take the county mainland total to c. 117, all since 1977. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 39 20 2 - - - 1 - 16 17 17 5 Top sites: Loe Pool 37, Stithians Res. 23, Drift Res. nine.

EUROPEAN HONEY-BUZZARD - Pernis apivorus Rare passage migrant. A potential breeding species (cf. annual breeding in Devon since 1979). Land's End: one flew north Jun 15th & juv. Sep 15th RAw,VAS. Hayle Est.: adult Jul 21st VAS. Treveal: one flew south Sep 14th EGG. The county mainland total advances to c.97, all but nine since 1972. A small number of records still await full documentation.

46 Monthly breakdown * : Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - - 6 18 6 2 9 24 22 - 1 *five birds undated. Top sites: Hayle and Porthgwarra/St. Levan nine each, Rame Head seven.

BLACK KITE - Milvus migrans Rare vagrant. Trevose Head: one May 25th SMC. L Trengwainton Cam: one May 27th-29th, frequenting the moorland between Madron, and Drift Res DSF,GH et al. The county mainland total increases to 12, all since 1975. This species has occurred in all but one year since 1989, reflecting the increase of records in NW Europe and the UK over recent years, a trend which looks set to continue. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - 1 7 - - - 2 2 - -

RED KITE - Milvus milvus Rare passage migrant and winter visitor. There are various ancient claims of breeding in Cornwall but none is considered fully authentic. Rumours still persist of birds summering in apparently suitable breeding habitat in the county, so the possibility of successful breeding should not be overlooked, especially in view of the success of the national reintroduction schemes. United Downs: one Mar 2nd SCo. Nanquidno: one Mar 3rd KAW. Porthallow: one Mar 3rd per ARP. Truro: one Mar 4th EVT. Loe Pool: one May 15th BSW. Luxulyan Valley: one May 18th MPE St Just: one (bearing pale blue wing-tags) Jun 15th-16th, seen at Rosemergy on the latter date and Towednack Jun 17th PJR,MPS et al. Nanjizal: one Nov 11th JL,KAW. Hawkstor Clay Pit: one Nov 22nd per JBH. The above sightings relate to eight individuals, based on the assumption that there were three birds in March. The county mainland total advances to c.100 since 1952. There were no records between 1930 and 1952. However, there are twelve 19th Century records.

Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May J un Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 8 4 15 7 8 5 4 1 8 22 12 6

MARSH HARRIER - Circus aeruginosus Rare passage migrant and winter visitor. A dramatic increase in records over recent years is no doubt related to an expanding UK breeding population. Portscatho: male flew north Jan 14th SMC,EJC. Sennen: female Jan 17th, another May 4th (seen later at Skewjack) JFR. Marazion Marsh: 1st year female Jan 27th-Mar 31st, one Apr 19th, female Jun 9th-12th, male north Oct 25th DRC,DSF,AJM,JWt et al. Drift Res.: female Feb 13th GH. Foage/Trewey: female east Mar 4th, another Mar 29th-31st EGG,BKM,PAR,VAS. Gunwalloe: 2nd year male Mar 22nd-23rd ARP. Nanjizal/Skewjack: 2nd year male Mar 29th, female May 4th-6th, female May 31st (earlier at Sennen), 1 st winter male Aug 27th RAw,DSF,KAW et al. Kynance Downs: imm. male Apr 27th AJM.

47 Boskenna: one May 7th (presumed same as Skewjack) RB. Treveal: female May 25th VAS. Tater-du: one Jun 6th, same at St. Bury an Jun 14th JL. Loe Pool: one Jul 10th GJ. Gwithian: one Sep 6th-7th BSW. Land's End: female Sep 7th (later seen at Nanquidno) RAw et al. Caer Bran: female Sep 24th AH,BCW. Lizard: one Oct 2nd GJ. A total of at least 19 individuals were involved, sightings at Drift Res. and Foage/Trewey presumably involving the first Marazion Marsh bird. At Marazion Marsh in June, a female was observed repeatedly carrying nesting material but no nest was actually built DSEJWt et al. The county mainland total advances to c.156 since 1930. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 6 3 16 22 36 4 2 13 21 25 4 4 Top sites: Marazion 36, Sennen &Lizard Downs 15 each, Gunwalloe eight and Porthgwarra seven.H

HEN HARRIER - Circus cyaneus Scarce passage migrant and winter visitor. Forms communal roosts in winter. Traditional roosts on mid-Cornwall moors and the moors are well documented but sites on Bodmin Moor and Lizard Downs have received less attention. The annual total was exceptionally low for the second successive year, with formerly regulaS wintering sites all but forsaken. Also, passage birds were rather scarce. The last in the spring was a ringtail at Nanjizal May 12th and! the first for the autumn a ringtail at Sancreed Sep 12th. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 8 7 5 8 1 - - - 1 6 6 6 Bodmin Moor Single wintering ringtails were noted at Colliford Res. Jan 27th & Dec 30th, whilst probable migrants were at Siblyback Moor Mar 8th and Crowdy Res. Nov 16th. Mid-Cornwall Moors At the Tregonetha Downs roost during the first winter period a single adult male remained from 1995 until Mar 13th. It was joined by a ringtail Feb 4th-10th, a second adult male Feb 10th-20th and a thin male on the last date. In the second winter period a single adult male returned Dec 19th, remaining into 1997, and was joined by a second male Dec 29th. The only other record was of a male at Winnard's Perch Nov 28th. West Penwith Moors Around the Trewey Common area a male was present Jan 6th-Apr 6th together with ringtails Jan 1st Mar 14th & Mar 23rd-Apr 20th. A male was present Oct 15th and another Dec 29th. Southwest oi Penzance a male frequented the moorland around Caer Bran Jan 18th-Mar 16th, where a second was present Mar 4th and ringtails Jan 30th-Mar 4th & Mar 16th-Apr 23rd. These probably account fot numerous sightings in the Land's End/Nanjizal area during March and April. During the second winter period a male and two ringtails were present at Caer Bran Dec 27th. Other males were noted at Porthcurno Nov 11th, Porthgwarra Nov 12th and Crean Dec 30th; and ringtails at Sancreed Sep 21st, Porthgwarra Oct 9th & 19th, and Lamorna Nov 18th. Lizard Peninsula A male at Predannack Jan 2nd & Loe Pool Jan 9th. Elsewhere A ringtail was at Gwithian Feb 24th. At Penlee Point, Rame, there was an adult male Apr 1st and a ringtail Oct 25th. A female flew south over Hayle Apr 4th. A 1st winter male at Godrevy Point Oct 22nd-23rd had originated from Dumfriesshire, . 48 MONTAGU'S HARRIER - Circus pygargus Rare passage migrant. Formerly a regular breeding species in Mid Cornwall, last noted in 1975. Summering birds occasionally occur, suggesting the possibility of future breeding. Treveal: male Apr 5th VAS. Porthgwarra: female flew north May 11 th SMC. Rame: ringtail Aug 31st GDL. The county mainland total (published records only) advances to 97, since 1930. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May J Lin Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - 1 20 42 5 2 15 9 2 1 - Top sites: Porthgwarra 18, Lizard Downs/Goonhilly/Kynance 14, St. Just 6.

HARRIER sp. (Hen or Montagu's Harrier) Hawk's Tor, Temple: ringtail Sep 3rd CE.

NORTHERN GOSHAWK - Accipter gentilis Rare passage migrant (mainly autumn) and winter visitor. A few pairs breed annually in Devon. In Cornwall summering individuals have been noted irregularly since the mid 1980's but proof of breeding remains absent. 1995 Additions Skewjack: male May 7th SMC. Trevorrian: male Nov 17th SMC. The county mainland total advances to c.90. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - - 6 19 6 1 9 23 22 1 1

EURASIAN SPARROWHAWK - Accipter nisus Common and widespread resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. During the year reports were received from 138 localities across the county with no suggestion of any change in status. Breeding was proven at Kenwyn, Marazion Marsh (two pairs), Popesmill, Zennor, Townshend, Treveal, New Mill and Nanquidno, and strongly suspected at Lamelgate, Cadsonbury, Trengwainton, Drift and Lamorna. During the autumn, between late September and mid November, an increase in records from West Penwith suggested that a proportion were migrants. This assumption was confirmed when a first winter male was trapped at Nanjizal Oct 22nd bearing a Norwegian ring, constituting the first confirmed record of a continental migrant in the county. No obvious influxes were apparent although counts of three birds were made at The Lizard Sep 22nd, Drift Res. Oct 12th and Porthgwarra Oct 25th & Nov 16th. Reported prey items include Meadow Pipit, Collared Dove, Blackbird and Wood Pigeon (two).

COMMON BUZZARD - Buteo buteo Abundant resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. Reports indicate that this species is still widely distributed across the entire county with no significant population changes noted. Confirmed breeding was reported at Trevanson, Boswednack, Drift Res., Lamelgate (five pairs), Marazion Marsh (three pairs), Porth Joke, Townshend and Halvana Plantation. Large gatherings include: 11 Trewey Downs Sep 22nd and at Porthgwarra eight Oct 10th, ten Oct 17th, ten Dec 27th. Two birds were reported exhibiting rather unusual feeding behaviour. At Calstock Dec 21st one was seen to attack and drive off a fishing Grey Heron, after which it waded into the water, presumably to retrieve the heron's catch JH. At Maer Lake a bird was watched catching and killing Moorhens on three separate occasions (Jan 7th, 12th & 19th), and presumably the same bird was responsible for killing a first year Herring Gull Oct 29th, which was pounced upon whilst resting GPS. A most bizarre incident of mobbing was witnessed at Hannafore Point Feb 25th by EJW. " I firstl became aware of this bird when all the gulls took off from the rocks in front of the coast-guard station. It flew laboriously over the rocks, eventually settling on them where it was harried by diving gulls. It took off with laboured flight, being forced out to sea by its pursuers. About two thirds of the way toj Looe Island it pitched in the sea. The gulls immediately backed off but remained overhead. Thel buzzard did not look distressed but after five minutes attempted to take off but was unable as its wings] were waterlogged. It was carried out to sea by the south-west breeze and presumably drowned ".

OSPREY - Pandion haliaetus Scarce passage migrant. Lynher/Tamar Est.: one Apr 22nd-28th, adult Aug 17th-18th, adult Aug 24th-29th, adult Sep 4th-27th but three juvs. Sep 12th-18th, one Oct 4th-8th, one Oct 14th-15th AB,PB,PE,RWG et al. Tresillian: one May 27th KJ,RAJ. Ruan Lanihorne: one Jul 21st-22nd, two Jul 23rd-25th, one Aug 3rd-18th & another Sep 10th THL.I Penryn River: juv. Aug 28th CLB. Maenporth: juv. attempting to fish in duck pond Aug 29th CLB,RCJ. Helford River: two Sep 1st, singles Sep 8th & 9th MHt,DML et al. Crowdy Res.: one Sep 6th AJB,SJB. Kynance Cove: one Sep 8th BSW. Porthgwarra: one Sep 8th PAM. Land's End: one Nov 15th BSW. 1995 Addition : one Oct 7th PW. Allowing for interchange between sites at least 21 birds appear to have been involved, taking the county mainland total to c.220. Another good year, presumably related to the growing UK population, see Figure 6 below. Thi Land's End record is the second latest in the county. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - 5 27 36 7 12 55 67 20 3 . I

Top sites: Camel Est. 35, Tamar Est. 29, Ruan Lanihorne 25, Lynher Est. 18, Hayle Est. 14.

Figure 6: Osprey annual totals 1997-1996

COMMON KESTREL - Falco tinnunculus Common resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. Again there was a significant increase in the number of sightings compared with the previous yea involving records from 138 localities. The increase in records over the last three years may wel

50 indicate a real population expansion. Breeding was confirmed at Com Head, Godrevy Point, Hannafore Point, Hell's Mouth, Hendersick, Lamoma, , Pentire Farm, Pentire Point West and Rame Head. Other breeding season reports involving birds on territory were received from ten additional locations. During the autumn there were no obvious movements of passage migrants. The only large gatherings involved four at both Marazion Marsh Sep 11th and Lizard Downs Sep 15th, and three at Porthgwarra Oct 10th. However, these may well relate to family parties rather than migrants.

MERLIN - Falco columbarius Scarce passage migrant and winter visitor. Occasionally roosts communally, often associating with Hen Harriers. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 12 11 16 7 1 - 2 2 14 49 23 11 Numbers in both winter periods were far greater than the previous year. However, all records were of singles except for four at Feb 4th and two at Nanjizal during February. Regular wintering sites were very poorly attended, with none noted at Tregonetha Downs. Spring passage apparently commenced on Mar 8th with a female at West Pentire and finished with one at Pentire Point on May 8th. During early autumn a male was at Pendeen Jul 10th, and probably the same at Gurnard's Head 16th, and a female near St. Cleer Jul 18th. Both records may relate to failed breeders of local origin! Autumn passage commenced with a single at Nanjizal Aug 10th and continued into mid-November. Around 88 individuals were involved, producing one of the best migration totals on record. No confirmed prey items were reported. However, two birds at Colliford Res. Sep 19th were relentlessly pursuing a flock of feeding Little Stints; obviously taking full advantage of this abundant prey. Regular reports & maximum numbers: o —i Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Colliford Res. 2 - 1 - Crowdy Res. 1 ------1 1 1 Goss Moor - 4 ------1 Predannack 2 - - 1 - - - - 1 1 1 1 Porthgwarra ------1 7 1 - Land's End - - 1 ------4 - -

HOBBY - Falco subbuteo Scarce passage migrant (increasing). Rare breeding species in East Cornwall, regular since 1991. Over the last decade this species has occurred with increasing regularity throughout the county. This trend looks set to continue given the steady increase of the UK breeding population. Breeding was confirmed at only one site this year where a single young was raised. However, five other sites held birds during the breeding season. Wicca: one Apr 20th SGR. Caer Bran: one Apr 24th AH,BCW. Colliford Res.: singles May 4th, 25th & Jun 22nd PAM,EJW. Predannack: one May 4th ARP. Sheviock: one May 6th GSG. Ryan's Field: one May 8th DSF. Freathy: one flew east May 9th DRC. Reskajeage Downs: one May 14th LPW. Crafthole: two May 18th AB,PB. Rame Head: one flew in off sea May 27th DCg,GDL. St. Agnes: one May 28th DE. Marazion Marsh: singles Jun 5th, 7th, 10th & Sep 11th BTC,BD,DSF,CM. Truro: one Jun 6th DE.

51 Upper Fowey Valley: one Jun 7th & 8th TSH,IRS,WS,MST. Carn Brea: one Jun 12th DSF. Sancreed: singles Jun 12th & Jul 8th DSF. Penhale Camp: one Jun 14th FMC. Helston: one Jun 15th caught a high flying bat with ease and was later seen pursuing another MJRe. Gwithian Towans: one Jun 19th PTS. Boswednack: one flew west Jun 20th EGG. St. Germans: singles Jun 21st & Sep 9th AB,PB, SCM. Kit Hill: two Jun 22nd AJM. Goss Moor: one Jul 7th PAM. Calstock: one Jul 27th & 29th JH. Bodgara: two Aug 1st & one with Barn Swallow prey Sep 20th JHF,PJR. St. Mawgan: two Aug 1st REW. Seaton: one Aug 13th AJM. Launceston: one Aug 30th AMJD. Drift Res.: juvenile Sep 7th & one Oct 13th GH,FP,VAS. : adult Sep 10th IS. Crowdy Res.: adult attacked a Dunlin Sep 10th RGM. : juvenile mobbed by hirundines Sep 11th BTC. Trerulefoot: one Sep 15th DIJ. Nanjizal: one Sep 18th KAW. Polhawn cove: one flew out to sea CFNHC. Loe Pool: one Sep 25th GJ. Nanquidno: juvenile Oct 8th NRP. 1995 Addition Coverack: 1st summer May 14th MSH. With at least 50 individuals recorded this is yet another record breaking year (see Figure 7), taking the county mainland total to c.554 (plus c.66 young) since 1930. Monthly breakdown (excluding young): Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - - 40 150 87 48 74 109 46 - -

Figure 7: Hobby annual totals 1977-1996

GYR FALCON - Falco rusticolus Very rare vagrant Treveal: pale morph Apr 2nd JMRd. The tenth county mainland record and first since 1986. Monthly breakdown*: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 - 2 2 1 - - - - 1 - - * three undated

52 - Falco peregrinus Resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. Winter visitor. During the year records were received from 154 localities covering all parts of the county. Eleven eyries successfully fledged young with many other sites occupied during the breeding season. However, three established eyries failed to produce young. Of six inland sites reported holding birds during the breeding season, only one successfully fledged young. A first year female was found dead near Truro Apr 8th having collided with overhead power lines, a fate described as "not an uncommon occurrence" by RBT. An escaped falconer's bird, bearing jesses, was at Epphaven Cove Jan 22nd. Reported prey items include: Wood Pigeon, Common Pheasant, Black-headed Gull (two), Northern Lapwing, Common Redshank, Eurasian Jackdaw, Feral Pigeon, Common Guillemot & Song Thrush. Interesting observations of hunting include one at Par Sep 21st plucking a Black-headed Gull in MGrs garden. A female forced a Whimbrel to ditch in the sea off Rame Head Jul 20th. The perplexed Peregrine made a number of stoops but each time the Whimbrel evaded capture by diving EJW. Again off Rame Head Aug 10th a juvenile made three unsuccessful attempts at taking a Razorbill on the sea RMB,DRC.

RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE - Alectoris rufa Feral release. Resident. Breeds. Thousands of hand-reared birds have been released for shooting purposes in various parts of the county, especially in mid and east Cornwall, over the last twenty years. However, breeding success of these feral birds remains very low, the reasons for which are not fully understood. St. Cleer: two Feb 1 st. St. Germans: one Feb 2nd. St. Columb Major: eight Feb 9th. Crantock: one Mar 24th. Porthgwarra: two Mar 29th-May 10th, three May 29th, two Aug 24th & three Sep 28th. Dannonchapel: pair Apr 8th-16th. Land's End: two Apr 13th-May 27th, one Sep 23rd-Oct 14th. Tregragon Valley: pair Apr 22nd. St. Merryn: one May 16th. Trerulefoot: pair May 21 st. Cutcrew Mill: one Jun 2nd. Portholland: one Aug 27th. Yet another poor year with no confirmed breeding. A small nucleus now appears to be established in the far west.

GREY PARTRIDGE - Perdix perdix Feral release. Scarce resident. Breeds. The Grey Partridge has been declining nationally for many years, but this decrease has accelerated over the last decade. Most obvious is the retraction in range from the western UK. Reasons for the decline are centred in modern intensive farming practices. However, the provision of weed-rich stubbles over the winter months and unsprayed 'headlands' around crop-fields during the summer, combined with the sensible use of 'set-aside', would go a long way toward providing the year-round requirements essential for the survival of this species. Overall the population appears to have remained at around the same level as 1995. However, a welcome increase in the vicinity of the Camel Estuary appears to have been offset by a continued decline in the south-east, a former stronghold, see Map 4. Epphaven Cove: eight Jan 8th, pair Apr 18th. Glebe Cliff: four Jan 10th. Padstow: four Feb 2nd. Kingsand: three Mar 3rd. Pentire Farm: two Mar 6th.

53 St. Endellion: pair Mar 22nd. Dannonchapel: pair Apr 2nd. Doyden Point: pair Apr 2nd & 3rd. Pentireglaze: one Apr 4th, pair May 5th. Rame: singles Apr 8th and Aug 25th. St. Mabyn: one Apr 17th. Werrington: male calling May 28th. Bear's Downs: male calling May 28th. St. John: family party of six Jun 10th. Tregardock: family party Jul 15th Towednack: male calling Jun 25th. Tregathenan: 'small party' early Oct. Lundy Bay: 14 Nov 15th. Portquin: 17 Dec 12th. 1995 Addition Newlyn East: one May 23rd. The covey at Portquin is the largest reported since 1989.

Map 4: Grey Partridge (all records) 1996.

COMMON QUAIL - Coturnix coturnix Scarce passage migrant and summer visitor. Occasionally breeds. Numbers fluctuate from yea to year. Has overwintered. Annual since 1975. Epphaven: one Apr 22nd DL. Summercourt: two Jun 2nd SMC. St. Minver: one calling Jun 24th & Jul 10th, two calling Jun 27th-Jul 4th DLJ. Lower Tamar Lake: one Jul 17th-19th DBWPS. Roughtor Moors: one flushed Jul 27th CE. Merry Meeting: one calling Jul 28th ID. Rame: one flushed from stubble Sep 10th RWG. Porthgwarra: one Sep 10th BSW. Upper Tamar Lake: two Sep 23rd DC1. (up to three were present just over the county border Jul 2nd- Aug 2nd DBWPS). Breeding may well have occurred at St. Minver and around Tamar Lakes. Surprisingly, none was recorded at the regular site on the mid-Cornwall Moors.

54 The county total advances to c.274 (plus 63 young) since 1930. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 - 1 4 66 1 13 47 24 12 4 2 -

COMMON PHEASANT - Phasianus colchicus Resident. Breeds. Thousands released annually for sporting purposes, thus ensuring that populations are maintained at a high level. As in previous years there were no apparent changes in the population of this widespread species. The only significant counts were at Caerhays 120, Portholland 50 and Menabilly 20, which relate to birds reared for sporting interests. As usual a number of plumage aberrations were noted involving birds ranging from almost pure white through to nearly black. The only roost gathering noted was of seven behind the hide at Walmsley Sanctuary Nov 11th.

WATER RAIL - Rallus aquaticus Rare resident. Breeds in low numbers. Passage migrant. Winter visitor. Breeding season information was received from the following sites (with comparative data for 1989- 1995). Figures represent the number of young seen; p = present, success unknown.

1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 Marazion/Long Rock P 1 P P 2 P P P Loe Pool 1 ------Maer Lake P 1 1 - - - - Single pairs were noted at Marazion Marsh and Loe Pool; at the latter site breeding was last suspected in 1984. An above average year with good numbers in both winter periods and a notable cold weather influx in December. The last bird of the spring was at Par Beach Pool Apr 18th and the first apparent autumn migrant was at Nanjizal Jul 20th. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 46 38 24 17 1 8 6 15 21 26 51 60

Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 1 1 2 - - - 3 1 - - 1 Par Beach Pool 1 1 5 - 2 - - - - 5 8 Swanpool 4 5 6 1 - - - 1 6 4 6 Loe Pool 2 - - - 5 3 4 - 5 8 4 Marazion 3 6 2 2 2 - 5 10 3 5 2 Harlyn Bay 2 ------2 4 Maer Lake 2 3 1 2 1 1 1 1 - 1 - 2 Unusual was one at Par Dec 31 st feeding amongst an ornamental flower bed in the middle of a busy road GJC; the pool was frozen solid. At Madron a cat developed a taste for this species, despatching individuals in March and April per JL.

SPOTTED CRAKE - Porzana porzana Rare passage migrant (mainly mid-August to late September). Rare winter visitor. Bred in 1860, 1862 and 1874. As usual the majority of records came from Marazion Marsh, due mainly to high observer coverage and the provision of ideal feeding habitat. Walmsley Sanctuary: adult Jul 31st DIJ. Marazion Marsh: a minimum of 12 birds between Aug lOth-Sep 13th, including a maximum single count of six Sep 1st DSF,GGG,JFR,SJ et al. Lower Tamar Lake: juv. Sep 22nd-24th, joined by an adult Sep 24th, one Sep 28th, adult Oct 7th

55 JB,DC1,RGM,GPS. Nanquidno: one Oct 14th MCCo,PCo,SMCo. The county mainland total advances to c. 129 since 1930. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - 3 1 2 1 - 4 60 48 9 1 - Top sites: Marazion/Long Rock Pool 75, Tamar Lakes 10, Sennen seven.

MOORHEN - Gallinula chloropus Resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. Winter visitor. After a period of apparent decline during the 1970's and 1980's, due mainly to habitat loss, a more enlightened attitude toward habitat conservation and creation in recent years has enabled the Moorhen to regain some lost ground. Breeding was confirmed at 17 sites, with pairs present at many other localities. Throughout the year numbers were above average, far higher than in 1995 and slightly above those of 1994. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 220 193 99 97 68 127 85 150 202 179 140 163

Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May J un Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 2 - 2 1 2 3 2 4 4 4 6 - Millbrook Pond 3 4 4 1 1 - - 3 1 12 2 4 Par Beach Pool 8 5 6 5 1 - - 9 1 1 15 16 20 Swanpool 12 13 9 5 4 8 8 10 9 1 1 12 12 Loe Pool 2 12 - 4 8 4 20 20 12 10 21 5 Helston Lake 4 5 - 8 4 22 5 5 1 | 7 14 12 Pendarves 10 12 8 5 4 7 5 8 9 - - - Tehidy CP 24 22 - 10 9 12 16 19 28 26 27 26 Marazion Marsh 27 36 - 17 3 37 - 35 35 33 5 2 Drift Res. 2 5 4 2 2 1 5 6 7 1 1 9 Porth Res. 8 2 8 10 _ - 1 4 8 _ 2 Walmsley Sanct. 23 8 3 ------1 5 Maer Lake 32 37 31 22 18 21 6 - - 10 13 16 Other large counts include 19 at Mawgan Porth Jan 9th increasing to 27 Jan 25th, 22 at Bude Marshes Feb 11th, 15 at Stithians Res. during September, 17 at Trenance Lake Nov 23rd, 16 at Poldhu Marsh Dec 7th and 30 at Caerhays Dec 14th.

COMMON COOT - Fulica atra Resident. Breeds annually at Marazion Marsh, Swanpool and Stithians Reservoir, but only sporadically elsewhere. Passage migrant. Common winter visitor. Successful breeding was reported from the following sites during 1996 (with comparative data for 1989-1995). Figures represent number of pairs; B = bred; p = present, success unknown. 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 Colliford Res. P 1 P P 2 3 P - Swanpool 2 10 3 6 3 1 1 2 Par Beach Pool 3 2 2 3 1 - P - Stithians Res. 13 13 13 P 2 P 1 Loe Pool P B P - - 7 Helston 1 - - - - - _ Marazion Marsh 10 2 P P 12 1 3 2 Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 425 389 239 178 107 229 197 305 435 317 251 421

56 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Siblyback Res. 51 54 36 4 - 1 5 13 55 70 6 43 Dozmary Pool S - 4 7 3 3 7 20 34 25 22 26 Colliford Res. 1 32 17 24 4 6 3 4 5 2 1 23 Par Beach Pool 67 54 43 9 7 3 - 23 40 40 58 65 Stithians Res. 25 ------Argal Res. 9 15 9 - - - - 2 5 20 59 67 College Res. 1 2 3 ------6 18 9 Swanpool 66 64 65 49 35 43 38 54 57 52 62 65 Loe Pool 48 42 - 37 33 78 104 163 167 42 26 72 Helston Lake 68 48 - 16 7 18 32 20 22 32 74 66 Marazion 23 32 28 21 10 59 - 15 18 28 11 8 Drift Res. 8 7 5 1 ------2 19

LITTLE BUSTARD -Tetrax tetrax Vagrant. The Lizard: one Oct 26th-29th ARP et al. Perhaps the bird of the year, enjoyed by hundreds of birdwatchers during its four day stay. It frequented turnip and stubble fields around Lizard village where it could be extraordinarily difficult to observe. The 19th county mainland record, but the first since 1920. The first British record was in Cornwall in 1751. Monthly breakdown*: Jan Feb Mar Apr May J un Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 4 - - - 1 - 1 - 1 2 2 7 * one was undated.

OYSTERCATCHER - Haematopus ostralegus Resident. Breeds in low numbers (mainly north coast). Common passage migrant and winter visitor. Confirmed breeding was noted at Hell's Mouth (one pair), Merope Rocks (one pair) and Rump's Point (two pairs). Young left the nest at HelPs Mouth on Jun 22nd. Possible breeding was noted at Dinas Head, Gulland Rock, Park Head, Portquin, St. Agnes and Western Cove.

Little Bustard (Richard James) Approximate monthlv totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May J un Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1400 972 539 519 172 149 451 748 1592 1732 1170 1259 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 86 104 88 45 3 - 8 4 159 131 71 37 Lynher Est. 25 58 13 24 - - 5 33 17 20 11 30 Rame Head 16 30 16 16 12 17 3 35 74 91 58 85 Looe 14 7 13 5 1 - - 6 - 12 19 17

57 Par 80 - 9 - 1 - 15 - 1 141 24 130 Ruan Lanihorne 10 12 23 8 2 1 42 107 149 38 14 20 Truro River 52 84 38 35 19 - 22 7 88 66 99 50 Restronguet 1 - 6 - - - 1 25 4 36 5 2 Helford River 97 87 37 20 16 30 51 76 126 140 84 131 Hayle Est. 50 26 26 19 30 26 53 56 62 50 33 47 Gannel Est. 44 14 - 5 5 - 3 - 6 5 4 6 Camel Est. 186 200 14 156 - - 75 44 411 360 289 189 Inland there was one at Colliford Res. Aug 24th and one at Drift Res. Oct 14th.

AVOCET - Recurvi rostra avosetta Rare passage migrant. Has wintered annually at Tamar Estuary since 1947/8 but only occasionally elsewhere. Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 346 315 148 1 1 - - - - - 180 229 Lynher Est.: records only in Jan and Nov. Highest counts of 14 Jan 18th and 11 Nov 2nd. Hayle Estuary: one Jan lst-Feb 25th. Tresillian River: one Feb 2nd-Mar 17th. Par Beach: one Mar 6th. Ruan Lanihorne: one Mar 11th & 24th. St. Clement: one Mar 17th. Camel Estuary: one May 21st-25th. East Looe River: one Nov 15th. The bird at Par Beach was seen swimming with a flock of five Eider! Again record numbers wintering in the county. Most of these birds are probably from the population breeding in East Anglia. 1973 Addition Par Beach: 10 Jun 13th, flew in from south, circled the pool and flew off east NAC.

LITTLE RINGED PLOVER - Charadrius dubius Uncommon passage migrant Copperhouse Creek: singles Mar 16th, Mar 27th-30th and Jun 7th DSF,SK,SGR. Loe Bar: singles Mar 18th and Sep 4th GJ. Porth Res.: one Mar 31st-Apr 3rd SGR. Hayle Est. singles Apr 7th & 14th, May 1st & 19th, Jul 13th-14th, Aug 21st and three on Aug 18t± GJC,DSFJHH,JWt. Maer Lake: singles Apr 17th, Aug 15th-20th & 31st GPS. Marazion Marsh: one Apr 21st PG. Nanjizal: one Apr 26th, two May 8th KAW. Land's End: one May 10th RAw. Kingsmill Lake: one Jul 21st DCg. Upper Tamar Lake: singles Aug 5th, 13th-15th & 20th-23rd DC1,RGM,JHH,GPS. River Neet: one Aug 1 lth-25th GPS. Crowdy Res.: one Aug 19th AJB. Ryan's Field: two Sep 6th BD. Mount's Bay: one Sep 20th SMC. Clodgy Point: one Sep 21st VAS. Siblyback Res.: one Sep 21st GDL. 1995 Addition Porth Res.: juv. Aug 13th SMC. 1996 becomes the best year ever with 33 individuals, surpassing the previous best of 16 in 1980. The county mainland total moves to c.234.

58 Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - 7 55 44 6 19 62 37 4 1 - Top sites: Hayle Est. 49, Marazion 37, Stithians Res. 33, Tamar Lakes 19 and Drift Res. 14.

GREAT RINGED PLOVER - Charadrius hiaticula Passage migrant. Winter visitor. Formerly a scarce breeding species, but this has not been confirmed since 1972. Even the most remote potential breeding sites are disturbed, making breeding unlikely in the foreseeable future. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 208 155 89 31 76 14 25 255 396 124 370 272 Spring passage involved about 100 birds, commencing with 36 at Hayle Est. Mar 3rd and ending with 13 there Jun 23rd. Autumn passage was about average commencing with six at Marazion on Jul 14th and ending with one at Drift Res. Oct 26th. There were notable records of 70 on the Camel Est. Jan 31st, 100 at Predannack Sep 21st, 250 at Marazion Nov 16th and 47 at Copperhouse Nov 17th. Unusual inland winter records were one at Colliford Res. Jan 1st and one at Drift Res. Dec 6th. Regular reports & maximum numbers Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 1 - - 1 - - 1 6 8 2 1 1 Looe 14 6 15 - 4 9 5 13 19 Par 3 2 1 1 - - - 40 1 15 15 15 Mounts Bay 55 28 15 1 1 1 - 6 30 60 4 250 50 Hayle Est. 40 31 36 14 23 13 7 15 30 29 47 36 Camel Est. 70 51 9 - - 1 - 22 8 12 16 69

KILLDEER PLOVER - Charadrius vociferus Vagrant Lamorna Cove: one Jan 11th BDB,JFR. This individual frequented the small lawns of the cottages at the mouth of the cove and was seen to go to roost, but was not present the next morning after severe overnight gales. A Bonaparte's Gull was also found earlier the same day at nearby Sennen Cove. The third county mainland record and the first for 37 years. Previous records were of a female shot at St. Columb Major on Dec 26th 1957 and one at Tamar Lake on Jul 27th 1959.

KENTISH PLOVER - Charadrius alexandrinus Rare passage migrant. Mount's Bay: female April 7th DSF,JFR,SR et al. Hayle Est.: female May 22nd DSF,LPW,JFR. Landulph Marsh: one Aug 17th GDL. The county mainland total now advances to c.54.

Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - 3 13 22 1 - 9 6 - - - Top sites: Marazion 20, Par eight, Hayle Est. seven, Camel Est. six.

DOTTEREL - Charadrius morinellus Scarce passage migrant (mainly autumn). Nine Maidens: two May 9th CBCJFR. Porthgwarra: one Sep 7th, two 19th and one 20th MS,PAM,BSW.

59 Davidstow Airfield: juv. Oct 9th-10th GPS,GDL. The county mainland total now moves to c.231. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - 1 9 32 23 - - 21 100 38 6 1 Top sites: Porthgwarra 70, St. Just Airfield and Sennen 42, Davidstow Airfield 30, Kynance area 21, Towednack and Trevose Head 11 each.

AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER - Pluvialis dominica Vagrant Copperhouse Creek: adult Feb 24th-25th JFR,LPW et al., presumed same at Ryan's Field Mar 17th SMC. Sennen Cove: 1st summer Apr 1st-10th, initially found on the beach but later moved to fields at Sennen TGJFR et al. Stithians Res.: juv./lst winter Dec 1st SMC,EJC. 1995 Addition Crowdy Res.: juv. Oct 16th IK,DJR. A review of all records by BBRC has led to the following decisions: St. Just Oct 6th 1968, considered inadequately documented; Stithians Res. 7th Nov 1978, now considered to be Pacific Golden Plover; Stithians Res. Sep 23rd-Oct 12th 1981, considered indeterminate American/Pacific Golden Plover. In the light of a BBRC review and the above records, the county mainland total stands at 41, all since 1969. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - 1 - 2 - - - 2 12 18 6 1 Top sites: Davidstow Airfield 11, Stithians Res. 10 and St. Just/Sennen nine.

PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER - Pluvialis fulva Rare vagrant. 1978 Addition Stithians Res.: juv. Nov 7th, previously accepted as American Golden Plover. This now becomes the first county record, the only other occurrence being an adult at Hayle Est. Aug 26th 1994.

AMERICAN/PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER - Pluvialis dominica/fulva Vagrant. Land's End: one Jan 28th RAw. 1981 Record Stithians Res.: adult Sep 23rd-Oct 12th (see American Golden Plover).

EUROPEAN GOLDEN PLOVER - Pluvialis apricaria Common passage migrant. Abundant winter visitor. Breeding has never been proved in Cornwall although a few pairs breed in Devon on Dartmoor and single birds are occasionally seen in suitable nesting habitat on Bodmin Moor. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 29756 16500 13048 266 - - 1 4 662 4998 9614 11301 Above average numbers in the first winter period, but more typical numbers in the second. There was evidence of hard weather movements at the end of December. Note the affinity to high moorland and estuaries in winter, Map 5.

60 Map 5: European Golden Plover site maxima January 1996. Spring movement was marked by a scattering of small flocks and singles. The last bird of the spring was one at Nanjizal Apr 27th. The first returning bird was one on the Hayle Est. Jul 1st. Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Lynher Est. 2000 800 900 ------87 443 30 Ruan Lanihorne 500 20 1050 - - - - - 2 - 300 300 Hayle Est. 1500 600 1000 - - - 1 - - 40 1000 650 Camel Est. 4500 5000 400 ------1100 109 Coliiford Res. 2500 1700 250 - - - - - 5 250 750 600 Davidstow/Crowdy 5000 500 - - - - - 3 300 1000 150 55 Elsewhere there were 500 at Drift Res. Jan 12th, 300 at Lamorna Jan 12th, 400 Sheffield Jan 12th, 450 at Maer Lake Feb 1 st, 600 at St. Mellion Feb 4th, 400 at Stithians Res. Mar 4th, 3500 at Siblyback Mar 8th, 2300 at Trewey Down Mar 10th, 250 at Videron Down Mar 30th, 250 at Caer Bran Oct 2nd, 800 at Predannack Oct 27th, 3000 on Roseland Peninsula Dec 27th and 1000 at Lizard Village Dec 29th.

GREY PLOVER - Pluvialis squatarola Passage migrant. Winter visitor. Higher than usual numbers in the first winter period but average numbers in the second. Approximate monthlv totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 594 495 323 4 15 - 1 1 56 31 75 244 Numbers on the estuaries remained fairly constant during the first two or three months of the year. Spring movement was evident from the beginning of March and ended with one on the Camel Est. May 25th. In autumn a bird returned to the Hayle Est. Jul 16th. Passage was heavier than the last two years, with birds returning to the wintering sites from the end of October. Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 6 7 1 2 - - - - - 1 2 - St. Johns Lake 130 80 65 - - - - - 9 1 - 80 Lynher Est. 33 11 16 - 3 - - 1 5 - 15 2

61 Looe 16 20 ------3 12 Hayle Est. 59 87 53 1 4 - 1 - 2 5 39 47 Camel Est. 155 153 150 1 1 - - - 20 18 14 43 Elsewhere there were 30 at Ruan Lanihorne Jan 15th, 35 at Constantine Bay Jan 25th, 40 at Gerrans Bay Feb 15th, and 47 at Towan Beach Feb 15th. Inland records: Stithians Res.: one Jan 2nd. Drift Res.: 14 Jan 16th. Siblyback Res.: one Sep 12th. Predannack: two Sep 14th and one Sep 20th. Davidstow Airfield: one Sep 21st, two Sep 22nd and a single Oct 1st. Trewey Downs: one Sep 21st-22nd.

NORTHERN LAPWING - Vanellus vanellus Scarce resident. Breeds in low numbers on Bodmin Moor and Lizard Downs. Common passage migrant. Abundant winter visitor. There were no confirmed breeding records this year although a pair was holding territory near Cadgwith Apr 13th and a pair were at Gillhouse Jun 18th. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 34017 19743 7746 175 12 14 126 26 123 1012 9995 17914 There was a large influx in January, with numbers of birds reported more than doubling from the December 1995 total. This is typical, although most of these birds moved through rapidly, with totals markedly dropping in March. Compare the January distribution, Map 6, with that of European Golden Plover.

Map 6: Northern Lapwing site maxima January 1996. The last obvious spring migrant was one on the Hayle Est. May 1 st. A few birds summered around the reservoirs, especially Colliford, but the first discernible autumn migrants were 100 on the Camel Est. Jul 23rd. Numbers remained relatively low until the end of October, with large flocks arriving from mid November. There was a cold weather movement Dec 29th-30th, with several flocks of up to 80 in off the sea and most heading west.

62 Regular reports & maximum numbers Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 33 172 24 44 4 - - 13 35 76 96 26 Lynher Est. 430 750 429 _ 1 _ _ _ _ 1 10 185 173 Ruan Lanihorne 4200 368 1750 - - _ 2 30 300 280 Sennen 300 200 _ - - - - 76 _ 150 Hayle Est. 5500 4000 2000 8 1 - - 2 - 113 2500 830 Camel Est. 9000 350 - - - 1 100 - - 81 1900 974 MaerLake 1650 2200 650 - - - _ - _ _ 800 2100 Crowdy Res. 2000 800 - - - - 7 28 28 62 500 200 Colliford Res. 522 130 120 4 5 7 15 2 52 12 305 100 Siblyback Res. 300 - - 1 - 1 1 - 20 60 Drift Res. 2000 2000 1000 - - - 1 1 - 2 120 250 Stithians Res. 240 - 400 - - - 1 5 5 25 320 300

RED KNOT - Calidris canutus Scarce passage migrant. Uncommon winter visitor. The wintering population has reduced dramatically over the past three decades, now being under three per cent of the average winter population during the 1960's. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 21 37 29 - 1 - - 48 62 9 9 9 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec St. John's Lake - 4 2 - - - - - 1 4 - - Hayle Est. 1 - 1 - - - - 2 5 2 1 - Camel Est. 15 S 8 - - - - - 17 - 7 5 Flocks in both winter periods were typically poor but numbers late in the year reached an all time low. The only count from the Lynher Est. was 15 at Sconner Corner Mar 9th. Only two birds were recorded all year on the Tamar, another formerly regular site. The only spring migrants were three on Camel Est. Mar 30th and one at Bude May 3rd-9th. Autumn passage commenced with 14 past Pendeen Watch Aug 6th and a further 30 were counted there Aug 10th. There was a wide scatter of records during September but the only double-figure count was 17 on the Camel Est. Sep 26th. Inland records: Stithians Res.: one Sep 10th. Siblyback Res.: two Sep 12th, one Oct 5th. Upper Tamar Lake: two Sep 12th. Predannack: two Sep 20th & 29th.

SANDERLING - Calidris alba Passage migrant. Scarce winter visitor. Mounts Bay is the key site for this species, supporting the main wintering flock and also the largest migrant numbers. Approximate monthlv totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 85 29 52 6 200 29 115 67 57 14 36 83 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Par 2 2 2 - 8 - - 1 3 1 5 Mounts Bay 60 S 48 5 150 18 36 2 35 2 32 70 Hayle Est. 12 - - - 13 6 28 30 7 - - Winter numbers were slightly above the average of recent years. Both passages were generally good, especially the spring movement, which commenced with one at Maer Lake Apr 29th and ended with [four on Loe Bar Jun 7th. The peak count at Mount's Bay was 132 on May 22nd, the highest recorded

fa flock since 1991. The best count elsewhere was 13 on Hayle Est. on the same day. One on Loe Bar Jun 18th was probably the first on return passage. There was a notable influx Jul 15th- 18th. Apart from the regular sites, July reports included 13 on Loe Bar on 15th and 24 on Porth Kidney Beach (perhaps the Hayle Est. flock) on 25th. Elsewhere there were 12 at Gwithian Aug 22nd and a sole inland record of 10 at Stithians Res. Sep 24th.

LITTLE STINT - Calidris minuta Scarce passage migrant (mainly autumn). Rare winter visitor. The best year ever in the county (see Figure 8), coinciding with a record invasion across southern England. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2 - - 1 - - 13 900 80 - - The two January birds were at Hayle Est. from 14th-17th and Newlyn on 27th. In the spring, two singles were at Maer Lake Apr 11th and May 20th. The first of the autumn were also at Maer Lake with four there Aug 13th. Only ones and twos were seen subsequently until 13 at Colliford Res. Sep 14th gave the first hint of what was to follow. From Sep 16th to the end of the month the county received an influx on a totally unprecedented scale. On some days observers at wetland sites throughout the county witnessed new birds dropping in almost continuously as others moved on. It is impossible to judge the length of birds' stay at each site and the degree of duplication between sites. The month's estimate of 900 birds is conservative, the true figure probably being well in excess of 1000. Peak numbers occurred around 20th-25th, with a further, smaller influx on 30th. Far fewer passed through during October, with the last one of the year being at Maer Lake Oct 29th. Maximum numbers at regular sites: Colliford Res.: 47 Sep 18th, 53 Sep 19th, 100 Sep 21st, 57 Sep 22nd. Copperhouse Creek: 31 Sep 20th, 30 Sep 22nd. Crowdy Res.: 25 Sep 18th, 25 Sep 30th. Davidstow Airfield: 47 Sep 28th, 50 Sep 30th. Drift Res.: 47 Sep 18th, 55 Sep 19th, 46 Sep 20th, 55 Sep 21st, 60 Sep 22nd, 67 Sep 23rd, 62 Sep 24th, 50 Sep 25th. Hayle Est.: 67 Sep 20th, 30 Sep 22nd, 26 Sep 26th. Marazion: 25 Sep 20th. Porth Res.: 34 Sep 19th, 38 Sep 21st, 35 Sep 24th. Siblyback Res.: 36 Sep 19th, 44 Sep 21st, 66 Sep 23rd, 41 Sep 24th, 91 Sep 25th, 45 Sep 27th. Stithians Res.: 28 Sep 20th, 50 Sep 22nd, 40 Sep 24th, 73 Sep 25th. Upper Tamar Lake: 35 Sep 16th, 27 Sep 18th. Additional records: Gannel Est.: 15 Sep 18th. Gwithian: 16 Sep 18th. Mount's Bay: 16 Sep 20th, 14 Sep 22nd. Predannack: 35 Sep 20th, 45 Sep 21st. Argal Res.: 14 Sep 21st. Camel Est.: 10 Sep 21st, 19 Sep 22nd. Dozmary Pool: 11 Sep 21st, 35 Sep 25th. Lower Tamar Lake; 12 Sep 23rd. Penhale Claypit: 15 Sep 23rd. 1995 Correction Copperhouse Creek: seven Sep 19th (not Dec 19th).

64 Figure 8: Little Stint totals 1977-1996

WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER - Calidris fuscicollis Rare vagrant. Drift Res.: juv. Sep 29th-Oct 2nd. GHJCO. The first since 1993 and the 14th in all Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec ------5 7 2 - Top site: Hayle Est. six.

PECTORAL SANDPIPER - Calidris melanotos Rare passage migrant (mainly autumn). Predannack: juv. Sep 28th-29th. ML,RCJ,SK,ARP. Davidstow Airfield: juv. Sep 29th-Oct 1st but two juvs. Sep 30th. BTC,JHH,GPS,RLS. Crowdy Res.: juv. Oct 2nd, two juvs. Oct 10th. RAJ,RGM. Drift Res.: juv. Oct 2nd-14th. GH et al. Lower Tamar Lake: juv. Oct 24th. GPS. 1995 Addition Drift Res.: juv. Aug 26th SMC. With the Crowdy and Davidstow records probably involving just two birds, a total of five for the year. They take the mainland total to c.211. Monthlv breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - - 2 2 2 - 26 141 35 3 - Top sites: Stithians Res. 38, Drift Res. 29, Marazion 24, Crowdy Res./Davidstow Airfield 19, Hayle Est. 16.

CURLEW SANDPIPER - Calidris ferruginea Uncommon passage migrant (mainly autumn). Rare winter visitor. At Hannafore Point two Feb 3rd with one Feb 19th were the first winter records since 1990. RS,JS. In the spring there was one on the Percuil river Apr 14th and one at Maer Lake May 16th-24th. The autumn total of c.300 was the highest since 1985. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - 2 - 1 1 - - 9 245 57 1 The first of the autumn were three at Hayle Est. Aug 5th, but birds became widespread from Sep 8th, with 18 sites returning counts of five birds or above. The main influx occurred Sep 19th-25th. Highest counts: Calenick Creek: 27 Sep 25th. v Camel Est.: 48 Sep 22nd, 26 Sep 24th, 13 Sep 30th.

65 Drift Res.: 10 Sep 22nd & 25th. Hayle Est.: 10 Sep 20th, 9 Sep 26th. Kingsmill Lake: eight Sep 28th-Oct 1st. Lynher Est.: seven Sep 15th, eight Oct 13th. St. Germans Quay: 11 Oct 6th, 13 Oct 13th. Tresillian River: 12 Sep 29th. The final bird was at Maer Lake Nov 13th.

PURPLE SANDPIPER - Calidris maritima Scarce passage migrant and winter visitor. A good year for this species. The last in spring were five at Godrevy Jun 1st, but two birds subsequently remained there throughout the summer PAR. This is the first confirmed instance of summering in the county. The first returning bird was one at St. Ives Sep 8th. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 165 113 155 115 57 5 2 1 12 75 99 97 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Par 10 7 12 14 ------9 Mounts Bay 75 37 53 20 14 - - - - 1 28 34 Sennen 10 10 ------19 - - St. Ives 3 5 21 - - - - - 2 17 3 2 Godrevy* 51 48 54 71 31 5 2 1 10 32 47 31 Constantine Bay 4 - 10 ------10 Bude 1 - 3 6 9 ------2 * The increase in numbers at Godrevy in April may be due to displacement of birds from Mount's Bay, following disturbance at the regular Penzance site. Nine other sites produced records. These included one on the Helford River May 18th, four at Treveal Nov 17th and four on the Camel Est. Dec 19th.

DUNLIN - Calidris alpina Passage migrant. Abundant winter visitor. Small numbers which occasionally breed on Bodmin Moor are the most southerly breeding Dunlin in the world. Significantly smaller flocks than normal were present on St. John's Lake and the Lynher Est., but numbers were up at Restronguet Creek and on the Camel Est. There were no reports of breeding although one bird was at Crowdy Res. throughout July. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 8916 6438 3534 179 563 25 301 847 714 450 3884 7178 Although the February total was lower than usual, a high March figure was due to a rather later than normal departure. Spring passage was about average, peaking from May 2nd-26th and including 140 birds flying west oft Hannafore Point May 24th. A protracted autumn movement began in mid June with peaks from Jul 17th-22nd and Aug 15th-30th and a steady passage throughout September. Winter flocks began to build again from mid November. Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 172 317 34 37 25 4 19 88 38 35 1500 1500 Lynher Est. 300 116 550 52 22 2 10 98 23 44 134 139 St. Johns Lake 3000 3000 850 14 - - 34 - 120 200 750 2000 Ruan Lanihorne 133 300 140 - - - 100 70 100 3 30 250 Truro River 450 62 450 - - - 3 20 110 40 230 529 Restronguet Creek 170 110 72 50 65 - 20 16 1 1 2 264 530 Penryn River 70 100 35 - - - 6 - 4 1 9 150 Copperhouse 250 200 180 - - - - 20 8 24 50 70 66 Hayle Est. 2000 900 480 15 68 11 50 92 27 23 545 900 Camel Est. 1500 850 650 - 9 - - 26 83 30 300 950 Crowdy Res. 60 81 - - - - 1 7 3 - 25 - Further notable counts were 100 on Pendower Beach Jan 1st, 250 at Portscatho Jan 12th, 350 in Mount's Bay Jan 20th and 180 there Aug 15th and 200 in Gerran's Bay Feb 15th. Apart from those at Crowdy Res. there were no noteworthy inland counts.

BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER -Tryngites subruficollis Vagrant. Predannack: juv. Sep 30th MT. Cam Brea, St. Just: one Oct 12th RAJ,KJ. The county mainland total advances to 91, all but two since 1968. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - - - - 1 - 4 77 8 1 - Top sites: Predannack 34, Davidstow Airfield 19, Stithians nine.

RUFF - Philomachus pugnax Passage migrant. Scarce winter visitor. A very poor spring but an average autumn. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 5 1 7 2 4 - 4 18 41 6 1 2 A wintering bird at Maer Lake remained through to the spring. The first new arrival was at Ruan Lanihorne Mar 3rd, but only 11 birds moved through, the last one being at Hayle Est. May 29th. The first returning individual was at Landulph Jul 17th. A total of c.70 occurred on autumn passage, with peak numbers Sep 7th-23rd. The last was one at Hannafore Point Nov 15th. Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Hayle Est. 1 - 1 - 3 - - 2 2 - - 1 Drift Res. - - 2 - - - - 2 4 - - - Maer Lake 1 1 3 2 1 - - 1 - - - - A further 27 sites produced records. Highest counts: Upper Tamar Lake: three Aug 30th. Crowdy Res.: three Sep 8th. Ruan Lanihorne: four Sep 10th. Predannack: five Sep 20th, four Sep 29th, three Oct 22nd. Sennen: five Sep 23rd. Siblyback Res.: three Sep 23rd.

JACK SNIPE - Lymnocryptes minimus Uncommon passage migrant and winter visitor. An excellent year, with a total of c.65 birds, of which 32 were present in the first winter period. Just one spring migrant passed through but there were 17 in the autumn and 15 in December. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 13 22 - 1 - - - - 5 4 8 15 Copperhouse Creek hosted the last wintering bird on Feb 24th. The sole spring migrant was at Lamelgate Apr 11th and the first of the autumn at Caer Bran Sep 8th, followed by one at Maer Lake two days later. The last to pass through was at Stithians Res. Nov 24th and the first in December were three at Maer Lake on 4th.

67 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Hayle Est. 5 10 ------5 Drift Res.: 3 ------1 - - - Maer Lake 1 ------2 1 1 3 By far the best count elsewhere was five at Rospeath (Crowlas) Feb 20th. Three birds were found I during the year at Par Beach Pool and St. Columb Porth and two at Loe Bar, Marazion Marsh. Nanjizal and Colliford Res. Single birds occurred at a further 13 sites.

COMMON SNIPE - Gallinago gallinago Resident. Breeds in low numbers on Bodmin moor. Passage migrant. Common winter visitor. This year saw large numbers in the county, especially during the severe weather in late December. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1337 1058 414 18 2 1 6 61 96 398 786 2630 Following the departure of wintering birds up to early March, spring passage occurred from mid March to early May. A further late bird was at Caer Bran May 30th and then one was at a possible breeding site on Bodmin Moor Jun 9th. The first returning birds were four at Bude Marshes and one at Maer Lake Jul 23rd. A good passage ensued until late October, with peak numbers passing through in mid October. As usual subsequent winter flocks were highest at sites in the north of the county. When weather conditions became extreme during the last week of the year, regular sites were deserted as standing water froze. Birds then became ubiquitous as they sought out soft ground. For example, c.100 appeared in streams and gardens around the Lizard village. Reports from around the county suggest that large numbers were killed by shooters during this period. Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 54 20 30 6 - - - 4 1 12 17 71 Par Beach 120 194 85 - - - - - 2 6 - 70 Tresillian 6 40 11 - - - - - 4 4 14 23 Stithians Res. 55 - - - - - 1 5 14 - 40 - Marazion 53 17 6 1 - - - 5 8 2 48 51 Hayle Est./Copperhouse 179 280 150 ------40 - 80 Camel Est. 45 ------3 1 1 83 Walmsley Sane. 77 70 ------1 - 70 600 Maer Lake 210 89 34 - - - 1 1 1 6 221 480 Bude Marshes - 180 ------68 82 400 Highest counts elsewhere: St. Loy: 60 Jan 2nd. Lower Tamar Lake: 55 Jan 13th. St. Columb Porth: 72 Jan 16th. Upper Tamar Lake: 26 Aug 24th. Nanquidno: 24 Oct 13th. Porth Joke: 41 Oct 13th. Land's End: 20 Oct 14th. Nanjizal: 50 Oct 14th. Clifton: 100 Dec 11th. Harlyn: 112 Dec 16th.

LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER - Limnodromus scolopaceus Rare vagrant. Copperhouse Creek: 1st winter Jan 24th-Mar 16th. SK,LPW et al, also seen on Hayle Estuary. The 26th record for the county and the fourth known to have to over-wintered.

68 Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 - 1 - 1 - - 1 4 17 1 -

WOODCOCK - Scolopax rusticola Passage migrant. Winter visitor. Has bred on few occasions and not for at least twenty years. The best year for this species since 1991, the severe weather during the last week of December producing a flurry of records as birds abandoned their usually secretive haunts in search of unfrozen ground. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 15 7 20 ------3 26 44 The last of the spring was one at Kit Hill Mar 30th and the first of the autumn one at Sennen Oct 24th. The main autumn influx occurred Nov 10th-17th. By far the best counts were six in the Loe Valley, Helston Dec 9th and 12 there Dec 16th. Highest counts elsewhere: Lanivet: four Jan 26th. Redmoor: three Mar 17th-18th. Nanjizal: three Nov 16th. Porthgwarra: three Nov 17th. Newton Moor: three Dec 18th. Bude Marshes: three Dec 31st.

BLACK-TAILED GODWIT - Limosa limosa Passage migrant. Winter visitor, almost exclusively to south coast estuaries. Wintering flocks were, on the whole, about average apart from apparent reductions on the Lynher Estuary and, as noted in recent years, at Restronguet Creek.. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 182 191 87 20 22 30 44 129 189 134 298 230 The first migrant of the year was one at Swanpool Mar 15th. A total of c.65 birds passed through during the spring, the most notable record being a flock of 26 at Maer Lake Jun 7th. The last were two at the same site and one on the Lynher Est. Jun 8th. The latter site also produced the first returning bird on Jun 29th. Following a good passage during August and September winter flocks began to build, but small numbers of passage birds continued to appear through October, the last being one at Sennen Oct 30th. Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 60 64 29 4 - - 1 5 3 30 102 34 St. Johns Lake 16 1 ------35 36 Lynher Est. - 3 2 - 2 1 - 21 41 13 9 4 Ruan Lanihorne 2 10 6 - 3 - 20 40 6 - 30 42 Tresillian 4 40 16 1 1 - - - 5 15 6 25 31 Truro River 96 64 30 - - - - 12 62 70 65 50 Restronguet Creek - 8 1 - - - - 6 18 4 26 27 Hayle Est. 2 1 - 1 5 - 17 11 4 3 3 - Camel Est. 1 - - 2 6 2 3 18 35 2 1 4 Non-estuarine records: Swanpool: one Mar 15th. Marazion Marsh: one Mar 16th-25th, one Aug 7th, one Aug 21st-22nd, one Sep 10th. Maer Lake: singles Mar 25th, Apr 13th & 28th, 26 Jun 7th, two Jun 8th, two Jul 5th, one Jul 15th, one during Aug, one Oct 26th-30th, two Dec 5th. Colliford Res.: one during May. Stithians Res.: three Aug 13th, two Aug 15th, one Oct 14th-21st, two Nov 23rd. Drift Res.: singles Sep 5th and Oct 5th-18th. Siblyback Res.: one Sep 15th.

69 Upper Tamar Lake: one Sep 23rd. Lower Tamar Lake: one Oct 22nd. Sennen: one Oct 30th.

BAR-TAILED GODWIT - Limosa lapponica Passage migrant. Winter visitor. Numbers early in the year were about average, but spring passage was poor. Following an unexceptional autumn passage, flocks in the second winter period were on the low side. It appears that there may have been a westward shift in recent years. Numbers wintering on the south-east estuaries have certainly declined whilst those on the Camel and Hayle have increased somewhat. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 140 113 36 42 19 3 6 7 112 127 76 59 The first spring migrants were 13 at Marazion Marsh Apr 26th and 28 at Booby's Bay two days later. There were no other notable flocks during this period and the last of c.59 migrants was one at Hayle Est. Jun 7th. Autumn passage commenced with two at Hayle Est. Jun 23rd, but apart from six on the Lynher Est. Jul 21st, there were no more records until one again at Hayle Aug 5th. A steady passage continued through September and October, leaving somewhat reduced numbers to the year-end. Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. _ _ _ _ _ - 1 3 20 - St. Johns Lake 18 24 2 2 - - - 1 5 7 - 8 Lynher Est. 5 _ - _ - 6 - 8 1 2 - Par 13 1 _ - - - 2 - - 1 Restronguet Creek _ _ _ _ - _ - 3 20 24 26 Marazion 29 9 - 13 1 - - - 8 6 2 2 Hayle Est. 13 15 12 2 10 3 _ 1 40 30 12 10 Camel Est. 50 69 21 - 1 - - 2 27 24 16 10 Inland records: Stithians Res.: one Jan 12th, seven Sep 18th. Bosanketh: one Jan 26th. Drift Res.: singles Aug 26th and Sep 4th/5th, two Sep 30th. Predannack: one Sep 21st.

WHIMBREL - Numenius phaeopus Passage migrant (mainly spring). A few overwinter. Birds were noted in the first winter period at Lamorna Cove Jan 1st-12th, Millbrook Jan 1st, Marazion Beach Jan 14th, Anderton Jan 29th and Empacombe Feb 27th. The first in spring was one on the Helford River Mar 21st and the last were four at Hayle Est. May 31st. The bulk of records were between Apr 13th and May 16th, with the best single day totals 570 May 4th and 657 May 5th. This was one week later than in 1995. Return passage commenced Jun 9th with five on the Camel Est. The majority of birds passed through between Jul 22nd and Aug 25th, the maximum being 93 off Pendeen Whimbrel (Kester Wilson)

70 Watch in 13?. hours Aug 25th. Single birds continued to be sighted through to December. Of interest was an individual at Rame Head Jul 20th forced into the sea by a Peregrine. It sat on the water but dived under when the falcon passed over again EJW. Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. - - - 10 6 - 9 4 1 - - - St. Johns Lake 1 - - 96 - - 64 38 - - - - Lynher Est. - - - 7 1 - 6 14 - - - - Par - - - 8 127 - - - - 1 - - Mounts Bay - - - 260 184 2 3 17 4 - - - Hayle Est. - - - 25 110 4 15 14 1 1 - - Camel Est. - - - 12 17 5 30 - 1 - - - Pendeen Watch ------129 - - - -

EURASIAN CURLEW - Numenius arquata Scarce resident. Breeds (decreasing). Abundant passage migrant and winter visitor. Nine pairs possibly bred in the county. Whilst there was no absolute proof, one pair at Gillhouse were observed to be very agitated and almost certainly had young nearby. Other pairs were present in the Upper Fowey Valley, Dozmary Pool, Westerlake Farm, Tregoss Moor and Colliford. Numbers were average in the first and second winter periods. The usual influx occurred from June to September, being most apparent during July. Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 99 148 94 104 3 21 196 - 191 150 - - St. Johns Lake 300 80 15 2 - 1 7 - 65 140 60 70 Lynher Est. 103 100 58 12 11 16 212 636 408 307 85 189 Looe Est. 71 53 8 - - 7 - 46 23 - 50 48 Ruan Lanihorne 106 97 20 10 6 60 580 200 251 20 220 265 Tresillian 1 17 176 31 5 2 4 330 300 300 180 210 176 Truro River 73 163 233 - 1 20 221 71 187 206 60 84 Restronguet 141 - - 34 5 10 235 156 252 232 131 100 Penryn River 80 80 10 - - 16 - 5 20 32 67 35 Helford River 298 211 22 18 20 19 20 301 180 282 281 310 Hayle Est. 762 192 9 1 1 12 23 271 380 200 230 290 5 Gannel Est. 486 420 48 - - 1 60 30 100 120 290 23 Camel Est. 270 82 160 - 344 500 720 510 171 59 Maer Lake 228 180 42 - - - - - 55 99 131 238

SPOTTED REDSHANK -Tringa erythropus Passage migrant. Scarce winter visitor, almost exclusively to south coast estuaries. Totals during both winter periods were average, but numbers in July and August were disappointing. More birds have traditionally occurred at this season until fairly recently. For instance, Ruan Lanihorne once boasted up to 50 birds in mid July, all in summer plumage, but this spectacle now seems to be consigned to the past. The only spring records were three at Landulph Apr 3rd. The first returning bird was one at Maer Lake Jul 5th, but no more than three turned up during the rest of the month. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 21 18 13 3 - - 2 13 36 36 29 19 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 4 cS 3 - - - - 2 10 16 12 4 Lynher Est. 4 6 3 - - - - 1 2 1 5 - Tresillian 7 7 6 - - - - 3 6 12 11 11 Inland there were numerous singles at many sites but up to six at Siblyback Res. Sep 19th, three at Stithians Res. Sep 20th and two at Drift Res. Sep 5th, Stithians Res. Sep 1st-11th with a late single at Trewey Common Nov 23rd.

71 COMMON REDSHANK - Tringa totanus Passage migrant. Winter visitor. Numbers were above the recent average in the first winter period, but were back to normal late in the year. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1464 1368 919 146 3 130 715 820 1095 740 891 854 In the first winter period the highest numbers occurred in the Caradon district, where on the Tamar Est. there were 232 Jan 21st and 264 Feb 18th. The Lynher Est. regularly held 100+ birds during January. At Hayle Est. a count of 150 Jan 31st was unusually high for this location. By April, numbers had dropped quickly and, as is usual, there was virtually no spring passage, just three birds being recorded in May. The first returning birds were recorded on the same date as in 1995, with 22 on the Helford river Jun 1st. The county's highest concentrations were subsequently again in the south-east, e.g. 220 at Landulph Jul 18th, 331 on the Tamar Jul 21st, 418 on the Tamar Sep 15th. Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 232 264 179 78 - 31 331 170 418 304 385 148 St. Johns Lake 105 40 19 6 - - 109 2 90 80 23 60 Lynher Est. 121 125 124 - 1 30 141 133 123 35 132 197 Looe Est. 4 9 12 - - 2 - 22 3 4 36 18 Fowey Est. 16 38 9 ------19 27 15 Ruan Lanihorne 52 82 28 - 1 6 33 31 45 15 30 39 Tresillian 70 36 41 4 - 3 97 110 150 - 43 - Truro River 38 39 46 - - - 120 16 58 76 61 50 Restronguet ------85 85 83 50 - 30 Penryn River 40 40 7 - - 9 31 37 40 30 30 37 Helford River 83 82 27 1 - 22 36 90 99 98 77 106 Hayle Est. 150 35 42 9 1 7 29 30 50 59 48 50 Camel Est. 105 19 - - - - 21 - 56 81 75 59

COMMON GREENSHANK -Tringa nebularia Passage migrant (mainly autumn). A few overwinter. Wintering (see Map 7) and autumn passage numbers were above average, particularly the latter. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 75 66 90 57 13 4 152 438 360 175 90 72

Map 7: Common Greenshank site maxima first winter period 1996.

72 Spring passage was minimal, with a total of c.20 birds in March adding to the numbers of those remaining from the winter. The best counts were eight on Hayle Est. Mar 3rd and six on the Camel Est. Mar 31st. The first returning birds were at Hayle Est. Jul 1st, with peak passage taking place from mid August to the first week of September. Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 5 7 8 6 2 2 5 13 15 14 3 1 St. Johns Lake 12 4 4 3 - - 2 20 9 12 6 1 Lynher Est. 8 4 8 3 - - 5 11 15 1 9 13 Ruan Lanihorne 2 8 2 2 - - 8 2 3 3 1 1 Tresillian 2 4 1 2 - - 1 9 14 6 6 6 Truro River 6 3 4 7 - - 5 5 8 15 8 4 Restronguet Creek - 3 - - - - 13 18 21 14 13 4 Helford River 12 16 13 4 1 - 5 10 21 20 15 18 Drift Res. ------2 16 10 4 - - Hayle Est. 5 3 8 3 2 1 5 8 13 8 4 3 Camel Est. 8 2 6 - 1 - 3 - 16 15 7 1 Inland records during autumn included 11 at Upper Tamar Lake Aug 24th, four at Crowdy Res. Aug 28th, 10 at Drift Res. Sep 4th and 12 at Stithians Res. Sep 7th.

GREEN SANDPIPER - Tringa ochropus Passage migrant (mainly autumn). A few overwinter. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 1 7 9 8 - 1 42 60 90 12 5 5 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 2 1 ------1 Lynher Est. 2 1 1 ------1 Stithians Res. - - - - - 1 8 10 1 - - Marazion - - - - - 2 5 5 - 1 - Drift Res. 1 1 1 - - - 3 10 7 5 - - Hayle Est. 1 - - - 1 1 4 1 1 1 1 Camel Est. 1 - 3 - - - 9 2 1 - 1 Gannel Est. 2 1 3 ------1 1 1 In the first winter period there were 14 individuals, including three on the Tamar Est. and two on the Gannel Est., with singles recorded elsewhere. Spring passage consisted of c.15 birds commencing with one at Walmsley Sanctuary Mar 10th and ending with two at Croft Pascoe Pool Apr 27th. Groups of three were noted at Gannel Est. Mar 27th and Polbrock Apr 10th. The first returning bird of the autumn was at Hayle Est. Jun 29th, followed by around 150 birds during the migration period. In the second winter period there were singles at six sites.

WOOD SANDPIPER - Tringa glareola Uncommon passage migrant (mainly autumn) Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - - - 2 1 3 36 11 1 - - During the spring one was at Hayle Est. May 11th-14th which was joined by a second May 12th. Autumn passage involved around 54 individuals, starting with a very early bird at Marazion Marsh Jun 21st, peaking in mid to late August and ending with a single at Drift Res. Oct 5th. Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Argal Res. ------1 1 - - - Stithians Res. ------3 1 - - - Drift Res. ------1 4 5 1 - - Hayle Est. - - - - 2 - 2 1 1 - - - Upper Tamar Lake ------4 1 - - - 1995 Addition Porth Res.: two Aug 5th, one Aug 25th-Sep 1st. The county mainland total advances to c. 1016, in the best year since 1984 when 41 were recorded. Top sites: Stithians Res. 200, Marazion Marsh 123, Hayle Est. 107, Crowan Res. 74, Camel Est. 61.

COMMON SANDPIPER - Actitis hypoleucos Passage migrant. Scarce winter visitor. Bred in 1989, probably in 1988, but not previously since 1910. In the first winter period, 19 birds were present in the county, with a maximum of three on the Gannel Est. Jan 9th. This was an increase on last year's 14 and was the highest winter total for 21 years. Spring passage commenced with four at Argal Res. Apr 1st and ended with one at Hayle Est. May 23rd. About 80 birds were involved, with peak passage occurring Apr 25th to May 5th. Autumn passage got under way on Jun 19th, with one at Drift Res., and continued until Oct 16th. The majority of birds passed through Jul 10th to Sep 15th. In the second winter period the best count was four on the Lynher Est. in December. Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 3 2 1 1 - - 3 9 8 2 4 2 Lynher Est. 1 - - - 2 - 6 9 5 - 2 4 Looe 2 - - 1 - - 1 1 - - - 1 Colliford Res. - - - - 1 - 3 2 5 - 1 - Ruan Lanihorne 1 - - - - - 6 10 3 - - - Tresillian 1 1 1 1 1 - 2 3 4 J - 1 Stithians Res. - - - 3 1 - 3 8 11 1 - - Loe Pool - - - 2 2 - 8 1 - 1 - Marazion - - - - 1 - - 2 - - - - Drift Res. - - - 13 2 - 22 27 11 3 1 1 Hayle Est. - - - 4 1 1 10 5 1 - - Gannel Est. 3 1 1 1 - - 2 2 - - - - Camel Est. - - - 3 1 - 1 6 4 - 1 - Crowdy Res. - - - - 1 - 8 2 1 - - - Bude/Maer Lake - - - 1 2 - 2 - - - - - Tamar Lakes ------24 2 - - -

TURNSTONE - Arenaria interpres Passage migrant. Winter visitor. A few summer. Rare inland. There were average numbers throughout both winter periods. As in 1995, the lower February figure probably indicates an early departure of wintering birds. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 413 264 325 159 69 11 14 159 207 165 225 270 Spring passage was light and ended with 10 at Penzance May 28th. PAR reports that summer records at Godrevy are almost annual. Eight were present there Jun 1st- 20th. The first returning birds were two at Hayle Est. Jul 18th, but the main passage took place during September. Wintering flocks started to build from November. The highest single count was 70 at Par Docks Dec 24th.

74 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 31 7 24 - - - - - 14 7 21 22 St. Johns Lake 40 52 20 - - - - 4 55 42 15 30 Hannafore Point 40 33 27 1 30 - - 6 10 2 40 29 Par 10 - 12 1 - - - - - 1 30 70 Helford 10 13 22 10 - - - - 7 8 20 59 Marazion 24 - 7 20 - - - 3 - - 10 12 Hayle Est. - - 1 - 2 3 2 4 - 7 10 4 Godrevy 23 24 31 30 24 8 10 49 58 45 27 18 Camel Est. 31 48 24 - - - - 36 21 34 44 27 Inland there were singles at Maer Lake May 16th, Stithians Res. Aug 17th-20th and Upper Tamar Lake Aug 26th.

RED-NECKED PHALAROPE - Phalaropus lobatus Rare vagrant. Land's End: female in nearly full breeding plumage Mar 16th RAw,DSF,JFR,VAS. This is the first March record and only the third to be recorded in spring. This delightful wader must have been a superb sight in summer plumage, which is rarely witnessed in this county. The county mainland total advances to 34 since 1930. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - 2 1 - - - - 1 14 8 3 5 Top sites: St. Ives Island and Pendeen Watch seven each, Mounts Bay five and Newquay two.

GREY PHALAROPE - Phalaropus fulicarius Uncommon passage migrant (mainly autumn). Rare winter visitor. A good year involving at least 96 individuals, including 11 records in the first winter period. Drift Res.: singles Jan 3rd & Aug 22nd DSF,GH,FP et al. Sennen cove: one Jan 5th SMC. Towan Head: three Jan 7th, singles Feb 6th & 12th, Aug 8th, Oct 4th & 29th, six Oct 31st, three Nov 6th, two Nov 7th, one Nov 29th SMC,TSH,PJMcV,MST Mount's Bay: singles Jan 26th & Feb 28th TMC,DSF,JFRJWt. St. Ives Harbour: two Jan 28th VAS. Hayle Estuary: singles Sep 12th & Oct 19th DSF,AM,CM,RM. Pendeen Watch: seven Sep 27th, three Sep 28th, five Oct 4th, two Oct 5th, one Oct 15th, three Oct 18th, one Oct 19th, eight Oct 28th, seven Oct 29th, singles Nov 5th & 7th PGA,SMC,DJC,JHH,JPM. Cape Cornwall: one Sep 28th BSW. St. Ives Island: eight Oct 4th, four Oct 5th, seven Oct 6th, three Oct 18th, 11 Oct 29th, two Nov 5th, 11 Nov 7th DE, EGG,BKM,NJP,VAS. Talland Bay: one Oct 5th AJP,SAP. Tamar Est.: one Oct 7th GDL Falmouth Bay: one Oct 27th, two Oct 28th RCJ. 1974 Addition Booby's Bay: one 'autumn' NAC. The county mainland total advances to 3959 since 1930. Monthlv breakdown*: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 40 13 3 1 - - 1 56 1111 2033 570 131 * one undated. Top sites: St. Ives Island 2794, Pendeen Watch 295, Newquay 242 and Mounts Bay 155.

75 POMARINE SKUA - Stercorarius pomarinus Uncommon passage migrant (mainly autumn but with a small spring movement along the south coast). Rare winter visitor. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - 1 1 7 2 4 11 6 53 8 1 Rame Head: one east Mar 15th, two May 11th, two Aug 9th and one Sep 28th SCM,EJW. Porthgwarra: one Apr 19th, three May 20th, one Jun 10th, one Jul 30th, two Jul 31st, singles Aug 4th & 5th. Fifteen between Oct 6th & 24th, with maximum counts of seven Oct 20th and five Oct 24th GJC,SMCJL,SML,BKM,KAW et al. Land's End: one May 5th, two Oct 24th, one Oct 27th and six Oct 28th KAW et al. Bass Point: singles May 24th and Oct 13th ARP. Pendeen Watch: one Jun 1st, two Aug 24th, one Aug 25th, one Aug 29th, two Sep 27th, 19 between Oct 4th and Oct 29th , with a day max. of eight Oct 29th, and one Nov 5th TDC,DSFJHH et al. Scillonian III: two Aug 23rd, one off the Runnel Stone Buoy Oct 12th DCg et al. St. Ives Island: one Aug 25th, one Sep 8th, four Oct 4th, two adults Oct 5th, two Oct 28th, two Oct 29th, one Oct 30th, two Oct 31st, two Nov 5th, three juvs. Nov 7th and one juv. Dec 2nd SMC,JHH,TSH,SK,BKM,NJP,NRP,VAS,IS et al. Porthcurno: two Sep 29th BSW. Towan Head: two Oct 28th, two Nov 6th, singles Nov 7th and 29th SMC,TMC,TSH,MST. Gannel Est.: one harassing gulls Oct 28th SMC. 1995 Addition Trevose Head: adult dark phase Sep 27th SMC. The record off Rame Head in March constitutes the first county record for that month. The county mainland total advances to c.2491. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 9 6 1 48 332 56 99 205 384 938 387 36 Top sites: St. Ives Island 1012, Pendeen Watch 412, Porthgwarra 353, Rame Head 163.

ARCTIC SKUA - Stercorarius parasiticus Passage migrant (mainly August/September). Rare winter visitor. The only record in the first winter period was one off Penlee Point, Rame Feb 29th. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - 1 - 3 21 2 14 95 27 142 20 - Spring passage consisted of 26 birds, commencing with one at Porthgwarra Apr 19th and ending with another single off Rame Head Jun 11th. The largest single day totals consisted of six at Bass Point May 24th and Lamorna Cove May 26th. Autumn passage started with two off Porthgwarra Jul 2nd and ended with three at Treveal Nov 17th. During this period c.298 were logged, most occurring in October. However, the largest count was just the 22 which passed Pendeen Watch Oct 29th. Inland, a dark phase adult was harassing gulls at Drift Res. Sep 1st. Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Rame Head - 1 - 2 2 1 - 2 3 - - - Porthgwarra - - - 1 2 - 7 7 2 39 - - Pendeen Watch ------1 44 4 46 9 - St. Ives Island ------8 4 33 11 -

LONG-TAILED SKUA - Stercorarius longicaudus Rare passage migrant (mainly mid-August to mid-October). Land's End: one Sep 24th KAW.

76 Porthgwarra: adult Oct 18th SMC. St. Ives Island: adult and juv. Oct 29th JHH. 1995 Addition Porthgwarra: juv. Oct 24th SMC. The county mainland total increases to c.157. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - - - 4 5 2 20 83 39 4 - Top sites: Pendeen Watch 57, St. Ives Island 56, Porthgwarra nine, Newquay eight.

GREAT SKUA - Catharacta skua Passage migrant (mainly late August to late October). Uncommon winter visitor. The first winter period produced 20 birds between Jan 1 st and Feb 29th, ten of which went past Carbis Bay Feb 12th. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 6 14 - 4 2 1 8 114 38 206 44 2 The first of a poor spring passage was off Porthgwarra Apr 10th. Otherwise just a further six were reported up to Jun 1 st. Autumn passage occurred between Jul 2nd and Nov 7th, with around 413 birds counted. Passage peaked in October, later than usual, and there was a better than normal showing in November. The highest single day total was 64 at Pendeen Watch Oct 29th. Other good counts there included 18 Aug 15th, 19 Aug 24th, 13 Oct 4th, 10 Oct 5th and 11 Oct 16th. In addition, double figure counts included 19 Aug 10th and 11 Oct 20th at Porthgwarra; 10 Aug 25th & Oct 4th and 11 Nov 5th at St. Ives Island; and ten Oct 12th at Killigerran Head. Also, 38 were logged outside our recording area, on the Scillonian III Pelagic Aug 11th. In December singles were noted past Hannafore Point (1st) and Rame Head (22nd). Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Rame Head - 1 - 1 ] - 4 9 - - 1 Porthgwarra 2 - - 1 - - 6 40 1 15 - - Pendeen Watch - - - - - 1 49 29 119 13 - St. Ives Island 1 2 - - - - 1 27 1 25 26 -

SKUA sp. (Pomarine/Arctic Skua) Pendeen Watch: two Aug 20th, two Oct 5th, one Oct 16th. Porthgwarra: two Oct 18th. Rame Head: one Oct 18th.

MEDITERRANEAN GULL - Larus melanocephalus Uncommon passage migrant and winter visitor (increasing). Another good year with c.120 individuals occurring. The last of the spring was a first summer bird at Millbrook Lake Apr 28th, and the first to return an adult at Landulph Jun 2nd. As usual passage birds moved through in late summer, with a further influx in October. The eventual number wintering was, however, rather fewer than in the two previous years. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 31 24 17 8 - 1 10 25 11 28 24 23 Figure 9: Mediterranean Gull monthly age totals 1996

Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Mounts Bay Ad 5 1 1 - - - 1 1 1 1 1 1 2nd 2 1 1 ------1st 1 ------1 1 1 2 Drift Res. Ad 2 2 1 - - - - - 1 5 1 2 1st 2 ------2nd 2 - 1 - - - - - 1 2 2 1 Hayle Est. Ad 2 1 1 1 - - 1 1 2 3 - - 2nd 1 - 2 ------1 1st - 1 - 1 - - 1 1 1 1 1 1 Helston * Ad 2 1 1 ------1 - 2nd 1 ------1st - 1 2 ------1 - - Camel Est. Ad 2 ------5 - 1 1 - 2nd 1 ------2 - - - 1st 1 ------1 1 1 - Falmouth * Ad 3 1 - - - - - 1 2 5 3 2nd 1 1 ------1 1 1st 1 1 1 - - - 1 - - 1 1 2 Torpoint Ad 3 3 - - - - 3 5 1 2 1 2 2nd 1 3 1 - - - 1 - - - - - 1st - 1 - - - - 1 - - - - - Lynher Est. Ad - 2 1 ------1 1 1 2nd - 1 - - - - 1 - - - - - 1st - - 1 ------*Helston area includes Loe Pool and ; Falmouth area includes Penryn and College, Argal & Stithians reservoirs. Birds sporting white Darvic rings indicating Dutch or Belgian origin were reported as follows (see Ringing Report): Millbrook Lake: adult Mar 1st SG, Hayle Est.: juv. Aug 9th DSF, Newquay: juv. Aug 24th SMC, Hayle Est.: adult Oct 5th NJP, Mounts Bay: adult, same as above, Oct 6th JHH, Trevescan: 1st winter Oct 24th GJC and Newquay: adult Nov 4th SMC. A second year bird at Swanpool Feb 4th had been ringed in Hungary and had been reported in Plymouth the previous year GJC.

LAUGHING GULL - Larus atrichia Rare vagrant. Maer Lake: 1st summer Sep 23rd GPS. The fourth county mainland record. Previous records were of an adult at Polperro and Mount's Bay May 7th-9th 1990, a sub-adult at Copperhouse Creek Jun 22nd-Jul 5th 1980 and a first winter at St. Ives Dec 10th-25th 1977.

LITTLE GULL - Larus minutus Uncommon passage migrant and winter visitor. An excellent year, with a record influx during the January storms and a good autumn passage.

78 Together these produced the second best year ever involving around 133 individuals, see Figure 10. Approximate monthlv totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 96 6 3 - 1 - - 1 7 27 13 7 Unusually high numbers began to appear Jan 7th, with a total of c.46 birds reported on 12th. Many birds remained until about 25th, but almost all had gone back to sea by the month's end. The estimated January figure is based on the presumption that the St. Ives, Carnsew Pool, Mounts Bay and Helston records largely involved the same birds. The total of 96 comprised 78 adults, three second years and 15 first years. One bird remained at Drift Res. until Mar 17th, but there were only three other spring records, including an adult in full summer plumage at Copperhouse Creek May 18th. After a single at Rame Head Aug 4th, there were no more until one at Downderry Sep 2nd. There followed several single birds, then some good counts during seawatches. Records late in the year included two at Loe Pool Dec 9th and two at Newquay Dec 30th. Highest counts: Looe: five Jan 7th. Newquay: 12, inc. two Jan 6th rising to six on 9th, five on 18th. Loe Pool: six, inc. three Jan 8th. Mounts Bay: at least 20, inc. eight at Newlyn Jan 12th, 11 at Mousehole and 15 at Newlyn (presumably some duplication involved) on 14th. St. Ives/Carbis Bay: 23, inc. 14 on Jan 12th, eight on 13th; eight Oct 29th. Hannafore Pt.: seven, inc. four Jan 12th. Swanpool: seven Jan 14th. Helston Boating Lake: eight, inc. seven Jan 18th. Killigerran Head: five, inc. four Oct 12th. Carnsew Pool: 18 Jan 13th. Hayle Est.: ten max. two Jan 14th. Finally, a first winter bird past Pendeen Nov 7th had extensively dark upperwings. DJC.

Figure 10: Little Gull annual totals 1977-1996

SABINE'S GULL - Larus sabini Scarce passage migrant (mainly September/October). Pendeen Watch: adult Aug 25th DSF, adult Aug 27th BKM,SR, one Oct 1 st BKM, three juvs Oct 5th SMC,GJC, four Oct 15th MCCo,PCo,SMCo et al, two adults Oct 16th SML,JPM,RLS, juv. Oct 18th BSW, three juvs. Oct 29th DSF, juv. Nov 11th BSW and juv Dec 2nd BD. St. Ives Island: adult Sep 10th IS, four juvs. Oct 5th DE,VAS, one Oct 28th BSW, six (five juvs.) Oct 29th AM,CM,RM,JHH et al, juv. Nov 1st BSW, juv Nov 7th JHH and juv. Nov 10th NRP. Land's End: one Sep 24th KAW. Porthgwarra: two juvs. Oct 15th RAJ,KJ. Cape Cornwall: juv. Oct 18th, same as Pendeen bird PCo,MCCo,SMCo. St. Agnes Head: juv. Oct 26th RCJ. Towan Head: juv Oct 29th TSH,MST and another Nov 7th SMC,TMC. A much better total than in recent years, with 30 individuals. They take the county mainland total to c.973. Top sites: St. Ives Island 560, Pendeen Watch 179, Newquay 96, Cape Cornwall, 19 Godrevy 18.

BONAPARTE'S GULL - Larus Philadelphia Rare vagrant. Sennen Cove: 1st winter Jan 11th and presumed same Feb 27th TGJFR. Newlyn: 1st winter Mar 3rd-5th & Mar 16th BKM,SR,VAS,RWW et al. Drift Res.: 1st winter Mar 14th-16th GHJFR. Marazion Beach: 1st winter Mar 15th-16th JFR,VAS. Copperhouse Creek: 1st winter Mar 16th JFR,KAW. Newquay: 1st winter Mar 26th, same probably noted later on the Plym Estuary, Devon SMC,MST. Millbrook: 1st winter Apr 5th SCM,EJW. Kingsmill Lake: 1st summer Jun 21st-23rd, also noted on the River Tavy in Devon DCg,GDL. Bude: 1st winter Oct 24th GPS. Sennen: 1st winter Dec 14th-25th, found moribund on last date, may have been present for over a week previously TG et al. A total of six individuals takes the county mainland total to c. 36, although some records probably relate to the same bird returning in successive years. Monthlv breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 8 4 11 4 2 1 - - - 3 1 2 Top sites: Mount's Bay 11, St. Ives and Falmouth four each.

First winter Bonaparte's Gull (Chris Button)

BLACK-HEADED GULL - Larus ridibundus Abundant passage migrant and winter visitor. Bred at Stithians Reservoir from 1967 to 1969. Has bred at Crowdy Reservoir since 1976 and at Colliford Reservoir since 1990. Breeding season records were received from the following sites, with comparative data for 1990- 1995. Figures represent the number of pairs/nests (and young) seen; p = present, but not counted 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 Colliford Res. 25(0) 58(60) 65(94) 40(6) 60(82) 100(103) 100(20) Crowdy Res. 25(0) ?(48) 100(?) 100(150) 36(27) 100(3) P Maer Lake 6(2) ------Of the few pairs which attempted to breed at the two regular sites, none was successful, due to the low summer water level and a resulting absence of suitable islands on which to nest. However, the breeding attempt at Maer Lake was the first at that site, possibly involving birds which would have normally nested at the previous two sites. It was somewhat ironic that all but one nest eventually failed due to rising water levels.

80 First year Red-backed Shrike, Poughill, November - Graham Sutton

Corn Bunting, Pentire Farm, May - Graham Sutton Juvenile White-rumped Sandpiper, Drift Reservoir, September - Graham Sutton Juvenile Little Stinit, Upper Tamar Lake, September - Graham Sutton Juvenile Dotterel, Davidstow Airfield, October - Graham Sutton

Juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper, Davidstow Airfield, September - Graham Sutton Red-rumped Swallow, Lamorna, March - Steve Kolodziejski i

First year Bohemian Waxwing, Helston, February - David Chapman

Great Bittern, Long Rock Pool, December - Peter Walsh

First winter Pied-billed Grebe, Loe Pool, November - Graham Sutton Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 9760 10504 10660 1793 732 594 8213 9719 9612 8345 15617 13808 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 1922 1092 1231 46 31 25 1689 2403 1975 1660 1519 1025 St. John's Lake 300 2000 1100 50 2 2 400 160 800 600 1000 400 Lynher Est. 562 952 349 36 7 73 929 1234 885 1097 1067 874 Looe 490 530 480 23 70 - 70 105 60 175 850 260 Fowey Est. 440 294 81 ------190 326 151 Ruan Lanihorne 280 225 60 40 1 16 400 536 400 160 330 545 Tresillian River 634 511 77 - - - 690 675 415 200 300 _ Truro River 854 357 304 - - 20 561 890 650 622 670 207 Helford River 1117 831 125 - - 20 462 669 520 749 706 472 Drift Res. 900 650 300 - 4 - 100 32 100 253 400 500 Hayle Est. 820 550 200 20 20 57 600 360 600 560 500 500 Gannel Est. 730 1250 510 5 - - 21 - - 506 380 380 Camel Est. 800 700 - - - - 51 74 100 3000 1309 796 Numbers during the year were higher than the previous year, with a more obvious movement of spring migrants in March and autumn passage birds between July and September.

RING-BILLED GULL - Larus delawarensis Formerly rare vagrant, now uncommon winter visitor and passage migrant. A better showing than in recent years with around 15 new birds, 11 of which occurred in the first half of the year, and two returning individuals. Hayle Est.: adult from 1995 remained to Mar 17th and was joined by another adult Feb 13th & 24th DSF,FP,VAS,LPW et al; 1st summer Apr 8th & 18th, intriguingly bearing a metal ring DSF,WH; adult returned Dec 2nd into 1997 LPW et al; and 1st winter Dec 15th MKA,CLBo,GJC,IK. Par: adult from 1995 to Apr 10th RAJ,KJ,GRW,MW et al, joined by a second adult Feb 18th-Mar 10th GJC,HAS. The regular adult returned Nov 30th into 1997 DIJ,IRS et al. Millbrook: adult and 2nd winter Jan 7th GDL et al, 2nd winter Apr 5th & 6th RS. Drift Res.: 1st winter Jan 11th, 2nd winter Jan 21st GH. Sennen Cove: 1st winter Jan 17th JFR. Newlyn: 1st winter Mar 3rd-9th JFR,VAS. Marazion Beach: adult Mar 15th & 16th (same bird at Hayle Est. Mar 17th) JFR,VAS. Maenporth: 1st winter Nov 8th RCJ. Stithians Res.: 2nd winter Nov 16th & 26th MJH,LL, 1st winter Nov 21st SK. Penzance: adult Nov 17th BSW. Swanpool: 1st winter Nov 21st SK. Since the first record in 1979 c. 234 birds have now been recorded in mainland Cornwall. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 46 37 49 21 6 2 - 2 2 7 24 40 Age breakdown on first arrival: 1st year 119, 2nd year 37, 3rd year 8, adult 69. Top sites: Hayle Est. 51, Mounts Bay 34, Par 30, Falmouth 22, St. John's Lake 19.

COMMON GULL - Larus canus Passage migrant. Winter visitor. A few summer. Good numbers were recorded in both winter periods. Spring passage took place during late January and February, with few notable flocks in March. The last in spring were single first summers at Rame Head and Millbrook Lake May 4th. An adult over-summered on Hayle Estuary. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2388 1589 569 38 3 1 6 8 34 24 1315 2619 I The first autumn arrival was on the Camel Est. Jul 12th, followed by a very early juvenile at Helford

81 River Jul 25th. Thereafter passage was light with mainly single figure counts until mid November. During the second winter period the largest count was 1000 in St. Austell Bay Dec 3rd. Of particular note was a bird still in near full juvenile plumage at Par Nov 6th-21st RL. Although occasional examples of retained plumage have been recorded in other gull species, it is in Common Gull that this abnormality occurs most frequently. Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 227 36 68 - - - - 2 20 36 St. John's Lake 70 350 70 6 - - - 4 9 30 Lynher Est. 325 163 46 - - - 1 1 38 25 Millbrook Lake 213 147 225 14 1 3 1 - 3 35 88 Rame Head* 231 187 273 42 2 1 - - 128 1668 Looe 105 31 53 - - - - - 3 20 Drift res. 185 38 12 1 - - - - 18 40 Hayle Est. 46 48 12 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 28 30 Camel Est. 180 1 - - - 1 4 4 180 270 * aggregate seawatching counts. Other large counts include 170 at Loe Pool Jan 1st, 107 Stithians Res. Jan 3rd, 177 at Newquay Jan 16th, 227 at Tamar Est. Jan 21st, 350 in fields at Idless Feb 17th, 250 at Par Beach Nov 21st, 1000 in St. Austell Bay Dec 3rd, and at the Porthpean roost there were 200 Nov 17th, 500 Nov 23rd and 750 Nov 25th A large adult at Par Dec 17th & 19th showed darker grey upperparts than normal and heavy head streaking, perhaps belonging to the North Central Palearctic race L. c. heinei RL.

LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL - Larus fuscus Resident. Breeds in low numbers. Common passage migrant and winter visitor. Breeding was proven at Gull Rock, Portreath (one pair), Hell's Mouth (one pair), Mullion Island (one pair), Western Cove, Portreath (nine pairs, but eight failed) and Looe Island where a nest was found with two eggs, with inland breeding at Holmbush Industrial Estate (one pair) for the fifth successive year. Approximate monthlv totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1073 2994 2257 206 210 147 89 436 2285 1112 4070 2473

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec St. John's Lake 20 60 40 2 2 - - - - 2 11 - Lynher Est. 13 159 43 4 - - 2 - 1 1 3 1 Hayle Est. 543 2000 950 9 122 6 102 180 10 600 200 Gannel Est. 30 2 124 12 - 1 - - - 20 46 24 Camel Est. 230 770 303 - - - - 45 - - 38 60 Crowdy Res. - - - - 3 - - 11 200 250 400 7 Colliford Res. 128 18 - 1 14 7 17 69 1100 160 1000 158 Siblyback Res. 15 - - 2 1 - 39 - 112 617 88 - Elsewhere, notable concentrations include 200 at St. Mabyn Sep 22nd, 500 at Par Beach Nov 21st, up to 1200 Porthpean Nov 17th-Dec 1st and 600 at Loe Pool in December. Birds showing characteristics of the Southern Scandinavian race L.f. intermedins, which are far more numerous than the available records suggest, were reported as follows: Camel Est.: two Jan 7th, six Feb 19th, ten Mar 5th, five Mar 7th. Hayle Est.: 50 Feb 10th, 20 Mar 3rd, one Nov 25th. Par Beach: three Mar 6th, one Sep 28th & 30th. Swanpool: one Mar 13th. Penryn River: four Mar 27th. Pentewan Beach: four Sep 30th, 10 Oct lst-Nov 29th. Coverack: one Oct 17th. Porthpean: 50 Nov 7th.

82 HERRING GULL - Larus argentatus Common resident (but apparently decreasing). Breeds. Common passage migrant and winter visitor. Breeding reports were very numerous from the north coast, due to the summer seabird survey work, the results of which are summarised at the back of this Report. The largest breeding concentrations were as follows: Bedruthan Steps 99 pairs; Gull Rock, Boscastle 150 adults; Gulland Rock 120 pairs; Western Cove, Portreath 82 pairs; Meachard 114 adults; New Downs Head to Newquay c. 305 nests; Port Isaac to Dannonchapel 98 pairs; and Stepper Point to Porthmissen 130 pairs. Inland breeding was reported at Boscoppa (many nests with young), Holmbush Industrial Estate (c. five pairs), Liskeard (one pair), Par Moor (nine pairs) on ECC Laboratory buildings and Par Harbour (30+ pairs). Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 118 6601 5006 3414 3551 2424 3303 4712 5386 4247 5959 13590 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 102 65 80 186 52 110 153 68 230 137 99 54 St. John's Lake 200 250 300 125 350 20 275 40 40 110 76 - Lynher Est. 136 139 116 20 68 75 29 53 95 123 128 85 Rame Head* 2007 846 2658 728 652 530 456 1279 153 581 1215 8457 Looe 700 690 510 450 150 140 190 215 210 224 125 180 Ruan Lanihorne 30 30 12 265 230 84 60 264 375 460 35 108 Truro River 72 102 52 135 77 79 80 72 70 71 102 52 Helford River 279 202 260 276 486 148 221 192 180 304 171 203 Drift Res. 1000 301 204 38 125 51 250 380 900 900 2000 900 Hayle Est. 460 1850 1007 425 584 210 440 300 990 399 302 730 Gannel Est. 1000 250 420 210 94 76 64 - - 300 250 50 Camel Est. 40 70 64 125 - - 115 - - 595 170 246 Crowdy Res. 6 - - - 31 200 - 156 300 178 21 - Colliford Res.: 18 5 - 8 191 203 109 327 300 19 23 5 * seawatching aggregate totals. Birds showing characteristics of the Scandinavian form L. a. argentatus were noted as follows: Par Beach: 3rd winter Sep 28th RL. Porthpean: adult Oct 11th RL. Pentewan Beach: 3rd winter Oct 19th & 21st RL. Camel Est.: adult Nov 17th SMC. The Par Beach and Pentewan birds are treated as the same. 1995 Additions Camel Est.: adult Feb 5th GJC. Par: adult Apr 27th SMC.

HYBRID GLAUCOUS X HERRING GULL Sancreed/Drift Res.: 1st winter Nov 17th-26th DSF,GHJFR et al. 1981 Addition Penzance: 1st winter Mar 21st JPM, presumably of this parentage.

YELLOW-LEGGED GULL - Larus cachinanns Rare passage migrant and winter visitor. The best year on record with 17 birds, most of which were short-staying individuals. Records were widely scattered throughout the year with little hint of the late summer build-up so evident in recent years in mainly southern counties of England, including Devon. From the available records there would in fact appear to be a late autumn and winter bias, perhaps an indication of a westward dispersal from counties to the east. Stithians Res.: adult Jan 9th and an adult Nov 3rd SMC. Camel Est.: adult and 2nd winter Jan 21st and a different adult Feb 19th CLBo,DAC,GJC.

83 Newquay: adult Mar 15th & 28th SMC. Hayle Est.: 4th winter Mar 17th SMC, 2nd winter Nov 2nd DJC. Mount's Bay: 3rd winter Apr 21st SMC. Lynher Est.: adult Jun 9th SCM. Copperhouse Creek: adult Jul 26th DSF. Sennen: adult Aug 11th LL. Colliford Res.: adult Sep 19th MKA,GJC. Pendeen Watch: adult Oct 5th LL. Loe Pool: adult Oct 24th ARP. Siblyback Res.: 2nd winter Oct 31st-Nov 1st SCM. Argal Res.: 1st winter Nov 2nd RCJ. 1995 Additions Gannel Est.: adults Jan 31st, Feb 28th, Dec 22nd & Dec 27th SMC. The county mainland total now stands at c.86. Apart from singles in 1944 and 1950, all but two have been recorded since 1983. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 18 8 7 2 4 2 2 5 6 12 11 10 Age breakdown on first arrival: 1st year ten, 2nd year ten, 3rd year six, 4th year/adult 62. Top sites: St. John's Lake 11, Looe nine, Camel Est. seven, Colliford Res. six, Par five.

ICELAND GULL - Larus glaucoides Scarce winter visitor. Rare passage migrant (mainly spring). A good haul with c.18 birds counted this year, predominantly first years. One individual lingered from 1995. Otherwise 14 were present in the first half of the year, of which seven spring passage birds were involved, with four new birds in the autumn/second winter period. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 3 6 3 2 4 - - - - 1 1 2 St. John's Lake: adult Jan 2nd SMC, no doubt the bird seen at Rame Head in December 1995 and presumably the individual (affectionately known as Tgor'), which has been returning to the Plymouth area since January 1989, then aged as a 1st winter. Newquay: 1st winter Jan 16th-Mar 29th, noted ranging between Towan Head, Newquay Harbour, Porth and Gannel Est. SMC,TMC,SGR et al; 1st summer Apr 9th SMC. Cot Valley: 1st winter Jan 17th-Feb 22nd MPS. Long Rock Pool/Marazion Marsh: 1st winter Jan 31st-Feb 3rd PAR,JFR,VAS. Rame Head: adult flew east Feb 2nd, perhaps the St. John's Lake bird EJW. Loe Pool: 1st or 2nd year Feb 12th ARP. Maer Lake/Bude: third year Feb 20th-Mar 11th GPS. Torpoint: 1st winter Feb 25th GDL. Mousehole: 1st winter Feb 25th BSW. Sennen Cove: 1st winter Feb 28th DJCs. Caer Bran: 1st winter Feb 28th, presumed same as the Cot Valley bird AH,BCW. Downderry: 1st winter Mar 24th SCM. Hayle Est.: one Apr 15th, 1st summer May 1st EGG et al. Trevose Head: 1st or 2nd year Apr 17th RGM. Lizard Village: 1st summer May 2nd MT. Restronguet Creek: 1st summer May 10th BSW. Porthgwarra: 2nd summer May 25th BKM. Drift Res./Sancreed: 1st winters Oct 15th SMC, Nov 20th-29th & Dec 24th DSF,GH et al. Catchall: 1st winter Dec 31st DSF. Argal Res.: 2nd winter Dec 31st BSW. The county mainland total now stands at c. 317.

84 Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 87 75 58 46 19 1 - - - 4 6 31 Age breakdown on first arrival: 1st year 165, 2nd year 77, 3rd year 19, 4th year/adult 49, imm. 10, not aged five. Top sites: Mounts Bay 66, Hayle Est. 42, Falmouth 50, St. Ives 21, Looe 18. An adult of the North American race L. g. kumlienii was at Newquay Mar 11th SMC. This is only the second county record of this distinctive race, the previous record being at Mount's Bay Mar 3rd-15th, 1979. With a substantial increase in records nation-wide in recent years, more may be expected to occur in the county.

GLAUCOUS GULL - Larus hyperboreus Uncommon winter visitor and passage migrant (mainly spring). Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 9 6 5 5 - - - - 1 2 1 1 Hayle Est.: 1st & 2nd winter Jan 10th, one Jan 12th & Feb 16th, 2nd winter Sep 26th DSF,FHH,SK. Mount's Bay: adult Jan 13th-23rd, 4th winter Jan 14th-Feb 7th, 2nd winter Jan 14th-18th, 3rd winter Mar 16th-19th, 2nd/3rd year Apr 5th, 1st winter Dec 31st NJP,DE,DSF,RAJ,LPW et al. Sancreed: 2nd winter Jan 14th & Mar 6th, 1st summer Apr 2nd-3rd, 1st winter Dec 25th & 30th DSF,EGG. St. Ives: 4th winter Jan 18th-Febl0th, adult Jan 20th-Feb 11th, 1st winter Oct 19th AHs,JHH,VAS. Drift Res.: 1st summer Jan 19th-Apr 24th, 2nd winter Feb 9th-25th, two 1st years Mar 8th-Apr 10th, 1st winter Dec 25th 31st SMC,DSF,GH,JHH,JFR Perranporth: adult Jan 21st-23rd DE,PAM. Godrevy Point: 4th winter Jan 25th BSW. Newlyn: 2nd winter Jan 25th CCB,GH. Caer Bran: one Jan 25th-Mar 15th AH,BCW. Trewey Downs: 2nd year in kale field Feb 25th EGG. Sennen/Sennen cove: 1st winter Mar 2nd-16th & Apr 13thTG JFR,KAW. Mousehole: imm. Feb 11th, 2nd winter Mar 7th MKA,SJ,JFR. St. Just Airfield: 1st year Mar 18th-Apr 15th LL,KAW. Downderry: adult east Mar 24th SCM. Rame Head: adult feeding behind trawler Apr 26th EJW. Pendeen Watch: 2nd/3rd year Apr 28th JL. Cape Cornwall: lst/2nd year 16th Oct MCCo,PCo. Looe Est.: 3rd winter Nov 15th GDL. 1995 Addition Par: adult Feb 12th SMC. The county mainland total advances to c.462 since 1930. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 153 103 59 26 14 3 1 4 9 15 32 46 Age breakdown on first arrival: 1st year 216, 2nd year 91, 3rd year 25, 4th year/adult 60, imm. 26, not aged 33. Top sites: Mounts Bay 108, Hayle 63, Falmouth 49, St. Ives 48, Newquay 15, Camel Est. 14.

GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL - Larus marinus Resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. Winter visitor. Numbers at the beginning and end of the year were back to around normal, far higher than the counts for the previous year. Breeding was noted at the following sites: Bedruthan Steps (three pairs), Gulland Rock (one pair), Land's End (11 pairs), Minnows Island (one pair), St. Agnes (four pairs) and Mouls (one pair). Unfortunately no details were received for Mullion Island, traditionally home of the county's largest colony.

85 Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1347 1037 801 395 422 364 271 535 600 731 1003 1715 Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Tamar Est. 32 16 19 11 2 9 15 5 19 29 17 11 St. John's Lake 22 30 25 6 12 8 10 2 2 2 - 4 Lynher Est. 42 43 34 13 8 6 15 6 21 19 16 6 Rame Head* 459 115 245 239 194 177 68 441 233 109 333 676 Looe 320 280 110 90 4 2 - - 20 110 5 - Ruan Lanihorne 161 246 85 19 37 37 35 30 93 305 16 165 Hayle Est. 123 125 9 5 21 36 29 30 16 45 86 15 Camel Est. 6 50 142 - - - 30 - 11 75 17 72 * seawatching aggregate totals. Elsewhere, notable counts included 200 at Gurnard's Head Sep 25th, 250 at Porthpean Nov 25th, 350 at the same site Dec 1st, 500 in St. Austell Bay Dec 3rd and 400 at Loe Pool in December.

ROSS'S GULL - Rhodostethia rosea Very rare vagrant. Lynher Est.: adult Feb 27th-28th, later moved to Plymouth RWG,SCM,GJT et al. The fourth county mainland record. Previous records in 1989, 1988 and 1977 involved two first winters and an adult.

KITTIWAKE - Rissa tridactyla Common summer resident. Breeds. Abundant passage migrant and winter visitor. Breeding season counts. Figures represent the maximum number of pairs or nests counted; p means present, but not counted: 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 Mullion 13 - - - 9 6 - Land's End 537 501 495 - - - P Ralph's Cupboard 104 114 118 176 192 - Newquay 1200 600 1000 1000 P P 500 Trevose Head/Stepper 150 35 140 142 80 - Polzeath/Ranie Point 11 - 89 75 P 220 365 Highest counts during the year include: Newquay: 3500 Jan 18th. Pendeen Watch: 3000 west in two hours Oct 29th, 1250 Nov 4th, 1200 Nov 5th. Treveal: 1200 west Nov 17th. Rame Head: 240 (150 west) Mar 1st, 481 (356 west) Nov 30th.

SANDWICH TERN - Sterna sandvicensis Common passage migrant. Rare winter visitor. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 1 450 506 76 40 80 369 375 217 2 3 Two winter records involved single birds in Mount's Bay Jan 20th-25th (SMC,CCB) and one in St. Austell Bay Feb 10th (FMC). Regular reports & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec St. John's Lake - - - 4 - - 4 17 10 - - - Rame Head - - 3 6 5 7 - 17 3 - - - Par - - 6 8 2 - 9 10 5 - - - Mounts Bay 1 - 37 28 2 7 6 17 20 1 - - St. Ives - - 3 - - 5 - 48 6 63 - 1 Hayle Est. - - 27 29 14 5 2 42 57 19 1 - Camel Est. - - 14 - - - 5 25 31 9 - 2

86 The first spring arrivals were eight on the Helford River on the early date of Mar 1st. The next were a single at Spit Point Mar 7th and four at St. Ives Mar 10th. Thereafter records came almost daily, with peak passage occurring between Mar 23rd and Apr 21st. In autumn the first returning birds were seven off Rame Head Jun 14th. Numbers built up through July and August, with the main movement taking place from Aug 24th to Sep 29th. Later on, one was at Hayle Est. Nov 9th, but several lingered into December: two on the Camel Est. Dec 19th (DIJ) and one in the Carbis Bay/St. Ives area Dec 20th to the year-end DE,VAS,SGR,NRP. Sandwich Terns (Richard James) Inland, 12 at Argal Res. Apr 19th (DE) was most unusual

ROSEATE TERN - Sterna dougallii Scarce passage migrant. Sennen Cove: adult Jul 19th DSF. Porthmeor Beach: two adults Aug 6th VAS. 1995 Addition Newquay: adult May 16th SMC. The mainland total now stands at c.778, all but two since 1951. Monthly breakdown*: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - - 32 120 33 126 147 279 40 - - *One undated. Top sites: St. Ives 401, Hayle/Porthkidney Sands 199, Newquay 29, Par Beach 26, Mount's Bay 24.

COMMON TERN - Sterna hirundo Passage migrant. The first in spring were two first summer birds (otherwise known asportlandica) at St. Ives Mar 21st. Apart from another first summer at Sennen Cove Apr 2nd, there were no more records until Apr 10th, when there were two in Mount's Bay. Around 98 birds were involved altogether, with passage peaking May 10th-19th. The last birds were four off Marazion Beach Jun 7th. Autumn passage commenced with two at St. Ives Jun 29th and ended with three there Oct 29th. Return passage consisted of c.206 birds, the majority being observed during gales in August. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - 2 33 57 9 11 139 22 34 - - Regular renorts & maximum numbers: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Porthgwarra - - - - 3 - - 30 - 2 - - Pendeen Watch ------25 3 9 - - St. Ives 2 3 - 2 - 151 4 10 - - Newquay - - - 3 24 - - 19 - - - - Peak counts were 15 at Downderry Apr 21st, 26 off Porthgwarra Aug 5th, and 94 at St. Ives and 22 off Pendeen Watch, both Aug 6th. 87 Inland there were singles at Drift Res. May 3rd & Sep 19th-20th and at Upper Tamar Lake Aug 21st and Oct 10th.

ARCTIC TERN - Sterna paradisaea Uncommon passage migrant. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - - 2 19 - - 31 5 21 2 - The first of the spring were two at Helford Passage Apr 20th. There was a light passage involving 21 birds, with the last being four past Rame Head May 18th. Autumn passage was the best since 1992, consisting of 59 birds. It commenced on Aug 6th with 12 at Towan Head and nine at St. Ives, ending with a single at St. Johns Lake Nov 16th. Regular reports & maximum numbers: Pendeen Watch: c.l 1 Aug 20-Nov 7th. St. Ives: c.22 Aug 6th-Nov 7th ( max. nine Aug 6th). Rame Head: c.20 May 4th-Oct 19th (max. 13 May 4th). Inland, there was a juvenile at Drift Res. Aug 27th, two at Upper Tamar Lake Sep 28th and a single there Oct 5th-6th.

TERN sp. (Common or Arctic Tern) Rame Head: 58 May 3rd, 48 May 4th and four Aug 23rd. Hannafore Point: seven May 24th and two May 26th. Torpoint: five Jul 14th. Porthgwarra: two Aug 10th, two Aug 23rd and one Oct 20th Pendeen watch: 23 between Aug 25th & Oct 16th.

LITTLE TERN - Sterna albifrons Uncommon passage migrant. The decline in numbers continues, with a mere 13 birds recorded, constituting the lowest total since 1973, see Figure 11. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - - 6 - - 2 3 - 2 - - Par Beach: two Apr 14th and four Apr 16th SMC,RAJ,KJ. Mounts Bay: singles Apr 14th-15th and Apr 21st SMC,DSF,BKM. Hayle Est.: two Jul 16th DSF. Pendeen Watch: three Aug 25th, singles Oct 4th and 15th GJC,SCM et al.

Figure 11: Little Tern annual totals 1977-1996

88 BLACKTERN - Chlidonias niger Uncommon passage migrant. A most remarkable record in the first winter period concerned an adult in near full summer plumage at Helston Jan 6th DW,PWd. It coincided with an influx of Leach's Storm-petrels and Little Gulls during a period of severe gales. This is the first winter record for the county, if not the UK. Spring passage consisted of just two singles. The autumn passage started well with 29 sightings on Aug 6th, of which 21 were at St. Ives Island and the remainder off Towan Head. Small numbers were then noted until the last off Pendeen Watch Oct 15th. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 - - 1 1 - - 42 5 2 - - Lower Tamar Lake: adult Apr 21st DBWPS. Porthgwarra: adult May 26th BSW. Towan Head: eight Aug 6th SMC. St. Ives Island: 21(13 adult) Aug 6th, three Sep 10th and one Oct 5th RAJ,KJ,JHH,VAS. Loe Pool: juv. Aug 12th RK. Pendeen Watch: three Aug 19th, two Aug 24th, one Aug 25th, three Aug 26th and one Oct 15th TDC,GJC,SML et al. Drift Res.: juv Aug 23rd GH. St. Johns Lake: one Aug 29th-Sep 1st RMB,DCg,EHW. Colliford Res.: one Aug 31st PAM. Upper Tamar Lake: one Sep 1st BB,DC1 et al. Clodgy Point: one Sep 15th VAS. 1981 Addition Hayle Est.: one Oct 3rd JPM.

WHITE-WINGED BLACKTERN - Chlidonias leucopterus Rare vagrant. Marazion Marsh: adult Jul 9th-11th ICSSJRS et al. Torpoint: adult Jul 13th AJM. The above are treated as the same bird, which provided an excellent summer bonus for many observers. The county mainland total now stands at 22. Monthlv breakdown*: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - 1 5 - 3 2 8 2 - - * One undated Top sites: Hayle Est. six, Tamar Lakes three.

COMMON GUILLEMOT - Uria aalge Summer resident. Breeds (mainly north coast). Passage migrant. Winter visitor. A series of boat surveys along the north coast revealed far more information about breeding numbers than in previous years (see North Cornwall Seabird Survey 1996). Breeding season information was received from the following localities. The figures represent maximum number of birds, but those in bold relate to the number of nests/pairs; p = present; with comparative data from 1990 to 1995. 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 Long & Short Islands 213 7 30 50 160 21 75 Lye Rock 8 - - - 20 - - The Sisters 264 P P 80 70 60 104 The Mouls 50 45 - 60 - - Gulland Rock 120 - - - 150 - -

89 Trevose Head 36 P 4 10 26 9 - Bawden Rocks P 50 80 - 80 - - Newdowns Head P 35 - - - - - Gull Rock, Nare Head P 20 30 30 40 60 40 Outside the breeding season the two largest counts were made at Pendeen Watch, with 4680 west in two hours Nov 5th and 2220 west in 100 minutes Nov 7th PGA,DJC et al. Elsewhere, the only significant numbers were logged at Rame Head, where 1235 were noted on 58 dates during the year, with maximum counts of 123 Nov 30th and 93 Dec 26th.

RAZORBILL - Alca torda Summer resident. Breeds (mainly north coast). Passage migrant. Winter visitor. Breeding season information was received from the following localities. The figures represent maximum number of birds present, but those in bold relate to the number of nests/pairs; p = present; with comparative data from 1990 to 1995. 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 Long & Short Islands 102 25 P 60 30 - 65 The Mouls 8 20 37 P P P P The Sisters 35 - - 44 30 24 Gulland Rock 20 - - - 200+ - - Porthmissen 16 P 10 32 12 14 - Cat's Cove 28 2 - 6 - - Lye Rock 20 ------Trevaunance Cove P 55 80 - 50 - - Maximum counts were of 900 past Treveal Oct 19th; 1710 west in two hours Nov 5th off Pendeen Watch and 780 there Nov 7th; and 944 off Rame Head on 54 dates, with maximum counts of 99 Mar 1st, 101 Mar 2nd and 108 Mar 15th.

AUK sp. (Common Guillemot or Razorbill). Rame Head: totals of 1475 east and 2239 west on 63 dates between Jan 1st and Dec 31st. Helford River: 300 Apr 20th. Lamorna Cove: 300 Mar 12th. Pendeen: 1894 west in five hours Oct 15th; 490 west in three hours Oct 16th; 8000 in two hours Oct 29th; 7000 Nov 5th; 3000 Nov 7th. Treveal: 10,000 west Nov 17th. St. Ives: 500 Jan 26th.

BLACK GUILLEMOT - Cepphus grylle Rare passage migrant and winter visitor, occasionally overwintering. Cape Cornwall: one Jan 29th MPS. Land's End: one in summer plumage May 1st TG. Pentewan Beach: one Oct 21st RL. St. Ives Island: one Oct 29th DEJHH,PAM et al. Camel Est.: 1st winter Nov 12th-23rd GJC,TMC,DIJ et al. Mount's Bay: one Nov 30th SMC,VAS et al. Falmouth Bay: first winter Dec 8th-17th EJC,SMC,RCJ,VRT. An exceptional year, involving seven birds, including the first May record. The mainland total now stands at c.53. Monthly breakdown*: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 9 6 4 5 1 2 - - 3 6 6 7 * four undated Top sites: St. Ives 14, Falmouth Bay 12, Mevagissey Bay three, Sennen, Camel Est. and Trevose Head two each.

90 LITTLE AUK-Alle alle Scarce passage migrant and winter visitor. Falmouth Bay: two Jan 11th, singles Jan 24th, Nov 15th-16th, Nov 22nd, Nov 28th, Dec 7th-14th CLB,SMC,RCJ et al. Sennen Cove: one Jan 12th, one Nov 6th JL,GW. Carbis Bay: one Feb 11th, two Feb 12th BTC et al. Mother Ivey's Bay: one Feb 14th SME. Pentire Point West: one Mar 30th CC. Pendeen Watch: one Oct 15th, one Oct 19th, two Oct 29th, one Nov 5th, one Nov 7th, six Nov 9th DSFJL,GRW,MW et al. Porthgwarra: one Oct 20th, one Dec 3rd JL,BKM. St. Ives Island: 16 west Oct 29th, three Oct 30th, one Oct 31st, five Nov 7th DE,JHH,BKM et al. Lamorna Cove: ten Oct 30th, one Nov 1st SBE et al. Pentewan Beach: six Oct 31st, two west Nov 1st, one west Nov 2nd RL. Towan Head: one Oct 31st, three Nov 6th, one Nov 7th, one Nov 29th SMC,TSH,MST. Mousehole: one Nov 6th JL. Mount Pleasant: one Nov 9th BSW. Par Bay: one Nov 16th-28th RL. Porthpean: one Nov 16th and another Nov 17th RL. Downderry: two Nov 16th, one Dec 20th SCM. Hannafore Point: one west Nov 16th, two west Nov 29th, one Nov 30th TR,EJW. Drift Res.: one found dead Nov 18th DIJ. Penryn River: one Dec 19th CLB. Rame Head: two east Dec 24th EJW. 1995 Addition Porthgwarra: one Nov 14th SMC. An excellent year involving at least 88 birds takes the county mainland total to c. 1259 since 1930. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 90 126 33 2 - 1 - - 4 101 395 508 Top sites: St. Ives Island 561, Porthgwarra 217, Falmouth 83, Newquay 47, Mullion/Loe Pool 44.

PUFFIN - Fratercula arctica Scarce summer resident (north coast). Breeds. Uncommon passage migrant. Rare winter visitor. Over the last forty years there has been a marked decline in the breeding population in Cornwall. As an illustration, over 3000 could be seen at Lye Rock in the 1940's and 600 during the 1960's. In 1970 there were about 70 birds still present but there are now none. Trevone and Gull Rock (Nare Head) are other former colonies. Breeding season records were received from the following locations where breeding is known, or suspected, to have occurred. Figures represent the maximum number of single birds seen at or near the colony, with comparative data for 1990 to 1995. 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 Long and Short Island 12 7 2 16 15 15 13 The Mouls 8 11 20 25 30 17 12 The Brisons 5 3 - - - - - Elsewhere the following records were received: Portscatho: one Jan 12th. St. Ives: two Feb 2nd. Porthgwarra: 21 between Apr 21st & Aug 23rd (three April, six May, four June, five July, three August) and one Oct 16th. Pendeen Watch: singles Jun 1st & 13th, seven Jul 1st. Downderry: three Apr 18th, one Apr 19th and one Jun 15th. Rame Head: singles Jun 11th and Jul 27th. Towan Head: one Nov 11th.

91 The summer records off Pendeen Watch and Porthgwarra most likely relate to birds breeding on The Brisons. Those off Rame Head and Downderry are a little more intriguing! Since 1964 a total of c.2329 have been seen away from the breeding areas. Top sites: Porthgwarra 1434, The Lizard 256, St. Ives 246, Rame Head 101.

FERAL PIGEON / ROCK DOVE - Columba livia Resident. Breeds. Pure Rock Doves may survive on some of the more remote parts of the north coast, but would probably prove indistinguishable from feral stock. Around 150 birds were reported throughout the year, with four significant counts: 25 at Epphaven Cove, 30 at Port Isaac, 40 Victoria Gardens, Truro and 50 at Saltash Bridge. The number of birds at the latter site increased from 40 last year. All counts of this species should be submitted, whatever the location.

STOCK DOVE - Columba oenas Resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. Winter visitor. Records indicate large concentrations early in the year and a steady build-up of numbers from late autumn into the second winter period. Maize and linseed stubble fields are the preferred feeding areas. The highest counts in the first winter period were 300 at Loe Pool Jan 1st and 250 at Hayle Mar 26th. Spring passage was minimal, with about 25 birds involved, mainly in the last week of April and first two weeks of May. Breeding was proved at Kit Hill, Loe Pool and Lamorna, with further breeding season records from ten localities from Whitsand Bay to Drift. During autumn passage a new county record of 1672 birds was recorded at Sancreed in three hours, Nov 10th. DSF. Other significant high numbers from West Penwith were as follows: Sancreed: 104 Oct 30th, 208 Nov 14th. Nanjizal: 433 Nov 11th. Porthgwarra: 1564 Nov 16th. Sennen: 450 Nov 16th, 500 Dec 6th. Elsewhere there were 100 on the Roseland Peninsula Dec 14th and 300 at Marshgate Dec 29th. Curiously, the normally high counts from Otterham failed to materialise, with the highest count being just 108 Nov 12th.

WOOD PIGEON - Columba palumbus Abundant resident. Breeds. Passage migrant, with larger numbers in late autumn. Winter visitor. In the first winter period, there were generally few significant records. The only triple figure count was a maximum 226 at Loe Pool in January, followed by just 50 at Sheviock Mar 16th. Spring passage was minimal, with 14 being the highest count at Long Rock May 11th. Seven at Predannack May 25th were probable migrants. Breeding was recorded only sparsely at several sites throughout the county, though observers report no decrease in numbers. Autumn migration was spectacular and was a return to the high numbers normally expected at this time of year, especially after last year's poor showing. The first significant count was 350 at Drift Res. Sep 11th. There was a pause in records until Oct 30th when 1000 were counted at Holmbush, RL. Groups of 100 were coming in off the sea at St. Austell Nov 6th. GRW. However, the highest counts were between Nov 8th and 13th when up to 40,000 birds were logged, almost exclusively in West Penwith. A new county record of 18,320 was established at Sancreed between 07:30 and 10:30 on Nov 10th. DSF. JL recorded 'thousands' coming in off the sea at Nanjizal while DIJ noted hundreds moving in the Harlyn Bay area Nov 10th. NRP also recorded several large flocks over Penzance Nov 11th. The final large count was 4,260 at Sancreed Nov 14th. In the second winter period numbers dwindled, though 1000 were present on the Amble Marshes in early December and 3,500 were counted at Malpas, Truro Dec 15th.

92 COLLARED DOVE - Streptopelia decaocto Breeds. Resident. Winter visitor. Passage migrant. Recorded in every month of the year, though surprisingly scarce in the winter periods. SMC reports that numbers remain depressed and several sites which used to attract double figure flocks are now almost deserted. JHF also reports that the species is much less numerous in the Liskeard area. In spring, probable migrants included 15 at Long Rock May 5th, four at Botallack May 11th, eight at Porthgwarra May 15th and eight in the Sancreed area during May. Breeding was reported sparsely throughout the county. The earliest breeding record was in early February at Kenwyn, Truro, two young leaving the nest at the month's end. A further two broods also left this nest later in spring. Autumn passage began with 54 at Gulval Aug 13th. The only other significant record was 27 at Polgigga Oct 11th. Elsewhere, there was a max. of 12 at Sancreed between August and October. The highest second winter count came from Lizard Village with up to 100 present Nov 12th. ML. An interesting record was of one bird eating green seaweed Enteromorpha for three minutes below the high tide line on exposed rock at Penzance Jun 26th. NRP.

TURTLE DOVE - Streptopelia turtur Passage migrant. Probably bred in 1981,1978 and 1977. Occasional summer resident. Rare in winter. The first bird of the year was recorded in VAS's garden at St. Ives on the exceptionally early date of Mar 15th, but may have overwintered locally. The next spring record was one at Sancreed Apr 25th. The main influx arrived from Apr 28th to May 20th and represented Turtle Doves (Kester Wilson) approximately 60% of the year's total records. The highest count was a remarkable 28 in the Nanjizal/Land's End area May 5th. KAW. A count of seven was also recorded at Nanjizal May 11th. All but one of the spring records came from traditional coastal migration watch points. Breeding was not proved during the year though a singing male was present throughout July near Land's End and a pair were seen near Portwrinkle. Other summer records of single birds came from Marazion, Coverack, Holmbush and Sancreed. It is curious to note that in Devon the Turtle Dove breeds regularly in reasonable numbers, yet Cornwall does not appear attractive to this delightful bird. Autumn passage commenced on Aug 14th. A total of 23 birds were recorded, most being singles, but two were at Land's End Sep 7th and Oct 3rd. The last was at Pentireglaze Oct 24th.

COMMON CUCKOO - Cuculus canorus Summer resident. Breeds, though declining. Passage migrant, mainly spring. The first bird of the spring was sighted at Stithians Res Apr 1st (1995 earliest - Apr 3rd), followed by

93 another at Land's End Apr 7th. However, most areas had to wait until Apr 17th for the main arrival. Autumn passage comprised a five-fold increase on the six recorded in 1995. The first autumn migrants were three at Nanjizal Jul 10th, with the last report being one at Drift Sep 18th. A rufous phase bird was observed prospecting at Stithians Res. Jun 4th. It laid an egg in a Hedge Accentor's nest on the 5th. A young Cuckoo hatched and then ejected its two siblings. However, the young Cuckoo itself was predated before fledging. DE. Breeding was confirmed at just five sites, although males were present during the breeding season at 27 suitable locations throughout the county. Areas with high numbers included Lamelgate with three pairs, Crowlas six males, Bastreet four males and Bosigran four males.

BARN OWL -Tyto alba Resident. Breeds, though declined over last ten years. Loss of breeding sites, destruction of habitat, increased road traffic and cold winters followed by damp summers all take a heavy toll on this vulnerable species. The downward trend appears to have continued. Breeding was proved at just six sites, with a mere nine young fledged. This perhaps suggests that breeding data is lacking, although five further reports specifically stated 'breeding not proved this year,' suggesting a continuing decline. This compares to nine sites where breeding was proved last year. Road casualties are a factor influencing the Barn Owl's decline in Britain. In 1996, a total of seven birds were found dead by the roadside in Cornwall. There was evidence at Cooksland, Bodmin that a nest containing six young all perished when the adult male was found dead on a local road. Undoubtedly, more road casualties go unnoticed. Perhaps a glimmer of hope was that the majority of the 150 sightings were in the autumn and second winter period, suggesting that more juveniles than suspected had indeed fledged. Reports were received from across the county, with the A30 and A39 trunk roads being popular. There were just seven reports from West Penwith, including one road casualty at Crowlas, and one at Porthgwarra, a location where SMC has not recorded Barn Owl before. (A detailed study of the Barn Owl in Cornwall appeared in Birds in Cornwall 1995).

LITTLE OWL - Athene noctua Widespread but very scarce resident. Breeds. Despite increased observer coverage, there has been a substantial reduction in numbers recently. After a 50% reduction between 1983 and 1986, there was a slight improvement up to 1990. In 1992, there were no breeding reports at all. In 1996, breeding was proved at just two sites: Carnmenellis and Rosudgeon, where one juvenile at each site was raised. Two further sites held one bird during the breeding season. There were six further reports of single birds: Pityme: Jan 3rd to May 25th DLJ. Lower Boscaswell: Jan 15th MST. Rame: Mar 1st to Oct 24th EJW. Trewrickle Farm: Mar 29th.SCM. Pentire Farm: Jul 12th and Oct 26th DL. Cargloth: Dec 9th CFNHC.

TAWNY OWL - Strix aluco Widespread resident. Breeds. Successful breeding was reported from Camelford, Coldrose Farm, Idless, Jolly's Bottom, Kings Wood, Lamorna and Treluswell, where between one and two young were fledged at each nest. Of interest, half of the nestlings were raised in man-made nest-boxes, possibly indicating a need for more artificial nest sites. However, at least 14 additional sites held birds during the breeding season. Unlike other owls, indications are that the population is healthy and not in decline. There were several reports of birds in the far west, between Penberth and Cot Valley, but very few between Penzance and Camborne.

94 LONG-EARED OWL - Asio otus Uncommon passage migrant and winter visitor. Occasionally breeds. Silverwell: one Feb 18th JCh,BKM. Porthgwarra: one Sep 8th, four Nov 16th, flushed from a small hawthorn bush SMC,JHH,BKM. Hayle Kimbro Pool: one Oct 26th SK. Marazion: one Nov 13th DSF. Lamanva: one Dec 2nd GRA. An excellent total of nine birds takes the county mainland total to c.94 since 1930. Monthly breakdown*: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 8 9 5 6 2 5 - 8 4 15 12 17 * three undated. Top sites: Porthgwarra 15, Stithians six, Upper Fowey Valley, Cot Valley and Sticker four each.

SHORT-EARED OWL - Asio flammeus Uncommon passage migrant. Winter visitor. Numbers fluctuate from year to year but wintering numbers have apparently declined considerably in the last 15 years. Bred on several occasions in 1930's and 1940's and probably did so in 1983. Seven were reported in the first winter period and all were singletons at the following localities: Crowdy, Waterpit Down, Gurnard's Head, Saltash, Loe Pool, Land's End and Rosewall Hill. There was just one spring migrant recorded at Crafthole Mar 30th. EJW. Autumn passage involved 12 birds, with an additional 14 remaining into the second winter period. The first for the autumn was one at Land's End, Sep 7th. BSW. Most records involved single birds, though two together were noted as follows: Porthgwarra: two Sep 9th SR,RW. Nanjizal: two Sep 9th BSW. Probably the same birds as above. Nanquidno: two Oct 24th ARB. Tregonetha: two Dec 19th DIJ. Of interest, SMC observed one bird flying in off the sea at Porthgwarra, being mobbed by Herring Gulls Oct 24th. ML also observed the same activity at Lizard Lighthouse Nov 14th. 1995 Correction Godrevy Point: one Jan 12th (not Dec 1st).

EUROPEAN NIGHTJAR - Caprimulgus europaeus Scarce summer resident. Breeds. Rare passage migrant. Formerly more common as a breeding species in the county, though now restricted to a small number of sites. A welcome increase nationally probably reflects the recent growth in our local population, see Figure 12.

European Nightjar (Kester Wilson)

95 Autumn migrants were noted as follows: Trevanson, Wadebridge: one Aug 27th AD. Nanjizal: one trapped and ringed Oct 21st KAW. The Nanjizal bird is exceptionally late and interestingly occurred the day before an equally late Common Swift at Nanquidno. 1996 breeding season information was received from the following areas (with comparative data for 1989-1995). Figures represent maximum number of 'churring' males:

1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 West Penwith Site 1 3 4 3 7 5 3 6 3 Site 2 2 3 2 1 2 (see total for Site 1) Site 3 1 2 ------Site 4 1 ------Site 5 1 ------Lizard 1 2 1 3 3 1 2 2/3 Bodmin Moor 3 3 3 4 4 4/5 4+ 4/5 nr St. Austell 1 + 1 2 2 2 1 1 - Figure 12: European Nightjar annual totals (churring males) 1977-1996

COMMON SWIFT -Apus apus Passage migrant. Summer resident. Breeds. The first spring birds were singles at Newquay and Polly Joke Mar 24th MST,SGR. There were just six triple figure counts in spring, the maximum being 700 at Colliford Res. May 27th, and 1000 brought down by heavy rain at Loe Pool Jun 4th. JL noted hundreds arriving inshore at Pendeen Watch Jun 13th. Breeding reports were especially sparse, and there were no reports received of cliff-breeding birds. In the recent past there has been a colony at Godrevy. DE reported at least ten pairs nesting in Bosvigo School, Truro, an older style building which is especially attractive for breeding. JHF considered that newer buildings were presenting less breeding opportunities, and the Swift was certainly less numerous than previously. In autumn, the majority had departed by Aug 24th, after which there were just four reports, all in West Penwith. The last was a very late bird at Nanquidno Oct 22nd.

An interesting record was a partial albino resembling an Alpine Swift at Nanjizal Jun 14th KAW.

COMMON KINGFISHER - Alcedo atthis Scarce resident. Breeds. Passage migrant (mainly autumn). Winter visitor. During the first winter period, reports were evenly distributed and mostly concerned single birds, though seven were observed at Tregunna Feb 18th. DIJ. Breeding season records were restricted to just one pair on territory at Lamelgate, but there was no proof of breeding anywhere. This compares to four definite breeding records in 1995. Birds were however reported from potential breeding sites including Tresillian, Hayle, Ruan Lanihorne, Goss Moor, Respryn and Looe. 96 Autumn passage began in early August, with several reports of two, three or four together (probable family parties), with five on the Tamar Sep 15th the highest single count. RS. At the end of the year, around 50 were reported overwintering, mostly in ones and twos and widely scattered across the county. Of interest is the diversity of habitat preferred in the county. One was regularly seen in Truro city centre and alongside the by-pass, whilst at Penwithick, one was fishing in a disused clay pit.

EUROPEAN BEE-EATER - Merops apiaster Vagrant Sennen: one May 30th JFR. Bone Valley, Penzance: one Jun 1st. CBCJFR. Praa Sands: one Jun 4th to 6th. CBC,DSF et al. The county mainland total moves to c. 77, which includes a number of multiple occurrences. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May J un Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - - - 50 19 2 1 1 - - - Also, four undated records.

Top sites: Porthgwarra 19 (including a single flock of 15), Helston 12 (single flock).

HOOPOE - Upupa epops Scarce passage migrant, mainly spring. Bred in 1969, 1968, 1962,1905 and 1901. A record year with 33 birds recorded, of which an incredible 26 occurred in April. The November bird is the third latest ever. All are singles except where stated: Foage: Mar 26th-Apr 3rd CBC,EGG,VAS et al. Trelidden: Mar 26th-Apr 5th SBo. The Lizard: Mar 29th; Apr 7th; two Apr 21st AL,ML,PAM. St.Day: Mar 29th per EG. Tregoodwell: Mar 31st STB. Sennen: Apr 1st TG. Widegates: first week of April RPn. Downderry: Apr 5th CFNHC. Mullion: Apr 5th per EG. Common Moor: Apr 10th IH. Nanjizal: Apr 11th KAW. Mousehole: Apr 13th JL. Upton Towans: Apr 13th BSW. Cury: Apr 15th D.Gendall per ARP. Marshgate: Apr 16th-18th per AJB. Tremayna: two Apr 16th per AJB. Murrayton: Apr 17th MH. St.Keverne: Apr 17th; Apr 24th MCe, C.Harris. Gun Point: Apr 18th BSW. Hannafore Pt.: Apr 18th per AD. Caerthillian Cove: Apr 20th PAM. Kynance Cove: Apr 21st PG,ML. RNAS Culdrose: Apr 22nd-23rd VRT. Towan Cross: Apr 22nd R.Shimmel per ARP. Tremedda: Apr 23rd BSW. Coverack: Apr 27th RCJ,ARP. Hoopoe (Richard James) Virgin Hill: May 5th GRA. Praa Sands: Nov 21st. DSF. The county mainland total is now c.485 since 1930, prior to which data is incomplete. The monthly breakdown totals in the 1993-95 Reports were wrongly transposed. The correct up to date figures appear below:

97 Monthly breakdown *: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 3 85 228 70 15 7 13 28 23 11 * two records undated.

WRYNECK - Jynx torquilla Scarce passage migrant. Overwintered twice. There is no fully authenticated breeding record of this species in Cornwall. All 14 records of this species relate to singles which occured in autumn: Porthgwarra: Aug 18th. TDC,LHC,GC. Church Cove, Lizard: Aug 25th. ML,AL. Porthgwarra: Sep 8th. VAS. BKM. St. Buryan: Sep 8th. JL. Nanquidno: Sep 11th to 12th. BSW. Hayle Kimbro Pool: Sep 15th. SK. Porthgwarra: Sep 22nd to 23rd. VAS,RLS. Loe Bar: Sep 27th. GJ. Nanjizal: Sep 28th. KAW. Kynance Downs: Oct 1st. MT. Treen, Porthcurno: Oct 5th. BSW. Kenidjack: Oct 25th. ARB. Caerthillian: Oct 29th. SK. Cape Cornwall: Nov 15th. BSW. The county total since 1930 is now c.280. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 - 2 15 9 1 - 25 166 58 3 -

GREEN WOODPECKER - Picus viridus Resident. Breeds, but is declining, especially in coastal areas. Around 100 birds were recorded during the year, indicating little change from the previous year. However, these records came from just 60 sites, compared to 76 sites in 1995, giving continued cause for concern for this declining species. Breeding was proven at Kenwyn, Penlee Woods, Bonython, Hayle and St. Germans, with birds present at 15 other suitable breeding sites during the summer. All sightings of this species are required in order to monitor the changing population more accurately.

GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER - Dendrocopos major Resident. Breeds. Scarce passage migrant.. There was a slight increase in records this year, with reports from 75 sites, as opposed to only 67 sites last year. At four sites birds were noted coming to garden feeders, much to the pleasure of the lucky observers. Breeding was confirmed at Lamorna, Truro, Townshend, St. Mabyn and St. Germans, with birds reported from 20 other suitable breeding sites during the summer. Possible autumn migrants were noted at Porthgwarra Sep 21st-23rd & Oct 17th-21st, Cot Valley Sep 22nd & Oct 18th-19th, Nanquidno Oct 6th-17th, Land's End Oct 7th, Kenidjack Oct 21st, Treveal Nov 9th and two at Polly Joke Nov 10th.

LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER - Dencrocopos minor Scarce resident. Breeding rarely reported. Golitha Wood: one Jan 1st DCg,GDL. Tregonetha Downs: one Jan 10th TSH,MST.

98 Porth Res.: one drumming Jan 15th SMC. St. Clement: one Jan 27th DJB,DCB. Cotehele Woods: pair Apr 13th MB. Luckett Woods: one Jun 9th SMC. The increase in records of this elusive species is most welcome. Although there was no proof of breeding, birds at sites during the summer give some encouragement. This species is best located in mature broad-leaved woodlands, parkland and old orchards during early spring, when its distinctive drumming is most likely to be heard.

SHORT-TOED LARK - Calandrella brachydactyla Rare vagrant. Another good year for this species with four birds reported, all at typical far western localities. Porthgwarra: singles Sep 9th & 14th SKJFR et al. Land's End: one Sep 15th PSC,VAS. Nanquidno: one Oct 11th PCo,GJC. Nanjizal: one Oct 17th MCCo,PCo,SMCo. These take the county mainland total to 21. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - - 2 2 - - 1 6 8 2 - Top sites: Porthgwarra five, Sennen three and Reskajeage and Land's End two each.

WOOD LARK - Lullula arborea Rare resident. Scarce passage migrant. Occasionally breeds. Formerly widespread in the county with breeding records from many areas until 1968. There has since been a gradual contraction in range with no breeding season observations away from the east of the county since 1981. Breeding has been confirmed just twice in the last 25 years - at St. German's 1983 and Treveneague 1968. It was a good year for this species, which may be a reflection of their increasing numbers and successful breeding in other parts of Britain. The recent occurrence of large flocks regularly wintering in the county certainly indicates the possibility of future re-colonisation. However, no breeding season records were noted this year. Surprisingly, only one wintering site was occupied in both winter periods, but new sites at Reskadinnick and St. Clement are encouraging. Boscathnoe Res.: 12 Jan 8th-Feb 13th JFR,DSF,MS. Higher Crill Farm: up to 17 Jan 6th-Feb 4th, eight Nov 10th, 15 Dec 28th-30th DE,RCJ,JFR et al. Maker Heights: 16 Jan 2nd-3rd, 10 Jan 7th SMC,PSC,GDL et al. St. Clement: three Jan 27th DCB,DJB. Porthgwarra: singles Sep 8th, Oct 17th, 25th & 30th but three south Oct 21st SMC,VAS. Cot Valley: one west Oct 12th DIJ. Nanjizal: two Oct 19th, one Nov 18th PHA,KAW. Nanquidno: one south Oct 21st IK. Penberth: three in weedy potato field Oct 21st SMC. Trevose Head: three west Oct 23rd SMC. West Pentire: one Oct 23rd JHH. Garvinack Farm: 100 Dec 7th IRS,WS. St. Ives: two Dec 24th VAS. Reskadinnick: nine Dec 30th AM,CM. Autumn passage commenced with a single at Porthgwarra Sep 8th and ended on Nov 18th with a single at Nanjizal, involving 19 birds in total. A massive flock of 100 birds in potato fields at Garvinack Farm Dec 7th is a new county record, the previous record flock being at this site in Nov 1995. It is most intriguing that a flock of this size should prove so short lived, particularly this late in the year. The freezing conditions in December may have caused the flock to disperse, thus resulting in the records at Reskadinnick and St. Ives.

99 1995 Additions Maker : 16 Jan 15th. Porthgwarra: one Nov 19th. During the winter this species can be remarkably elusive but is probably far more widespread than previously thought. Concerted searching of suitable weed-rich habitats such as potato, stubble and bulb fields may prove very rewarding.

SKY LARK - Alauda arvensis Resident. Breeds. Passage migrant, mainly autumn. Winter visitor. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May J un Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1247 564 605 85 26 228 12 0 34 4676 2914 1946 A number of sizeable flocks were reported in the first winter period. The largest were at Cawsand, where there were 200 Jan 16th, and West Pentire, with 300 Feb 8th and 350 Mar 6th. There was no discernible evidence of any spring movement, bar flock sizes diminishing by the end of April. Breeding reports came from 17 sites with confirmed breeding at nine of them. On the West Penwith Moors MS located 42 territories, with very good breeding success. DML found high numbers breeding in set-aside fields at RAF Portreath. Of three CBC plots (see below) which have been well monitored for some years, two have increased over last year, although the trend does seem to be one of overall decline. Results of CBC monitoring (breeding territories): 1996 1995 1994 Kit Hill 18 16 26 Lamelgate 21 26 31 Pentire Farm 24 19 21 Autumn passage started in late September with 22 birds at Davidstow Airfield. A steady flow occured throughout the autumn until November, peaking in mid October. The largest build-up was at RAF Portreath, where an immense flock of up to 2000 were feeding in set-aside fields. Elsewhere there were 600 in maize stubble at Sennen Nov 16th and 500 at Marshgate Dec 7th. More information on breeding numbers and wintering flocks is urgently required, preferably from sites watched on an annual basis.

SAND MARTIN - Riparia riparia Passage migrant (mainly spring).Breeds. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 - 1251 6019 1250 470 103 208 58 3 - - An exceptional record in the first winter period was one at Marazion Marsh Jan 30th SJ, which is the earliest ever record. This bird probably overwintered in the UK or the near Continent. Only three records are listed in the Atlas of Wintering Birds (Lack 1986), although dates are not specified so it is not possible to determine whether they relate to mid-winter birds or late/early migrants. The first arrival of spring migrants occurred Mar 11th with 10 at Nanjizal, two at Porth Res. and two at Trewey Downs. The ensuing passage was one of the best for decades with birds moving in four pulses: Mar 24th-Apr 3rd (1778), Apr 9th-11th (1839), Apr 16th-22nd (2117) & Apr 28th-May 4th (1118). The largest single gatherings included 200 at Loe Pool Mar 31st, Treveal Apr 10th & Par Apr 18th; 250 at Marazion Marsh & Higher Kenneggy Apr 9th; 350 at Skewjack Apr 10th; and 500 at Loe Pool Apr 16th & Stithians Res. Apr 19th. 1996 breeding season records were received for the following colonies (with comparative data for 1988-1995). Figures represent number of occupied nest-holes; p = present, not counted.

1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 Treskilling Clay Pit 77 40 30 40+ 45+ 30 30 66+ Poldhu Cove P 50 15+ - - - - -

100 Loe Bar 24 10 - - - 2 _ Perranuthnoe 15 - P P P - many Park Pit 16 ------The Park Pit colony is new. At Treskilling there are now two distinct colonies SMC and at Poldhu Cove birds were present early in the season but did not remain to breed. At Stannon Clay Pit four new potential breeding sites have been created BJH, but there were no breeding season reports received from here, or Gunwalloe. This species habitually abandons regular breeding sites but usually re- occupies them in subsequent years. Autumn passage was light with no flocks exceeding 30 birds. It commenced on Jul 10th at Marazion Marsh and ended with two at Pentewan Oct 21st.

BARN SWALLOW - Hirundo rustica Breeds. Passage Migrant. Forms large roosts in early autumn. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May J un Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - 81 6102 7778 947 306 17893 27893 316 77 30 The first of the year was at Maenporth Mar 20th. It was followed by a steady movement involving small numbers until April 9th, when 60 were at Higher Kenneggy. The main movement came through between Apr 14th and May 27th, with the following large counts being made: 1500 Treveal Apr 27th, 500 Rame Head May 3rd, 1000 Land's End May 5th, 1000 Nanjizal May 11th, 400 Loe Pool May 17th, 500 Lower Tamar Lake May 25th and 600 Colliford Res. May 27th. Breeding was again under-reported with only 11 sites having confirmed breeding, but indications suggest that it was a good season. The largest number of nests were recorded at Lamelgate where 14 were located. The first bird returned here on the early date of Mar 24th RS. In autumn the largest occupied roost was recorded at Par Beach Pool which held 1000 Aug 2nd, 2000 Aug 7th, 1500 Aug 16th and 4000 Aug 31 st. The only other roost reported was Marazion Marsh which held 1000 birds Aug 19th. However, up to 1000 birds were present throughout August and September at Skewjack and were roosting in the vicinity. The last large flock was 200 at Boswednack Sep 22nd, followed by small numbers until the last was recorded at Long Rock Pool Dec 19th. The totals for November and December are the biggest for many years, reflecting the relatively mild early winter weather. A pure albino was at Porthgwarra Sep 18th BKM and a partial albino with white wing patches (secondaries and possibly inner primaries) was at Marazion Marsh Sep 21st DSF.

RED-RUMPED SWALLOW - Hirundo daurica Rare vagrant. Lamorna Cove: one Mar 21 st-22nd BDBJFR et al. Pen Enys Point: one Apr 12th JMRd. The Lamorna Cove bird was exceptionally early, its arrival coinciding with a small fall of spring migrants. However, the April bird arrived on a more typical date and formed part of a mini-influx, involving at least nine birds nationally during the month. These two take the county mainland total to 25 - all but three since 1980. Monthly breakdown*: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - 1 5 4 - - - - 9 5 - * one not dated

HOUSE MARTIN - Delichon urbica Breeds. Passage migrant, especially in spring. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 - 45 370 149 705 142 576 1429 216 5 -

101 An unusual sighting was a single at Marazion Marsh Jan 30th SJ, the same day as a Sand Martin was seen there. This is only fourth county winter record, the previous being at Mullion in January 1990. The first spring migrant appeared at Loe Pool Mar 19th, followed by ten at Hells Mouth Mar 23rd. Small numbers were then seen until early May, apart from 40 at Walmsley Sanct. Apr 10th-21 st. The main movement occurred between May 11th and June 6th, involving 1713 birds. The largest concentrations were 300 at Nanjizal May 5th, 150 Helston May 17th, 100 Lower Tamar Lake May 25th and 600 Loe Pool Jun 4th. Breeding reports were very sparse, with only six records relating to 29 nests. Of these, ten pairs were located on a cliff face colony at Lye Rock DL. The paucity of breeding records is most surprising, particularly as their colonial habits make them very easy to monitor. Autumn passage was underway by mid August, with the first big movement on Aug 24th involving 200 at St. Austell Sewage works. It continued through September, with 300 at Rame Head on 6th being the best count. Passage then significantly trailed off but for 90 at College Res. Oct 17th. The last of the year was at Nancledra Nov 21st.

RICHARD'S PIPIT - Anthus novaseelandiae Scarce passage migrant, mainly autumn. Annual since 1974. Twenty-three birds were recorded this year, all occurring on typical late autumn dates. Land's End: singles Sep 28th & Oct 11th-14th PHA,GJCJFR,VAS. Porthgwarra: one Sep 28th, one possibly two Oct 11th & two Oct 17th PGA,DJC,SMC,DMN et al. Rame Head: one Oct 4th VRT. St. Just Airfield: one Oct 10th-11th LL et al. Coverack: one Oct 10th ARP. Bude: one Oct 14th MK. Bosporthennis: one Oct 17th NRP. Sennen: one Oct 18th-19th, two Oct 23rd-26th PHA,GJC et al. Boswednack: one Oct 21st EGG,GGG. Predannack: one Oct 21st MT. Nanjizal: one Oct 21st & 30th, two Nov 8th & one Nov 18th KAW. Trevose Head: one Oct 23rd SMC,RAFOS. The Lizard: one Nov 16th PAM. 1995 Additions Sennen: 1st winter Oct 7th PHA et al. St. Just: one Oct 14th JPM. Porth Mear, Park Head: one Oct 29th SMC. Pentire Point East: one Oct 31st SMC. Of the birds recorded, some duplication may have occured in the Porthgwarra/Land's End/Sennen area, but all are treated as separate individuals. They take the county mainland total to 306, all but nine since 1960. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2 - 3 9 1 - - - 54 184 43 10 Top sites: Porthgwarra 88, Lizard 21, Trevose Head 13.

BLYTH'S PIPIT - Anthus godlewskii Very rare vagrant. 1990 Record Skewjack: juv./lst winter 22nd Oct-1st Nov. Now accepted by BOURC as the first record of this species in Britain.

TAWNY PIPIT - Anthus campestris Rare passage migrant. Porthgwarra: one Oct 11th SMC,TMC.

102 Sennen: first winter Oct 26th-Nov 2nd DSF,TG et al. The county mainland total moves to c.l 14. 1995 Addition Predannack: one Sep 23rd CLB,RCJ,AL,ML (presumed same as 17th Sep). Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - - 4 7 3 3 64 31 2 - Top sites: Porthgwarra 40, Land's End/Sennen 13, Rame Head/Penlee Point 8.

LARGE PIPIT sp. Nanjizal: one Sep 2nd KAW. Probably Tawny Pipit. Land's End: two Sep 17th RAw. Probably Tawny Pipits.

TREE PIPIT - Anthus trivialis Passage migrant in small numbers (most in autumn).Breeds in limited numbers in Eas Cornwall. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - 4 38 14 5 - 19 66 6 1 - The first two birds of the spring were at Lamelgate Mar 1st RSJS. The main passage occurred between Apr 20th and May 5th, mostly involving ones and twos, but nine at Treveal Apr 21st was exceptional for spring. During the breeding season single singing males/pairs were noted at Bearah Tor, Calstock, Cheesewring, Helman Tor, Lamelgate, Treskilling and Smallacombe; two males/pairs at Lower Brynn and Maudlin, Liskeard; and up to three males/pairs at Cadsonbury and Kit Hill. Successful breeding was only proven at Smallacombe and Maudlin; the latter, new site, is unusual in that it consists of land awaiting development. Autumn passage was one of the best for a number of years, starting with a single over Par Beach Pool Aug 13th and ending with one at Loe Pool Nov 1st. The only significant autumn numbers were: Nanjizal: six Aug 31st and 10 Sep 2nd. Marazion Marsh: eight Sep 1st. Nanquidno: 12 Sep 8th.

PECHORA PIPIT - Anthus gustavi Very rare vagrant St. Levan: one Oct 23rd-26th CDRH,MC,AHP et al. This very obliging bird was seen by many hundreds of visiting birders, allowing its distinctive call, flight jizz, plumage characteristics and feeding habits to be well appreciated by all. Perhaps this species will now appear on a near annual basis! The third county mainland record. The previous two occurred at Land's End Oct 20th- 21st 1990 and Nanquidno Oct 5th 1995. Pechora Pipit (Richard Thewlis)

103 MEADOW PIPIT - Anthus pratensis Winter visitor. Breeds. Passage migrant, especially in the autumn when very large concentrations can be seen. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 679 318 907 1186 45 167 14 107 1957 8288 801 313 Good numbers were detected in the county during the first winter period compared with 1995. The largest counts were 150 at Penryn River Jan 10th, 120 St. Ives Jan 18th, 100 Cadsonbury Feb 26th and 200 Treveal Mar 10th. Spring passage was evident between March 23rd and May 14th, peaking around mid April with 140 Land's End Apr 6th and a massive 600 at Wicca Apr 14th. Breeding reports were sparse, coming from only ten sites. Most records were from the west Pen with Moors where birds were breeding successfully in good numbers: MS located 45 territories in five tetrads. Elsewhere, there were 17 territories at Lamelgate and 54 at Kit Hill RS. Other upland and coastal areas surely support comparable numbers! Autumn passage was evident from early September, continuing into mid November. The biggest movements took place in early to mid October, but with only minimal passage noted away from West Penwith. Maximum numbers: Nanquidno: 250 Oct 7th & 10th. Coverack: 100 Sep 14th, 139 Sep 22nd & 200 Oct 10th. Zennor: 300 Oct 4th Trevose Head: 450 Oct 10th. Treveal: 350 Oct 19th Rame Head: 150 Oct 10th & 23rd. Porthgwarra: 260 Sep 22nd, 300 Oct 17th & 18th and 250 Oct 6th & 9th. Land's End: 120 Sep 22nd, 200 Sep 28th and 500 Oct 12th. Nanjizal: 500 Oct 6th & 10th and 400 Oct 7th.

RED-THROATED PIPIT - Anthus cervinus Very rare vagrant. Porthgwarra: one Oct 10th AMW. The same bird also flew over Nanjizal KAW. The county mainland total advances to nine, all since 1983. Monthly breakdown : Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - - 1 1 - - - - 7 - -

ROCK PIPIT - Anthus petrosus Resident. Passage migrant. Breeds. Widespread on coast, rare inland. The majority of records relate to groups of one to five birds mainly around the coast. Certainly during the winter a number of birds frequent estuaries, particularly areas of saltmarsh. In the first winter period, high counts were as follows: St. Austell Bay: 20 Jan 1st. Trevose Head: 16 Jan 15th, 14 Feb 3rd.. Kelsey Head: 50 Mar 3rd SGR. The Kelsey Head flock is the largest recorded in the county. Prior to this the largest concentration involved 50 flying south at Bude on Jan 9th 1982, when all the beaches and foreshore were frozen solid. Breeding was confirmed at only seven sites involving 16 pairs, with birds in occupation at another three sites. This small number of records gives no real indication of how the overall population is faring. In the autumn and second winter period the largest counts were as follows: Par Beach: 10 Aug 24th &Oct 29th and 12 Oct 13th.

104 Trevose Head: 15 Oct 16th. Porthgwarra: 12 Oct 18th. Hayle Est.: 12 Oct 23rd. Kelsey Head: 20 Nov 10th & 35 Nov 16th. A partial albino was again reported at Kynance Cove during the year.. Inland: singles were noted at Drift Res. Nov 17th-18th & Dec 8th-9th GJC,GH. 1995 Addition

Davidstow Airfield: one Oct 16th IK.

WATER PIPIT - Anthus spinoletta Uncommon winter visitor and passage migrant. Small numbers winter at traditional sites such as Hayle Estuary, Copperhouse Creek, Marazion and Camel Estuary; typically on beaches, saltmarsh and flooded meadows. ApproximatJan Feb e monthlMar y totalAprs 1996Ma: y Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 12 3 5 2 - - - - 3 5 4 A better year than 1995 with at least 24 birds reported from typical sites. Birds overwintered at Hayle Est., Maer Lake, Par Beach and Copperhouse Creek. St. Johns Ford: one Jan 2nd EJC,SMC. Maer Lake: singles Jan 2nd-13th and Nov 10th into 1997 SMC,BTC,GPS. Par Beach: singles Jan 2nd-Mar 24th and Oct 19th into 1997 GJC, RAJ,KJ. Mawgan Porth: singles Jan 9th-18th & Nov 28th and two Oct 30th SMC,TSH,MST et al. Walmsley Sanctuary: singles Jan 11th and Mar 16th BB,SMC. Hayle Est./Ryan's Field: two Jan 10th & Mar 3rd, singles Jan 18th-Mar 2nd, Mar 1 lth-21st, May 5th, May 28th & Oct 17th-Decl0th SMC,DSF. Ruan Lanihorne: singles Jan 14th and Dec 27th SMC,RL. Swanpool Beach: one Jan 19th CLB. Cargreen: one Jan 21st GDL. Copperhouse Creek: two Jan 28th-Mar 4th SMC,DSF,MST. Bude Marshes: one Feb 11th SMC. Helford River: one Nov 14th BC. 1995 Additions Mawgan Porth: six Jan 11th, one Feb 18th & Mar 28th, one Nov 2nd, two Nov 28th-Dec31st SMC. Ruan Lanihorne: one Feb 12th SMC.

YELLOW WAGTAIL - Motacilla flava Passage migrant, uncommon in spring, but forms roosts in autumn at Par Beach Pool, Marazion Marsh, Loe Pool and sporadically elsewhere. Bred almost annually from 1956 to 1965, but not since.

Figure 13: Yellow Wagtail approximate monthly totals 1996

105 Spring passage commenced with one at Caerthillian Cove Mar 14th. It was followed by 32 other birds, easily surpassing the meagre total of last year, and ending with a male at Probus Jun 18th. The largest gathering consisted of just three birds, at Coverack Apr 20th. Autumn passage started in late August with a single bird at Maer Lake Aug 25th. The peak was in the first week of September, and the last birds were two at Hayle Est. Oct 18th. The largest counts were as follows: Nanjizal: 12 Aug 31st. Trevescan: 10 Aug 31st. Marazion Marsh: 15 Sep 2nd. Stithians Res.: 14 Sep 3rd. Porthgwarra: 15 Sep 3rd rising to 21 Sep 6th Rame Head: 15 Sep 4th. Lizard: 15 Sep 4th. Tregantle Fort: 12 Sep 7th. No specific records relating to roosts were received from any of the regular sites.. Individuals of South Scandinavian/North Central European race M. /. flava colloquially known as Blue-headed Wagtail, which is a scarce passage migrant in the county, were noted as follows: Ryan's Field: male Apr 10th LPW. Caerthillian Cove: male May 3rd-4th JHH,PAM. Marazion Marsh: female May 11th SMC. Porthgwarra: one Sep 14th BSW. The county mainland total advances to c.196. Monthly breakdown : Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - 3 45 80 12 6 11 38 1 - - 1995 Addition An individual of the North Scandinavian/Russian race M.f. thunbergi colloquially known as Grey­ headed Wagtail, which occurs as a rare passage migrant in Cornwall, was noted as follows: Trevorrian Pool: male May 2nd GH,JFR.

This is the 11th county mainland record, the last being in 1982.

GREY WAGTAIL - Motacilla cinerea Resident. Winter visitor. Breeds. Passage migrant, especially autumn Figure 14: Grey Wagtail approximate monthly totals 1996

Numerous overwintering birds were distributed widely across the county, mainly consisting of ones or twos. The biggest concentration was six at Constantine Mar 6th. Breeding records came from 13 sites, mostly in the east of the county, but there were two pairs at Gulval CCW. Only one pair, at Holmbush, was reported raising two broods RL. Autumn passage started with seven birds at Drift Res. Aug 18th. Peak movement occurred between mid September and late October and was most obvious in the West Penwith valleys. The biggest count was at Nanjizal with 20 on Sep 1st KAW, one of the largest counts ever made in the county.

106 Maximum autumn counts: Drift Res.: seven Aug 18th & Sep 7th and five Sep 6th. Nanjizal: 20 Sep 1st. Land's End: seven Sep 15th & nine Sep 22nd. Treveal: seven Sep 21st. Porthgwarra: five Sep 22nd, Oct 11th & 26th and six Oct 25th. Long Rock Pool: five Oct 1st. Kenidjack: nine Oct 6th. Kelynack: six Oct 12th. Penberth: five Oct 12th & seven Oct 21st. Treveal: nine Oct 19th. Nanquidno: five Oct 24th. Zennor: five Dec 15th.

PIED WAGTAIL - Motacilla alba Common resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. Forms roosts, mainly in autumn and winter. Well established roosts include Par Beach Pool, Marazion Marsh, Gwithian and several sites around Truro. Birds were widely distributed around the county in both winter periods, with large gatherings/roosts reported from St. Austell Sewage Works, Par, Davidstow Airfield and Swanpool. Spring passage was light but with noticeable movement reported from Par Beach Pool Apr 6th, involving 40 birds, and Maer Lake Apr 14th, where 36 birds coincided with a movement of 'White Wagtails'. Breeding reports were received from six locations, relating to ten confirmed breeding pairs. Autumn passage commenced in mid August, including a rapid build up at Davidstow Airfield Aug 24th. High counts: St. Austell Sewage Works: 160 Jan 14th, 200 Jan 24th & Feb 4th, 150 Feb 13th & Dec 9th and 175 Dec 29th. Newquay (Treviglas School): 120 Feb 13th. Helston: 100 Mar 13th. Crowdy Res.: 50 Aug 18th. Davidstow Airfield: 130 Aug 14th, 61 Aug 26th, 170 Sep 3rd & 9th. Par Beach/Pool: 100 Sep 1st, 300 Dec 19th. Marazion Marsh: 74 Sep 9th. Coverack: 52 Oct 10th. Lelant: 73 Oct 13th. Loe Pool: 59 during December. Roosts: Bodmin (Safeway): 25 Jan 3rd. Marazion Marsh: 40 Aug 13th, 20 Sep 1st. Tollgate, Wadebridge: 32 Sep 5th (pre-roost). Boscawen Park, Truro: 155 Oct 22nd (pre-roost). Par Docks: 200 Nov 6th, 250 Nov 21st into 1997. Swanpool: 142 Nov 17th. Birds of the nominate Continental race M. a. alba known as White Wagtail, which occurs as a regular passage migrant in the county, were noted as follows: Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - 5 104 6 1 - 10 425 38 - - The first for the spring was at Camborne Mar 11th, followed by four other March records. Passage involved 116 birds, peaking in mid April, and produced one of the best spring movements for many years. The last was one at Sancreed Jun 5th. Autumn passage started with two on Davidstow Airfield Aug 24th, peaked during the first week of September, and ended with 14 on the Lizard Oct 26th. Over 450 birds were involved, the highest autumn total since 1992.

107 Large counts include: Eastern Green Beach: 27 Apr 22nd. Coverack: 33 Sep 1st. Davidstow Airfield: 30 Sep 1st. Marazion: 58 Sep 1st. Nanjizal: 40 Sep 1st. Lizard: 35 Sep 4th Boswednack: 30 Sep 7th. Land's End: 27 Sep 15th.

BOHEMIAN WAXWING - Bombycilla garrulus Rare winter visitor. An excellent influx in the first winter period produced 38 sightings, relating to 27 birds. They were widespread throughout the county but never reached the far west. The main arrival occurred in February, with 21 reported. This is the best ever annual total for Cornwall, but a far cry from the tens of thousands throughout the rest of the UK, in what was the largest influx on record. Monthly total 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 22 6 2 ------Latchley: one Jan 31st AB,PB. Falmouth: one Feb 1st BSW. Helston: first winter Feb lst-29th RK et al. Gwallon: 11 Feb 6th, three Feb 7th & six Feb 18th BRP et al. Gorran Haven: adult Feb 8th-11th per E Grace et al. Penryn: male Feb 8th found stunned, taken to RSPCA, and released the following day SMC. St. Agnes: two Feb 16th-Mar 3rd DM. Holmbush: one Feb 17th RL. Boscoppa: one Feb 18th PMM. Stratton: one Feb 21st-22nd GPS et al. Camborne: two Feb 28th-29th DE,SFM et al. Bodmin: two Mar 5th-12th and presumed same Apr 12th-13th GJC,FMC,CP et al. St. Austell: one Mar 5th per REA. Bude: one Mar 14th BSW. The two birds at Bodmin in March and April were both adults and appeared to be a pair, with what was presumed to be the male feeding rose hips to the female on numerous occasions GJC,FMC. The county mainland total moves to c.106. Monthly breakdown *: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 8 26 10 - 1 1 - - - 2 28 28 * three birds are 'undated'.

DIPPER - Cinclus cinclus Scarce resident (mainly mid and east Cornwall). Breeds. Pairs are present on most suitable stretches of the Rivers Camel and Fowey, with the majority of breeding pairs centred around the extremities of Bodmin Moor, with small populations in the middle and west of the county (see Map 8). The Species remains at risk from increased pollution and disturbance of rivers and breeding sites. Records were received from 49 localities, the same number as last year. Breeding was confirmed at 13 sites and probably occured at another seven. An individual of the Continental race C. c. cinclus known as Black-bellied Dipper was identified at Treveal Apr 7th SGR,VAS. This is the first county record of this form, which is more typically encountered in East Anglia, albeit on a less than annual basis.

108 Map 8: Dipper distribution by tetrads 1996 (all records).

WREN - Troglodytes troglodytes

Abundant resident. Breeds. Populations may be severely reduced after prolonged cold winters. Some reports indicate a good breeding season, but a decrease in breeding territories was reported at Lamelgate, where 44 territories were located, compared to 64 in 1995. This decline may have been due to the cold weather at the start of the year. On the West Penwith Moors MS located 95 breeding territories. There were only 13 other reports of confirmed breeding.

HEDGE ACCENTOR - Prunella modularis Abundant resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. Records were received from all parts of the county. Breeding was confirmed at 14 localities, concerning 49 birds. At Nanjizal exactly 100 were trapped and ringed during the year, indicating a very productive breeding season. The largest breeding season counts consisted of nine pairs at Lamelgate (one more than last year) and eight pairs at Drift Reservoir. During the autumn a number of large counts were made. However, it is not clear whether these relate to migrants or dispersing local birds. They are as follows: Porthgwarra 20 Sep 20th & 30+ Sep 21st. Porthcurno 25 Oct 17th. Loe Pool 25 Nov 1st. Halvana Plantation 30 Nov 30th.

ROBIN - Erithacus rubecula Abundant resident. Breeds. Passage Migrant. The few records received seem to indicate that the species is holding its own. Breeding was confirmed at 12 locations, with the largest numbers at Lamelgate, which hosted 65 pairs (73 pairs in 1995). Twenty-seven singing males, mostly additional to the foregoing, were located in the Upper Fowey Valley Apr 27th. Few large counts were received. In the first winter period there were 13 at Tresillian Feb 18th. Spring migration was unobtrusive with just one count of 21 at Porth Joke Mar 8th, perhaps involving birds on the move. However, one true migrant, ringed at Nanjizal Apr 10th, was retrapped on Lundy 17 days later.

109 During the autumn only three double figure counts were made: Porthgwarra: 35 Sep 20th. Porth Joke: 25 Nov 25th. Loe Pool: 50 during November. A leucistic individual with pale grey/buff upperparts and pale apricot chin, breast and belly was noted at Mawgan Porth Dec 10th SMC.

RUFOUS NIGHTINGALE - Luscinia megarhynchos Rare passage migrant. This species has only once been proved to breed in the county, and that was in 1940. However, a male was heard singing for six weeks at a site in West Cornwall in 1978; and in 1989, a male was heard singing in mid-June near Bude. Holman's Moors: 1st winter Sep 7th VAS. Land's End: 1st winter Sep 15th RAw,VAS. Porthgwarra: one Sep 19th JFR. The county mainland total moves to c.44. Monthly breakdown *: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - - 5 11 4 - 6 12 3 - - * three birds were 'undated .

BLACK REDSTART - Phoenicurus ochruros Winter visitor. Passage migrant, mainly autumn. Bred sporadically in the Perranporth area in the 1940's and 1950's. Recent breeding season observations have raised hopes of re-colonisation, but to date these have not come to fruition.

Figure 15: Black Redstart approximate monthly totals 1996

J FMAMJ JASON

Approximately 80 birds were reported overwintering in the first winter period. Most sightings came from coastal sites but singles were noted inland at Liskeard, Bodmin, Truro, Gulval and St. Germans, with two on Truro Cathedral Jan 15th (a regular wintering site). Few large gatherings were reported apart from 18 in Mount's Bay Feb 21st, and four each at Downderry and Hell's Mouth Feb 2nd. Most other records related to ones and twos. The first apparent spring migrant was noted at Soap Cove Mar 16th. Passage involved c.20 birds, including four at Trevose Head Mar 24th & 26th, and ended with one at Caer Bran May 28th . During the summer a male at Kit Hill Jun 13th RS,JS, raised the possibility of breeding. Autumn passage commenced on Sep 25th with a single at Gurnard's Head, followed by a large county wide arrival in October and early November. Around 294 individuals were involved, with the peak movement (c.227 birds) occurring between Oct 23rd and Nov 5th. Highest autumn counts: Lamorna Cove: 20 October, eight Nov 12th The Lizard: 30+ Oct 23rd, 14 Oct 26th, 12 Oct 30th. Rame Head: eight Oct 23rd.

110 Trevose Head: 14 Oct 23rd. Porthgwarra: 14 Oct 26th. Trevescan: nine Oct 26th, 15 Nov 1st. St. Just: eight Nov 3rd. A mere 27 birds remained in the second winter period. The majority were at typical coastal localities but singles were noted inland at Wendron, Gulval, Predannack, Bonython, Sancreed, Calstock, Albaston, Truro Cathedral and Pendoggett. Five at Davidstow Airfield Nov 16th was an unusual record.

At Newquay police station Dec 31st, one was discovered roosting in the men's toilet! TMC.

COMMON REDSTART - Phoenicurus phoenicurus Breeds, almost exclusively in the Bodmin Moor area. Scarce passage migrant. Found during the breeding season in most wooded valleys and farmsteads on Bodmin Moor, with a few pairs in the broad-leaved woodland surrounding the Bodmin area. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - 1 - 15 31 32 1 10 23 6 - - One exceptionally early record in the first winter period is of a male at Swanpool Beach Feb 16th. It is far more likely that this bird wintered locally, or at least on the near continent, rather than being a genuine migrant, particularly when the record is compared to the three previous earliest arrival dates in the county (Mar 3rd 1950, Mar 6th 1984 & Mar 26th 1990). There are five winter records listed in the Atlas of Wintering Birds (Lack 1986) but no dates are given. However, a small number of winter birds have been recorded on Portland (G. Walbridge pers. comm.). Spring arrival commenced with a single at Penlee Point Apr 8th, followed by two more there Apr 10th, and ended with a male at Sennen May 13th. Approximately 15 spring migrants were recorded, away from breeding sites, mostly as singles. The early birds were all males, eager to establish territories on breeding grounds before the females arrive. The first female was not recorded until May 1st, again at Penlee Point. Breeding was confirmed at five sites (11 pairs) and possibly occurred at another five sites: a modest increase on 1995. Singing males/pairs at regular breeding sites, with comparative data 1989-1995:

1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 Bearah Tor 2 3 3 4 3 4 3 1 Industry 2 - 2 4 6 1 - - Bastreet 5 2 2 - - 1 1 1 Sharptor 1 - 1 - 1 - - - Lamelgate 2 5 3 2 - - - - Colliford Res. 1 - 1 - - - 1 - Elsewhere there were single pairs at Clitters & Davidstow Wood, two pairs at Stows Wood & Eastmoorgate, and two males at Cardinham May 12th. Autumn migration started at Nanjizal Sep 9th and ended at Trevanson Farm Oct 24th, involving c.31 birds all told. All sightings relate to ones and twos, apart from three at Rame Head Sep 21st, and Land's End & Porthgwarra, both Sep 22nd.

WH INCH AT - Saxicola rubetra Passage migrant. Breeds in small numbers, but appears to be declining. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - - 5 57 13 2 14 119 15 1 - Spring passage started at Trevose Head with a single Apr 20th and ended there with two May 16th. A total of 58 individual were logged, almost double the 1995 spring total. The highest single day counts were four each at Caerthillian Cove May 3rd & Porthgwarra May 6th and five at Bastreet May 12th. There was no confirmation of breeding but pairs were present at four traditional sites (Colliford Res.

Ill & Lamelgate two pairs; Ninestones Bridge & Bastreet one pair). Away from Bodmin Moor a singing male at Creney Farm Jun 1st PJMcV was unusual, but may have just been a late migrant. This abysmal total, compared to 180 pairs located in 1984, to some extent reflects the relative inaccessibility of favoured moorland breeding habitat, but may also be attributed to a real decline. Autumn passage began with one at Hayle Est. Aug 17th and ended with a single at Grade Nov 4th. Around 158 individuals were involved, of which the majority (c.127) passed through in September between 3rd and 23rd, with a significant fall of 54 on Sep 22nd. Maximum counts: Porthgwarra: seven Aug 31 st & Sep 22nd. Trewey Downs: nine Sep 4th & seven Sep 22nd. Upper Tamar Lake: eight Sep 6th. Land's End: 13 Sep 15th & 28 Sep 22nd.

COMMON STONECHAT - Saxicola torquata Resident. Breeds. Passage/partial migrant. Suffers heavy mortality in prolonged cold weather. During both winter periods small numbers were recorded, including a good number of inland birds, with some even remaining on the higher parts of Bodmin Moor. Indications of spring migration were evident during March, with eight at Trevose Head (5th) and 15 at Porthgwarra (15th). Breeding was confirmed at 20 sites across the county, involving 62 pairs. The highest count was 17 pairs at Kit Hill, an increase over the last two years (12 pairs 1995; 14 pairs 1994). Ten pairs were breeding at Perranporth Downs and five pairs at Ding Dong. Autumn passage was difficult to distinguish from resident, local populations, with only one record apparently relating to migrants, that being 30 at Land's End Sep 22nd. Other large counts during the autumn and winter include: Porth Kidney Beach: 20 Jul 7th. Rame Head: 11 Aug 9th. Trewey Downs: 14 Sep 8th. The Lizard: 12 Sep 10th. Nanquidno: 10 Sep 14th. Coverack: 7 Oct 10th. Rame Head: 7 Dec 7th.

ISABELLINE WHEATEAR - Oenanthae isabellina Very rare vagrant. Church Cove, Lizard: one Oct 29th IHB,JM,JPM. The first county mainland record: see description at end of report.

NORTHERN WHEATEAR - Oenanthe oenanthe Summer resident. Passage migrant. Breeds, primarily on Bodmin Moor where semi-colonial, but also with single pairs almost anywhere along the north coast, The Lizard and Land's End. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 424 625 417 37 23 156 218 300 3 - The first birds of the spring were two at Wicca Mar 9th, followed by 16 at Clodgy Point Mar 14th. From then on there was a regular flow of birds, the bulk of which moved through between March 26th and May 12th. Unlike most spring migrants the Northern Wheatear is recorded in larger numbers in spring than autumn. The highest spring counts were: 22 Rame Mar 27th, 40 Land's End Mar 30th, 20 Clodgy Point Apr 1st, 21 Sennen Apr 2nd, 32 Predannack Apr 28th, 26 & 45 Trevose Head Mar 20th & May 5th and 21 West Pentire May 5th.

112 Breeding was confirmed at seven locations involving ten pairs, with one other pair probably breeding. This total is similar to that of 1995 but well below the 1994 figure, which itself represents only a small fraction of the actual population. Breeding season reports came from the sites detailed below (with comparative data for 1989-95): 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 Bodmin Moor 3 24 16 18 7 7 Kynance 3 2 1 1 2 Park Head 1 1 1 Barretts Zawn 1 1 1 Porthgwarra 2 1 1 Lady Down 1 St. Levan 3 Tregragon 1 1 Morwenstow 1 Wicca 1 1 Pendeen 1 St. Agnes 1 Bude 1

Autumn passage commenced in July with a single at Hannafore Point (13th), followed by others at Marazion Beach and Portreath (30th). Notable autumn counts were as follows: 32 Davidstow Airfield Aug 25th, 20 Predannack Aug 28th, 18 Porthgwarra Aug 31st, 16 Rame Sep 9th and 35 Land's End Oct 10th.

Passage ended with one at Swanpool Nov 6th.

RING OUZEL -Turdus torquatus Scarce passage migrant. Rare winter visitor. Breeding last suspected in 1976 and confirmed in 1970. Monthly total 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - 5 6 17 - 3 - 1 4 17 15 1 In the first winter period a count of five at Blackpool Claypit Feb 11th RAJ,KJ was quite remarkable, particularly as these birds almost certainly overwintered. The same may be true of a single in the second winter period at Church Cove, Lizard Dec 2nd MT. There have only been three previous records of overwintering birds in the county, the last being at Mullion in 1991/92. Spring passage commenced on Mar 17th at Stepper Point JJS and ended with two males at Land's End Apr 6th VAS, involving at least 21 birds. During the summer, breeding was confirmed on Bodmin Moor, for the first time in 26 years. An adult and two juveniles were seen Jun 23rd with a territorial male still present Aug 8th JG,PJR. Autumn passage consisted of 35 birds, starting with two males at Wicca Sep 15th VAS and finishing with one at Church Cove, Lizard Nov 12th MT. Additional records: Trevose Head: two Mar 24th BSW. Church Cove, Lizard: singles Mar 28th, Oct 27th, Nov 11th-12th, but three Oct 29th MLg,MT. Land's End: female Mar 31st JFR. Roughtor: one Mar 31st TMC. Holman's Moors: two males Apr lst-2nd, six males Apr 3rd, one Apr 5th, three Nov 9th VAS. Nanjizal: male Apr 1st, one Sep 20th, two Oct 21st-23rd, one Oct 25th GJC,JL,KAW. Penlee Point: one Apr 3rd GDL. Wicca: one Apr 4th EGG. Coverack: male Apr 6th RCJ,ARP. Kynance Cove: two Apr 6th-8th, one Oct 2nd RAJ,KJ,MT. Porthgwarra: first year Sep 22nd, male Oct 25th SMC,RLS,RS. Bosistow: one Oct 25th GJC. Kenidjack: male Oct 25th-26th SMC. Lizard: one Oct 26th & 30th PAM.

113 Prussia Cove: one Oct 29th JPM. Rame Head: female Oct 29th, male Nov 1st DRC,EJW. Nanquidno: two Oct 30th, one Nov 2nd-4th DJC,CCW. Holywell Bay: one Nov 3rd SMC. Treveal: six (four males) Nov 9th VAS. Caer Bran: male Nov 10th AH,BCW. 1995 Additions Nanquidno: male Nov 5th SMC. St. Columb Porth: one Nov 6th SMC.

BLACKBIRD -Turdus merula Common resident. Breeds. Passage migrant, especially autumn. Forms winter roosts which are rarely reported. It is difficult to assess the breeding population with few records received. At Lamelgate 13 pairs were located, indicating a significant decline (26 pairs 1995; 22 pairs 1994). Indications of spring movements came with reports of 25 Porth Joke Mar 8th, 20 Wicca Mar 31st and 20 Clodgy Point April 26th. Autumn movement started with 12 at Cot Valley Oct 6th and ended with 30 at The Lizard Nov 16th. The main passage took place in the first two weeks of November, coinciding with the main arrival of Redwing and Fieldfare. Few significant counts were noted in either winter period. Maximum counts include: Cot Valley: 25 Oct 19th. Porthgwarra: 20 Oct 21st, 30 Oct 22nd, 15 Oct 25th, 70 Nov 16th. Kenidjack: 20 Oct 22nd, 40 Oct 26th, 21 Oct 30th. Porth Mear, Park Head: 40 Oct 30th. Loe Pool: 66 in November. Holywell Bay: 50 Nov 3rd. Treveal: 60 Nov 9th, 30 Dec 7th. Polly Joke: 30 Nov 16th. Zennor: 30 Dec 15th.

FIELDFARE - Turdus pilaris Winter visitor. Passage migrant. Forms roosts in winter. Summered once in Upper Fowey Valley in 1987, but no hint of breeding. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2470 1850 401 32 - - - - - 406 5741 2880 High numbers were seen in the first winter period, particularly during January, when cold conditions to the north pushed large flocks into the county. Numbers had all but tailed off by March with the last records of the first winter being a single flock of 32 at North Hill Apr 5th. First winter maxima included: 300 Siblyback Res. Jan 10th, 500 Sheffield Jan 12th, 430 Castle-an-Dinas (St. Columb) Jan 25th and 600 Whitsand Bay (in fields) Feb 4th. Autumn passage started with two over Morvah Oct 14th and continued with small numbers at coastal sites to the end of the month, apart from 150 at Sancreed Oct 30th. In November a mass movement occurred between the 9th and 12th involving 4038 birds, thus contributing to a considerable monthly total. By December only a few relatively small flocks remained, virtually all the month's total consisting of flocks fleeing the severe cold spell which occurred at the end of the month. A count of 2000 on the Roseland Peninsula Dec 27th RL, was exceptional. Large counts in the second winter period include: 800 Holman's Moors & 750 Treveal Nov 9th, 1200 (in four hours) Holmbush & 300 St. Austell Nov 11th, 200 Holmbush Nov 12th and 480 & 400 Camborne Nov 22nd & 28th.

SONG THRUSH - Turdus philomelos Resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. Winter visitor. Decline in populations in recent years is related to a drop in breeding productivity.

114 Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 36 45 202 22 26 46 8 3 1 253 400 598 Spring migration was more evident than of recent years, with the main movement, involving 108 birds, occurring in March. Wicca hosted the majority with 35 Mar 9th, 16 Mar 10th and 40 Mar 31st. During the breeding season reports of confirmed breeding came from 19 localities, involving 27 pairs. This species is of course grossly under-recorded in the breeding season, but there were no indications of any decrease in the population. Autumn passage started with three at Polhawn Cove & two at Sancreed Oct 8th, followed by 60 at Nanjizal Oct 10th, which heralded the start of a massive movement. Large numbers continued to pass through the county up until the end of the year. By the end of December, the severe cold had driven most remaining birds to the coasts, where 30 were counted at Lizard Village Dec 25th-31st and 89 in the Gwithian/Godrevy area Dec 28th. Large autumn counts include: 26 Porthgwarra Oct 22nd, 55 Kenidjack & 25 Porth Mear Oct 30th, 35 Holywell Bay Nov 3rd, 120 Treveal Nov 9th, 60 Wicca Nov 10th, 76 Porthgwarra Nov 16th, 80 Loe Pool December, 37 Camel Estuary Dec 7th, 250 Treveal Dec 7th and 30 Zennor Dec 15th.

REDWING - Turdus iliacus Passage migrant. Abundant winter visitor. Peak numbers occur in mid-winter as a result of birds displaced by cold weather, and in late October, at the height of autumn migration. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 5330 1641 2573 20 2 - - - - 2757 15177 14077 In the first winter period there were reports from all areas of the county. The largest numbers occurred in January, with by far the biggest count being 1000 at Sheffield Jan 12th. After an increase of migrants in March, numbers rapidly diminished, with only 20 present in April, the last being two at Forder, Kingsand Apr 8th. Most unexpected were two May records involving singles at Land's End 11th RAw,VAS and Pendeen 27th DSF. These constitute the third latest and latest ever spring records in the county; the previous latest being at Penzance May 17th, 1962. The first of the autumn was at Townshend Oct 6th. From then on there was a steady but small movement, apart from 250 at Trevail Oct 19th. The bulk of the autumn passage took place on Nov 9th when over 5000 were noted, mostly in West Penwith. A number of other significant pulses occurred up to the end of December, with a count of 10,000 in the Roseland Peninsula being by far the highest of the second winter period. As with the other thrush species, a distinct hard-weather movement was apparent during December. In the second winter period other notable counts were as follows: 650 Pendeen Oct 28th, 900 Sancreed (in two hours) Oct 30th, 1800 Holman's Moors Nov 9th, 500 Nanjizal Nov 9th, 2000 Treveal Nov 9th, 2000 Holmbush Nov 11th & 600 Nov 12th, 500 St. Austell Nov 11th, 630 Porthpean Nov 12th and 500 Wicca Nov 16th.

MISTLE THRUSH - Turdus viscivorus Resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. Winter visitor. Declining in numbers. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 25 16 19 11 8 21 26 34 15 21 19 15 Small numbers were reported throughout the year from all areas of the county. Breeding was confirmed at only five sites with nine pairs involved, Lamelgate holding five pairs RS. A further 14 pairs/singing males were noted at nine other sites during the breeding season. At Downderry SCM did not see a single bird during the year. The large territory size and early breeding habits (March/April) may cause breeding birds to be overlooked. More reports would be welcomed for this species, even records of single birds! No spring movement was noted. Late summer gatherings include 24 Trevanson Farm Jul 28th followed by eight there Aug 14th, nine Maker Heights Aug 15th and 12 Loe Pool Sep 9th.

115 Autumn passage apparently started with two at Nanjizal Sep 22nd and ended with two at Porthgwarra Nov 16th, involving a total of 14 birds at traditional migration sites. The only sizeable winter flock was nine at Penjerrick Nov 23rd.

CETTI'S WARBLER - Cettia cetti Scarce resident. Breeds. Uncommon passage migrant. This recent colonist was first noted in the UK in 1961 and reached Cornwall in 1973. Since then the population has fluctuated as the species is prone to losses during hard winters. Most sites throughout the county were surveyed in 1996 as part of a national survey organised by the RSPB. It was an excellent year with records from an unparalleled 26 sites and a minimum of 32 males during the breeding season. This figure represents 5%-6% of the national population. Singing males were reported from the following regular sites (with comparative data for 1989-95; dashed line = no count received): 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 Marazion Marsh * 10 11 11 13 12 7 8 5 Gunwalloe 7 - 1 5 2 6 3 - Par** 6 6 4 5 4 3 2 2 * includes Long Rock Pool ** four juveniles were trapped and ringed at Par during Aug-Sep. Additional records (which include some migrants): Swanpool: one Jan 2nd & 15th, Apr 11th, May 8th & 27th, Sep 26th, Oct 30th, Dec 14th. St. Andrew's Pool: one Jan 17th. Nanjizal: two females trapped and ringed in Feb & Mar, single females Apr 26th, Sep 1st and Oct 7th, three females Nov 16th; five birds involved altogether. Bude Marshes: singles Feb 11th, Oct 22nd and Dec 27th. Angarrack: one Apr 20th-Jul 10th, the first at this site since 1983. Poldhu: two males Mar 23rd-Jun 2nd. Nanquidno: one Mar 24th. Porthgwarra: singles Mar 28th & Oct 17th. Nare Head: one in April. Skewjack: one Apr 11th-14th, possibly one of the Nanjizal birds. Boslowick: one Apr 15th, possibly the Swanpool bird. Tregembo (): singles Apr 28th-May 27th and Sep 7th. Townshend (River Hayle): five including three males May 15th. Two pairs almost certainly bred. Loe Pool: one Sep 22nd. Porth Mear (Park Head): one Oct 16th, the first here since 1988. Kenidjack: one Oct 30th. Seaton: one Oct 30th-Nov 10th. Mawgan Porth: singles Nov 2nd-10th and Dec 10th. Holywell Bay: one Nov 3rd, the first here since 1992. Harlyn Bay: singles Nov 11th and Dec 12th, the first here since 1985. Bonython: one Nov 13th. Gwithian: one Nov 14th-Dec 20th. St. Columb Porth: one Dec 9th. To complete the picture, the following sites were specifically checked but produced no records during the breeding season: Bolingey Marsh, Bude Marshes, Calstock, Crousa Downs (Coverack), Halton Quay, Haye, Hayle Mill Pond, Holywell Bay, Kennack Sands, Lizard Downs, Loe Pool, Menadarva, Pentewan, Skewjack, St. Enodoc Golf Course, St. Erth, Tywardreath Marsh.

GRASSHOPPER WARBLER - Locustella naevia Summer resident widely distributed in suitable habitat. Breeds. Uncommon passage migrant (mainly spring). A total of c.75 birds were noted during the spring, a good showing. The first was at Maer Lake Apr 5th, but there were few more until a widespread influx Apr 19th-22nd. Highest counts were four at Cam Galver on 19th and 10 at Lower Tamar Lake on 20th.

116 Birds then continued to appear throughout the county up to late May, in ones and twos apart from three in the Upper Fowey Valley Apr 29th. Breeding season reports came from 28 widely scattered locations and included three birds each at Bosigran, Lower Tamar Lake and Walmsley Sanctuary. Actual breeding activity was observed at Croft Pascoe Plantation, Lamelgate and Cam Galver, two juvs being fed at the latter site Jun 5th. The first autumn passage bird was at Nanjizal Sep 8th. A further 11 were seen, six of which were noted Sep 20th-22nd. The maximum was three at Land's End Sep 22nd. The last was at Nanjizal Oct 10th-11th.

AQUATIC WARBLER - Acrocephalus paludicola Rare passage migrant (autumn). Annual at Marazion Marsh. Marazion Marsh: singles Aug 4th, 13th, 16th & 18th; three Aug 19th; singles Sep 15th & 23rd-25th. Eight birds considered to be involved, five of which were trapped and ringed. SMC,DSF,GGG,BRP et al. Nanjizal: juv. Aug 11th. KAW. Upper Tamar Lake: juv. Aug 25th-31st. GPS. Portnadler Bay: one Aug 26th. AJP, SAP. West Pentire: juv. Sep 22nd. JHH. The county mainland total is now c236.* Monthly breakdown * : Jan Feb Mar Apr May J tin Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec ------141 80 14 - - * one bird was 'undated'. Top sites: Marazion 181 (77%), Stithians 25, Gunwalloe nine.

SEDGE WARBLER - Acrocephalus schoenobaenus Summer resident widespread in suitable habitat. Breeds. Passage migrant. The first of the spring was at Par Beach Pool Mar 29th, the earliest ever RA. No more were found until one at Porthgwarra Apr 10th. Numbers remained low until an obvious influx from Apr 20th, when there were six at Coverack, five at Harlyn and four at Marazion Marsh. As birds continued to arrive, there were 10 at Skewjack Apr 26th, some of which appeared to be holding territories, 21 at Marazion Marsh on 29th and 10 at Par Beach Pool on 30th. On May 3rd, 20 were singing at Gunwalloe (cf. 23 in 1994), but migrants were still arriving, as evidenced by counts of 15 at Mawgan Porth May 4th, 40 at Skewjack on 5th and 21 at St. Columb Porth on 9th. A phenomenal 150 at Skewjack May 11th (KAW) just about rounded off an excellent spring passage. Later records of singing birds on territory came from 45 sites, the highest counts being seven at Gwithian, six each at Colliford Res., Par Beach Pool and St. Mawgan and five on the annual MOD census at Predannack. Successful breeding was confirmed at Gwithian, Lamelgate (where two pairs equalled the 1995 figure), Loe Pool, Lower Tamar Lake (where seven juvs. Jul 3rd) and Trevorrian Pool. In late summer birds typically gathering at Marazion Marsh reached 16 on Aug 7th, 30 on Aug 16th and 60 on Sep 1 st. Far fewer birds were recorded elsewhere, the most being five at Drift Res. Aug 15th. During September there were 17 at Marazion Marsh on 11th, nine there on 23rd and a fall of 14 at Land's End on 22nd, but only a total of 12 birds during the month elsewhere. There were two October records: one at Long Rock Pool from 6th and one at Church Cove, Lizard on 29th. The Long Rock bird remained through the late autumn and was still going strong in December, but was seen for the last time as the temperature plummeted on Dec 28th. DSF et al. This is the county's first winter record of this species.

PADDYFIELD WARBLER - Acrocephalus agricola Very rare vagrant. Long Rock Pool: one Nov 16th-Dec 27th. BRP,DSFJFR et al. Trapped and ringed by BRP on Nov 16th. The first mainland record for the county of a species which normally winters on the Indian sub­ continent. Like the Sedge Warbler at the same site, it disappeared with the onset of very cold weather. See article at end of Report.

117 MARSH/EASTERN REED WARBLER - A. palustris/A. scirpaceus fuscus Vagrant Birds of these species show remarkably similar plumage and structural features which render them virtually inseparable in the field. Nanquidno: first winter Oct 21st. AMJ,IK,CLBo,GJC et al. Porthgwarra: one Oct 21st. JDB,SMC,RAJn,AW et al.

REED WARBLER - Acrocephalus scirpaceus Summer resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. Forty years ago this species was such a rare visitor to Cornwall that the presence of one at Camel Estuary on 1st September 1951 warranted a mention in the introduction to that year's bird report! At that time the species bred only sporadically but it has since colonised most, if not all, of the county's reedbeds. The first of the spring was singing at Par Beach Pool Mar 23rd. None was reported again until Apr 14th when one was at the same site and another at Swanpool. A few more trickled in over the next few days, then Marazion Marsh had 10 on Apr 21st and 19 on 29th. Most breeding sites were occupied by this time, with numbers continuing to build into May. 12 birds were singing at Gunwalloe May 3rd, 10 at Loe Pool on 7th and 18 at Par Beach Pool on 10th. The last migrant was one at Hannafore Jun 2nd. Breeding season reports were received from the following locations (with comparative data for 1990-1995). Figures represent numbers of pairs or singing males; B = bred; p = present; dashed line = no count. Large fluctuations are probably due to Reed Warbler (Ren Hathway) incomplete censusing. 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 Bray's Cot 1 ------Bude Marshes 3 - P 2 2 - - Calstock 1 - - - - - Goss Moor 1 ------Gunwalloe 12 - 1 7 P 5 - Harlyn Bay 1 - 3 2 3 3 1 Hayle Estuary 1 ------Holywell Bay 4 - - 2 1 - - Loe Pool 18 2 12 2 2 2 B Maenporth 1 1 4 2 - - - Marazion/Long Rock 19 c.25 27+ 10+ 31 6 B Mawgan Porth 2 - 2 2 1 - - Par Beach Pool 18 - 14 19 3 5 B Poldhu 8 - 3 P 2 4 B Sladesbridge 1 - - - - - St. Columb Porth 1 - - 2 - - - Swanpool 5 5 5 6 7 7 B Tamar Estuary 2 - 12+ 2 P 16 P Townshend (R.Hayle) 4 ------Trebella, Cubert 1 - - 1 - - - Tresillian 2 - - - - 2 B A bird at Drift Res. Aug 16th was the first there for three years. Migration at Marazion Marsh peaked with 50 Sep 1st, but numbers fell away quickly to 12 on 2nd and six on 13th. Elsewhere only four more birds were reported during September and c.12 in October, all at coastal sites. The last was one trapped and ringed at Nanjizal Nov 14th-16th.

118 MELODIOUS WARBLER - Hippolais polyglotta Scarce passage migrant (mainly autumn). Nanjizal: first winter trapped and ringed Sep 19th-21st. KAW. Porthgwarra: singles Sep 19th-22nd and Sep 30th. PAM,ICW,MY. Land's End: one Sep 21st-24th. JFR,VAS et al. Cot Valley: one Sep 28th-Oct 2nd. MPS et al. Polhawn Cove: one Sep 30th. RSn. The county mainland total is now c.106. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - - - 3 - 1 30 54 18 1 - Top sites: Porthgwarra 45 (42%), Nanquidno 15, Cot Valley nine.

DARTFORD WARBLER - Sylvia undata Rare resident. Occasionally breeds. Rare passage migrant. Birds have been present in the county annually since 1980, in which year the species bred here for the first time since 1940. Breeding was then proved on the south-east coast of the county in each year 1980/85, but there has been a subsequent decline in this area with only sporadic sightings outside the breeding season. Breeding was also confirmed on the Lizard in the early part of the last decade but this population too apparently dissipated. In recent years a substantial population has become established on Kit Hill. In 1996 birds were again discovered on the Lizard and elsewhere, hardly surprising in view of the thriving national population. Predannack: male Jan 2nd. AL,ML. Hannibal's Cam: one Jan 26th. CBC. This potential breeding site was destroyed by fire in the early spring. Goss Moor: male Feb lst-Dec 31st. It was singing and holding territory May 28th/29th. ID,DMY,FY. Kit Hill: Noted from Mar 1st. Four pairs bred successfully; also three additional singing males. JS,RS. There were six pairs here in 1994 and 1995. Nanjizal: one Mar 5th/6th. KAW. : two males and one female Apr lst-Dec 31st. Breeding probably occurred. SB. Caerhays: female May 6th. IRS,WS. Penlee Point: one May 6th. DRC. The county total of birds at non-breeding sites is now 47. Monthly breakdown (away from breeding sites): Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 3 1 5 4 3 1 - 2 4 16 7 1 Top sites: Lizard Downs seven, Rame Head/Penlee six, Porthgwarra five.

SUBALPINE WARBLER - Sylvia cantillans Rare vagrant. Higher Kenneggy: first summer male Apr 7th-13th. CCW,JFR et al. This handsome young male spent most of its time lurking in a cabbage field. Recorded for the sixth successive year, taking the county mainland total to 18 . Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - 2 6 8 - - - 1 1 - -

SARDINIAN WARBLER - Sylvia melanocephala Rare vagrant. Caerthillian Cove: male Apr 13th-14th. SFJ,PW et al. The county total is now six, all having occurred in the 1990's.

119 Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - 2 2 - - - 2 -

BARRED WARBLER - Sylvia nisoria Rare passage migrant (autumn). Porthgwarra: first winter Sep 21st-22nd. DSF,CCW et al. Cot Valley: first winter Sep 29th-30th. DJC BD,CCW et al. Church Cove, Lizard: first winter Oct 29th. KJ,RAJ,SK,ARP. The county mainland total is now c.44. Monthly breakdown * : Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec ------2 21 19 1 - * one bird was 'undated'.

Top sites: Porthgwarra 21, St. Just Valleys 12.

LESSER WHITETHROAT - Sylvia curruca Scarce summer resident. Breeds. Scarce passage migrant (mainly spring). A wintering individual was at Carbis Bay Jan 21st-Mar 9th. JBu. This is the third winter record for the county. A record 35 birds were found during the spring. Following the first at Penlee Point Apr 20th, there were no more until another there May 4th. Birds continued to arrive throughout May, mostly in the west of the county. Two each were reported at Nanjizal, Penlee Point and Mawgan Porth. A number of birds appeared to be holding territories. Pairs were subsequently noted at Lundy Bay and Tregonce, the latter accompanied by five juvs. Aug 29th. Further summer records came from Camel Quarry, , Holman's Moors, Trethurgy and Carnworthy Water. One at Kenidjack Aug 27th, accompanied by a juv. the following day, may have bred locally. The first autumn migrant was probably one at Porthgwarra Jul 27th, with the next not until Aug 31st, when one was at Sancreed. A further seven were reported in September. A series of records from Porthgwarra Oct 3rd-21st may have involved anything from one to four different birds. The last migrant was one at Nanquidno Nov 6th - its lateness may have been due to the fact that it was re- growing its tail feathers. Finally another wintering bird, at St. Mawgan, was observed feeding at a bird-table from Dec 26th into the new year. EMJDM.

COMMON WHITETHROAT - Sylvia communis Common summer resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. Overwintered in 1952/53 One was seen on a Helston housing estate Feb 8th, only the second winter record for the county. SMC. The first spring migrant was one at Nanjizal Apr 1st, followed by one at Rock on 4th. There were no more until Apr 13th. Most birds arrived in two main influxes, from Apr 20th-25th and May 3rd-13th. Regular reports: Skewjack: seven Apr 20th, 40 May 5th. Drift Res.: eight Apr 21st-22nd, 12 May 12th. Porthgwarra: 15 Apr 25th & 28th, 20 May 13th. Clodgy Point: 12 Apr 26th, 10 May 3rd. Nanjizal: 10 Apr 26th, 30 Apr 27th, 40 May 5th & 11th. Rame Head to Penlee Point: 14 Apr 27th, 55 May 7th. 20 at Penlee Point May 12th. Further good counts were 30 at Treveal May 4th and 20 at Bosigran May 12th. There were breeding records from 22 sites and reports from many other locations during the summer. In his tetrad surveys MS located 22 birds at Ding Dong, 19 at Pennance Farm and 12 at Bosigran, whilst 14 males held territories at Treveal. Six pairs bred at Drift Res., four at Nanjizal, three at Plaidy and three on DL's CBC plot at Pentire Farm, two pairs down on the 1995 figure. Juveniles were

120 reported from Kenidjack, Maer Lake, Millbrook-Tregantle Fort, Portreath, Rame Head, Stithians Res. and West Pentire. Also, 50 birds were on Holman's Moors Aug 3rd-4th and the species continued to be well recorded at breeding sites throughout the month. An excellent c.220 birds moved through during September, the best counts being 12 at Nanquidno and 20 at Porthgwarra, both on 8th, 11 at Land's End on 15th and 25 there on 22nd, and 17 from Rame Head to Penlee Point on 16th. There were two October records, singles at Kelynack on 12th and Kenidjack on 22nd, and finally a very late individual at Church Cove, Lizard Nov 9th.

GARDEN WARBLER - Sylvia borin Summer resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. Widely distributed in suitable habitat east of Truro. In the west of the county, where it was formerly scarce, there are now regular breeding season reports from several areas, notably around Camborne, Falmouth, Helston and the Land's End peninsula. The first of the year was at Nanjizal Apr 13th, commencing a light spring passage which involved 29 migrants at coastal sites, including six at Skewjack May 5th and nine at Nanjizal May 11th. A further late flurry on Jun 1st saw four at Holman's Moors, three at Treveal and two at Nanjizal. Inland breeding territories were occupied from early May and by the middle of the month records of such were widespread. Reports during the breeding season came from 30 localities, with an increasing number from the west of the county. Seven males were singing around Loe Pool and breeding was proved at two sites here. Four pairs bred at Lamelgate (seven in 1995, three in 1994). Six males were on territory at Goss Moor and three males were in the vicinity of Bodmin Parkway Station. Four birds were at Trengwainton. The first autumn migrant was probably one at Marazion Marsh Aug 7th but the only other record during the month was one at Upper Tamar Lake on 14th. 28 birds moved through in September, peaking on 21st-22nd when there were seven at Porthgwarra and four at Land's End. There were 10 further singles in October. The last bird, feeding on crab-apples in Church Cove, Lizard Oct 30th-Nov 4th, had the feathers missing from the base of its bill, giving it a most grotesque appearance.

BLACKCAP - Sylvia atricapilla Common summer resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. Increasingly common winter visitor. Approximate monthly totals 1996 (wintering only) : Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 85 120 ------40 35 During the first winter period, a record c.195 birds were located. This is almost three times the previous highest, in 1994. The figure was swelled by an estimate of 50 in the Seaton/Downderry area during February SCM. The next highest counts were five in Lamorna Cove Jan 12th, five in Swanvale Jan 14th, six at Newquay Harbour Feb 6th and six at Par Beach Pool Feb 13th. The first singing male was recorded at Clodgy Point Mar 14th. Sightings of wintering birds at regular sites tailed off during the second half of March, with a few lingering into early April. Numbers increased from about Apr 5th as the first noticeable wave of spring immigrants arrived. Three birds were at Holmbush on that date, followed by similar numbers at Penlee Reserve on 8th, Nanjizal on 11th and Holman's Moors on 14th. The main influx occurred Apr 20th to May 11th, with birds continuing to trickle in up to May 25th. Best counts were five at Cadsonbury Apr 26th; five at Kennack Apr 27th but 10 there May 1st; six at Treveal Apr 28th, with seven May 4th and six May 30th; five at St. Columb Porth May 9th; five at Nanjizal May 11th; and six at Grogley Halt May 17th. Eight pairs held territory at Lamelgate (only two found in 1995). There were four pairs at Marazion Marsh; two pairs at Golitha and Altarnun; and single pairs at Cutmere Bridge (young being fed in nest Jun 23rd), Enniscaven, Helston Amenity Area (four fledged juvs. seen Jul 5th), Nanjizal and Townshend. Four birds were at Drift Res. Jun 2nd and presence during the breeding season was recorded at 14 further sites around the county. During the autumn c.175 birds were reported. The first indication of passage came with five birds at Treveal Aug 27th, followed by four at Penlee Point Sep 1st. There were few more until three each at

121 Cot Valley and Kenidjack Sep 14th. Six were at Treveal Sep 17th and 21st and a good count of 21 at Porthgwarra on 22nd. Subsequent passage was unspectacular, the highlights being eight at Treveal Sep 29th and 13 there Oct 13th, seven at Rame Head Oct 6th and 10 at Nanjizal Oct 13th. Small numbers continued to move through up to Nov 10th, but no more than five birds were seen at any one site. As winter arrived c.40 birds were present at 27 localities. Penryn held five on Dec 6th, and there were three each at Devoran Dec 24th, Holmbush Dec 30th and Downderry Dec 31st.

PALLAS'S LEAF WARBLER - Phylloscopus proregulus Rare vagrant Porthgwarra: one Oct 23rd-25th. CDRH et al. Rame Head: one Oct 24th-25th. BTC,RSn et al. St.Levan: one Oct 24th. CCW. The Lizard: one Oct 24th. SP. Church Cove, Lizard: one Oct 25th-26th, probably same as above. DCB,DJB et al. Rosudgeon: one Oct 26th. PAD. Maenporth: one Oct 29th. CLB. The best year ever, with six, or possibly seven, birds involved and all typically arriving within a very short time-span. The Lizard and Rosudgeon birds were both discovered by gleeful birders in their own back gardens! The county mainland total is now c.24. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec ------19 5 - Top sites: Porthgwarra nine, Lizard seven.

YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER - Phylloscopus inornatus Scarce passage migrant (autumn). Rare winter visitor. Single birds were recorded as follows: Porthgwarra: Sep 19th-25th and Oct 24th-26th. DJB,DSF,RAJn,AW,NW et al. Polhawn Fort: Oct 2nd. PGw. Bonython: Oct 4th. PG. Kenidjack: Oct 6th, 11th 25th & 30th-31st. JCr,PSCJCr,LL,JS,RS,BSW et al. Nanquidno: Oct 9th-11th and Nov 2nd-7th. PGA,DJC,NLG,JHH,KAW et al. Church Cove, Lizard: Oct 10th-14th, 23rd & 29th-30th.DE,RAJn,ML,ARP,MT,AW,MW et al. Land's End: Oct 10th. BSW. Polgigga: Oct 10th. RJ,PT. Cot Valley: Oct 12th-13th, 23rd & 29th and Nov 9th. DIJJS,RS,RLS,BSW et al. Morvah: Oct 14th. GJC. Chapel Porth: Oct 19th. RCJ. Nanjizal: Oct 19th & 23rd. KAW. Boswednack: Oct 21st (trapped and ringed). EGG,GGG. St.Levan: Oct 21st & 26th. BSW. Penberth: Oct 22nd. BSW. Maenporth: Oct 29th. CLB. Porth Joke: Nov 1st. SMC. Tregaseal: Nov 1st. BSW. Penlee Woods: Nov 3rd. KP. Newton Moor: Nov 4th-5th. AM,CM,RM. Nansloe: Nov 8th. GJ. Treveal: Nov 9th. VAS. Mawgan Porth: Nov 10th. SMC. Poughill (Bude): Nov 12th. DC1,RGM,GPS. Helston Sewage Works: Nov 16th-26th (probably the Nansloe bird). ARP et al. Loe Pool: Nov 26th. CBC. St. Clement Woods: Nov 30th. VAS.

122 Probably the best year on record, with c.35 individuals involved, taking the mainland total to c.308. The number seen away from the far west (see Map 9) and the proportion of November records are both unprecedented.

Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 3 ------21 255 23 6 Top sites: Cot Valley/Kelynack 42, Porthgwarra 40, Nanquidno 31, Lizard 22.

DUSKY WARBLER - Phylloscopus fuscatus Rare vagrant. Porthgwarra: one Oct 24th-25th. JFB,DJDH et al. The sixth mainland record for the county. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 ------3 1 1

WOOD WARBLER - Phylloscopus sibilatrix Rare summer resident. Breeds. Scarce passage migrant. The majority of breeding season records derive from the broad-leaved woodlands around Bodmin and the valleys of the rivers Fowey, Camel, Lynher and Tamar. The number of singing males fluctuates and site fidelity from year to year is not assured. The first of the year were two at Dunmere Apr 24th. There was just one coastal spring migrant, at Penlee Battery May 6th. GDL. Breeding season reports were again disappointing. Figures represent singing males, with comparative data for 1990-95 (B = bred): 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 Golitha Woods 1 2 1 1 2 2 GDL,SCM et al. Dunmere Wood 2 1 2 4 B 1 - DAC,SMCetal. Single males were also singing at Treverbyn, St. Neot May 6th (GDL) and Latchbrook Jun 25th (BLW). There were six autumn migrants, the first of which was exceptionally early:

123 Soap Cove: one Jul 20th. AL,ML. Cot Valley: one Aug 18th. GC,LHC,TDC. Nanquidno: one Sep 9th. TSH,MST. Land's End: one Sep 17th. RAw. Portnadler Bay: one Sep 19th. AJP,SAP. Downderry: one Oct 7th-9th. AECA,SCM.

CHIFFCHAFF - Phylloscopus collybita Common summer resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. Small numbers overwinter. During the first winter period an estimated total of 315 birds were reported from 60 sites, a far higher winter presence than ever before. As usual the largest number were to be found at Helston Sewage Works, where counts rose from 26 on Jan 3rd to 65 on Jan 27th and then 90 on Feb 2nd. SMC,ARP,DW. Other sewage works figures included 18 at Bodmin Jan 29th, 40 at St.Austell Feb 13th and 30 at Constantine Mar 6th. The only other double figure counts were 10 at Swanpool Jan 10th and 11 there Mar 11th. Nine birds at Porth Joke on Mar 3rd were probably the first new arrivals of the spring. They were followed later in the month by small numbers at many other coastal sites, most notably nine at Land's End on 16th, 16 at Lamorna Cove on 20th, 10 at Porthgwarra on 23rd, 11 at Trevose Head on 24th, 16 at Hayle Estuary on 27th and 10 at Maenporth on 28th. There were double figure counts from eight sites in early April, with an influx during 5th-14th, the max. being 25 at Skewjack on 6th. At Drift Res. 15 birds had arrived by 7th. A particularly large fall at Skewjack was estimated at 300 birds Apr 13th, with 100 present the following day KAW. Birds continued to stream in steadily, best counts being 20 each at Holman's Moors and Kynance Cove Apr 14th, 30 from Rame Head to Penlee Point on 16th, 20 at Trevose Head on 20th and 150 again at Skewjack on 22nd. Subsequent numbers were considerably reduced and passage virtually ceased with 11 at Rame Head May 11th. In common with many other , the species was vastly under-recorded during the breeding season. Seven pairs bred at Lamelgate (seven in 1995, five in 1994); five pairs bred at Argal Res. (a nest containing six juvs. found here May 21st); at least three pairs bred at Townshend. Regular counts at Drift Res. peaked at nine birds Jul 15th. At Cutmere Bridge a nest was constructed in a bush above a stream. A bird present throughout the season at Polquick Farm (Truro) had a song that contained phrases typical of both Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler GHT. An unusual individual at Penlee Point Aug 12th was very brown, lacking any yellow or green in plumage, and had a harsh di-syllabic call and a rapid galloping song. RSn. Post-breeding dispersal was evident from Aug 3rd-4th, when 20 birds were on Holman's Moors, but little further movement was noted until 10 at Rame Head Aug 25th, followed by 15 at Marazion Marsh Sep 2nd. During September influxes were apparent from 9th-11th, on 14th and from 21st-24th. There were fewer birds present thereafter until further arrivals Oct 6th-13th and Oct 23rd-26th. Regular autumn reports: Church Cove, Lizard: c.70, including 50 Oct 23rd. Cot Valley: c.60, including 14 Sep 9th, 20 Sep 14th. Kenidjack: c.60, including 10 Sep 14th, Oct 26th and Nov 5th. Land's End: c.55, including 25 Sep 22nd, 14 Oct 12th. Nanquidno: c.90, including 12 Sep 14th and Oct 6th, 10 Nov 1st. Porthgwarra: c.l 10, including 30 Sep 22nd, 25 Oct 24th. Rame Head: c.50, including 10 Aug 25th and Sep 4th, 14 Sep 24th. The Lizard (village): c.80, including 15 Oct 10th, 30 Oct 26th. Treveal: c.50, including 12 Sep 29th, 14 Oct 13th. Further notable counts were 10 at College Res. Sep 19th, 10 at Marazion Marsh Sep 20th and 12 at Stithians Res. Sep 25th. In late autumn/early winter c.205 birds were present at 36 sites. The highest counts were 50 at Helston Sewage Works Nov 25th, 45 at St. Austell Sewage Works Dec 9th and 30 at Long Rock Pool/Marazion Marsh Dec 13th-15th. Approximate monthly totals 1996 (wintering only) : Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 175 195 ------215 170

124 Birds showing characteristics of the Eastern races P c. abietinus (Northern Europe) / P. c. tristis (Siberia) were reported as follows (it is considered almost impossible to reliably differentiate between these two races in the field, though the majority are probably P. c. abietinus): Par Beach Pool: one Jan 2nd & 13th. Helston Sewage Works: one Jan 3rd, at least five Jan 25th, at least seven Feb 2nd-11th, one Nov 18th & 26th, two Dec 2nd, five Dec 25th Swanvale: one Jan 12th. Bodmin Sewage Works: at least seven Jan 29th. Hannafore Point: one Feb 25th. Nanquidno: one Sep 22nd, three Oct 17th. Porthgwarra: one Oct 17th-26th, but two on 22nd. Holmbush: one Oct 24th. Church Cove, Lizard: two Oct 30th. Labour-in-Vain: one Nov 2nd. Portmellon: one Nov 5th. Treveal: one Nov 9th & 17th. Long Rock Pool/Marazion Marsh: two Nov 15th, four Nov 24th increasing to 10 Dec 12th-14th. Lamorna: one Nov 20th. St. Austell Sewage Works: 11 Dec 1st. Zennor: one Dec 15th. A confirmed record of the Siberian race P. c. tristis involved an individual at Nanjizal Nov 15th which was trapped, ringed and identified in the hand KAW.

WILLOW WARBLER - Phylloscopus trochilus Abundant summer resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. The first spring migrant, at New Mill on Mar 4th, beat the previous earliest (in 1990) by one day. CBC. An early arrival of Chiffchaffs occurred at the same time. The next were singles at Drift March 22nd and Hannafore on 23rd, followed by a fall of 18 at Trevose Head on 24th. A few more trickled in and then an obvious influx took place from Mar 29th, when six were in seafront gardens at Penzance. They were followed by 20 at Holmbush Apr 1st, six at Swanpool on 2nd, 15 at Trevose Head on 5th and 12 at Skewjack on 6th. Thereafter increasing numbers of birds continued to move through. KAW recorded a series of good counts at Skewjack: 30 on Apr 10th, 100 on 13th-14th, 120 on 16th and 150 on 22nd. Elsewhere there were 14 at both Holman's Moors and Treveal Apr 11th, 20 at Kynance Cove and 25 at Porthgwarra on 14th, 22 at Kenidjack on 15th, 120 from Rame Head to Penlee Point on 16th, 15 at Coverack and 30 at Predannack both on 20th. Inland territories were steadily occupied during the second half of April, with 12 at Tehidy CP, 11 at Stithians Res., 10 at Breney Common, 40 in the Upper Fowey Valley and 10 at Marazion Marsh. Subsequent immigration was much reduced, although further falls occurred at Skewjack, with 200 on May 5th and 70 May 11th. The last incoming bird was watched flying in off the sea at Hannafore Point May 19th. Thirty sites throughout the county produced records during the breeding season. The Lamelgate CBC plot held 41 pairs (48 in 1995, 27 in 1994) and 25 pairs were censused at Ninestones Bridge, where EJW noted a singing bird producing a quiet Chiffchaff-like sub-song between its normal phrases. The highest of many counts at Drift Res. was 10 birds. Although information was scanty, it appears to have been a good season. Three family parties were at Stithians Res. Jul 14th and many juvs. were at Argal Res. Aug 16th. Post-breeding gatherings included 50 at Holman's Moors Aug 3rd-4th and 10 at Upper Tamar Lake Aug 18th. Up to eight birds were regularly reported throughout August at Argal, Drift, Marazion Marsh and Stithians Res., but apart from 3 at Nanquidno on 15th and five at Kenidjack on 27th, any passage at coastal sites went unrecorded until Sep 7th, when there were 30 at Pentire Point and 10 at Porth Joke. These were followed by 16 at Porthgwarra Sep 10th and 30 from Rame Head to Penlee Point on 17th, the latter including a high proportion of juvs. A bird at Portreath Sep 21st displayed black legs and red feet! MJH. Peak autumn numbers were logged Sep 22nd, with 50 at the Lizard, 30 at Land's End and 20 at Porthgwarra contributing to a September total of c.300 migrants. Just 12 followed in October, all singles apart from two at Porthgwarra on 25th. One of these was a very grey bird probably of the North

125 European/Russian race P. t. acredula. An earlier bird at Kenidjack Oct 17th had bright ochre legs and feet and a thicker, blunter bill than normal, which was ochre on the lower mandible JHH. There were three November singles, the last at Nanjizal on 10th also being possibly ascribable to P. t. acredula . In an exceptional year for wintering warblers, one of the biggest surprises was the presence of two Willow Warblers in December. One on 1st at St. Austell Sewage Works (RL) was not reported again, but the second, amongst hordes of Chiffchaffs at Helston Sewage Works from 12th, remained into 1997. ARP,NJP,DW et al. These are the county's first fully authenticated winter records.

GOLDCREST - Regulus regulus Common resident. Breeds. Passage migrant (mainly autumn). Suffers severe losses in prolonged cold weather. There were widespread reports during the early part of the year, the highest numbers being 16 at Loe Pool Jan 2nd, 12 at Bodmin Sewage Works Jan 29th and 25 at Constantine Sewage Works Mar 6th. There were seven further records from sites holding between five and eight birds. Singles at Trevose Head Feb 8th (following strong south-easterly winds) and 14th may have been very early migrants, as may one at Porthgwarra Feb 29th. Occasional spring passage was evident later with one at Rame Head Mar 9th and subsequent dates, one at Soap Cove Mar 16th, three at Trevose Head Mar 26th, 10 at Nanjizal Apr 2nd and four at Penlee Reserve Apr 8th. Records during the breeding season came from 22 localities. Six pairs were at Marazion Marsh, four pairs bred at Lamelgate and there were two pairs each at Golitha and Smallacombe. Fledged juvs. were seen at Crowdy Res., Nanquidno, Par Moor, Townshend and Truro. Several observers commented that it was a generally poor autumn for this species (cf. Firecrest). The first migrants were two at Nanjizal Aug 24th, but there were only single figure counts from a handful of sites until early October. Highest counts from regular sites: Cot Valley: 15 Oct 12th-13th. Kelynack: 14 Oct 12th. Kenidjack: 15 Oct 21st. Nanquidno: 10 Oct 12th & 21st, 25 Nov 11th. Porth Joke: 10 Nov 1st. Porthgwarra: 10 Oct 13th. Rame Head: 10 Oct 24th. Elsewhere there were 30 at Mother Ivey's Bay Oct 6th, 14 at Zennor Oct 14th, 20 at Porth Mear (Park Head) Oct 30th and 12 at Holywell Bay Nov 3rd. Migrants continued to trickle through up to mid November, the last significant record being six at Nanquidno Nov 17th. Only nine sites produced later records, by far the best counts being 15 at St. Austell Sewage Works Nov 27th and 20 there Dec 5th-30th.

FIRECREST - Regulus ignicapillus Uncommon passage migrant (mainly autumn) and winter visitor. A potential breeding species (cf. probable breeding in Devon since 1985). Approximate monthly totals 1996 : Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 20 6 8 7 - - - - 7 190 100 55 During the first winter period 33 birds were located. They included two at Swanpool/Swanvale throughout January, two at Jupiter Point Jan 2nd and three at Constantine Mar 6th-9th, one of which was singing there Mar 30th. There was a light spring passage involving eight birds between Mar 31 st and Apr 26th. Numbers passing through during the autumn were the highest on record, involving around 240 birds (see Figure 16). Migration commenced with one at Portnadler Bay Sep 19th. An influx occurred Oct 5th-7th and a steady passage ensued from Oct 12th, with further surges Oct 21st-25th and 30th. Fewer birds were seen during November but passage continued throughout the month.

126 Figure 16: Firecrest annual autumn totals 1977-1996

The following regular sites held birds during the periods shown: Church Cove, Lizard: Oct 12th-Nov 30th, with max. of six Oct 12th, five Oct 23rd, eight Oct 30th and five Nov 30th. Cot Valley: Oct 2nd-Nov 3rd, max. of four Oct 13th. Kenidjack: Oct 6th-30th, max. of four Oct 21st and 30th. Nanquidno: Oct 6th-Nov 6th, max. of five Oct 7th and 21st. Porthgwarra: Sep 22nd-Dec 7th, max. of nine Oct 14th and five Oct 25th. Treveal: Oct 13th-Dec 7th, max. of eight Nov 10th. Other good counts were five at St. Levan Oct 16th, eight at Nanjizal Oct 19th, six at Cawsand Oct 21st and five at The Lizard Oct 26th. Around 55 birds began the second winter period in the county. Best counts were five at Gwithian Dec 9th, five at Townshend Dec 14th and six at College Res. Dec 31st

SPOTTED FLYCATCHER - Muscicapa striata Summer resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. There has been a significant decrease in the number of pairs breeding in the county in recent years. A similar decline was noted in the mid-1970's, but there was an improvement later in that decade and in the early 1980's. The first birds of the year were 20 at Land's End Apr 22nd, a notable early influx. No more were seen until one at Kenidjack May 2nd, following which there was a steady arrival throughout the month. Of note were six at Church Cove, Lizard on 6th, four at Kynance on 11th and seven at Golitha on 25th. The last were three at the Gannel Est. Jun 5th, ending an excellent passage involving c.80 migrants at non-breeding sites. The degree of breeding success was less encouraging. Birds were noted at 30 sites during the breeding season. Golitha (Draynes) Wood held six pairs (three in 1995, five in 1994); there were two pairs at Altarnun; only two pairs were found at Lamelgate (six in 1995, four in 1994). Instances of confirmed breeding were few and fledged juvs. were reported only at Bonython, Cardinham, Lamorna, St. Keverne and Tregathenan. Other nests at Bonython and Cardinham were ransacked by Magpies. Conversely, autumn passage was the best since 1986, with c.255 birds involved. Following one at Porthgwarra Aug 9th, there was a steady stream of records from coastal sites, including totals of 33 Aug 25th-29th, 40 Sep 4th-9th and a notable influx of c.87 birds Sep 21st-22nd. Other good counts were 21 at Crowdy Res. Aug 25th, 13 at Holman's Moors Sep 7th, 21 at Land's End Sep 21st, 12 at Porthgwarra Sep 21st and 35 there the following day. There were a further seven birds in October and an especially late bird at St. Mawgan Nov 3rd, only the fourth ever in this month.

RED-BREASTED FLYCATCHER - Ficedula parva Scarce passage migrant (autumn). Annual since 1980. Land's End: first winter Oct 6th. RAw.

127 Porthgwarra: first winter Oct 14th-17th, but two present on 15th. SMC,MCH,IK,SML et al. Kelynack: first winter Oct 25th-26th. ARB,DSF et al. The county mainland total moves on to c. 111. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 ------2 27 77 4 - Top sites: Porthgwarra 35, Lizard 12, Cot/Kelynack 12, Nanquidno 10.

PIED FLYCATCHER - Ficedula hypoleuca Scarce summer resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. First bred at Lanhydrock in 1966. There were only six more confirmed instances in the county up to 1980. Subsequently, small populations became established at Lanhydrock and in the Camel Valley, and more recently in the Upper Fowey Valley. These populations have fluctuated markedly from year to year due to variable breeding success, but there has been a steady decline since 1993. The first returning bird arrived well inland at Calstock Apr 18th. There were 13 spring migrants at non-breeding sites, eight of which arrived Apr 18th-21st. Four at Caerthillian Apr 21st was a good spring record. Late singles were at Illogan May 30th and Land's End Jun 15th. The recent decline of the breeding population continued. At Golitha only one egg hatched from a clutch of six. There were no records from Dunmere for the first time since 1985. Breeding season reports were as follows, with comparative data for 1990-95. Figures represent singing males/pairs, plus number of young where known; p = present. 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 Lanhydrock 2(11) 3(15) 5(0) 9(33) 9(58) 4(20) 6(22) Golitha 1(1) 2(5) 3(12) 6(14) 1(4) 3(15) 3(12) Altarnun 1 ------In contrast to Spotted Flycatcher it was a very poor autumn, with a meagre total of c.42 birds. The first was one at St.Levan Aug 14th. 12 went through Aug 17th-20th, 10 Aug 31st-Sep 5th and nine Sep 21st-22nd. The best counts were four at Bonython Aug 20th and three at Porthgwarra Aug 31st. | The final bird was at Cot Valley Sep 29th.

BEARDED TIT - Panurus biarmicus An irruptive species which occurs as an occasional passage migrant and winter visitor. Marazion Marsh: one, probably male, Jun 1st. GSG. This one, at the most regular site for this species and the first June record, takes the mainland total to c.214. Monthly breakdown*: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - 6 8 1 1 1 - - - 162 22 11 * two undated. Top sites: Marazion Marsh 87, Porthgwarra 22, Tamar Lakes 14, Par 11, Copperhouse nine.

LONG-TAILED TIT - Aegithalos caudatus Common resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. Suffers heavy mortality in severe weather. Reported from 77 widespread locations. Eleven breeding reports were received, plus many other records during the breeding season. At Lamelgate only one pair bred, compared to four pairs in 1995, probably due to harsh weather in late winter. Eight juvs were noted at Holmbush and five each at Maenporth and Swanpool. Counts of 20 birds or more: Nanjizal: 22 Aug 15th. Drift Res.: 20 Oct 6th. Marazion Marsh: 27 Oct 10th. Penlee Point: 20 Oct 21st.

128 Gulval: 30 Oct 24th. Loe Pool: 35 max. during November. St. Columb Porth: 27 Nov 8th. College Res. 20 Dec 5th. St.Austell Sewage Works: 25 Dec 5th, 9th & 30th. Turnaware Point: 20 Dec 8th. Lundy Bay: 20 Dec 9th. St. Columb Porth: 21 Dec 9th. Respryn: 20 Dec 22nd. Outside the breeding season, average flock sizes (and number of sites with double figure flocks) were as follows: Jan 8.1 (eight sites); Feb 6.0 (two); Mar 4.4 (two); Sep 7.2 (two); Oct 11.1 (12); Nov 13.2 (10); Dec 13.6(11).

MARSH TIT - Parus palustris Resident. Breeds. Rare passage migrant. Fairly common in woodlands east of a line from Tehidy to Loe Pool. Records were received from 33 sites, equally divided between the eastern and the western halves of the county. Singles at Lamorna Jul 9th and Drift Res. Sep 11th were the first records from the Land's End peninsula since 1992. Birds were noted throughout the year at Cotehele, Luckett, Seaton, St. John and Trago Mills. There were three pairs at Lamelgate (one pair in 1995) and juvs. were seen at Pont's Mill Jul 22nd and Tregoose (Helston) Aug 4th. Pairs were also noted during the breeding season at Golitha, Loe Pool, St. Clement and Tresillian. The largest counts were four at Ladock Wood Feb 2nd and three at Respryn Dec 22nd. A bird at Dinham Bridge was regularly feeding on peanuts during November and December.

WILLOW TIT - Parus montanus Scarce resident. Breeds. The Willow Tit has a patchy distribution in Cornwall, occurring in damp, scrubby woodland to the east and north of Indian Queens, with population centres at Goss Moor, Redmoor/Helman Tor/Breney Common, Upper Fowey Valley and Tamar Lakes. Fully authenticated observations of birds farther west are exceptionally rare. The species undoubtedly suffered as a result of the succession of cold winters in the mid-1980's, but has also contracted in range due to extensive habitat loss and fragmentation. Upper Fowey Valley Bearah Tor: pair carrying food to a nest-hole May 4th. KJ,RAJ. Lamelgate: pair during the breeding season, seen carrying food May 10th. JS,RS. Ninestones Bridge: one Apr 10th; pair and another bird May 6th. GJC,GDL,SCM. East Dozmary: one carrying nest material Apr 22nd. RSn. Westerlake Farm: pair Mar 25th, singles May 16th and Nov 11th. JS,RS. Redmoor-StAustell Trethurgy: singles Jan 11th and Jul 19th. GRW,MW. Breney Common: pair and two juvs. Jul 6th. KJ,RJ. Treskilling Claypit: singles Jul 13th and Aug 31st. GRW,MW,DMY. Goss Moor One Feb 4th, two in different areas Dec 27th. SMC. One at Coldvreath Dec 25th. DMY. Tamar Lakes Lower Tamar Lake: two Aug 27th, 1 Sep 22nd-Oct 10th, three Nov 7th-Dec 12th. SMC,IK,DBWPS et al. Upper Tamar Lake: two Jan 13th-Oct 10th. SMC,KJ,RAJ.

129 COAL TIT - Parus ater Common resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. Particularly common and widespread in coniferous woodland in the east of the county and a regular visitor to garden nut feeders. Records were received throughout the year from 36 localities, equally spread between the eastern and western halves of the county. Six pairs bred at Lamelgate (four in 1994 and 1995). There were four pairs at Smallacombe Plantation and three pairs at Golitha. A family party was seen at Helston Amenity Area Jun 14th, a juv. was at Nanjizal Jul 28th and breeding was also confirmed at Long Rock Pool. Reports during the breeding season also came from Boscoppa, Lamorna, Par, Respryn, St. Clement, Trelowarren, Trengwainton and Tresillian. The best counts outside the breeding season were four at Croft Pascoe Plantation Mar 2nd, four at College Res. Sep 19th, six at Marazion Marsh Oct 9th and four at Duporth Dec 22nd. One at Kelynack Oct 26th was probably a migrant. Two migrants of the distinctive Continental race P. a. ater were seen at Land's End and St.Levan, both Oct 24th RAw,MLg. These records coincided with an influx of birds of this race into southern England and huge numbers in France and Holland.

BLUE TIT - Parus caeruleus Abundant resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. Records were received from 44 sites throughout the county. Twenty-eight pairs bred at Lamelgate (18 in 1995, 15 in 1994). At Golitha, where a count of 50 birds was made Mar 18th, 10 out of 11 pairs bred successfully, but together raised a meagre total of only 43 young. GJC. Three pairs bred in nest-boxes at Townshend and further nest-box use was reported from Penwithick and Penzance, where a pair were nest-building in February. Two pairs bred at Nanjizal and at Pelynt a pair successfully raised three young from a clutch of seven. Fledged juvs. were also seen at Falmouth, Loe Pool and Penryn. Twelve counts of 10 or more birds were received, the highest being 26 at Par Beach Pool Mar 6th, 60 around Loe Pool during September to November, 30 at Holman's Moors Oct 19th, 47 at Mawgan Porth Nov 2nd, 26 at St. Columb Porth Nov 8th, 20 at Lundy Bay Nov 9th and 20 at Tresillian Dec 26th.

GREAT TIT - Parus major Common resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. Reported from 37 sites, with records from the western half of the county just outnumbering those from the east. Ten pairs bred at Lamelgate (three in 1995, four in 1994). At Golitha, at least three out of seven nests were successful, fledging fourteen young. Two other nests were not followed to a conclusion, but in both cases the females were still incubating on the late date of Jun 18th. GJC. Two pairs bred in nest- boxes at Townshend and pairs were also noted at Nanjizal, Rame and Holmbush, where two juvs. were seen in mid-summer. Outside the breeding season 38 birds were counted around Loe Pool during March. The only other double figure count was 10 at Lundy Bay Nov 9th. There were 11 further reports of four to six birds. One undated record from Maudlin (Liskeard) concerned an individual with all black head, breast and flanks. JHF.

EUROPEAN NUTHATCH - Sitta europaea Resident. Breeds. Common in suitable habitat in most areas of the county but scarce on the Lands End Peninsula west of Drift and the Lizard Peninsula south of Culdrose. Reported throughout the year from 30 locations, of which six were in the far east of the county, six in the Bodmin region, five on the Lizard and five on the Land's End peninsula. The remainder were widely scattered.

130 At Lanhydrock 15 birds were counted Apr 26th. Breeding was confirmed at Lamelgate, where four pairs compared with five in 1995 and four in 1994; Golitha, where at least three of the four pairs were successful, raising a total of 16 young; Cardinham, where eight juvs. were counted in the nest; Harewood, where a pair were feeding young on Jul 4th; Lamorna, with young birds visiting garden feeders during May; and Loe Pool, where 20 birds Sep 22nd no doubt comprised a high proportion of locally bred juvs. On the Lizard peninsula, birds from rarely reported sites included singles at Garras Mar 7th, nearby Trelowarren Mar 10th and Bonython Sep 13th.

At a former regular site at Tregadillet a bird on Aug 17th was the first for nearly two years.

EURASIAN TREECREEPER - Certhia familiaris Resident. Breeds. Rare passage migrant. Common and widespread in suitable habitat throughout the county as far west as Loe Pool and Penzance. Reported from just 27 sites, of which 13 were in the eastern half of the county and 14 in the west. The highest counts were six birds at both Lanhydrock Feb 8th and Golitha Jun 13th. Breeding was confirmed only at Lamelgate, where four pairs was double the number found in the previous two years, and St. Loy, where a pair was seen with at least two juvs. Jul 26th. Elsewhere in the far west, singles were at Drift Res. Jan 1st and Oct 30th and at Lamorna on several dates May to December. On the Lizard, where the species is scarce, two were at Bonython Aug 2nd. In the latter part of the year, four at St. Austell Sewage Works Nov 27th was the best count.

GOLDEN ORIOLE - Oriolus oriolus Scarce passage migrant (mainly spring). Annual since 1971. Trevone: one Apr 22nd. BSW. Sennen: one May 4th. BSW. Church Cove, Lizard: male May 6th. SK,AL,ML. Cot Valley: male May 18th. BSW. Treveal: first summer male and female Jun 1st. VAS. Penlee Reserve: male Jun 7th. GDL. 1973 Addition St. Columb Major: female May 20th NAC. The county total is now c.153 since 1930. Of these, 81 have been identified as males, 45 as females and 27 not sexed.

Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - - 28 101 12 4 3 2 3 - - Top sites: Skewjack 16, Porthgwarra 13, Kenidjack 10.

RED-BACKED SHRIKE - Lanius collurio Uncommon passage migrant (mainly autumn). Last bred in the county in 1960. Kynance Cove: 1st winter Aug 7th. GJ. Military Road (Penlee): 1st winter Aug 18th. AJM,KP. Dodman Point: 1st winter Oct 25th. PK. Poughill (Bude): 1st winter Oct 29th-Nov 11th. JCP,GPS et al. Sennen: 1st winter Nov 1st. DSF,KAW. The Poughill bird is the latest staying individual ever. The county total since 1930 is now c.91 Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - - - 8 8 3 13 35 22 2 - Top sites: Porthgwarra 20, St. Just Valleys eight.

131 GREAT GREY SHRIKE - Lanius excubitor Scarce passage migrant. Occasional winter visitor. 1975 Addition Bray Down: one 'winter' NAC. The county mainland total now stands at c.66. Monthly breakdown*: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 9 8 10 8 - 1 - - - 1 1 6 8 * five undated. Top sites: Bodmin moor (South) 14, Goss Moor six, Porthgwarra and Bodmin Moor (North) five, Tamar Lakes four.

WOODCHAT SHRIKE - Lanius senator Rare passage migrant. Annual since 1979. Nanquidno: adult male Jun 5th-6th. AM,CM et al. Gwavas: first winter Nov 3rd-5th. AL,ML,SK,ARP et al. The Gwavas bird is the latest ever, taking the mainland total to c.63. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - - 7 26 7 2 10 5 5 1 - Top sites: Porthgwarra 16, Lizard 12, Land's End/Sennen six, Marazion four.

EURASIAN JAY - Garrulus glandarius Common resident. Breeds. Passage migrant with occasional irruptions eg. 1972,1979,1981 and 1983. Reported from 47 sites throughout the year. Two pairs probably bred at Townshend, one pair at Hustyn Down, one pair at Lamelgate (as in 1995) and one pair at Lamorna, where a family of five was frequently seen during June. The highest counts were eight at Lanhydrock Feb 8th, five at College Res. Sep 19th, six at Treveal Sep 21st and five at St. Columb Porth Nov 8th. Two birds at Wicca Apr 11th and one at Kenidjack Oct 14th were possibly migrants. At Falmouth up to four birds regularly attended a garden nut-feeder during the summer. At Par Moor one was watched mobbing a Buzzard Jun 5th.

MAGPIE - Pica pica Abundant resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. Forms small roosts outside the breeding season. Increasingly common despite intensive culling, particularly in gamebird rearing districts. Reported from 42 sites throughout the year. Early nest-building was observed at Penzance Feb 23rd, Goldsithney Feb 29th and Caer Bran Mar 2nd. At Lamelgate the local population comprised 30-40 birds during February but after a cull in March, only five pairs bred, following nine pairs in 1995 and four in 1994. Two pairs bred on the Pentire Farm CBC plot, compared with three in 1995. Breeding was also confirmed at Crafthole, Lamorna and Pentireglaze. Highest counts during the year: Swanpool: 25 Jan 1st. Penryn: 15 Jan 2nd. Redmoor: 62 Jan 3rd. Ninestones Bridge: 19 Jan 10th. Wendron: 33 Feb 12th. Porthmeor (Zennor): 16 Feb 27th. Tregantle Fort-Rame Head: 15 Jul 20th. Porthgwarra: 19 Oct 9th (possible migrants?).

132 Pentireglaze: 15 Oct 18th. Trevose Head: 15 Oct 23rd (possible migrants?). St. Andrew's Pool: 60 Nov 11th.

The counts at Redmoor and St. Andrew's Pool are the highest anywhere in the county since 1991.

EURASIAN JACKDAW - Corvus monedula Abundant Resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. Forms roosts outside the breeding season but these are poorly documented. "Pied" birds are not uncommon. Reported from all corners of the county except the north-east. At Gurnard's Head c.20 pairs were breeding, a similar number to that in 1993, whilst the usual 14 pairs nested in slots under the by-pass bridge at Gwallon. On the annually censused CBC plots, nine pairs bred at Lamelgate, following four in 1995 and two in 1994, but only six pairs bred at Pentire Farm, a further decline from seven pairs in 1995 and nine in 1994. TRK suggests that the five pairs nesting in vents in the Cam Brea monument, near Camborne, may constitute the highest colony in the county. During October, 100 birds at Porth Joke on 19th, 220 at Trevose Head on 23rd and c.600 at Goldsithney on 31st may all have been migrants. The largest flocks were otherwise all reported in December: 1000 at Malpas on 15th/16th, 550 at the Walmsley Sanctuary on 16th and 500 at Menabilly from 24th-31st. Birds with various amounts of white in the plumage were noted at Land's End, St.Austell Sewage Works and Western Cove.

ROOK - Corvus frugilegus Common resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. Forms large roosts outside the breeding season, but these are rarely reported. Counts were received for 67 rookeries. The following contained over 50 nests: Cadgwith: 69 nests (60 in sycamore, 8 in Monterey pines). Crean: 77 nests (97 in 1995). Denzil Mill: 57 nests. Lamelgate: 57 nests (66 in 1995, 47 in 1994, 49 in 1993). Pinkson Creek: 92 nests (plus another containing 11 nests nearby). St.Day: 87 nests at Trefula Nursing Home (in Monterey pines). St.Dominick: 73 nests. St.Ives: 73 nests. Wadebridge: 98 nests (plus four other rookeries totalling 53 nests). West Looe: 68 nests. The number of nests in the nine rookeries for which the 1995 and 1996 counts are comparable showed a decrease of 7.8%. Rookeries were counted in thirty tetrads (2km. squares) selected at random throughout the county for the national BTO Census of Rookeries. The total number of nests found, 1067, was 57% higher than the figure for the same squares when they were censused in 1975. It should be borne in mind, however, that three or possibly four of these tetrads were under-recorded in the earlier survey. Some large concentrations outside the breeding season included 300 at Tresillian Jan 18th, 250 at Bodmin Mar 12th, 1000 at Malpas Dec 15th/16th, 370 at Walmsley Sanctuary Dec 16th and 500 at Menabilly Dec 24th-29th. 100 birds roosting at Church Cove, Lizard all vanished in the very cold weather in late December. Perhaps the most unusual record was of a bird well out to sea off Rame Head Nov 23rd.

CARRION CROW - Corvus corone Abundant resident. Breeds. Reported from 43 localities throughout the year. Six pairs bred on the Lamelgate CBC plot (increasing from five in 1995 and three in 1994) but only four pairs at Pentire Farm, down from six pairs in 1995 and seven in 1994.

133 The best of a series of monthly counts on the Tamar Estuary were 73 Jan 21st, 257 Mar 10th, 53 Jul 21st, 99 Sep 15th, 80 Oct 13th and 73 Dec 15th. Monthly figures on the Lynher were far lower, the best being 17 Jun 16th. The peak count at Colliford Res. was 30 Nov 16th. Elsewhere the highest numbers were all toward the end of the year: 40 Porthilly (Rock) Nov 30th, 50 Tresillian Dec 1st, 50 Burniere Point Dec 11th and 180 Calenick Creek Dec 16th. A further 26 double figure counts were received. The only unusual observation was of a bird flying out to a passing frigate off Rame Head Nov 16th! A bird of the North/Central European race C. c. comix known as Hooded Crow, which is a rare passage migrant and winter visitor in the county, was noted as follows: St. Buryan: one May 2nd. JL. The mainland total is now c.50, since 1930. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2 6 2 9 5 4 1 3 1 5 6 6 Top sites: Camel Est. and Land's End/Sennen five each, Porthgwarra four, Lizard three.

COMMON RAVEN - Corvus corvax Resident. Breeds. Roosts have been reported in the past but recent information is sadly lacking. Reports from 122 localities throughout the year, with many records involving small parties of birds, indicate that the population remains healthy. Early concentrations included 20 at Bishop's Wood (Truro) Jan 7th, a very impressive 52 at Wicca Apr 4th and 16 at Ninestones Bridge Apr 7th. There were numerous sightings during the breeding season from many other areas, with confirmed reports from the following sites: North coast: Fishing Cove (Gwithian), Gurnard's Head, Hell's Mouth, Kenidjack, Pentire Farm, Porth Joke, Western Cove and Zennor. South coast: Bass Point, Lankidden Cove, Porthoustock, Rame and St.Austell Bay. Inland: Bearah Tor, Goonhilly Downs (where the nest was built on the superstructure of one of the satellite dishes), Cutmere Bridge, Helston (bred in a Scots pine in the churchyard), Lamelgate (three pairs, following two in 1995) and Longdowns. The highest counts later in the year were 14 at Caer Bran and 10 at Four Lanes Aug 12th, 25 at Park Pit Sep 4th and 25 at Stoke Climsland Dec 15th. An impatient pair at Western Cove were already attending to their nest in freezing conditions on Dec 30th!

COMMON STARLING - Sturnus vulgaris Common resident. Breeds. Abundant passage migrant and winter visitor. Forms huge roosts, particularly in moorland conifer plantations in winter. It appears to have been a good breeding season for local birds. Out of 75 birds at Par Beach Jun 9th, 50 were juvs. 180 birds at Maer Lake Jul 4th included 107 juvs. Two pairs bred on the Pentire Farm CBC plot, as in 1995. Maximum numbers: Walmsley Sanctuary: 2000 Jan 5th. Tamar Lakes: 5000 flying north to roost Jan 13th. Pendeen: 5000 approaching roost Feb 2nd; 10,000 at roost Nov 21st, having switched from Marazion Marsh. New Mill: 10,000 in late afternoon pre-roost gathering Feb 4th. Lamelgate: 1000 Mar 25th. Saltash: 2000 in pre-roost gathering on Tamar Bridge Aug 1st to year-end. Colliford Res. 2000 Oct 11th. Trevose Head: 3500 Oct 23rd. Tregardock: 2000 Oct 24th. Porth Mear (Park Head): 12,600 west in two hours Oct 30th. Marazion Marsh: 50,000 Nov 8th increasing to 100,000 Nov 15th, then 1,000,000 Nov 24th. Roseland peninsula: 5000 flying north to roost Nov 14th-Dec 27th. Treveal: 2000 Nov 17th.

134 Leucistic birds were at Wadebridge Feb 3rd and Par Beach Feb 18th-25th. The latter was almost entirely creamy white.

ROSY STARLING - Sturnus roseus Vagrant Higher Tregiffian: juv. Sep 7th-9th. JFR et al. Sennen: juv. Sep 22nd-25th (the Higher Tregiffian bird) & Oct 12th. CGB,DSF. St. Just: juv. Sep 24th-26th, two juvs. (one the Higher Tregiffian/Sennen bird) Sep 27th-Oct 13th, one remaining to Oct 21st. EGG,MPS et al. Bude: juv. Dec 21st-31st. GPS. Probably three birds involved, taking the mainland total on to c.52. Monthly breakdown * : Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - - - 1 - 8 1 7 11 15 2 1 * six birds were undated . Top sites: Land's End seven, Porthgwarra four, Davidstow Airfield three.

HOUSE SPARROW - Passer domesticus Common resident. Breeds. Cornish populations were inadequately documented prior to 1980. Subsequently, decreases were noted in many areas until 1985, but there has been an increase in numbers since. This type of fluctuation has been noted in the county previously. As usual, breeding data was rather limited, but MJR commented that 'contra the national trend, the Towednack colony is steadily increasing'. This trend was also reflected at Boswednack were around ten pairs were recorded, up from five in 1993. Other notable records include birds on two separate days in April at Lamorna, where this species is extremely scarce BDB. More counts of breeding birds would be much appreciated. Typically, the largest counts came in the autumn, peaking in mid October. During September, 60 were at Oldtown Cove Sep 3rd and 40 at Holmbush on Sep 24th. In October there were 120 at St. Merryn on Oct 16th, 60 at Polly Joke Oct 19th and 35 at Trevose Head Oct 23rd. During the second winter period there were 40 at Penwithick, and RL noted 30 to 50 on numerous farms on the Roseland Peninsula.

TREE SPARROW - Passer montanus Scarce passage migrant. Bred at Land's End in 1990. Pendeen: one Jun 15th JL. Porthgwarra: one Oct 9th SMC. The mainland total rises to c.292. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 5 6 5 6 61 17 5 10 3 124 28 22 Top sites: Porthgwarra 152, Wadebridge 23, Sennen/Land's End 16, Nanquidno 14, Rame Head 11.

RED-EYED VIREO -Vireo olivaceus Rare vagrant. Porthcurno: one Sep 28th-30th MAo,APB. Porthgwarra: one Oct 9th-14th JSH et al.

The mainland total now stands at 17, seven of which have occurred in September and ten in October.

CHAFFINCH - Fringilla coelebs Abundant resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. Winter visitor. Forms roosts in winter. Several large flocks were present during the first winter period. The largest concentrations were 1000 at Lanhydrock Jan 21st, 500 at Latchley and 200 at Penryn Feb 3rd, 300 at Crowlas Feb 11th and 300 at Golitha Wood Feb 17th-Mar 9th. 135 Breeding data was limited, but 30 pairs were located at Lamelgate (31 pairs in 1995) (RS), indicating a stable population, whilst DRC reported good numbers between Rame Head and Penlee Point on May 2nd. Autumn passage was impressive, commencing with 500 at Nanjizal Sep 6th, and continued through to Nov 16th. In September passage was light, the only three figure count being at Nanjizal. Passage picked up in October with peak movement occurring between 17th and 30th, involving 6645 birds. At Porthgwarra there were 290 Oct 17th and at Nanjizal 800 Oct 21st. The heaviest passage was noted by SMC who counted 2522 flying west in three hours at Trevose Head Oct 23rd and 2513 west past Porth Mear in four hours Oct 30th. During the first half of November large movements were still continuing, with 850 at Sancreed Nov 8th, 600 at Treveal Nov 9th and 1000 at Nanjizal Nov 11th. A number of large flocks were noted in the second winter period. By far the biggest was at St. Clement Woods where 2500 were counted Nov 30th. Other significant flocks included 700 at Lanhydrock Dec 2nd, 500 at Relubbus Dec 10th, 500 at Wendron and 450 at St. Ives Dec 25th. A particularly interesting record concerned a presumed aberrant male at St. Germans Feb 23rd-29th EHW,SCM. This bird resembled one of the African races (F. c. africana/spodiogenys) which have slaty-blue heads and a small white stripe behind the eye.

BRAMBLING - Fringilla montifringilla Winter visitor. Passage migrant (mainly autumn). Numbers fluctuate from year to year. Few were reported in the first winter period, the highest counts being 50 at Lanhydrock Jan 1st, 15 at Higher Crill Farm Jan 7th and ten at Altarnun Jan 13th. The only apparent spring migrant was a single at Croft Pascoe Plantation Mar 2nd. In addition, a singing male was at Nanquidno May 6th-7th, but an examination of the ring it was bearing indicated that this bird was of captive origin. Autumn passage commenced with two at Nanjizal Oct 7th, followed by increasing numbers of arrivals by the end of the month, the maximum being 30 at Nanjizal and 23 at Porthgwarra Oct 21st. Passage continued into November, peaking between Nov 8th-11th, when 59 were counted at Sancreed and 100 were over Nanjizal. In the second winter period three sizeable flocks were noted which consisted of 400 at St. Clement Woods, Truro and 500 at Lanhydrock Dec 2nd and 250 at Marshgate at the year's close.

EUROPEAN SERIN - Serinus serinus Rare passage migrant and winter visitor. A potential breeding species. Nanjizal: two May 5th, singles Nov 9th & 13th KAW. Military Road, Penlee: male Sep 21st GDL. Kenidjack: pair Oct 19th ARB. Porthgwarra: one Oct 21st, four Oct 25th, one Nov 4th & 10th PGAJDB,DJC,SMC,PAM et al. Penberth: fem./imm. Oct 25th PSC. Lizard Village: one Oct 30th MLg. A record year with around 15 birds involved, including a mini-influx during the autumn, taking the county total to c. 101. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - 7 9 7 14 1 - - 7 26 22 8 Top sites: Porthgwarra 24 Marazion ten, Lelant eight, Phillack five.

GREENFINCH - Carduelis chloris Common resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. Winter visitor. Forms roosts in winter. Few records were received for the first winter period, the largest flocks being: 35 at Holmbush Jan 12th and 42 & 38 at St. Ives Jan 19th & 20th. Breeding data was similarly limited, but the species remains widespread and common, with records coming from numerous gardens.

136 The bulk of the autumn passage took place, as usual, in October. Several large counts were noted, including: 100 Wadebridge Oct 10th, 300 Porthgwarra Oct 25th and 170 The Lizard Oct 26th. In the second winter period a number of big flocks were located, including 125 at Par Beach Nov 12th, 100 on the Roseland Peninsula Nov 14th and 300 at Marshgate Nov 24th. The latter had increased to 450 by Dec 29th, forming an impressive spectacle with 700 Goldfinches.

GOLDFINCH - Carduelis carduelis Resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. Several large flocks were recorded in the first winter period including: 150 at Higher Crill Farm Jan 10th, 30 at Grebe Cliff Jan 10th and up to 150 at Newlyn Mar 3rd. There was an indication of a light spring passage between Mar 13th and May 3rd, with charms of 60 at Land's End and 20 at Townshend Apr 6th. Breeding data was sparse, but records were received from Stithians, Tregantle Fort and Rame Head where 'many juveniles' were reported. However, post-breeding flocks of 60 at West Pentire Aug 18th, 50 at Upper Tamar Lake Aug 24th and 60 at Walmsley Sanctuary indicated a good breeding season. A number of big flocks had amassed by October, the largest being 170 at Penlee Reserve Sep 16th, 150 at Crowdy Res. Sep 22nd, 140 at Rame Head Sep 23rd and 210 at Porth Mear Oct 10th. Many flocks lingered into the second winter period, the most significant being 120 at St. Hilary Nov 2nd into December and an amazing 700 at Marshgate Nov 24th, which remained into 1997.

SISKIN - Carduelis spinus Scarce resident (increasing). Breeds. Passage migrant. Winter visitor. Prior to 1970, Siskin were only rarely reported in winter. Subsequently, winter numbers increased almost annually. Since the mid-1980's the species became established as a regular breeding species, partly due to the increase in coniferous plantations, notably on Bodmin Moor. As in 1995, numbers in the first winter period were low, with only c.l 13 recorded from 18 sites. The largest counts were 25 at St. Andrew's Pool Jan 4th and 20 at Cadsonbury in February. Breeding season records were further down on last year's poor figures. Single pairs were located at Egloshayle, Coldrose Farm, Cooksland and St. Germans and up to three pairs were near Bodmin Parkway Station. Breeding also probably occurred in Smallacombe Plantation. No information was received from Halvana Plantation, the species' stronghold in the county. Autumn passage was the fourth heaviest ever, featuring c.2364 birds. Passage began with a single at Rame Head Sep 16th. There were no more records until early October, when a large influx heralded heavy passage throughout the month, with notable peaks Oct 5th-10th and Oct 23rd-25th. Large numbers remained in the county throughout November and December, with many records coming from gardens. Highest counts: Nanjizal: 150 Oct 6th, 200 Oct 19th. Porthgwarra: 87 Oct 8th, 66 Oct 25th, 61 Nov 16th. Par Beach: 50 Oct 17th, 50 Oct 26th. Nanquidno: 50 Oct 21st. Great Grogley Downs: 45 Oct 23rd. Porthpean: 80 Nov 18th. Loe Pool: 60 Nov 19th. Respryn: 100 Dec 27th.

LINNET - Carduelis cannabina Common resident. Breeds (sometimes colonially). Passage migrant. Two large concentrations were recorded in the first winter period with 200 at Tregantle Cliff on Jan 24th and 600 at Penryn on Feb 3rd. Flocks of 50+ were recorded at seven additional sites. Indications of spring passage were suggested by records of 21 at Clodgy Point Apr 5th, 250 at Land's End the following day and 120 at Wicca Apr 14th. Elsewhere, there were 100 at Apr 8th.

137 During the breeding season RS found 71 pairs at Kit Hill (down from 79 pairs in 1995) and 11 pairs at Lamelgate (an increase of two pairs on 1995). At Pentire Farm DL located five pairs, a decrease from seven pairs in 1995 and eight pairs in 1994. The only other breeding records relate to single pairs at Drift Res. and Marazion Marsh. In late summer, large post-breeding flocks included 200 at Men-An-Tol Jul 20th and 80 at Boswednack Aug 14th. Later in the autumn several large flocks were recorded, mainly at coastal sites which undoubtedly contain birds on migration, including 200 at Towednack Sep 7th, 120 at Land's End Sep 22nd, 113 at Rame Head Sep 29th, 400 at St. Just Sep 30th, 300 at West Pentire Oct 5th-30th, 500 at Nanquidno Oct 12th and 250 at Porthgwarra Oct 19th. In the second winter period the largest flocks were 200 at Porth Joke Oct 30th-Nov 16th and 800 at Marshgate Nov 24th. More records of breeding birds and winter/passage flocks are required.

COMMON REDPOLL - Carduelis flammea Scarce resident. Uncommon passage migrant and winter visitor. During the first winter period there were just two singles, at Swanpool Jan 1 st GRW,MW and Par beach Pool Jan 7th IRS,WS. Three spring migrants were reported, involving one at Tregoss May 3rd TSH,MST, and singles on May 12th with one at Nanjizal KAW and a singing male at Trevose Head SMC. In the breeding season there was a welcome increase in records. At Halvana up to eight birds were noted between Apr 7th & Jun 13th GJC,DE,RAJ, with a single at Ninestones Bridge Jun 24th TSH,MST. At Colliford Res. there was one Jun 8th and two Jun 22nd PAM. Autumn migration involved c.28 birds and was the best since 1991: Pendeen: one Oct 5th DJC. Kenidjack: singles Oct 14th & 21st PHA,ARB. Downderry: five east Oct 19th SCM. Nanjizal: one Oct 19th, three Oct 21st, four Nov 10th and one Nov 13th JL,KAW. Porthgwarra: one Oct 21st, six Nov 16th SMC. Church Cove, Lizard: one Nov 1 st JHH. Gloweth: one Nov 9th BKM. Marazion Marsh: two Nov 16th DSF. The only records in the second winter period were two Nov 26th and three Dec 14th at Halvana and a single on the latter date at Colliford Res. SMC. 1995 Additions Hustyn: one May 13th SMC. Halvana: 15 Jun 26th SMC. Mawgan Porth: one Nov 2nd SMC.

COMMON CROSSBILL - Loxia curvirostra An irruptive species which is not recorded annually in Cornwall. Bred in 1985, 1991 and 1992. Scarce passage migrant and winter visitor. Degibna Wood: two Aug 30th GJ. Halvana Plantation: one Nov 26th SMC. Yet another poor year, with even fewer recorded than in 1995. 1995 Addition Crowdy Res.: one Jan 29th SMC.

COMMON ROSEFINCH - Carpodacus erythrinus Vagrant (mainly autumn). Kenidjack: female/imm. Oct 21st-25th JWn et al. Nanjizal: female/imm. Nov 8th KAW.

138 The county mainland total increases to c.19, all but two since 1985. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May J un Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - 1 - - 2 2 2 - 5 6 1 - Top sites: Porthgwarra four, Cot and Upper Fowey Valley two each.

BULLFINCH - Pyrrhula pyrrhula Common resident. Breeds. Scarce passage migrant. Winter visitor. Reports came from 67 sites, reflecting the wide distribution of this species throughout the county. Breeding season data was somewhat limited, but ARP found many family parties on the Lizard and at Loe Pool in late July. DRC noted a good breeding season in the Rame Head/Penlee Point area, indicating a stable population. In the autumn 127 birds were noted between Oct 14th and Nov 17th, many of which may relate to migrants. The largest groups were as follows: seven Nanquidno at Oct 14th; 19 at Treveal Oct 19th; seven at Lamorna, 12 at Predannack & 14 at Treveal Nov 9th; 12 males at Halvana Plantation, eight at Mawgan Porth & eight at Treveal Nov 10th; 15 at Porthpean Nov 12th and eight at Treveal Nov 17th.

During the second winter period the only significant count was nine at Cawsand Dec 28th.

HAWFINCH - Coccothraustes coccothraustes Occasional visitor with records in most months. Has bred in Devon as far west as the county border but is not known to have done so in Cornwall. Boswednack: imm. Sep 5th, later relocated at Zennor EGG. Duloe: two Sep 8th AJP,SJP. Nanjizal: one Oct 21st KAW. The Boswednack and Duloe birds represent the first September records for the county. The total for the county is now c. 93, excluding reports of 'several' in 1829 and a 'family party' in 1958. Monthlv breakdown * : Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 5 4 13 2 3 4 7 - 3 36 7 7 * two birds were undated.

BAY-BREASTED WARBLER - Dendroica castenea Very rare vagrant. 1995 Addition Land's End: 1st winter male DMF. Accepted by BBRC and BOURC as the first record for Britain and the Western Palearctic. A full account appeared in "Birds in Cornwall 1995".

LAPLAND LONGSPUR - Calcarius lapponicus Scarce passage migrant (autumn). Rare winter visitor. Very rare inland. West Pentire: two (including a male in breeding plumage) Mar 8th, one Oct 5th, two Nov 1st SMC,TSH,SGR,MST. Nanjizal: one Sep 21st and at least one Nov 9th-17th KAW. Porthgwarra: singles Sep 28th and Oct 13th-14th PGA,DJC,GJC et al. Clodgy Point: one Sep 29th VAS. Kelsey Head: one Oct 8th SMC. Kynance: one Oct 9th ARP. Trevose Head: singles Oct 16th and 23rd SMC. Treveal: one Oct 19th VAS. Sennen: singles Oct 24th, Nov 1st & 30th, Dec 15th but two Dec 6th-7th DSF et al. Rame: one Oct 25th GDL. Porth Mear: two Oct 30th SMC.

139 1995 Additions Cot Valley: one Oct 4th PCo. Woon Gumpus Common: one Oct 10th PCo. Trevose Head: one Oct 19th SMC. An average year (see Figure 17), with 22 birds recorded taking the county mainland total to c.1094, all since 1960.

Figure 17: Lapland Longspur annual totals 1977-1996

SNOW BUNTING - Plectrophenax nivalis Uncommon passage migrant (mainly autumn). Rare winter visitor. Approximate monthly totals 1996: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 1 - 3 - - - - - 47 441 137 7 A truly amazing year involving c.589 birds, far surpassing the previous best annual total ofc.248 in 1988. During the autumn there appeared to be a continual movement of birds, so the actual total may have involved substantially more. Surprisingly few birds remained to winter, having all but dispersed by mid November. Snow Buntings (Kester Wilson)

Pendeen Watch: one Jan 23rd, five Oct 4th, 15 Oct 6th, up to six Oct 14th-20th, two Oct 25th, three Oct 29th, 36 Nov 4th, 13 Nov 5th GSG,TSH,MST et al. West Pentire: three Mar 3rd-9th, female Mar 11th, male Mar 22nd, 16 Oct 5th, singles Oct 13th & 28th, six Nov 1st GJC,SMC,TSH,SGR. Land's End: one Sep 25th, three Oct 11th, 25 Oct 18th, 53 Oct 19th, 14 Oct 24th PHA,PH,KAW. St. Ives Island: two Sep 25th-28th, five Sep 29th, 12 Oct 4th, 17 Oct 5th, ten Oct 6th-7th, four Oct lOth-Nov 10th and two Nov 28th DB,AMJD,EGG,VAS et al. Crowdy Res./Davidstow Airfield: one Sep 27th-Oct 1st, 23 Oct 6th PGA,AJB,SJB,DJC. Nanjizal: singles Sep 28th & Oct 23rd, five Oct 26th, eight Nov 9th, four Nov 11th, two Nov 13th,

140 three Nov 18th JL,KAW. Porthgwarra: one Sep 28th, two Oct 1st, one Oct 13th, six Oct 21st, one Oct 26th GJC,SMC,BKM. Trevose Head: 12 Sep 28th, seven Oct 16th, 19 Oct 23rd, 25 Nov 11th SMC et al. Cape Cornwall: three Sep 29th PAM. Towan Head: three Sep 29th, one Oct 5th TMC,SGR. Clodgy Point: 18 Sep 29th, seven Sep 30th, four Oct 1st, five Oct 8th and nine Oct 9th VAS. Marazion Beach: one Sep 30th, three Oct 1st, two Oct 7th, one Oct 12th DSF,EGG,AHs,NRP. High Cliff: two Oct 2nd GGT. St. Cadoc's Point: three Oct 2nd DTC. Quoit Farm: four Oct 2nd EGG. Park Head: five Oct 5th REW. St. Just airfield: six Oct 5th BSW. Stithians Res.: two Oct 6th PAM. Zennor: one Oct 6th per NRP. Kelsey Head: 72 Oct 8th, 17 Oct 19th SMC,SGR. Boswednack: one Oct 9th EGG. Caer Bran: one Oct 9th AH,BCW. Pentire: one Oct 9th, two Nov 3rd, one Nov 11th, seven Nov 13th SK,DL et al. St. Just: one Oct 13th MCCo,PCo,SMCo. Rumps Point: four Oct 4th-5th RS,JS,VRT. Sennen: 22 Oct 13th, 23 Oct 14th-15th, 30 Oct 16th, 36 Oct 18th, 30 Oct 19th, 27 Oct 24th, 35 Oct 25th, 40 Oct 26th, 50 Oct 29th, 36 Nov 1st, 20 Nov 2nd and 48 Nov 16th SMC,RGM et al. Trevilley: nine Oct 17th, 14 Oct 18th MCCo,PCo,SMCo. Treveal: c.50 flew west Oct 19th VAS. Kenidjack: two Oct 22nd & 25th ARB,SMC. Hayle Est.: seven Oct 23rd DSF. Barras Nose: two Oct 25th-28th RP. Predannack: one Oct 26th SK. Godrevy Point: ten Oct 29th DTC. Porth Mear: one Oct 30th SMC. Padstow: one Nov 22nd SMC. Loe Bar: five Nov 25th-29th, seven Dec 6th, three Dec 9th-30th, two Dec 31st GJ,RK,DW. Booby's Bay: female Nov 28th PDs. Kynance Cove: one Dec 27th PG. The flock of 72 at Kelsey Head is a new county record.

YELLOWHAMMER - Emberiza citrinella Common resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. Winter visitor. Actual records were rather few and several observers commented on a general decline in a number of areas. DRC noted far fewer between Rame Head and Penlee Point than in previous years, whilst BRP commented on the continued decline at Gwallon. However, the species remains locally common on the Lizard and at Pelynt. As usual, records were widespread but relating to small numbers in the first winter period. However, 19 at Tregonetha Downs Feb 14th and 24 at Hayle Feb 27th were good counts. In the breeding season a small number of reports were received, most relating to three or less pairs, apart from nine singing males at Pelynt and five pairs each at Madron and Crowlas. A very late breeding record concerned an adult carrying food at Lamorna on Sep 15th, presumably feeding fledged young. During the autumn, a small number of records which may relate to migrants included five at Zennor Sep 7th, eight there Sep 14th and one at Nanjizal Oct 21st. Significant counts in late autumn and winter included up to 56 at Cleave Camp Oct 25th, 35 flying west at Rame Head Nov 1st, 10 at Par Beach Nov 9th, 21 at Kit Hill Nov 18th, 10 at Trethurgy Dec 8th, 10 at Penlee Point Dec 11th, up to 35 at Oldtown Cove Dec 15th and 25 at Trefreock Dec 19th. More records of winter flocks and breeding birds are required in order to monitor this apparently declining species.

141 CIRL BUNTING - Emberiza cirlus Rare resident. Breeds. Rare passage migrant. There has been a protracted decline over the last twenty years of this once common and widespread farmland species. In 1967 up to 15 pairs were located in the south east of the county and despite poor coverage in later years, birds were still present on fifteen sites in the county in 1975. The UK population is now almost exclusively restricted to south Devon. A recent increase there does not appear to have been reflected in Cornwall, as our small resident population is no longer viable. Falmouth area Male singing Mar 28th- Apr 8th, not heard subsequently and no female detected CLB,RCJ. St. Keverne area Site 1: male Jan lst-Feb 3rd, joined by a second male Jan 26th MCe. One of these birds may relate to the bird at Site 3. Site 2: female seen Apr 6th RCJ. Site 3: male on territory Apr 30th-Jul 27th, seen carrying food on Jul 20th but no female or young located subsequently RCJ,ARP. Elsewhere Millbrook: female Mar 2nd GDL. In addition, records, probably of this species, involved singles at Turnaware Point Jan 14th and near Hannafore Mar 24th. It appears that this bird has now been all but lost as a breeding species in the county. The rather sedentary nature of the UK population may preclude any natural spread of birds from the east side of Plymouth Sound, now our closest breeding site. 1995 Addition Hannafore: male singing Jun 17th PJR. 1977 Addition : three (one male) 'winter' NAC.

ORTOLAN BUNTING - Emberiza hortulana Scarce passage migrant (mainly autumn). Military Road, Penlee: male Sep 5th RWG. Zennor: 1st winter Sep 8th NRP. Porthgwarra: single 1st winters Sep 8th, 10th & 20th but three Sep 9th SMC,JHH,PAM,BKM,SR. Land's End: three Sep 22nd, one remaining next day RAwJFR et al. Nanjizal: one Sep 28th KAW. An excellent year involving at least ten birds, taking the mainland total to c.107. Monthly breakdown: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec ------7 76 20 - - Top sites: Sennen/Land's End 18, Porthgwarra 17, Lizard/Caerthillian 11, Nanquidno nine, Trevose Head seven.

REED BUNTING - Emberiza schoeniclus Resident. Breeds. Passage migrant. Winter visitor. Small numbers were widespread in the first winter period, the largest of which were nine at Par Beach Pool Jan 2nd and 10 at Tregonetha Downs Feb 18th. During the summer, breeding was confirmed at Nanjizal, Marazion Marsh (four pairs), Par Beach Pool (two pairs), Ding Dong and Crowlas, with pairs at another 10 sites. Autumn passage was relatively light involving c. 48 birds. Most were logged at traditional migration sites with Porthgwarra hosting a roost of up to 18 on Oct 17th. In the second winter period the only sizeable flocks were 30 at Halvana Plantation Nov 10th and 16 at Wendron Dec 6th.

142 CORN BUNTING - Emberiza calandra Resident. Breeds. Flocks outside the breeding season Cornwall remains the stronghold for this species in the south west, with the majority found along a narrow coastal strip on the north side of the county between Rumps Point and Godrevy Point (see Map 10). This is yet another farmland species undergoing a continual national decline. Land's End In spring one was at Land's End Apr 19th. The autumn produced three migrants on Nov 16th, two at Sennen and one at Porthgwarra. North Cliffs Wintering birds were noted at Gwithian until Apr 15th, with a maximum of 15 Mar 19th. In the breeding season a singing male was at Tehidy CP Jun 6th, but not subsequently. However, five pairs were located at RAF Portreath, where a flock of up to 35 had gathered by September. Perranporth to Porth Joke A single bird was at Polly Joke Apr 28th but not seen again. Newquay to Padstow In the first winter period the only wintering flock noted was at Trevose Farm, peaking at 51 birds Mar 5th. A total of 24 singing males were noted during the summer. During the autumn a flock gathered at Trevose Head, where up to 18 were present Oct 1 st. The only winter flock consisted of 26 at Porth Mear Dec 12th. North of Padstow Apart from two at Brea Hill Feb 8th, all records came from Pentire Farm, where nine singing males were noted during the summer and an autumn flock of 20 was located Sep 7th.

Map 10: Corn Bunting breeding distribution (singing males) 1996.

143 EXOTICA

BLACK SWAN - Cygnus atratus Escapee. Feral wanderer. The 1995 bird from Copperhouse Creek spent the year touring the county and was noted at the following sites: Hayle Est., Drift Res., Argal Res., Long Rock Pool and Loe Pool DE,GH,DSF et al. This at times highly mobile individual may well account for the record at the Lynher Est. Sep 14th AB,PB.

CHILOE WIGEON - Anas sibilatrix Escapee. Swanpool: one Mar 13th, two males Jul 30th-Aug 18th, pair Nov 28th CLB,BD,RCJ. Hayle Est.: male Sep 20th-Oct 2nd GJC,DSF,VAS et al.

All birds were considered to the escapes, most, likely originating from a collection at Maenporth.

LANNER FALCON - Falco biarmicus Polkerris: escaped falconer's bird Mar 31st, present in the area for around a week per GJC. REEVE'S PHEASANT - Syrmaticus reevesii St. Germans: very tame female noted during the year EHW.

BUDGERIGAR - Melopsittacus undulatus 1995 Addition Whitecross, Newquay: one green bird Jul 15th SMC.

AFRICAN GREY PARROT - Psittacus erithacus Bodmin: one May 22nd RLS.

DIAMOND DOVE - Geopelia cuneata Holmbush: one Sep lst-6th RL.

BLACK-NAPED ORIOLE - Oriolus chinensis St. Just: adult female Oct 28th-Nov 1st, taken to Paradise Park on latter date, when identified! DSF.

WHITE-SHOULDERED STARLING Towednack: one Oct lst-2nd MJR.

Pensilva: adult female mid-December into 1997, presumed same as above MPF,RS.

CANARY - Serinus canaria Bodmin: a brown and white bird Jan 24th-26th GJC et al. JAVA SPARROW - Padda oryzivora Pensilva: 11 Oct 28th RPe.

ZEBRA FINCH Holmbush: two Aug 31st-Seplst, one Nov 27th RL.

144 BBRC DECISIONS Little Shearwater Pendeen Watch Aug 2nd Not Accepted Little Shearwater Pendeen Watch Oct 15th Not Accepted Soft-plumaged Petrel sp. Porthgwarra Jun 11th Pending Soft-plumaged Petrel sp. Pendeen Watch Aug 24th Pending Cattle Egret Sennen/Drift Dec 29th-30th Not submitted American Wigeon Nanquidno Oct 30th-Nov 6th Pending Black Kite Carnon Downs Aug 20th Rejected Black Kite Camelford Aug 21st/25th Not Accepted Black Kite St. Agnes Head Sep 8th Not Accepted Gyr Falcon Wanson Mouth Apr 9th Not Accepted Gyr Falcon Crackington Haven Apr 13 Pending Black-winged Stilt Landulph Marsh Apr 21st Not Accepted Pallid Swift Nanquidno Aug 18th Pending Alpine Swift Nanquidno Jun 12th Pending Citrine Wagtail Porthgwarra May 14th Pending Siberian Stonechat Predannack Mar 2nd Not Accepted Subalpine Warbler Nanjizal Aug 27th Pending Rustic Bunting Nanjizal Oct 7th Pending

PENDING RECORDS - Details required All the 1996 records listed below require documentation, having not been submitted by the original observers. If you saw, or can confirm, any of these birds please contact the county recorder with details, including descriptions. Black-necked Grebe: Looe two Jan 7th. Cory's Shearwater: Porthgwarra two Aug 11th, two Aug 16th; St. Ives two Sep 13th; Scillonian III one Jul 17th. Purple Heron: Nancledra May 9th; St. Just May 29th. Red-breasted Goose: Port Isaac Jan 10th. Black Kite: Hayle May 25th; Sennen Jun 5th, Caer Bran Aug 16th; Roughtor Aug 23rd & 27th; near St. Tudy Aug 25th. Northern Goshawk: Caer Bran two Apr 10th; Loe Pool Sep 25th. Corn Crake: Nanquidno Aug 31st. Common Crane: Waterpit Down Jan 19th; Goldsithney six Dec 23rd. Baird's Sandpiper: Kynance Downs Oct 2nd. Sabine's Gull: St. Ives one Jan 7th; Scillonian III adult Aug 23rd, two juvs. Oct 5th. Ring-billed Gull: Swanpool 2nd winter Jan 1st, 1st winter Jan 27th & Dec 7th; Hayle Est. three adults Jan 7th; Camel Est. 1st winter Nov 11th; Par Beach Pool 1st winter Dec 20th; Loe Pool one Dec 31st. Yellow-legged Gull: Marazion Beach adult Jan 12th; Hannafore Point adult Mar 28th; Hayle Est. one Dec 2nd; Penzance adult Dec 20th; Falmouth adult Dec 26th. Richard's Pipit: Porthgwarra Sep 21 st & Oct 6th; Land's End one Sep 23rd & two Oct 12th; Nanjizal two Oct 8th & one Oct 25th; Nanquidno one Oct 9th-12th; Bosistow Oct 25th; Skewjack Nov 9th. Tawny Pipit: Land's End Sep 2nd & 9th; Caer Bran Sep 3rd; Nanquidno Oct 7th. Olive-backed Pipit: Church Cove, Lizard Oct 26th-30th. Icterine Warbler: Porthgwarra Sep 20th. Melodious Warbler: Porthgwarra Sep 8th. Subalpine Warbler: Porthcurno Aug 29th. Barred Warbler: Kenidjack Sep 22nd. Pallas's Warbler: Trevail Oct 31st. Red-breasted Flycatcher: Lizard Point Apr 20th; St. Levan Oct 30th-Nov 1st. Penduline Tit: Hayle Est. Dec 2nd. Woodchat Shrike: Land's End adult Jun 14th. European Serin: St. Levan one Oct 30th, two Dec 14th; St. Just one Nov 9th. Little Bunting: Nanquidno male Mar 24th; Porthgwarra Oct 25th. Ortolan Bunting: Land's End Apr 17th; Nanquidno Sep 7th.

145 FIRST & LAST DATES OF SUMMER MIGRANTS (Excluding wintering individuals)

Species Arrival Site Departure Site Jan 14th Mousehole Nov 7th Pendeen Watch European Storm-petrel May 19th Towan Head Nov 8th Church Cove Garganey Mar 16th Land's End Sep 29th Land's End Hobby Apr 20th Wicca Oct 13th Drift Res. Little Ringed Plover Mar 16th Copperhouse Creek Sep 21st Siblyback Res. Whimbrel Mar 5th Sennen Oct 17th Par Beach Wood Sandpiper May 11th Hayle Est. Oct 16th Drift Res. Sandwich Tern Mar 7th St Austell Bay Nov 9th Hayle Est. Common Tern Mar 21st St. Ives Oct 29th Pendeen Watch Arctic Tern Apr 20th Helford River Nov 16 St John's Lake Little Tern Apr 14th Marazion Beach Oct 15th Pendeen Watch Black Tern Apr 21st Lower Tamar Lake Oct 15th Pendeen Watch Puffin Apr 18th Downderry Nov 7th Towan Head Turtle Dove Mar 15th St. Ives Oct 24th Pentireglaze Cuckoo Apr 1st Stithians Res. Sep 18th Drift Res. Nightjar May 20th West Penwith Moors Oct 21st Nanjizal Swift Mar 24th Newquay Oct 22nd Nanquidno Sand Martin Mar 11th Nanjizal Oct 21st Pentewan Swallow Mar 20th Maenporth Nov 28th St. Just House Martin Mar 19th Marazion Marsh Nov 21st Nancledra Tree Pipit Mar 23rd Land's End Nov 1st Loe Pool Yellow Wagtail Mar 14th Caerthillian Oct 18th Hayle Est. Alba White Wagtail Mar 11th Caer Bran Oct 26th Lizard Redstart Apr 8th Penlee Point Nov 3rd Helston Whinchat Apr 20th Trevose Head Nov 4th Grade, Lizard Wheatear Mar 9th Wicca Nov 6th Swanpool Ring Ouzel Feb 11th Blackpool Clay Pit Dec 2nd Church Cove Grasshopper Warbler Apr 5th Maer Lake Oct 11th Nanjizal Sedge Warbler Mar 29th Par Beach Pool Nov 22nd Coverack Reed Warbler Mar 23rd Par Beach Pool Nov 16th Nanjizal Lesser Whitethroat Apr 20th Penlee Point Nov 6th Nanquidno Garden Warbler Mar 25th Siblyback Res. Nov 4th Lizard Common Whitethroat Apr 1st Nanjizal Nov 9th Church Cove Wood Warbler Apr 24th Dunmere Woods Oct 9th Downderry Willow Warbler Mar 4th New Mill Nov 10th Nanjizal Spotted Flycatcher Apr 22nd Land's End Nov 3rd St. Mawgan Pied Flycatcher Apr 18th Calstock Sep 29th Cot Valley

CONTRIBUTORS

R.C. Abbott (RCA) Mr Allen (A) D.J. Barker (DJB) R.M. Bellinger (RMB) G.R. Adams (GRA) P. Allen (PA) D.C. Barker (DCB) I. Berry (IB) M.K. Ahmad (MKA) M. Anderson (MAo) J. Barker (JB) P. Berry (PBy) PG. Akers (PGA) R. Andrew (RAw) C.C. Barnard (CCB) C.L. Bingham (CLB) M. Albus (MA) A.E.C. Aston (AECA) M.E. Bazeley (MEB) A.R. Birch (ARB) P.M. Alexander (PMA) A. Atkinson (AAn) R.J. Bedford (RJB) S. Bird (SBd) PH. Aley (PHA) M. Atkinson (MAn) M. Beer (MB) Birding South R. Allen (RA) M. Attrill (MAI) J. Beer (JB) West(BSW) R.E. Allen (REA) J.F. Babbington (JFB) C&C. Beesley (C&CB) A. Blonden (AB)

146 P. Blonden (PB) Drift Hide Log E.C. James (ECJ) A.J. Musgrove (AJM) B.D. Blowers (BDB) P.A. Dukes (PAD) J.W. James (JWJ) D.M. Norman (DMN) A.P Blunden (APB) I. Dunn (IDn) R.C. James (RCJ) W.C. Northcott (WCN) A.J. Bond (AJB) E. Dunn (ED) V. James (VJ) J.C. Oliver (JCO) S.J. Bond (SJB) A. Dunstan (AD) A. Jayne (AJ) A.J. Park (AJP) J. Bonser (JBr) Mr. Easternbrook (E) G. Jeffery (GJ) S.A. Park (SAP) C.L. Bourne (CLBo) P. Edmonds (PE) R. Jennett (RJ) B.R. Pattenden (BRP) C.G. Bradshaw (CGB) S.B. Edwards (SBE) A.M. Jewels (AMJ) A.R. Pay (ARP) S. Broad (SBo) S.M. Ellis (SME) A.W.G. John (AWGJ) D.H. Payne (DHP) D. Brown (DBn) D. Eva (DE) D.L. Johnson (DLJ) R. Pearce (RPe) I.H. Brown (IHB) R. Eynon (RE) R.A. Johnson (RAJn) P. Pearce (PPr) R.J. Brunton (RJBn) C. Eyre (CE) N. Johnstone (NJ) S.J. Pearman (SJP) Burniere Hide Log. J.H. Finch (JHF) K.L. Jones (KLJ) K. Pellow (KP) J.D. Bryden (JDB) Mrs. Flemming (F) R.A. Jones (RAJ) R. Penhaligon (RPn) B. Bryne (BB) D.S. Flumm (DSF) K. Jones (KJ) R.D. Penhallurick A. Bull (AB1) A. Francombe (AF) D.I. Julian (DIJ) (RDP) S. Bury (SB) P.A. Fraser (PAF) S.J. Julian (SJJ) J.C. Pett (JCP) H.K. Butcher (HKB) P. French (PF) T.R. Kay (TRK) N.R. Phillips (NRP) R. Butts (RB) M.P. Frost (MPF) J. Kay (JK) R.M. Phillips (RMP) Caradon Field & Natural D.M. Ferguson (DMF) D.F. Kelley (DFK) N.J. Phillips (NJP) History Club (CFNHC) J. Gask (JG) P. Kemp (PK) S. Pilbeam (SP) T.M. Carne (TMC) S. Geary (SG) R. Kemp (RK) T.K. Plummer (TKP) E.J. Carne (EJCe) T. George (TG) I. Kendall (IK) F. Potts (FP) B. Cave (BC) G. Goddard (GGd) M. Knott (MK) P. Priske (PP) J. Chapel (JCh) P. Goodfellow (PGw) S. Kolodziejski (SK) A.H. Pulsford (AHP) D. Chapman (DCm) R.W. Gould (RWG) R. Lane (RL) C. Purser (CP) G. Charlton (GC) E. Grace (EG) C. Lang (CLg) Mrs C. Purser (CPu) L.H. Charlton (LHC) N.L. Grace (NLG) A. Langdon (ALn) R Pyefinch (RP) T.D. Charlton (TDC) M. Graham (MGr) A.A. Langford (AAL) RAFOS P.S. Chesbrough (PSC) G.S. Grant (GSG) M. Langman (MLg) A. Ravenscroft (AR) J. Chesher (JCr) P. Greenstreet (PG) J. Lawman (JL) P.J. Reay (PJR) D.J. Chown (DJC) R. Greenwood (RG) M. Lawson (MLw) J.M. Reid (JMRd) S.M. Christophers E. Griffiths (EGs) R.J. Lee (RJL) D. Rendle (DR) (SMC) E.G. Gynn (EGG) M. Leggatt (MLt) T. Riddle (TR) B. Chugg (BCh) G.G. Gynn (GGG) D.M. Lewis (DML) D.J. Rigby (DJR) D. Churchill (DC1) T.S. Hale (TSH) G.D. Lewis (GDL) D. Riley (RDR) D. Clegg (DCg) M.C. Hall (MCH) C.F. Line (CFL) S.C. Robinson (SCR) C.B. Cole (CBC) J.S. Hampshire (JSH) S.M. Lister (SML) N. Robinson (NR) D.T. Collinge (DTC) R.E. Hannaford (REH) R.C. Loader (RCL) M.J. Rogers (MJR) M. Combe (MCe) A. Harris (AHs) L. Lock (LL) S. Rogers (SR) P. Combridge (PCo) J. Harris (JH) D. Lord (DL) G.P.G. Rowe (GPGR) M.C. P. Harrison (PH) M. Lord (ML) S.G. Rowe (SGR) Combridge(MCCo) L. Hart (LH) A. Lord (AL) RSPB S.M. Combridge A. Hathway (AH) S.C. Madge (SCM) M.J. Rule (MJRe) (SMCo) R. Hathway (RH) P.A. Maker (PAM) S. Rundle (SRe) D.A. Conway (DAC) J.B. Hawken (JBH) S.F. Marshall (SFM) P.A. Rutter (PAR) G.J. Conway (GJC) J.H. Hawkey (JHH) H. Marshall (HMI) J.F. Ryan (JFR) I.M.E. Conway (IMEC) M.J. Healan (MJH) R.G. Marshall (RGM) L.A.H. Sari (LAHS) E.J. Cook (EJC) C.D.R. Heard (CDRH) J.P. Martin (JPM) I.C.S. Scott (ICSS) C. Coombes (CC) D.J.D. Hickman (DJDH) J. Martin (JM) M. Scott-Ham (MSH) EM. Couch (FMC) M. Hill (MH) A. Mason (AM) M.P. Semmens (MPS) D.R. Courtnell (DRC) G. Hobin (GH) C. Mason (CM) L. Sharrock (LS) B.T. Craven (BTC) F.H. Honeychurch R. Mason (RM) L.E. Sheppard (LES) M. Crawley (MC) (FHH) M. May (MM) J.J. Shillingford (JJS) Crowdy Hide Log W. Hoogendoorn (WH) P.M. McGenity (PMM) P.T. Sillifant (PTS) P. Cunningham (PC) R.J. .Hooton (RJH) J. McGill (JMcG) R. Smaldon (RSn) D.J. Curtis (DJCs) M. Hunt (MHt) E. McKenzie (EM) J.R. Smart (JRS) A.M.J. Davey (AMJD) R. Hurrell (RH1) J.D. McKenzie (JDM) R.L. Smith (RLS) P. Davies (PDs) I. Husk (IH) S. McMahon (SMcM) M. Southam (MS) N.E. Davies (NED) I. Hyde (IHy) P.J. McVey (PJMcV) A. Spalding (ASg) I. Davis (ID) S. Jack (SJ) B.K .Mellow (BKM) H.A. Spiller (HAS) DBWPS G.C. Jackson (GCJ) H. Meredith (HM) I. Standivan (IS) T.J. Dingle (TJD) D. Jackson (DJ) G.R. Mills (GRM) I.R. Stewart (IRS) B. Dodd (BD) S.F. Jackson (SFJ) D. Mitchell (DM) W. Stewart (WS)

147 Stithians Hide Log (LACT) (RGW) J.H. Wilson (JHW) R. Stockhausen (RS) V.R. Tucker (VRT) C.C. White (CCW) E.J. Wilson (EJW) J. Stockhausen (JS) M. Tunmore (MT) W.J. White (WJW) A.M. Wilson (AMW) V.A. Stratton (VAS) R.E. Wake (REW) G.R. White (GRW) W.A. Wolfenden RL. Stubbs (PLS) P.A. Wakelin (PAW) M. White (MW) (WAW) G.P. Sutton (GPS) G. Walbridge (GW) I.C. Whitehouse (ICW) M. Wolfenden (MWn) G.J. Tamblin (GJT) D. Walbridge (DWe) S.C. Wicks (SCW) D. Wood (DW) P. Taylor (PT) J. Waldon (JWn) M.K. Wightman P. Wood (PWd) D.L. Thomas (DLT) J. Walford (JW) (MKW) A. Wort (AW) G.H. Thomas (GHT) P. Waller (PWr) R.W. Wilkins (RWW) N. Wort (NW) M.S. Thomas (MST) Walmsley Hide Log M.J. Wilkinson (MJW) B.C. Wooton (BCW) R.B. Treleaven (RBT) P. Walsh (PWh) L.P. Williams (LPW) J. Wright (JWt) Trelonk Hide Log B.L. Webb (BLW) P. Williams (PW) M. Yapp (MY) G.G. Trenerry (GGT) N. Whillock (NWk) E.H. Williams (EHW) D.M. Yelland (DMY) L.A.C. Truscott R.G. Whitcombe K.A. Wilson (KAW) F. Yelland (FY)

GAZETTEER

This list contains most of the place names mentioned in the Systematic List.

Grid references refer to the four-figure square in which the site (or the majority of it) lies. All sites are marked on the 1:25 000 or 1:50 000 Ordnance Survey maps (Landranger series). Sheets 190, 200, 201, 203 and 204 relate to Cornwall.

Altarnun SX2281 Brea Hill SW9277 Clitters SX3772 Amble Marshes SW9874 Breney Common SX0561 Clodgy Point SW5041 Angarrack SW5838 Bude SS2106 Coldrose Farm SW8248 Argal Reservoir SW7632 Bude Bay SS1607 Coldvreath SW9858 B arras Nose SX0589 Bude Marshes SS2005 College Reservoir SW7633 Bass Point SW7111 Cadgwith SW7214 Colliford Reservoir SX1772 Bastreet SX2476 Cadsonbury SX3467 Com Head SW9480 Bear Wood SX1164 Caer Bran SW4029 Common Moor SX2469 Bear's Downs SW8968 Caerhays SW9741 Constantine SW7329 Bearah Tor SX2574 Caerthillian Cove SW6913 Constantine Bay SW8574 Bedruthan Steps SW8469 Calstock SX4368 Cooksland SX0867 Beeny Cliff SX1092 Camborne SW6540 Copperhouse Creek SW5637 Black Head, St. Austell SX0447 Camel Estuary SW9374 Cot Valley SW3630 Blackpool Clay Pit SW9854 Camel Quarry SW9537 Cotehele SX4268 Bodgara SX2686 Camelford SX1083 Cotehele Woods SX4268 Bodmin Moor SX1876 Cape Cornwall SW3531 Coverack SW7818 Bodmin Parkway Stn SX1164 Carbis Bay SW5239 Crafthole SX3654 Bodmin Sewage Works SX0566 Cardinham SX1268 Crantock SW7860 Bolingey Marsh SW7653 Cardinham Woods SX1067 Crean SW3824 Bone Valley SW4632 Cargenwen/Crowan Res. SW6535 Creney Farm SX0761 Bonython SW6920 Cargreen SX4362 Croft Pascoe Pltn SW7219 Booby's Bay SW8575 Cam Brea, Camborne SW6840 Croft Pascoe Pool SW7319 Borlase Wood SW8540 Cam Brea, St. Just SW3828 Crowdy Reservoir SX1483 Bosanketh SW3826 Cam Galver SW4236 Crowlas SW5133 Boscastle SX0990 Cammenellis SW6936 Crows-an-Wra SW3927 Boscathnoe Reservoir SW4531 Camsew Pool SW5537 Cubert SW7857 Boscawen Park SW8343 Carrick Roads SW8335 Cudden Point SW5427 Boscoppa SX0253 Castle Beach SW8131 Culdrose SW6626 Bosigran SW4236 Castle-an-Dinas (East) SW9462 Cury SW6721 Bosistow SW3623 Cat's Cove SW8576 Cutcrew Mill SX3386 Boskenna SW4125 Catchall SW4327 Cutmere Bridge SX3296 Boslowick SW7931 Cawsand SX4350 Dannonchapel SX0382 Boslymon SX0761 Cawsand Bay SX4450 Davidstow Airfield SX1485 Bosporthennis SW4336 Chapel Porth SW6949 Davidstow Woods SX1484 Bossiney SX0689 Cheesewring SX2572 Degibna Wood SW6525 Boswednack SW4437 Church Cove, Lizard SW7112 Denzill Mill SW8956 Botallack SW3632 Cleave Camp SS2012 Devoran SW7939 Bradford SX1175 Clifton SX4264 Dinas Head SW8476 148 Ding Dong SW4334 Hayle Estuary SW5537 Lostwithiel SX1059 Dinham Bridge SX0373 Hayle Kimbro Pool SW6916 Lower Boscaswell SW3734 Dodman Point SX0039 Hayle Mill Pond SW5583 Lower Brynn SW9862 Dollar Cove SW3425 Helford SW7526 Lower Tamar Lake SS2911 Downderry SX3253 Helford River SW7726 Luckett Woods SX3972 Doyden Point SW9680 Hell's Mouth SW6042 Lundy Bay SW9579 Dozmary Pool SX1974 Helman Tor SX0661 Luxulyan Valley SX0557 Drift Reservoir SW4329 Helston SW6627 Lye Rock SX0689 Duloe SX2358 Helston Amenity Area SW6526 Lynher Estuary SX3955 Dunmere SX0467 Helston Lake SW6527 Madron SW4531 Dunmere Wood SX0468 Helston Sewage Works SW6532 Maenporth SW7829 Duporth SX0351 Hendersick Farm SX2352 Maer Lake SS2007 East Looe River SX2554 Hepwell SX3064 Maker Heights SX4351 Eastern Green Beach SW4830 High Cliff SX1294 Malpas SW8442 Egloshayle SX0072 Higher Crill Farm SW7783 Marazion Beach SW5031 Empacombe SX4452 Higher Kenneggy SW5628 Marazion Marsh SW5031 Enniscaven SW9659 Higher Tregiffian SW3627 Marshgate SX1591 Epphaven Cove SW9679 Holman's Moors SW4839 Maudlin, Liskeard SX2664 Falmouth SW8032 Holmbush SX0352 Mawgan Porth SW8467 Falmouth Bay SW8130 Holywell Bay SW7659 Meachard SX0991 Fishing Cove SW5942 Hudder Down SW6042 Men-An-Tol SW4234 Foage SW4637 Hustyn Downs SX0067 Menabilly SX1051 Forder SX4250 Idless SW8247 Menadarva SW6141 Four Lanes SW6838 Illogan SW6744 Merope Rocks SW8676 Fowey SX1251 Indian Queens SW9158 Merry Meeting SX0874 Fowey Estuary SX1254 Industry SX2357 Mevagissey SX0144 Freathy SX3952 Jubilee Pool, Penzance SW4729 Mevagissey Bay SX0245 Gannel Estuary SW7961 Kea Wood SW8442 Middle Taphouse SX1763 Garras SW7023 Kelsey Head SW7660 Military Road, Penlee SX4349 Garvinack Farm SW7748 Kelynack SW3730 Milladon Pond SX3315 Gerran's Bay SW9037 Kenidjack SW3632 Millbrook SX4252 Gillhouse SX1873 Kennack Sands SW7316 Millbrook Lake SX4352 Glebe Cliff SX0488 Killigerran Head SW8732 Minnows Islands SW8572 Godrevy Island SW5743 Kings Wood SX0048 Molenick SX3361 Godrevy Point SW5743 Kingsand SX4350 Morvah SW4035 Golant SX1254 Kingsmill Lake SX4261 Mother Ivey's Bay SW8676 Goldsithney SW5430 Kit Hill SX3771 Mount Pleasant SX0062 Golitha/Draynes Wood SX2268 Kynance Cove, Lizard SW6813 Mount's Bay SW4930 Goonhilly Downs SW7219 Labour-in-Vain SW6744 Mousehole SW4726 Gorran Haven SW0141 Ladock Wood SW8851 Mullion SW6718 Goss Moor SW9459 Lady Downs, Penwith SW4736 Mullion Island SW6617 Great Grogley Downs SX0167 Lamanva SW7631 Murrayton SX2854 Grogley Halt SX0156 Lamelgate SX2170 Nanjizal SW3523 Gull Rock, Boscastle SX1193 Lamoma SW4424 Nanquidno SW3629 Gull Rock, Portreath SW6445 Lamoma Cove SW4524 Nare Head SW9137 Gulland Rock SW8778 Land's End SW3425 Nare Point SW8025 Gulval SW4831 Landulph Marsh SX4261 Navax Point SW5943 Gun Point SW9176 Laneast SX2283 New Mill SW4534 Gunwalloe Marsh SW6621 Lanhydrock SX0863 Newbridge, Callington SX3467 Gurnard's Head SW4338 Latchbrook SX4059 Newbridge, Penzance SW4231 Gwallon SW5231 Latchley SX4073 Newland SW9181 Gwavas SW7113 Lelant SW5437 Newlyn SW4628 Gweek SW7026 Lerryn SX1357 Newquay Bay SW8162 Gwithian SW5841 Liskeard SX2564 Newton Moor SW6738 Gwithian Towans SW5841 Little Petherick Creek SX9273 Nine Maidens SW4335 Halton Quay SX4165 Lizard Downs SW6913 Ninestones Bridge SX2317 Halvana Plantation SX2077 Lizard Point SW6911 North Bowda SX2477 Hannafore SX2552 Lizard Village SW7012 North Cliffs SW6243 Hannafore Point SX2552 Loe Bar SW6424 Northcott Mouth SS2008 Hannibal's Cam SW4336 Loe Beach SW8238 Padstow SW9274 Harlyn SW8775 Loe Pool SW6424 Par SX0753 Harlyn Bay SW8775 Loe Valley SW6526 Par Bay SX0852 Harlyn Pools SW8775 Long Rock Pool SW5031 Par Beach SX0853 Hawk's Tor, Temple SX1475 Looe SX2553 Par Beach Pool SX0853 Hawkstor Clay Pit SX1474 Looe Estuary SX2553 Par Moor SX0552 Haye SX4166 Looe Island SX2551 Park Head SW8470

149 Pelynt SX2054 Porthmissen SW8976 St. Buryan SW4025 Pemboa SW6826 Portholland SW9541 St. Cleer SX2468 Pen Enys Point SW4841 Porthoustock SW8021 St. Clement SW8543 Pen Olver SW7111 Porthpean SX0350 St. Clement Woods SW8248 Penberth SW3923 Portnadler Bay SX2451 St. Clements Isle SW4726 Pencalenick SW8545 Portreath SW6545 St. Columb Major SW9163 Pencarrow, Bodmin SX0471 Portscatho SW8735 St. Columb Minor SW8462 Pendarves SW6437 Poughill SS2208 St. Columb Porth SW8362 Pendeen SW3834 Praa Sands SW5828 St. Dominick Church SX3967 Pendeen Watch SW3735 Predannack SW6816 St. Enodoc Golf Course SW9376 Pendower Beach SW8938 Priory Park Bodmin SX0736 St. Erth Pools SW5435 SW7756 Probus SW8947 St. Eval SW8868 Penjerrick SW7730 Prussia Cove SW5527 St. Germans SX3657 Penlee Point,Mousehole SW4726 Quoit Farm SW9261 St. Ives SW5140 Penlee Point,Rame Hd SX4448 RAF Portreath SW6746 St. Ives Bay SW5439 Penlee Woods SX4449 RAF St. Mawgan SW8664 St. Ives Island SW5241 Penpol Creek, Feock SW8138 Ralph's Cupboard SW6445 St. John Ford SX4153 Penrose, Loe Pool SW6425 Rame, Rame Head SX4249 St. John's Lake SX4254 Penryn SW7834 Rame Head SX4148 St. Just SW3631 Penryn River SW7934 Redhill Downs SX1671 St. Just Airfield SW3728 Pensilva SX2969 Redmoor SX0762 St. Keverne SW7821 Pentargon SX1091 Rejerrah SW7955 St. Levan SW3722 Pentewan SX0147 Relubbus SW5631 St. Loy SW4223 Pentewan Beach SX0247 Reskadinnick SW6341 St. Mawes SW8433 Pentire Farm SW9380 Reskajeage Downs SW6343 St. Mawgan SW8765 Pentire Point SW9280 Respryn SX0963 St. Mellion SX3865 Pentire Point East SW7861 Restronguet Creek SW8038 St. Michael's Mount SW5129 Pentire Point West SW7761 Retallack SW9366 St. Minver SW9677 Penzance SW4730 River Neet SS2208 Stannon Clay Pit SX1280 Percuil SW8534 Roche SW9860 Stepper Point SW9178 Perranporth SW7554 Rocky Valley SX0789 Stithians Reservoir SW7136 Perranporth SW7554 Rosemelling Pool SX0456 Stoke Climsland SX3674 Perranuthnoe SW5329 Rosemergy SW4136 Stonaford SX2577 Pinkson Creek SW9473 Downs SW9567 Stratton SS2206 Pityme SW9576 Rosewastis SW9161 Summercourt SW8856 Plaidy SX2653 Rospannel SW3926 Summerleaze Beach SS2006 Plusha SX2580 Rosudgeon SW5529 Swanpool SW8031 Polbrock SX0169 SX1481 Swanpool Beach SW8031 Poldhu Cove SW6619 Ruan Lanihorne SW8841 Swanvale SW7931 Poldhu Marsh SW6720 Rumps Point SW9381 Talland Bay SX2251 Polgigga SW3723 Ryan's Field SW5436 Tater-du SW4423 Polhawn Cove SX4149 Salter Mill SX4316 Tehidy Country Park SW6443 Polly Joke SW7760 Samphire Island SW6344 Temple Tor Pools SX1373 Polmarkyn SX3335 Sancreed SW4129 The Mouls SW9381 Polridmouth Cove SX1050 Seaton SX3054 The Sisters SX0689 Poison SX3584 Sennen SW3626 Tideford SX3459 Poltesco SX7215 Sennen Cove SW3526 SX0588 Polwheveral Creek SW7328 Sharp Tor SX2673 Torpoint SX4354 Popesmill SX2763 Shell Woods SX0872 Towan Beach SW8732 Porkellis Moor SW6832 Shillingham Creek SX4025 Towan Head SW7962 Port Isaac SW9980 Short Island SX0790 Towednack SW4838 Port Quin SW9780 Siblyback Reservoir SX2371 Townshend SW5932 Portgaverne SX0080 Silverwell SW7548 Treen, Boswednack SW4337 Porth, Newquay SW8362 Skewjack SW3624 Treen, Porthcurno SW3922 Porth Joke SW7760 Smallacombe Pltn SX2275 Tregantle Fort SX3853 Porth Kidney Beach SW5438 Soap Cove SW6714 Tregathenan SW6530 Porth Mear, Park Head SW8471 Spit Beach SX0752 Tregembo SW5731 Porth Reservoir SW8662 St. Agnes SW7250 Tregonetha Downs SW9562 Porth-cadjack Cove SW6444 St. Agnes Head SW6951 Tregoss Moor SW9760 Porthallow SW7923 St. Andrew's Pool SX0754 Tremayne Quay SW7225 Porthcothan SW8571 St. Anthony, St. Mawes SW8532 Trenance Lake SW8160 Porthcurno SW3822 St. Austell Bay SW0651 Trengwainton SW4431 Porthgwarra SW3621 St. Austell Sew. Works SX0125 Trerulefoot SX3358 Porthleven SW6225 St. Blazey SX0654 Tresamble SW7539 Porthmeor, Zennor SW4337 St. Breock Downs SW9668 Tresemple Pool SW8544 Porthmeor Beach SW5140 St. Breward SX0976 Tresillian SW8646

150 Tresillian River SW8444 Trewey Common SW4636 Werrington SX3287 Treskilling SX0357 Trewornan Bridge SW9874 West Looe River SX2454 Treskilling Clay Pit SX0357 Treyarnon Bay SW8574 West Pentire SW7760 Trethurgy SX0355 Truro River SW8342 West Taphouse SX1563 Trevail SW4740 Turnaware Point SW8338 Westerlake Farm SX2171 Trevanson SW9772 Tywardreath Marsh SX0854 Western Cove SW6445 Trevaylor Woods SW4632 United Downs SW7441 Wherry Town SW4729 Treveal SW4740 Upper Fowey Valley SX2173 Whitsand Bay SX3851 Treverbyn SX2067 Upper Tamar Lake SS2812 Wicca SW4739 Trevescan SW3524 Vault Bay SX0140 Widemouth Bay SS2002 Trevilley SW3524 Wacker Quay SX3895 Winnard's Perch SW9266 Trevone SW8975 Wadebridge Sew. Wks SW9817 Woon Gumpus Common SW3933 Trevorrian SW3726 Walmsley Sanctuary SW9974 Zacry's Island SW8363 Trevose Farm SW8675 Watergate Bay SW8364 Zelah SW8151 Trevose Head SW8576 Wendron SW6731 Zennor SW4538

RINGING REPORT - 1996 A total of 5018 birds were ringed during the year, which is almost double any annual total achieved during the last 15 years. This massive increase is down to the extensive efforts of Kester Wilson at Nanjizal. Four species were ringed for the first time since 1979, when formal ringing reports started, these being Paddy field Warbler, Little Stint, Turtle Dove and Moorhen. In addition Yellow- browed Warbler and Common Redpoll were ringed for the second and fifth time, respectively. A big increase in the number of European Storm-petrels ringed has already generated a good quantity of movement data. Now that large numbers of common passerines are also being caught this should reveal some very useful information regarding survival and breeding success in our region, as well as information on movements and migration.

TABLE 1 : CONTRIBUTORS Contributor Full Pulli Site

S.M. Christophers _ 8 Trevose/St. Columb G.J. Conway 841 14 Mid-Cornwall/Nanquidno F.M. Couch 180 109 Bodmin/Truro M. George 7 - East Cornwall G.G. Gynn 588 5 Boswednack/Marazion A.W.G. John 9 - East Cornwall N.J. Phillips 6 - Penzance B.R. Pattenden 373 - Marazion D. Riley 26 - Rospannel PL. Stubbs 57 - Lizard Barn Owl Trust - 10 East Cornwall K.A. Wilson 2788 - Nanjizal

TABLE 2. SYSTEMATIC LIST OF SPECIES RINGED. Ringing Totals 1996 1979-1996 Full grown Pulli Total Full grown Pulli Total

Northern Fulmar _ _ _ 4 _ 4 Manx Shearwater 2 - 2 4 - 4 European Storm-petrel 341 - 341 86 - 86 - - - 2 - 2 Mute Swan 1 - 1 116 - 116 Common Shelduck - - - 8 - 8 - - - 1 - 1 Common Scoter - - - 1 - 1 Eurasian Sparrowhawk 7 - 7 22 2 24

151 - - - 5 21 26 Common Kestrel - - - 4 30 34 Water Rail 9 - 9 20 - 20 Spotted Crake - 5 - 5 Moorhen 1 - 1 1 - 1 Oystercatcher - - - 657 7 664 Great Ringed Plover - - 344 - 344 Northern Lapwing - - - 24 3 27 Red Knot - - - 6 - 6 Sanderling - - - 23 - 23 Little Stint 1 - 1 1 - 1 Curlew Sandpiper - - - 8 - 8 Dunlin 1 - 1 1490 - 1490 Jack Snipe 1 - 1 1 - 1 Common Snipe 3 - 3 15 - 15 Woodcock 2 - 2 1 - 1 Black-tailed Godwit - - - 8 - 8 Bar-tailed Godwit - - - 1 - 1 Whimbrel - - - 5 - 5 - - - 124 - 124 Spotted Redshank - - - 7 - 7 Common Redshank - - - 297 297 - Common Greenshank - - - 49 - 49 Turnstone - - - 57 - 57 Black-headed Gull - - - 33 63 96 Herring Gull - - - 14 - 14 Kittiwake - - - 1 - 1 Common Guillemot - - - 24 - 24 Razorbill - - - 1 - 1 Little Auk - - - 1 - 1 Stock Dove - - - - 4 4 Wood Pigeon 1 - 1 7 10 17 Collared Dove - - - 21 4 25 Turtle Dove 1 - 1 1 - 1 Common Cuckoo - - - 2 3 5 Barn Owl 2 15 17 22 191 213 Little Owl - - - 1 2 3 Tawny Owl 3 4 7 16 56 72 Long-eared Owl - - - 1 - 1 Short-eared Owl - - - 1 - 1 European Nightjar 2 - 2 4 - 4 Common Swift - - - 4 - 4 Common Kingfisher 4 - 4 14 - 14 Green Woodpecker - - - 5 - 5 Great Spotted Woodpecker 2 - 2 8 - 8 Skylark - - - - 6 6 Sand Martin 24 - 24 132 - 132 Barn Swallow 555 4 559 5333 625 5958 House Martin - - - 37 25 62 Tree Pipit 1 - 1 8 7 15 Meadow Pipit 6 - 6 78 15 93 Rock Pipit - 4 4 - 9 9 Water Pipit - - - 1 - 1 Yellow Wagtail - - - 41 - 41 Grey Wagtail 7 - 7 24 50 74 Pied Wagtail 5* - 5* 173 74 247 Dipper 14 16 30 179 425 604 Wren 216 - 216 1312 24 1336 Hedge Accentor 143 - 143 999 15 1014 Robin 193 - 193 1381 62 1443 Bluethroat - - - 1 - 1 Black Redstart - - - 2 - 2 Common Redstart 2 - 2 12 25 37 Whinchat - - - 12 - 12 Common Stonechat 4 - 4 53 10 63

152 Northern Wheatear - - - 331 320 651 Blackbird 167 - 167 1018 115 1133 Fieldfare - - - 4 - 4 Song Thrush 124 - 124 330 34 364 Redwing 112 - 112 158 - 158 Mistle Thrush - - - 6 12 18 Cetti's Warbler 25 - 25 130 - 130 Grasshopper Warbler 4 - 4 28 - 28 Aquatic Warbler 5 - 5 35 - 35 Sedge Warbler 717 4 721 3515 - 3515 Marsh Warbler - - - 2 - 2 Reed Warbler 326 1 327 3466 4 3470 Paddyfield Warbler 1 - 1 1 - 1 Icterine Warbler - - - 1 - 1 Melodious Warbler 1 - 1 1 - 1 Lesser Whitethroat 2 - 2 16 - 16 Common Whitethroat 169 - 169 293 - 293 Garden Warbler 26 - 26 164 - 164 Blackcap 78 - 78 698 - 698 Pallas's Leaf Warbler - - - 1 - 1 Yellow-browed Warbler 1 - 1 2 - 2 Wood Warbler - - - 1 - 1 Chiffchaff 335 - 335 1172 8 1180 Willow Warbler 263 - 263 1679 108 1787 Goldcrest 113 - 113 1178 - 1178 Firecrest 34 - 34 85 - 85 Spotted Flycatcher 8 - 8 35 69 104 Red-breasted Flycatcher - - - 2 - 2 Pied Flycatcher 6 12 18 61 554 615 Bearded Tit - - - 1 - 1 Long-tailed Tit 57 - 57 720 1 721 Marsh Tit - - - 134 52 186 Willow Tit - - - 123 - 123 Coal Tit 2 - 2 205 45 250 Blue Tit 206 50 256 5247 2325 7572 Great Tit 77 17 94 1363 462 1825 European Nuthatch 2 19 21 28 105 133 Eurasian Treecreeper - - - 95 6 101 Eurasian Jay - - - 9 - 9 Magpie - - - 20 32 52 Eurasian Jackdaw 6 - 6 40 12 52 Rook - - - 12 - 12 Carrion Crow - - - 4 25 29 Common Starling 103 - 103 1351 - 1351 House Sparrow 26 - 26 449 1 450 Red-eyed Vireo - - - 1 - 1 Chaffinch 188 - 188 1459 32 1491 Brambling 1 - 1 30 - 30 Greenfinch 29 - 29 3102 32 3134 Goldfinch 15 - 15 100 12 112 Siskin 1 - 1 58 - 58 Linnet 1 - 1 177 18 195 Common Redpoll 1 - 1 5 - 5 Bullfinch 55 - 55 584 3 587 Hawfinch - - - 1 - 1 Yellowhammer 1 - 1 166 7 173 Cirl Bunting - - - - 3 3 Little Bunting - - - 1 - 1 Reed Bunting 30 - 30 553 4 557 Corn Bunting - - - 1 21 22

TOTALS 4872 146 5018 43752 6186 49938 * inch one White Wagtail

153 TABLE 3 : SELECTED LONGEVITY RECORDS.

Species Ring no. Ringed Recovered Y.M.D.*

Shag 1049141 18.01.67 15.01.89 21.11.28 Mute Swan Z46912 28.11.81 10.03.95 14.03.17 Common Buzzard GM18944 09.06.74 30.09.85 11.03.21 Oystercatcher SS95351 16.08.72 30.08.93 21.00.14 Great Ringed Plover - 11.08.72 26.08.80 8.00.15 Dunlin BA99271 22.09.66 04.12.74 8.02.20 Common Redshank DR43516 28.08.77 03.08.85 7.11.06 Eurasian Curlew FV42925 08.08.78 01.09.93 15.00.24 Black-headed Gull 3102129 28.05.67 25.11.84 17.05.28 Great Black-backed Gull HU17936 05.06.70 31.07.84 14.01.05 Tawny Owl GP57273 07.06.75 22.10.93 18.04.14 Collared Dove EC77498 21.11.65 28.07.79 13.08.06 Dipper CP58458 14.05.70 25.09.78 8.04.11 Song Thrush RX31113 20.07.84 01.07.90 5.00.12 Redwing BV13494 06.11.74 12.01.82 7.02.06 Cetti's Warbler HI77740 01.09.91 28.07.95 3.10.27 Sedge Warbler - 21.08.77 09.08.92 4.11.19 Reed Warbler JS49967 07.05.74 16.05.82 8.00.09 Willow Warbler 8B4086 07.06.80 01.07.84 4.00.24 Pied Flycatcher El 53965 04.06.87 08.06.93 6.00.04 Blue Tit B329459 03.09.81 13.06.87 5.09.10 Great Tit - 13.07.76 31.07.82 6.00.18 Magpie EH89906 04.06.85 07.04.93 7.10.03 Common Starling XX15131 31.12.74 31.01.82 8.01.00 * Elapse time in Years, Months and Days between ringing and finding.

LIST OF RECOVERIES AND CONTROLS

This list contains details of birds controlled (i.e. caught and released by a ringer) or recovered (i.e. found dead) in Cornwall in 1996 and previous years.

EURING code for age of bird when ringed (Note figures are not in years) 1 pullus (nestling or chick). 2 full grown, year of hatching unknown. 3J hatched during calendar year of ringing. 4 hatched before calendar year of ringing, but exact year unknown. 5 hatched during previous calendar year. 6 hatched before previous calendar year, but exact year unknown.

Sex M - Male Female

Code for manner of recovery X found dead or dying R caught and released by ringer -I- shot or killed by man FR field record, ring number or colour marks determined in field Abbreviations used for foreign ringing schemes NLA Arnhem Netherlands HGB Budapest Hungary FRP Paris France SFH Helsinki Finland NOS Stavanger Norway

European Storm-petrel 2446107 4 26.06.96 Portland Bill, Dorset. R 21.07.96 Rumps Point (GJC). 174km W 25 days

154 2267585 4 28.06.96 Lundy, Devon. R 16.07.96 Porthgwarra (KAW). 145km SW 18 days 2320395 4 03.07.96 Filey Brigg, North Yorkshire. R 16.07.96 Porthgwarra (KAW). 592km ssw 13 days 2452825 4 05.07.96 Prawle Point, Devon (GJC). R 16.07.96 Porthgwarra (KAW). 141km w 11 days R 18.07.96 Cot Valley (GJC). 13 days 2455004 4 12.07.96 Prawle Point, Devon (GJC). R 17.07.96 Porthgwarra (KAW). 141km w 5 days 2455005 4 12.07.96 Prawle Point, Devon (GJC). R 15.07.96 Porthgwarra (KAW). 141km w 3 days 2454817 4 12.07.96 Power Head, Cork, EIRE. R 16.07.96 Porthgwarra (KAW). 261km SSE 4 days European Storm -petrel 2474007 4 15.07.96 Porthgwarra (KAW). R 13.08.96 Legnahagh Point, Cork, EIRE. 273km SSE 29 days 2474047 4 15.07.96 Porthgwarra (KAW). R 02.08.96 Legnahagh Point, Cork, EIRE. 273km SSE 18 days 2452853 4 15.07.96 Porthgwarra (KAW). R 20.07.96 Strumble Head, Wales. 226km N 11 days 2474022 4 15.07.96 Porthgwarra (KAW). R 02.08.96 Sevenheads, Cork, EIRE. 273km NW 18 days 2474143 4 16.07.96 Porthgwarra (KAW). R 21.07.96 Brownstone Head, Waterford, EIRE. 253km SSE 5 days 2474165 4 16.07.96 Porthgwarra (KAW). R 20.07.96 Portland Bill, Dorset. 236km SSW 4 days 2474163 4 16.07.96 Porthgwarra (KAW). R 21.07.96 Point Lynas, Anglesey, Wales. 388km SSW 5 days 2474229 4 17.07.96 Porthgwarra (KAW). R 20.07.96 Strumble Head, Wales. 226km N 3 days 2454936 5 20.07.96 Power Head, Cork, EIRE. R 21.07.96 Rumps Point (GJC). 263km ESE 1 day 2443566 4 20.07.96 Strumble Head, Wales. R 21.07.96 Rumps Point (GJC). 161km S 1 day 2441042 4 10.08.95 , Isles of Scilly. R 18.07.96 Porthgwarra (KAW). 50km WSW 343 days Many long short duration movements with a suggestion of a trend toward moving south-west. Hen Harrier wing-tag 1 Jun.96 near Langholm, Dumfriesshire, Scotland. FR22-23.10.96 Godrevy Point (PAR). 580km SSW Eurasian Sparrowhawk NOS 1 24.06.96 Flaten, Gausdal, Opland, NORWAY. 573408 R 22.10.96 Nanjizal (KAW). 1588km SW 120 days The first recovery of a Scandinavian migrant in the county. Dunlin col. Ring 3J Sep/Oct.94 Langenwerder, Baltic Sea, GERMANY FR 11.11.95 Hayle Estuary (GJC). This is the second occasion on which a bird from the Baltic has been sighted in the county. Mediterranean Gull HGB 1 22.06.94 Szeged-Feherto, Csongrad, HUNGARY. 357596 FR 15.03.95 Plym Estuary, Devon. (Red HI83) FR 09.04.95 Plym Estuary, Devon. FR 04.02.96 Swanpool (GJC). - - 592 days

155 Black-headed Gull SFH 1 07.06.90 Nokia, Hame, FINLAND. ST137880 X 18.02.96 Gillan Cove, Helford River (PMcC). - - 2081 days Lesser Black-backed Gull Green V21 1 09.07.91 Europoort, Rotterdam, HOLLAND. NLA FR 31.03.96 Copperhouse Creek (PAR). - SSW 634 days Common Guillemot X60411 4 11/05/96 Hope's Nose, Devon. X 21/05/96 Sennen Cove (DSF). 491km SW 10 days This bird was ori^ finally rehabilitated after becoming oiled and released at Hope's Nose Barn Owl FC12765 1 13/06/96 Newton Ferrers (KRG). X 24.09.96 Pensilva. 7km WNW 103 days FC83459 1 04.08.96 Bridgerule, Devon (KRG). X 17.11.96 Kilkhampton. 7km N 105 days GF41935 4M 18.06.96 Bodmin (GJC). X 25.06.96 Callybarrett (Aln). 2km N 7 days Barn Swallow K402937 3J 02.08.96 Par Beach Pool (GJC). R 25.08.96 Slapton Ley, Devon. 75km E 23 days K610827 3J 21.08.96 Par Beach Pool (GJC). X 03.10.96 Kolila, Bong, LIBERIA.4856km S 43 days This individual was intentionally killed for food and constitutes only the second British ringed Barn Swallow to be recovered in Liberia. Dipper SX07592 1 03.05.95 Mount (FMC). R 03.02.96 Rilla Mill, Callington (AWGJ). 14km ENE 276 days A very long movement for this species, though typically relating to a female which travel longer distances than males. Robin K616090 5 10.04.96 Nanjizal (KAW). R 27.04.96 Lundy, Devon. 144km NE 17 days Sedge Warbler FRP 3 14.08.90 Etang de Trunvel, FRANCE. 3681605 R 07.08.95 Marazion Marsh (GGG). 262km N 1819 days K616137 4 27.04.96 Nanjizal (KAW). R 08.06.96 Gunwalloe Marsh (PLS). 31km E 42 days K407815 3 08.06.96 Gunwalloe (PLS). R 31.07.96 Etang de Trunvel, FRANCE. 246km S 53 days K499008 3J 27.07.96 Chew Valley Lake, Avon. R 03.08.96 Par Beach Pool (GJC). 180km SW 7 days K402985 3 03.08.96 Par Beach Pool (GJC). X 05.09.96 Greenwich Auto. Light Vessel, North Sea. 333km E 33 days Amongst 100 birds dazzled and killed at the light. K616487 3 03.08.96 Nanjizal (KAW). R 09.08.96 Marazion Marsh (GGG). 15km ESE 6 days K829852 3 13.08.96 Leighton Moss, Lancashire. R 22.08.96 Par Beach Pool (GJC). 443km SSW 9 days K771324 3J 14.08.96 Llyn Alaw, Anglesey, Wales. R 02.09.96 Long Rock (BRP). 363km SSW 19 days K610715 3 16.08.96 Par Beach Pool (GJC). R 01.09.96 Etang de Trunvel, FRANCE. 273km S 16 days J162857 3J 17.08.96 Long Rock (BRP). R 22.08.96 Etang de Trunvel, France. 262km s 5 days 156 J936993 4F 02.09.95 near Youghal, Cork, EIRE. R 11.05.96 Nanjizal (KAW). 260km SE 252 days Reed Warbler J375591 3J 12.08.94 South Milton Ley, Devon. R 09.08.96 Long Rock (BRP). 118km WSW 728 days J162957 3J 13.09.96 Long Rock (BRP). R 16.09.96 Dungeness BO, Kent. 464km ENE 3 days Willow Warbler 8Y9818 4M 25.04.96 Nanjizal (KAW). R 12.05.96 Calf of Man, . 448km NNE 17 days Goldcrest 8Y9666 5M 27.03.96 Nanjizal (KAW). R 17.10.96 Lundy, Devon. 144km NNE 204 days Greenfinch VH71475 3M 29.08.94 Boswednack (GGG). R 11.05.96 Nanjizal (KAW). 17km SSW 986 days

Request for Information All records of ringed or colour-marked birds are of immense value so please report them to the relevant person, see below, and the County Recorder.

Ringed birds If you find a ringed bird, please note the relevant ring number and ringing scheme address, species, location and date of finding and cause of death if known, and forward the details to : BTO, The National Centre for , The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 2PU.

Colour-marked birds Many colour-marking schemes are currently operating in Britain and Europe. Sightings of such birds should be notified to the co-ordinators below :

Great Cormorant - Robin Sellers, Rose Cottage, Ragnall Lane, Walkley Wood, Nailsworth, Gloucester. GL6 0RU. Waders - Jane Marchant, Wader Study Group. PO Box 247, Tring, Herts. HP23 5SN. Large Gulls - Peter Rock, 32 Kersteman Road, Redland, Bristol. BS6 7BX. Hen Harrier - Brian Etheridge, RSPB, Etive House, Beech wood Park, Inverness, Scotland. IV2 3BW. Wildfowl - Carl Mitchell, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, Slimbridge, Gloucester. GL2 7BT. Mute Swan - Paul McCartney, CWT, Five Acres, Allet, Truro, Cornwall TR4 9DJ. Other species - Kevin Baker, BTO (address as above).

Acknowledgements To all ringers for providing details of their ringing activities and to the following for submitting details of ringed birds: Dave Flumm, Adrian Langdon, Paul McCartney and Phil Rutter.

Greg Conway

REPORT BACKNUMBERS

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157 A STUDY ON THE BREEDING SUCCESS OF THE KITTIWAKE COLONY AT LAND'S END, 1996 - Dr Sarah Money

INTRODUCTION Seabird numbers in Cornwall have significantly declined over the last century, although the situation appears to have stabilised in recent years. This is a worrying trend as seabird breeding success can be seen as an indicator of the general health of the marine environment; a significant decrease in reproductive success may be a reflection of a fall in the availability of fish stocks, perhaps due to overfishing, or of the presence of pollutants e.g. organochlorines, heavy metals or oil in the waters. However, although the total numbers of seabirds within the county were counted by the Cornwall Birdwatching and Preservation Society in 1996 in the wake of the Sea Empress disaster, there have been no recent published accounts of the breeding success of any species of seabird in Cornwall. A study of the breeding rate of a seabird colony within Cornwall would therefore provide a useful indication of the quality of the surrounding seas as a feeding ground for seabirds, and may help to explain the drop in their numbers.

The Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) is an ideal monitoring species for this purpose; there are several large Kittiwake colonies within Cornwall, much work has been published on its population trends and biology (e.g.1'23), it nests on exposed cliff ledges so that the progress of eggs and young can be easily observed and followed, and it generally feeds within 5 km of the colony4, thus providing information on the quality of its immediate environment. In addition, the young chicks are fed mainly on sandeels5, which are also a significant part of the diet for many other seabirds, commercial fish and marine mammals, thus any decreases in Kittiwake breeding success caused by food shortage may have major implications for a number of species.

Prior to the 1970s, the Kittiwake population in Britain was increasing at an average rate of 3-4% per yearl. However, the situation was to change drastically in the mid 1980s with the complete breeding failure of several seabirds, including Kittiwakes, in Shetland467, and the poor breeding success had begun to spread to colonies further south in the North Sea by the late 1980s8. Evidence suggested that the primary cause was food shortage4'8910, with Shetland sandeel stocks crashing in the 1980s1112. A survey carried out between 1986 and 1988 on the breeding success of colonies throughout the UK8 showed that English colonies, however, seemed to be relatively unaffected by the problems of their Scottish counterparts (although there was a great deal of variation between breeding rates in individual colonies). It would thus be interesting to see whether this was still the case ten years on, or whether the problems encountered in the North Sea had spread further south to Cornwall.

Kittiwakes (Kester Wilson) Given my position as Information Warden for the RSPB at Land's End for the summer of 1996, the Kittiwake colony at Dollar Cove, Land's End was the obvious choice for my study. This colony was founded in the 1980s and has grown to be one of the largest Kittiwake colonies in Cornwall, with a total of 537 occupied nests in 1996 (Dave Flumm, pers. comm.), and therefore offered an ideal opportunity for the accurate study of the breeding success of Cornish Kittiwakes.

158 METHODS Breeding data for the Kittiwake colony at Dollar Cove were collected between 4th June and 25th August 1996. A series of photographs of the colony was taken once nest building was completed and the position of each nest marked and assigned a number. Nests were defined as substantial quantities of nest material attended by at least one adult bird. A total of 292 nests was followed (unfortunately it was not possible to study the remainder of nest sites within the colony from any safe viewing position). The contents of each nest were then checked every 3-4 days by careful observation by telescope, and the number of eggs, chicks and fledged young noted on a recording sheet. Birds were assumed to have fledged if they disappeared from the nest when known to have been at least five weeks old and on previous visits to have attained full size and to have lost all down.

RESULTS A total of 464 eggs were laid in the 292 nests studied, giving an average value of 1.6 ± 04 eggs laid per nest (see Table 1), with clutch sizes ranging between 0 and 3 eggs per nest (34 nests with no eggs, 53 nests with 1 egg, 204 nests with 2 eggs and 1 nest with 3 eggs). A survey of the published literature on breeding studies on Kittiwake colonies in Britain suggests that average values for clutch size generally fall somewhere between 1.4 and 2.1 eggs per nest41013, thus the level of egg production within the Land's End colony appears to be normal.

The reproductive success of a Kittiwake colony has traditionally been expressed in two alternative ways; a. as an average number of chicks fledged per nest, with values ranging from 0-1.6 fledglings per nest for British colonies4'8'10131415, and a figure of less than 0.7 fledged young per nest being considered as representing a low breeding success for the colony8 or b. as a breeding success figure (number of chicks fledged expressed as a percentage of the number of eggs laid), published figures for which vary between 0 and 70%413.

Table 1. Breeding data for Kittiwakes at Dollar Cove, 1996

Number of nests studied 292 1 Percentage of eggs laid that Date of first egg hatching 10th June hatched Date of last egg hatching 18th July 2Percentage of hatched eggs that Date of first fledging 24th July fledged Date of last fledging 25th August Total number of eggs laid 464 3Percentage of eggs laid that Total number of hatched chicks 342 fledged Total number of fledged chicks 172 NB Throughout the paper all Average clutch size 1.6 ±041 averages are presented ± 1 standard 1 Hatching success 74% error Fledging success2 50% Breeding success3 37% Average number of fledglings per nest 0.59 0.040 Average fledging age 6.5 weeks 0.069

The total number of fledged chicks from the Dollar Cove colony in 1996 was 172, giving a mean value of fledglings per nest of 0.59 ± 040 and a breeding success of 37% (Table 1). These figures appear to be fairly poor when compared with previous studies, with the Land's End colony producing relatively few fledged young. In order to try and explain the low overall reproductive success observed, it would be useful to discover at what stage the loss of young was occurring. As mentioned above, the level of egg production was similar to that seen in Kittiwake colonies elsewhere in the UK.

159 In addition, the hatching success (percentage of eggs laid that hatched, see Table 1) of 74% was actually slightly higher than the quoted average UK hatching success of 67%3, suggesting that the Land's End Kittiwake colony was not experiencing any problems with either the incubation stage or with the laying of an unusually high proportion of infertile eggs. It therefore appeared likely that the main loss of young was occurring at the chick stage, and indeed the fledging success value (i.e. percentage of hatched eggs that fledged, see Table 1) of 50% for the colony was considerably lower than the national average of 87%3. The fledging success appeared to be similar for nests with single chicks (53%) and those with two young (49%).

Of the 170 chicks which died prior to fledging, most losses occurred within 3 weeks of hatching i.e. when the chicks were still only about half their full grown size, with an average value of 2 ± 0.099 weeks post-hatching (Figure la). However, a wide range of values was covered, with a significant number dying as young as 3-4 days old, whilst some survived 572 weeks before loss, thus all ages of chick appeared to be susceptible. In addition, chick death was not restricted to a particular time period within the study, suggesting that a narrow window of bad weather or poor feeding conditions was unlikely to be responsible.

Figure la. Age at which chick death occurred Assessing the precise cause of the loss of individual chicks was difficult, as detailed observations were restricted to 3- 4 hour periods twice weekly, and the vast majority of chicks which were lost had simply disappeared by the time of the next viewing. However, casual observations carried out on a daily basis during the course of my job at Land's End suggested that despite the presence of a number of potential predators breeding in the area e.g. Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Raven and Peregrine, levels of chick predation were insignificant (only one chick death could be definitely attributed to predation), ruling this out as a major cause of death. A small number of chicks were seen to fall out of the nest, but this generally occurred at a very young age (one week or younger) and seems unlikely to account for the large number of deaths observed at a wide range of ages. If disease or starvation was rife within the colony it might be expected that this would be reflected in a retarded growth rate of chicks. Unfortunately, given that the majority of chicks were lost within a few weeks of hatching, when still fairly small, this was difficult to accurately assess visually. However, for the 172 chicks that survived to fledging, the mean fledging time of 6.5 ± 0.069 weeks (range 4-8.5 weeks) corresponded closely to the published average Kittiwake fledging period of 42 days16 suggesting that, at least for the successful chicks, the growth rate prior to fledging was normal.

Perhaps the most revealing observation was that a significant number of chicks (18 in total) were actually seen lying dead within the nest at ages covering the complete range at which death occurs i}li-5xh weeks). These dead chicks had invariably disappeared by the time of the next visit (within 3-4 days), suggesting that the poor breeding success of the Dollar Cove Kittiwake colony may have been due to the death in the nest of a large proportion of the young chicks within a few weeks of hatching, but that the dead chicks were not seen due to the spacing of the visits and transient presence of the corpses.

Although not strictly related to the breeding success studies on the colony, it may be of interest to some readers that I observed the presence of an adult Kittiwake within the colony with a yellow colour ring (number H72) on its left leg. This bird first appeared on 24th June, occupying an abandoned nest, and was subsequently seen intermittently until 7th August on failed nests all within one small area of the cliff, and at one point actually occupying a nest containing a half-grown chick belonging to another pair.

160 This behaviour, of birds visiting a nest which is not their own, is known as squatting and is generally performed by pre-breeders and failed breeders looking for a potential breeding site for the following year917. The ring information was passed on to Dr John Coulson of Durham University, the Kittiwake colour-marking organiser for the UK, who informed me that the bird in question had been rung as a chick at a colony at Dunmore East in Eire in 1988 or 1989. It therefore appears that the expansion of the Land's End colony may well occur not just through the return for breeding of adults that were raised there, but by the additional recruitment of wandering birds from places as far away as Eire.

DISCUSSION The results presented above suggest that the breeding success of the Kittiwake colony at Land's End in 1996 was relatively low (0.59 chicks fledged per nest), with the main loss of young occurring at the early chick stage. This value corresponds closely with surveys on seabird productivity co­ ordinated by the JNCC in 199515 which suggest that Kittiwake colonies in South West Britain are generally fairly unsuccessful, with an average of 0.57 chicks fledged per nest (although it is unclear precisely where these studies were carried out). There are a number of possible explanations which could account for the failure of the young to survive to fledging; a. Predation The predation level of chicks by species such as gulls, skuas and corvids varies greatly among and within Kittiwake colonies, and may have significant effects on the breeding success (e.g.1318). The degree of predation probably depends on the accessibility of the nests, with colonies on steep cliff sites where the nests are densely packed together, as is the case at Dollar Cove, being less susceptible than low cliffs19, and indeed levels of chick predation at the Land's End colony appeared to be insignificant. b. Environmental factors A prolonged period of bad weather during the breeding season would be expected to have significant effects on the breeding success of the colony, both through prevention of feeding by the adults and through direct loss of eggs and chicks. However, although a short spell of high winds in early June resulted in the loss of six nests on the periphery of the colony prior to egg laying, weather conditions were good for the remainder of the season.

Changes in the temperature and salinity of the surrounding seas such as have occurred in the North Sea and North East Atlantic8, and in the level of pollutants in the waters, might be expected to have knock-on effects on Kittiwake productivity through consequent alterations in the abundance of various components of the marine food chain e.g. around Shetland and Orkney, changes in water temperature and salinity have been implicated in past changes in levels of sandeel larvae20, a major component of the young Kittiwake's diet5. However, given the complexity of the situation, with many linked variables involved, the lack of any precise data for the area, and the short term nature of the Land's End study it is unlikely that it would be possible to define a single environmental factor which was responsible for the poor breeding success observed, and it may therefore be more useful to look at the most relevant consequence of any possible changes i.e. alterations in the available food supply. c. Food availability As mentioned earlier, the breeding success of the Kittiwake population in the northern North Sea fell markedly from the mid 1980s on, in some colonies to zero4,8,24, and evidence suggested that the primary cause was food shortage.4,8,10,,24 Published studies on colonies where poor breeding success has been attributed to food shortage suggest that such colonies have the following characteristics; the maintenance of clutch size and hatching success values at a high level but major losses occurring at the chick stage41013, the presence of a high proportion of dead and weak chicks in the nest624 with chicks generally dying within 2-3 weeks of hatching,4,21-24 a reduced chick growth rate81824, a poorer body condition for the adult birds post-hatching4,19, and fewer chicks and adults regurgitating food when handled than in colonies with a good breeding rate24.

In addition, when breeding success was low observers reported a decrease in the level of parental attendance at nests with chicks, with an unusually high proportion of unattended young81819'21; as parents were forced to travel greater distances and spend longer searching for food410, they

161 consequently attempted to increase the feeding rate of the young by both adults foraging simultaneously rather than alternately, leaving the unguarded chicks susceptible to adverse weather conditions, predation and falling from the nests.

Although it was not possible to study all the aspects covered above due to the limited accessibility of the chicks and constraints on the time available for observation, the pattern of failure of the Dollar Cove colony in 1996 shares some of the above characteristics i.e. the observed figures for clutch size and hatching success were reasonable but a large proportion of chicks died before fledging, a significant number of dead young were seen in the nests, and chicks died at an average of two weeks old, suggesting at first sight that food shortage may be responsible for the low breeding success.

The food requirement of the Kittiwake chick increases with age until it reaches a plateau value at approximately two weeks post-hatching22. In times of adequate food supply, this demand is met by a increase in the feed frequency with chick age19, and since the food demands of two (or more) chicks are considerably greater than when there is only one chick, the provisioning rate is further increased for large broods23. However when food is scarce, despite leaving chicks unattended so that both birds can forage simultaneously for food, it may be that the parents reach the limits of their capability to provide for the young, with a maximum feeding frequency which cannot be increased any further without seriously endangering the health of the adult19. In this case, the energy provided by the adults may well be less than that required by the chicks, causing starvation and death if the deficit is severe and prolonged. This would be expected to affect the young in broods of two particularly badly, as each chick will only receive half of each food delivery, thus the energy deficit will be even greater than for single chicks. Indeed, in the case of large broods, food shortage often leads to sibling competition, with the first-hatched dominant chick taking an unequal share of the food and the subsequent death by starvation of the younger chick, reducing the brood size and therefore increasing the likelihood that at least one chick will fledge from each nest19.

As a consequence, it would be expected that when food is scarce, the chick survival rate in large broods would be significantly lower than for single broods, and this has been shown to be the case19; in a year of low food availability, although 87% of single chicks survived to fledging, this figure was reduced to 58% and 54% for chicks from broods of two and three respectively. However in the Land's End study, fledging success appeared to be similar for nests with single chicks (53%) and those with two young (49%), thus whatever the problem was it was affecting single and double chick broods equally, a result which appears to be inconsistent with a reduced food supply. It is therefore unclear whether food shortage was indeed the primary cause of the poor performance of the Dollar Cove colony, and suggests that further investigation of the subject is necessary. Future studies could, for example, monitor parental attendance rates of chicks (unfortunately, due to the inaccessible nature of the nests, the more direct indicators of inadequate food supplies i.e. retarded chick growth rates, decreased regurgitation frequencies and reduced body condition of adults would be extremely difficult to study). Parallel studies on the breeding success of other Cornish seabirds dependent on similar food sources e.g. auks and terns, in addition to the simultaneous gathering of fisheries data on prey abundance in the area, may all help to resolve the issue of whether the county's seabirds are indeed experiencing significant food shortages. d. Disease It is also possible that some sort of illness could explain the observed death of young chicks, and this would be expected to strike both single and double broods equally, as was the case. However, I saw no evidence of sickness or mortality in the adult birds, and only a detailed pathological examination of the dead chicks could determine the exact cause of death, and this was outside the scope of the current study.

To conclude, given the short term and somewhat limited nature of this study, it is hard to pinpoint the precise reason for the low breeding success of the Dollar Cove Kittiwake colony in 1996, which may well be due to a combination of factors e.g. if pollution levels are increasing and food availability is decreasing in the surrounding waters, together these may place a critical level of stress on a population which is already on the edge of its natural range and is therefore vulnerable to any additional pressures. However, whatever the causes, given that the level of breeding success of the Land's End colony can be seen as one indicator of the health of the Cornish marine environment, the results of the present study are undoubtedly worrying, with implications for a number of other species. The whole

162 issue would therefore appear to merit further investigation, and hopefully the data presented here will prove useful as a baseline against which future trends can be compared.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Dave Flumm (RSPB), the RSPB, Paul McCartney (), Nigel Symes (RSPB), Dr John Coulson (Durham University) and Paul Johnson (The Land's End and John O'Groats Co. Ltd) for help with this study.

REFERENCES 1 Coulson, JC (1974) in "The Seabirds of Britain and " Eds S Cramp et al pp 134-141. Collins, London 2 Coulson, JC (1983) Bird Study 30 9-16 3 Coulson, JC & C Thomas (1985) J. Appl. Anim. Ecol. 54 9-26 4 Hamer, KC et al (1993) Ibis 135 255-263 5 Cramp, S & KEL Simmons (1982) "The Birds of the Western Palearctic" Vol 3. OUP, Oxford 6 Heubeck, M & PM Ellis (1986) BTO News 143 10 7 Heubeck, M (1989) in "Seabirds and Sandeels: Proceedings of a Seminar Held in Lerwick, Shetland 1988" Ed M Heubeck. pp 11-18. Shetland Bird Club, Lerwick 8 Harris, MP & S Wanless (1990) J. Appl. Ecol. 27 172-187 9 Danchin, E (1987) Anim. Behav. 35 81-93 10 Wanless, S & MP Harris (1992) Bird Study 39 145-154 11 Kunzlik, P (1989) in "Seabirds and Sandeels: Proceedings of a Seminar Held in Lerwick, Shetland 1988" Ed M Heubeck. pp 38-47. Shetland Bird Club, Lerwick 12 Bailey, RS et al. (1991) ICES Mar. Sci. Symp. 193 209-216 13 Heubeck, M et al (1987) Seabird 10 34 - 42 14 Coulson, JC & MP Johnson (1993) Ibis 135 372-378 15 Thompson, KR et a/.(1996) "Seabird numbers and breeding success in Britain and Ireland, 1995" Peterborough, JNCC (UK Nature Conservation, No. 20) 16 Coulson, JC 74-83& E White (1958) Bird Study 5 17 Cadiou, B et al (1994) Anim. Behav. 47 847-856 18 Barrett, RT & OJ Runde (1980) Ornis Scand. 11 228-235 19 Galbraith, H (1983) Bird Study 30 109-120 20 Hart, PJB (1974) in "The Early Life History of Fishes" Ed. JHS Blaxter. pp 171-182. Springer- Verlag, New York 21 Cadiou, B & JY Monnat (1996) Bird Study 43 164-171 22 Coulson, JC & J Porter (1985) Ibis 127 450-466 23 Pearson, TH (1968) J. Anim. Ecol. 37 521-552 24 Danchin, E (1992) Ardea 80 93-98

CBWPS BREEDING CORN BUNTING SURVEY 1996 - Greg Conway

INTRODUCTION Nationally, the Corn Bunting population has shown a decline of over 50% in the last 25 years, a fate shared by many other farmland species (e.g. Sky Lark, Yellowhammer, Cirl Bunting, etc.). Changes in farming practice have been identified as major factors in the demise of this bird.

The Cornish population is distinctly isolated from the core of the British population, which reaches west as far as Dorset. This residual population is of significant conservation concern not only within the county, but nationally in terms of maintaining biodiversity.

To date no structured county-wide survey has even been undertaken, even in recent decades there is little data to adequately quantify the size of the population remaining in the county. Information from the national breeding bird atlases during this period has, however, illustrated the marked contraction in range at the local level .

163 Consequently, this survey was devised to rectify this situation, using set methods to allow direct comparisons with future surveys, based on the number of territorial singing males.

METHODS The survey covered all tetrads (2km square) within the known current breeding range (the north coast between Hayle and Port Isaac), the recent former breeding range and a selection of areas with suitable habit. Two visits were made to each tetrad during the breeding season, which is particularly late in Corn Buntings (first eggs not laid until early June). The first of two visits was made between April Corn Bunting (Kester Wilson) 20th and June 20th, followed by the second, at least three weeks later, between June 20th and August 15th. Each tetrad was thoroughly searched for singing males (due to frequent polygamy exhibited by this species the number of males are far easier to monitor than the number of pairs) and their positions were recorded on maps, allowing the extent of each territory to be determined. Other information such as breeding behaviour, females, number of young, etc. were noted on recording forms.

RESULTS Of the 56 tetrads examined 20 contained Corn Buntings during the survey period with other records from five additional tetrads (see Map 11).

A total of 54 singing males were noted holding territory, this compares with recent counts of 37 in 1995 and 59 in 1994. However, these latter counts do not take into account pre-breeding males, which may not actually be actively breeding until July in some years (Brickie pers. comm.), also coverage is biased toward sites where they are expected to occur.

The number of singing males in each tetrad is illustrated in Map 10 in the systematic list, with the number of males in each 10km square given below in Table 1.

Table 1. Number of territorial singing males by 10km square in 1996.

10km Grid Number of Square singing males

SW54 1 SW64 10 SW75 1 SW76 1 SW86 7 SW87 19 SW97 6 SW98 9

DISCUSSION It is very difficult to determine the actual loss, in terms of number of pairs/birds, as accurate data does not exist, at least on a county wide scale. Much of the published data, relating to records of singing males, does not preclude pre-breeders.

The overall decline in the last thirty years has been far more acute in the Cornish population. Whereas twenty-seven 10km squares were occupied during the breeding season in 1970/71, only eight were occupied in 1996.

164 The population is now becoming fragmented with two main population centres, these being Pentire Farm/Trevose Head and Portreath/North Cliffs with a scattering of birds between Newquay and Porthcothan, as graphically illustrated by Map 1, above. Only 20 years ago there were significant numbers breeding on The Lizard and around Land's End, with small numbers in the far north of the county and even along the south coast.

This fragmentation of range is of much concern as once small populations become isolated they are rendered non-viable and may rapidly become extinct. There is some hope in the form of the farmland birds biodiversity plan, which aims to secure and promote suitable habitat for this and other declining farmland species.

Map 11. Tetrads occupied by Corn Buntings during the 1996 breeding season.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am very grateful to the following who undertook the survey: Dave Conway, John Healan, Steve Jackson, Derek Johnson, Derek Julian, Dave Lewis, Derek Lord, Liz & Jim McKenzie, G.R. Mills, Steve Rowe, Phil Rutter, Lionel Sheppard, Dave Thomas and Kester Wilson.

REFERENCES Brickie, N., pers. comm. Ryves, B.H., pp77-85, in 1960 CBWPS Report. CBWPS Annual reports 1960-1995. Penhallurick, R.D., 1978, The Birds of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Headland. Gibbons, D.W. et al, 1993, The New Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland: 1988-1991,

165 PENTIRE FARM COMMON BIRD CENSUS:THE FIRST FOUR YEARS: WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO DECLINING FARMLAND SPECIES - Derek Lord

SUMMARY 1. With the exception of Corn Bunting, the birds within the census area have maintained a stable population with no significant changes. 2. Corn Bunting numbers were stable for the first three years, increasing dramatically in the fourth. 3. The non-spraying of 'headlands' around arable fields has not been successful.

INTRODUCTION The Common Bird Census (CBC) is a method of monitoring breeding birds. It has been used by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) since the 1960's to detect changes in bird populations in farm and woodland habitats. Ten visits are made to each plot, during the breeding season, on a weekly basis (in this study, first week of April to the first week of June). Using maps of the area, the position and behaviour of each individual are plotted by means of special codes. The data collected is then transferred to 'species maps' where all the information for each species, over the whole period, is assembled. From these maps the number of breeding territories is estimated by BTO staff. (Refer to Marchant (1983) for details of methodology.)

The Pentire Farm Plot, near Polzeath, was set up following an agreement between the National Trust and the tenant farmer, not to spray 5 metres of 'headland', around each field, with herbicides, to enhance the arable weed interest (Lord 1994). At the same time it became apparent that the farmland birds had suffered large declines nationally (Fuller et al 1993). Of particular relevance to Pentire, national CBC results showed a decline in Corn Bunting of 76%, Grey Partridge 73% and Sky Lark 54%, between 1969 and 1991 (Fuller et al 1993).

The plot is exactly 0.7 square kilometres in area with Pentire Farmhouse at its centre. It is unusual, as a CBC area, in that it is almost surrounded by sea, cliffs and a strip of coastal grassland/scrub. It is also notable that the field boundaries are made up of Cornish hedge-banks which are almost devoid of shrubs and trees (although some Bramble and Tamarisk provide the occasional nesting opportunity: in addition, Tamarisk trees are the favoured song posts for Corn Buntings).

As one of only two CBC plots in the county, and being in the 'Cornwall Corn Bunting Belt' this monitoring exercise is of local and national importance. Corn Buntings have virtually disappeared from Southwest England (Marchant et al 1990), the area from Godrevy to Pentire, in Cornwall, being the species' stronghold in this larger region (CBWPS 1995). The Grey Partridge, which is 'holding on' at Pentire, is classed in Cornwall as a ' scarce resident' (CBWPS 1995).

RESULTS The results are summarised in tables 1 and 2, below. The figures in table 1 represent occupied territories over several weeks but do not indicate actual breeding success. The results for Northern Fulmar, in particular, do not indicate definite breeding, since with this species non-breeders regularly occupy prospective breeding ledges. In the case of Corn Buntings (which were monitored by recording singing males) each territory might have contained several breeding females, since this species is known to be highly polygamous.

With some species, such as Common Stonechat, the numbers shown are an accurate representation, whereas with others, for example Corn Bunting, Sky Lark and Linnet, the figures are very much the result of estimation by the CBC methodology. The important thing about these figures is not absolute accuracy in any one year, however, it is their value in monitoring change. Any errors loaded into the system should hopefully be consistent given that the individuals involved and the methods are consistent from year to year.

166 Table 1. Number of breeding territories on the Pentire Farm CBC plot 1994 to 1997.

Species 1994 1995 1996 1997 Mean Fulmar 0 0 2 2 1 Common Shelduck 0 0 1 0 0.25 Common Buzzard 1 1 0 1 0.75 Common Kestrel 2 1 1 1 1.25 Grey Partridge 2 0 0 1 0.75 Common Pheasant 2 3 2 0 1.75 Feral Pigeon 2 4 0 0 1.5 Wood Pigeon 2 2 0 1 1.25 Sky Lark 21 19 24 22 21.5 Barn Swallow 7 3 4 3 4.25 Rock Pipit 1 0 1 1 0.75 Pied Wagtail 0 1 1 1 0.75 Wren 6 3 1 3 3.25 Hedge Accentor 2 2 2 2 2 Robin 2 2 1 0 1.25 Common Stonechat 3 4 1 2 2.5 Blackbird 1 0 2 2 1.25 Common Whitethroat 5 5 3 5 4.5 Chiffchaff 0 0 1 0 0.25 Willow Warbler 0 1 1 1 0.75 Magpie 2 3 2 2 2.25 Eurasian Jackdaw 9 7 6 3 6.25 Carrion Crow 7 6 4 6 5.75 Raven 0 1 2 1 1 Common Starling 0 2 2 2 1.5 House Sparrow 12 8 6 13 9.75 Linnet 8 7 5 6 6.5 Corn Bunting 8 9 9 16 10.5 Total No. of Territories 105 94 84 97 95

Table 2: List of species seen on the Pentire Farm CBC plot 1994-1997 but not known to be breeding. Figures in bracket give the number of years recorded.

Black-throated Diver (1), Great Cormorant (1), Shag (4), Grey Heron (1), Mallard (1), Eurasian Sparrowhawk (3), Oystercatcher (1), Northern Lapwing (1), Whimbrel (1), Lesser Black-backed Gull (1), Herring Gull (4), Great Black-backed Gull (4), Razorbill (1), Stock Dove (1), Turtle Dove (1), Common Cuckoo (1), Little Owl (1), Common Swift (3), Sand Martin (3), House Martin (3), Meadow Pipit (4), Yellow Wagtail (1), Common Redstart (1), Northern Wheatear (4), Song Thrush (2), Grasshopper Warbler (1), Rook (4), Chaffinch (3) & Goldfinch (4).

Table 2 is a list of species not known to be breeding but seen during the CBC fieldwork. Although most of these were certainly not breeding the odd elusive species, such as Little Owl, may have bred undetected (Little Owls were breeding within this area during the late 1980's and the early 1990's).

167 DISCUSSION If the first two years are compared with the second two years, 11 species showed some increase while 16 species showed some decrease. Only one species, Hedge Accentor, showed no change throughout. Of the declining species Eurasian Jackdaw consistently decreased for unknown reasons. In contrast, the drop in Feral Pigeon numbers is easy to explain: they were culled occasionally by the tenant farmer. Three scrub nesting species, Wren, Robin and Common Stonechat, which are prone to suffer from cold winter spells, also showed some decline.

However, of all these, only Corn Bunting showed any marked change, a large increase in singing males during the 1997 season. With the exception of this species the overall picture that has emerged is one of a stable population with only minor fluctuations about the norm.

The BTO Census Unit consider eight to nine Corn Bunting territories to be excellent for a plot of this size. In addition, they describe the 1997 result of 16 territories as representing an exceptionally high density. Given the complex nature of Corn Bunting ecology it is impossible to account for this sudden doubling of numbers on the basis of this simple monitoring exercise. It is possible, however, that the increase is a result of exceptionally dry weather over the past 12 months, high rainfall being thought to negatively affect Corn Bunting numbers (Marchant et al 1990). The Corn Bunting increase of 1997 may therefore reflect an excellent 1996 breeding season. The weather during the whole of June, July and the first half of August, in 1996, was exceptionally dry with clear sunny skies over North Cornwall.

One of the effects of last year's climatic conditions was that Silver-Y Moths Autographa gamma were present in extremely large numbers. This is interesting since it has been recently suggested that there could be a link between the success of these insects and that of Corn Buntings (BTO pers comm.). The caterpillars of these Silver-Y Moths would certainly have represented a very substantial, potential food supply for the rearing of young Corn Buntings. It is of relevance, to the discussion below, that Silver-Y Moth larvae are not reliant on arable weeds. Being polyphagous, the caterpillars will feed on virtually every species of low growing plant, both wild and cultivated (Brooks 1991).

Another possibility is that a neighbouring area, where Corn Buntings have been breeding, has recently become unsuitable for this species. This may have forced extra numbers into the Pentire area. Additionally, it should also be born in mind that Corn Buntings are late breeders, and the cold start to the summer may have delayed the start of the breeding season. This often results in birds lingering on wintering grounds, where they often sing, before eventually moving off to breeding sites.

It would be good if this rise in Corn Bunting numbers could be correlated with the non-spraying agreement. However, to date, this has been less than successful. Despite assurances from the tenant that the 'headlands' are not being sprayed with herbicides, these areas are still remarkably 'clean'. Unfortunately there are great difficulties in monitoring this particular scheme given that fungicides and insecticides are still being used.

In addition, mechanical methods of weed control, which are outside the parameters of the scheme, are employed in the form of deep ploughing and dense crop sowing. Sadly, disturbed soil on hedge-banks at Pentire plays host to poppies and other opportunist weeds, in contrast to the arable field margins which have very limited arable weed interest. Had this scheme been successful, careful timing of insecticide spraying might have helped the area's farmland birds. Ideally, however, all sprays should have been excluded from these headlands. (NB: the indirect effect of pesticides on birds has been highlighted recently with the publication of a report by JNCC (Campbell and Cooke 1997). The current threat to farmland birds from such chemicals is that the birds' food supply is wiped out, particularly the food needed to raise young.)

The fact that the Pentire Farm bird population, as a whole, has not increased over the four years is also possible evidence that the scheme is not working. Grey Partridge and Sky Lark are probably the best indicators of this , neither of these species showing any increase.

In addition, it is possible that the Grey Partridge situation is worse than it appears since birds from the nearby Doyden area might be supplementing the Pentire population . The area around Doyden, near Port Quin, regularly produces coveys of these birds (a covey of 17 was recorded there in December 1996).

I would recommend that the non-spraying agreement is re-negotiated.

168 REFERENCES Brooks, M, 1991, A Complete Guide to British Moths, Jonathan Cape, London. Campbell, L.H., & Cooke, A.S. (eds.), 1997, The indirect effects of pesticides on birds, Peterborough, Joint Nature Conservation Committee. CBWPS, 1995, Birds in Cornwall 1995. Fuller, R.J., Gregory, R.D. & Gibbons, D.W., 1993, Recent trends in the number and distribution of birds on farmland in Britain, British trust for Ornithology. Lord, D., 1994, Pentire Farm Common Bird Census (Plot 94.20f), In Birds in Cornwall 1994. Marchant, J.H., 1983, BTO Common Bird Census Instructions, Tring, British trust for Ornithology. Marchant, J.H., Hudson, R., Carter, P. & Whittington, P., 1990, Population trends in British Breeding Birds, Tring, British Trust for Ornithology.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thanks are due to the following student and volunteer wardens for all their enthusiasm and help with these surveys: Dave Clarke, Daniel Kendal, Patrick Roberts, Nick Robinson, Laurie Hart, Anthony Ravenscroft, Arron Carpenter and Demelza Hyde.

(NB: Derek Lord is the National trust's Area Warden for the Polzeath to Tintagel properties, North Cornwall)

THE BLACK-NECKED GREBE Podiceps nigricollis IN CORNWALL - Roger Lane

HISTORY : This species, for decades (c. 1950-90) the rarest of the grebe family in Cornwall, scarcer even than the Red-necked Grebe (See 'Birds in Cornwall' 1987, p. 122), appears to be staging a small revival in the county. There can be little doubt that this is a real increase, and does not just result from a lack of experienced observer coverage in the past, from which this species, in particular, has always suffered. The main problem has been that access to its one well-chosen main wintering ground, in Carrick Roads, has always been difficult, and still is. Its decline over those four decades was thus partially apparent, but it did coincide with an often quoted national decline.

However, the national decline was of breeding pairs within Britain. Most of our wintering Black-necked Grebes are believed to come from the Baltic regions and Eastern Europe. A recent stabilisation, or even increase, of breeding pairs in Britain would not account for the significant increase in the Cornish wintering flock. Indeed, the largest wintering flock in Britain, in Langstone Harbour, Hampshire, (over 30% of the wintering population), has remained amazingly constant at c.35 birds for most years from 1953 to 1992 (see 'Birds of Hampshire' 1993 Clarke & Eyre p.78: the Black-necked Grebe (Kester Wilson) very accurate histogram (birds easily counted) shows only minor fluctuations over the same four decades. Hence there is an anomaly, or enigma in Cornwall, due to the 'apparent' degree of fluctuation.

Quantitatively, we are talking of surprising fluctuations in numbers, whether real or apparent. The figures below refer only to Carrick Roads - the traditional wintering ground (whereas 'secondary' wintering sites have held only 2 or 3 birds irregularly e.g. on the Helford River - only 5 miles distant, and less often in Mounts Bay - only 20 miles distant). The variation from maxima to minima over the years must reflect lack of observer coverage of this difficult site - in the light of Hampshire's very stable population. The number of birds recorded between 1945 and 1996 are shown below (Fig. 1), with a theoretical illustration of 'probable population', based on the author's experience of this site.

169 Thus from official records the Carrick Roads winter population (from Dec. to Feb. incl.) appears to have been relatively stable with C.15+ regularly reported up to the mid-1940's (see 'Birds of the Cornish Coast', 1969, Penhallurick R., Bradford-Barton), but then a massive flock of 52 on 25 Jan. 1948 off Restronguet Point. The location suggests they were relatively close offshore and probably in calm water (i.e. westerly biased winds). Otherwise the flock would have been in sheltered waters off Turnaware Point. Experience suggests this to be an almost invariable situation, except in northerlies or southerlies. Thus the record, coming from AGP, is considered genuine, even if extraordinary. It may mean that the 1947/48 winter was exceptionally cold, or that in years immediately before and after 1948, the species was very under-recorded. For anyone who has tried, they will know how difficult it can be to locate the Black-necked Grebe flock, or even one or two birds. It is very much a case of being at the 'right place at the right time'.

Yet after 1948 there are virtually no acceptable double-figure counts (see Figure la & 'Birds in Cornwall' 1949-1987). Even if poor observer coverage is to blame, it is highly unlikely that the figures recorded represent the true numbers present, nor such a sudden build-up and decline. The virtual lack of observations from 1950 to 1987 must reflect a considerable slump in the numbers wintering, at least in Cornwall, since several excellent birders were visiting Carrick Roads - though perhaps not knowing the roosting sites or feeding areas, 're-discovered' (RL and PAM) in the last decade. The true feeding sites are normally both adjacent to private land, but the roosts are either near Restronguet Point (in westerlies), or off Turnaware Point (in easterlies). It seems probable, for reasons unknown, that several generations of Black-necked Grebes (from 1950 to 1988) were perhaps no longer familiar with their excellent Cornish wintering site (and neither were they elsewhere in Cornwall in more than single figures). Only from the 1987/88 winter did a marked improvement in numbers take place, until a large peak of 26+ occurred in 1995/6 winter, after double-figure counts each winter (except 1991/92) from 1988 to 1996. Thus hopefully the lean years are past. This build-up is dealt with in the latter part of this article. Meanwhile it may be beneficial to say something of the species' movements and required habitat in autumn, winter and spring in Cornwall.

Figure 1: Annual totals for Carrick Roads 1948 & 1960-1996

WINTER ENVIRONMENT : Black-necked Grebes may occur anywhere, on sheltered inland waters, small or large, during autumn while moving south and west to winter. They also occur close inshore at south coast bays, but are extremely difficult to locate (and even identify from Slavonian Grebes) in rough water. Likewise after spring, after dispersal from Carrick Roads (and from the near Continent), they may occur, often in splendid breeding plumage, on inland waters (where they are most often located), but also again, inshore at south coast bays, normally until April only. They are basically absent from Cornwall from May to August inclusive.

Although R.Penhalllurick (1969) suggests "In Cornwall the species seems to be as maritime as the Slavonian Grebe", this is not entirely true. They may indeed be seen inshore at entirely marine sites, even feeding amongst breaking waves (eg Carlyon Bay RL), but they stay only up to a week at most marine sites (and freshwater sites) whilst 'en route' to their wintering grounds. Their chosen wintering grounds are undoubtedly sheltered estuarine localities, almost without exception. Carrick Roads is thus ideal, almost 'tailor-made', with excellent sheltering cliffs to the east and raised ground to the west, producing calm waters under most conditions, even some in northerlies (eg Trelissick Bay and Loe Beach) and possibly north of Restronguet Point or at least higher up Fal Estuary complex in southerlies

170 (unproven). This is supported by their choice of the Lynher and Helford estuaries as 'secondary' sites.

The ideal appears to be calm, brackish waters, seemingly always with a freshwater river source. Personal observations (RL and PAM) show they frequently feed in and around floating and growing seaweed 'clumps' (unrecorded in the lierature?), thus presumably following up their summertime insectivorous diet, no doubt supplemented (by small fish?). Pairing or bonding behaviour also occurs at their wintering grounds during Feb./March (RL), and traces of summer plumage have been observed as early as late Feb. (RL), but is nothing like the full summer plumage seen mostly on inland waters during spring dispersal. It may be noted that Langstone Harbour provides all these same conditions and timing is very similar.

RECENT TRENDS : Up to five Black-necked Grebes were located at Carrick Roads in 1987 (RL) after almost four decades of counts seldom reaching even this 'high'. In 1988, careful observation showed a flock of 9 present (PAM). From 1989 (10) onward to 1996, double figure flocks have been recorded (by more diligent observations) each year, except 1991 and 1992, when two regular observers did not, or were unable, to locate the flock, which was probably under-recorded at 5 and 3 respectively, since 1993 saw a flock of 10 present again. 1994 saw 15 birds present, and 1995 no less than 26 Black- necked Grebes, with 25 re-appearing in 1996. This is some 20% of the estimated British wintering population (BTO Wintering Atlas Poyser). In fact, if additional birds overwinter on the Lynher, or elsewhere, we may have 25% of the wintering population. It is to be hoped that this increase continues - but do remember that Slavonian Grebes are also present (in fewer numbers) on Carrick Roads.

Roger Lane

CBWPS NORTH COAST SEABIRD SURVEY 1996 - Andy Pay

INTRODUCTION The north Cornwall coast from St.Ives to Boscastle was surveyed from boats during the early summer of 1996 using techniques recommended by the Seabird Monitoring Handbook. The results in the accompanying table are compared with those from the surveys carried out in 1985 and 1987. It must be stated that the earlier surveys were carried out from the land and caution must therefore be exercised in making direct comparisons between the two sets of figures.

St.Ives St.Agnes Newquay Trevose Tintagel to to to Trevose to to 1985/87 Species St.Agnes Newquay Head Tintagel Boscastle Total Total

Northern Fulmar 343 66 116 336 59 920 1016

Great Cormorant 8 0 3 5 13 29 63

Shag 122 47 33 70 24 296 275

L.B.B.Gull 3 5 0 0 n/c 8 3

Herring Gull 182 305 156 331 n/c 974 1098

G.B.B. Gull 1 4 4 3 n/c 12 45

Kittiwake 107 1200 0 133 0 1440 1715 Common 381 181 36 262 516 1376 183 pairs + Guillemot birds 710 birds Razorbill 83 101 15 167 148 514 136 pairs + birds 310 birds Puffin 0 0 0 2 8 10 3 nests + birds 30 birds

Notes 1) Except where otherwise stated, all counts refer to numbers of occupied nests. 2) The 1985/87 totals do not include stretches of coastline which were not counted (n/c) in 1996.

171 COMMENTS Northern Fulmar: This species appears to be consolidating its relatively recent colonisation of the county.

Great Cormorant, Great Black-backed Gull: It would be worth checking south coast colonies to see if there is further evidence of decline.

Shag, Kittiwake: Populations appear to be stable.

Herring Gull: Taking into account the spectacular increase in roof-nesting in Cornish coastal towns in the last 20 years, it seems that the decline of this species has been halted.

Kittiwake: Full survey required.

Common Guillemot, Razorbill, Puffin: It would be unsafe to draw any conclusions from these figures, although the local decline of the Puffin is well documented.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thanks are due to David Saunders, Director of the Dyfed Wildlife Trust, for instigating the survey and to the administrators of the Sea Empress Appeal Fund for reimbursing the costs of boat-hire. The surveys were carried out by Dave Conway, Steve Crummay, Tim Dingle, Laurie Hart, Richard Hooton, Steve Jackson, Derek Lord, Matt Southam, Dave Thomas and Justin Walford. Apologies for any omissions.

ISABELLINE WHEATEAR AT CHURCH COVE - new to mainland Cornwall John Martin

INTRODUCTION On the afternoon of October 29 1996, after a long weekend in Cornwall, my wife Janette and myself visited Church Cove to look for migrants. This was the first chance to do so after severe gales and the cove was sheltered from the still moderate north-westerly breeze.

Along the coastal path north of Bass Point at 1430 hrs I noticed two wheatears in a grassy field and scoped one up as it looked pale - a Northern. A little further on there were two more wheatears near a patch of gorse including a noticeably big, pale, upright bird. I scoped this one too and realised quite quickly that it showed the principal features of Isabelline Wheatear.

The most obvious features were the large size (obviously larger than Northern Wheatear alongside), pale uniform plumage including uniform sandy looking greater coverts and plainish head pattern without obviously darker ear coverts. It was approachable and over the next 45 minutes I was able to scope it down to 10m.

DESCRIPTION Size/jizz/behaviour

Noticeably larger than Northern Wheatear (two alongside at one point) - estimated to be at least 10% bigger. The stance was consistently more upright than Northern, often bolt upright. When in this posture, the depressed tail still fell well short of the ground. The bill was quite long but I didn't compare it directly with Northern.

It often made short fly catching sallies from slight hummocks. These flights were rarely over lm above ground level and quite short in duration, quickly twisting back to the ground and often spreading the tail as it turned. This behaviour eventually allowed the tail pattern and underwing to be seen well. It once perched up on a fence.

172 Head

Generally bland, lacking the obvious darker ear coverts of Northern with a brown loral stripe the most obvious marking. This varied in apparent strength with the angle of observation. The buffish or creamy supercilium met over the bill and was obvious in front of the eye. Behind the eye it faded into the crown and was perhaps less obvious. The crown was pale sandy brown. The ear coverts were the same shade but a touch warmer. They faded almost imperceptibly into the paler throat and the slightly grey toned nape. This was the only hint of grey on the bird.

Upperparts

The mantle and scapulars were uniform pale washed out buffy brown or pale washed out dull brown, neither warm orangey or cold grey in tone.

The greater coverts were distinctive - the same tone as the mantle and the underparts, giving the bird a uniform appearance. The pale brown fringes and slightly paler tips to these feathers were broad and almost completely cloaked the brown centres which showed on one or two feathers. They were thus very different to the obviously contrastingly dark centred and usually much more orangey toned greater coverts of Northern. The median coverts were very pale with an obviously but not sharply contrasting darker base - the same as a bird I had seen on Gugh in 1991. The tertials were obviously darker brown centred with very broad pale buffy fringes. On the shortest tertial the darker centre was less marked and did not contrast much with the scapulars. The secondaries were fringed buff creating a panel uniform with the fringes of the longer tertials and the greater coverts. The primary coverts were brown with obvious pale fringes. I did not see the alula, though I did look for it - it was always hidden by the greater coverts.

The primaries were brown with obvious pale tips. I remembered Keith Vinicombe recently mentioning that the spacing of the primaries was a useful feature so I made a careful note of this.

There appeared to be two tips very close together at the point of the wing (only distinguishable at very close range with the scope), then an 'average' gap, then a long gap and finally three evenly and more closely spaced tips to the end of the tertials. This is seemingly typical for Isabelline with more of the fourth primary showing than any other, but the feature is variable.

Underparts

The underparts lacked any clear demarcations of colour and did not contrast with the mantle or the pale fringed wing feathers. There was a warmer peachy wash across the upper breast. This gradually faded to palest buff on the lower breast. Above the legs there was a stronger area of buff on the flanks 'wrapping round' from the upper rump. The undertail covert area was more or less white.

The underwing was eventually seen well in the bird's frequent flycatching sallies. It looked very pale whitish.

Tail

From below the shortish tail looked all black with a narrow very pale buffy tip. From above, when viewing the bird facing away, the tail again looked all black but was partly hidden by the primaries. In the frequent flycatching sallies it was not easy to observe the tail pattern but eventually I had convincing views. The black sub-terminal band was very broad and the stem very short. I did not note the extend of white on the rump.

Bare parts

The bill, eye and legs looked dark/blackish. Bill quite long.

173 SUMMARY

A combination of features made this a distinctive bird when watched carefully. The large size, upright stance, shorter tail and overall pale appearance attracted attention. The uniformly pale greater coverts and fringes of the tertials and secondaries created a plain pale looking wing, not contrasting with the upper or underparts. The head pattern was very bland. Though I did not see the alula, or note the extent of white in the rump, the tail pattern and diagnostic pale underwing plus the spacing of the primary tips confirmed the identification.

LATER EVENTS

I was completely happy with the identification and we continued our walk, eventually meeting Dr Ian Brown with his family by the lifeboat station. He hastened to see the bird and had good views though it had finally flown off across the field. Unfortunately the bird must have quickly moved on as it was not seen subsequently, despite being looked for by a number of birders twitching the nearby Little Bustard.

John Martin, 34 Cranmoor Green, Pilning, Bristol BS12 3QF

THE LESSER SCAUP AT DRIFT RESERVOIR, 17th & 18th November 1996: the first record for Cornwall - D. S. Flumm

The morning of Sunday, 17th November was damp and overcast but with a force five north wind, I decided to have a look at Pendeen for any late seabird passage. I arrived at 8.15am but after an hour of sitting alone in the icy conditions the only bird of note had been a single Balearic Shearwater and when the rain arrived I decided to head for the "warmth" of the hide at Drift Reservoir.

There were three other observers already in the hide when I arrived at 9.35am including Graham Hobin who watches the reservoir daily. He had told me of a female Greater Scaup during the week and duly pointed the bird out as I sat down. Also present were 17 Tufted Duck, 5 Shoveler, 9 Little Grebes, and single Black-necked Grebe and Goosander.

Having quickly scanned through these I returned to one of the female "Tufteds" which also looked Scaup-like. It showed a large area of white around the base of the bill - in fact this continued across the base of the forehead in an unbroken band. There the resemblance ended, however, as this bird was noticeably smaller with a smaller bill and unlike the "other" Scaup no pale ear covert patch behind the eye. Its head shape was also very different with a high rear crown instead of the smooth round head of its neighbour.

I pointed this odd duck out to GH and we pondered over whether it was an odd Tufted rather than odd Scaup. However, alongside female Tufteds the head shape looked different from these too, lacking the shaggy crest of the latter; this was more of a Ring-necked Duck-like "bump" up and behind the eye. The eye also looked dark compared with all the Tufteds present and the bill seemed to have only a small black area on the nail rather than the black bands and pale sub-terminal areas of the Tufteds' bills. The general coloration was also more Scaup-like. GH half-joked "Perhaps it's a Lesser!" a conclusion that had crossed my mind too although I was more worried it was just an odd hybrid.

After watching it for half an hour (largely through rain from the hide with my 30 x 80 Optolyth) and taking field notes and sketches, I left at 10.15am rather begrudgingly to take my family to Hayle for lunch with (non-birdy) friends! I knew that we had to see the wing stripe to separate Greater Scaup from Lesser Scaup though I couldn't remember exactly what to look for. I therefore left GH with instructions not to leave the bird before seeing it flap its wings!

Upon returning home minutes later I quickly looked up Lesser Scaup in Rare Birds in Britain and Ireland (1991) and the description together with Lewington's colour illustration (plate 11) sent me

174 running to the telephone! I immediately telephoned Birding South West and eight local birders with the news that we had a 90% Lesser Scaup on the reservoir but still needed the wing pattern and to eliminate the hybrid possibility - although the 'uniform', unmarked bill seemed to rule out the latter.

I eventually returned to the hide at 3pm to join a dozen or so observers who had now assembled and seen all the salient features. As expected (hoped!) GH , John Ryan and Stuart Jack had clinched the wing pattern already: a white wing-stripe across the secondaries turning to a grey blaze across the primaries - unlike the continuous white stripe in Scaup. I had to wait a further 20 minutes but at 3.20pm the bird flapped its wings and I too joined in the celebrations.

DESCRIPTION

Size nearer to Tufted than Greater Scaup, perhaps smaller still. Head shape very distinctive with a high rear crown, a "bump" rather than the crest of a Tufted though at long range this was not as easy to separate as some of the female Tufteds had very short crests. Nevertheless a very good field character when seen at ranges up to 200m with 30 x 80 scope. It was certainly different from the smooth, round profile of the Scaup present. Bill did not show the extent of black at the tip as female Tufteds and was paler also. It was uniform pale blue-grey with only a small black nail unlike the more obvious black tips/darker bills of female Tufteds and it lacked the pale subterminal bands of the drakes. Structurally similar to Tufted, not as long as Scaup. Eye was darker than the Tufteds present alongside (so perhaps an immature female?) but when seen in sunlight late afternoon it looked pale! Wing Stripe seen in afternoon gleaming white across secondaries then grey across primaries. General coloration closer to Scaup than Tufteds and the amount of white around the base of the bill also resembled former being unbroken in extent across lower forehead. Breast red-brown similar to Scaup rather than the grey of female tufted. Rear flanks dark but undertail paler. In sunlight in the afternoon the mantle looked slightly paler grey than rest of upperparts; always looked slightly paler than female Tufteds. GH commented that the flank/breast border formed a right angle at the bend of the wing instead of being indented as the Tufteds present. GH also commented on the bird's behaviour noting that it would jump higher prior to diving and staying under water for longer than the Tufteds - perhaps it was feeding at greater depths?

The bird was still present the following morning but at 10.50am a party of four birders inadvertently pushed the bird into the NE arm of the reservoir as they approached along the far shore - much to the consternation of those watching it from the hide. The duck swam swiftly away peering back over its shoulders to 'eye' the group and disappeared. It was never seen again.

Female Lesser Scaup (Dave Flumm)

175 Incredibly the following weekend Cornwall hosted its second Lesser Scaup in the form of a drake which was discovered along with a drake American Wigeon at Stithians Reservoir on 23rd November 1996.

This is the first record of this North American species for Cornwall, the first female for Britain and the second female for the Western Palearctic. The 15 previous British & Irish records have all been drakes.

REFERENCES Alstrom, P., Colston, P., & Lewington, I. 1991.A Field Guide to the Rare birds of Britain and Europe. HarperCollins. Clarke, T., Gutirrez, J.A.L., & King, J. 1995. The Lesser Scaup on the Canary islands: the first female for the Western Palearctic. Birding world 8: 52-55. Evans, L. 1996. Lesser Scaups in Britain. Birding World 9: 144-145. Flumm, D.S., 1996. The Lesser Scaup in Cornwall - the first female for Britain. Birding World 9: 431-432. Rogers, M. J., & the Rarities Committee. 1991 -1996. Report on rare birds in Great Britain. Brit Birds.

PADDYFIELD WARBLER AT MARAZION MARSH RSPB NATURE RESERVE, 16th November - 22nd December 1996: The first county mainland record for Cornwall - D S Flumm

On 16th November 1996 Bernard Pattenden trapped a Paddyfield Warbler, Acrocephalus agricola at Marazion Marsh RSPB Nature Reserve. News of this did not reach me until BP sent in his ringing data to the County Recorder eight days later but at lunchtime on Saturday, 23rd November John Ryan kindly telephoned to tell me. I immediately drove to the Marsh and set up my scope on the road at Longrock Pool for the afternoon just in case ...

At 3.30pm I found the bird feeding low down amongst dead reed stems at the far side of the Pool and obtained sufficient views to be sure of its identity over the following 15 minutes before it disappeared. Fortunately Stan Christophers and John Ryan had arrived about 3.15pm and were standing next to me at the time so also enjoyed good views of the bird after the initial panic had subsided! We stayed until dusk and were joined by others but it was not seen again.

The following morning, 24th November saw over 50 observers parked along the road (including friends from East Sussex!) but bad weather meant it only showed very briefly to 2-3 of these just after dawn. In the event, the bird stayed for over a month but throughout this time it was always difficult to see and many observers failed to see it at all in spite of their daily vigils. This was due to two main factors: wet and windy weather and the bird's habit of keeping low down in the dense vegetation. My own views were enhanced on three dates only thereafter: 26th and 28th November and 7th December when calm, sunnier conditions allowed better viewing. On the latter date it also came within 40m. of the road - instead of the 100m. range most of us had been accustomed to.

The following summarise my observations made over the period:

Always difficult to see, I only saw it venture up the reed stems more than a metre on 26th November when it hopped and flitted the whole length of the Pool (at 100m. range along the north shore) in and out of the reed bed. Most of the time it simply crept about like a mouse at water level amongst the dead reed stems - in stark contrast to the many Chiffchaffs also present which were always lively and on view.

Once seen it was pretty unmistakable as it was so pale. Most of the time it looked all white underneath with very pale grey-brown upperparts, pale wing panels and a broad white supercilium bordered both above and below by darker lines. It had a habit of drooping its wings but was never heard to call. The general paleness of the plumage, the head pattern and the drooped wings were all reminiscent of the only other Paddyfield I've seen - on St. Mary's in 1974 (Flumm & Lord 1978) - and these features gave the bird a very distinctive look.

By a remarkable coincidence, a Sedge Warbler was also present at the same time (in itself an extraordinary record: the latest for Cornwall) and this afforded useful comparison on occasion.

176 Perhaps understandably many observers mistook the Sedge for the Paddyfield, but once seen the much paler plumage of the latter at once distinguished it. [The Sedge, also ringed, appeared to have a damaged wing and this probably accounts for the late date of this individual].

FIELD DESCRIPTION

Size close to that of Sedge Warbler but looked shorter winged and longer tailed. General coloration of upperparts very pale "grey" on first dates but on closer views later in better light it looked brown. The underparts looked very white with a buff-grey wash on sides of breast at bend of wing. On close view it showed buff in the ventral region and flanks. Head pattern distinctive with obvious white supercilium and dark eye-stripe and a dark upper border to the supercilium obvious at any distance. In fact at closer range on 28th Nov. and 7th Dec. the supercilium looked less white. The crown itself was a uniform pale grey-brown with the nape and mantle and contrasted with the darker sides to the supercilium. The neck showed a pale grey wash at the sides. The wings looked very short with a small primary projection beyond the tertials. Latter were very pale buff and contrasted with the rest of the wing so forming a pale 'wing panel' at a distance. The broad buff fringes to the tertials formed the palest region on the upperparts thought the rump too looked pale and browner than the rest of the plumage. Tail looked rather narrow, tapered and rounded, certainly not square. Bill proportions as Sedge Warbler and at close range pale flesh with obvious dark tip. Legs looked very pale; metal ring on right.

Paddyfield Warbler (Dave Flumm)

This constitutes the first mainland record for Cornwall. There have, however, been three in Scilly. It is also the latest for Britain & Ireland, there being only one previous December record - at the North Slob, Wexford 3rd-4th December 1984 (Dudley et al 1996).

REFERENCES British Birds annual reports on rare birds in Great Britain 1974-1995. Dudley,S., Benton,T, Fraser,R, & RyanJ. (1996) Rare Birds Day By Day. Poyser, England. Flumm, D.S., & Lord, N.A.G. (1978). Identification of a Paddyfield Warbler. Brit.Birds 71: 95-101. D S Flumm, 6 Beacon Crescent, Sancreed, Penzance, Cornwall. TR20 8QR

177 CHAIRMAN'S REPORT

A professional organisation I an sure most members realise that CBWPS is wholly run by hard-working people in their own time. Yet we have to aspire to the professional standards set by the RSPB, and more locally, the Cornwall Wildlife Trust.

For the first time in our history we have set about putting together a business plan to ensure the Society prospers well into the next century.

Our bird reports -' the best in the West ' In the British Birds report competition the Scilly report came in tenth, and the Cornwall report third equal. An absolutely fantastic achievement. I offer my congratulations to Peter Robinson, Will Wagstaff and Greg Conway for their excellent efforts.

This is the first year the Cornwall report has been put together using computerised records; so to get it out on time, with all the teething problems that were encountered, is a credit to all those involved.

Isles of Scilly In February we had a fruitful meeting in Penzance with Peter Robinson and Will Wagstaff to discuss the future of their report, and our joint liaison.

It's fair to say that in previous years we may have taken our officers on Scilly for granted. We forget that they produce their report between three officers, whereas we have a production team of many more.

The islands are a birdwatching mecca, and the Society should be proud of the association with Scilly. One thing that we have agreed to do is to meet twice a year to discuss joint projects and to avoid any potential conflict or misunderstanding.

Conservation The society recognises that conservation issues are the future if the CBWPS is to have a role in the 21st century. It was for this reason that we changed our society rules recently to include the word conservation, as well as preservation.

At this stage I should like to pay a tribute to Andy Pay. Andy has been our conservation officer for ten years. This work goes largely unnoticed, but is so vital, that people of Andy's like are invaluable to the Society.

Andy is now stepping aside, and Martin Rule is our new conservation officer (Andy is now Vice- Chairman).

Subscriptions I reported the subscription increase to the AGM this year. You may remember that members were questioned on the increase last year; and the majority of you voted for an increase to £12 for an ordinary membership.

From 1 January 1998 the ordinary subscription will be £12 and a family membership will be £15. Senior citizens will have the option to stay at current rate of £9 (upon notifying the membership secretary). If you have a standing order, would you please notify your bank.

Membership " At present our membership stands at 850 and it is felt that in order to maintain the Society in a healthy and active condition efforts should be made to increase this to at least 1,000 ". These words were taken from our report 30 years ago, and are totally relevant in 1998.

We have around 850 members at present, and rising, but our aim has to be the magic 1,000 figure. Please speak to your friends, give them a membership leaflet and show them our reports - they cannot fail to be impressed.

178 Walmsley Sanctuary One disappointment this year has been the lack of progress with the no. 2 hide. I apologise on behalf of the committee for this. I can assure you that plans are now well underway to construct something that I think all our members will be very pleased with.

The sanctuary is looking splendid under the guardianship of our new Warden, Adrian Langdon. There have been a few working parties which gives members an unique opportunity to see inside the sanctuary; unfortunately these have been poorly attended. Please try and help out next year - your assistance is much appreciated.

Honorary Membership Rex Harper was awarded an honorary membership for his years of work at the RSPCA Perranporth wildlife centre. Recently, Rex and his team of helpers dealt with many sea birds oiled as a result of the spill.

Rex spoke to the AGM, and informed us that Perranporth centre would be closing for refurbishment. In the interim period RSPCA services would be offered through the West Hatch centre at Taunton.

'Burn-out* syndrome Looking back at my records I became chairman in July 1992. Since that time there have been 30 committee meetings, of which I attended 28. In addition to these there have been numerous sub­ committees and AGM's. I have had to deal with a lot of enjoyable events eg the re-opening of Walmsley Sanctuary, but the downside has been the resignations of two officers and having to try and pacify a few aggrieved members.

All of this takes its toll and after a few years I have to say I have had enough. The society have recognised this and the key posts in CBWPS are now on a four year term.

I would advise the remainder of the committee to seriously consider this issue; as it is better to leave happy, have a break, then hopefully return in a few years time.

One person who has done this is Greg Adams, our Honorary Solicitor. I am personally grateful for Greg's professional support, and for his help in sorting out Walmsley Sanctuary for us. The reminder is on file to give Greg a call in four years time!

Happy birding 1998

Richard Hooton Chairman (Retired May 1997)

CONSERVATION OFFICER'S REPORT, 1996

This was the year of 'document culture'. Whilst the Cornwall Biodiversity Initiative has been progressing steadily, English Nature has been turning out its 'Natural Areas Profiles' and the Environment Agency has been producing 'Local Environment Agency Plans' (LEAPS). All of these are intended to mesh together to form a framework for nature conservation throughout the county. The relevant organisations have been consulting widely and so we provided comments on behalf of the Society on a steady stream of weighty documents.

For any of you who may be a little in the dark, here is a quote from the Convention on Biological Diversity: "Biological diversity means the variability among living organisms from all sources including, amongst others, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosytems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems".

Species and habitats are lost and new ones develop through the process of evolution. With the present rates of change to our environment caused by humans, evolution cannot keep up. There is, therefore, a need to learn how to manage biodiversity as a sustainable resource. 179 The Cornwall Biodiversity Initiative has its origins in the Rio Earth Summit in June 1992. Long lists of all species and habitats of conservation concern in Cornwall have been collated, and the next stage will be to produce Action Plans for those elements requiring immediate help. Using the somewhat lengthy and arguable national criteria, Paul McCartney (Cornwall Wildlife Trust) and my predecessor Andy Pay arrived at a 'Short List' of the following: Black-throated Diver, Red-necked Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Manx Shearwater, Northern Gannet, Great Bittern, Little Egret, Grey Partridge, Northern Lapwing, Common Snipe, Black- tailed Godwit, Eurasian Curlew, Puffin, Barn Owl, Lesser-spotted Woodpecker, Wood Lark, Sky Lark, Song Thrush, Chough, Aquatic Warbler, Dartford Warbler, Cirl Bunting, Corn Bunting. These species require immediate help.

On the Cornish 'Middle List' are: Garganey, Hen Harrier, Montagu's Harrier, Avocet, Sanderling, European Nightjar, Common Redstart, Whinchat, Cetti's Warbler, Wood Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher, Willow Tit, Linnet, Bullfinch, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting.

As always, we will be pleased to receive any of your records for any species, but records for birds on either of these lists will be especially welcome. We intend to run surveys in future years, targeted to specific species in particular need of help.

The Biodiversity Initiative and Natural Areas documents specify in quite precise terms the conservation priorities in Cornwall. This will then focus the limited resources available for conservation action to those sites or species in most urgent need. They mesh well with LEAPS, as these documents discuss on a catchment by catchment basis, the environmental issues affecting biodiversity. Subsequent Action Plans, which importantly are reviewed annually, register these concerns and try to allocate funding to resolve the problems.

Moving on to more practical matters, our reserves at Walmsley and Maer Lake succeeded in their main objective during the winter, attracting hordes of wildfowl and waders. I know that a few people are disappointed with the lack of viewing facilities at Walmsley, but the number one priority there has been to provide a safe haven for birds: in this we have been extremely successful. The good news is that we have now secured planning permission to construct a new hide, giving all round views of the Amble Valley. With improvements being discussed with the Environment Agency, it looks like Walmsley is entering an exciting era. Adrian Langdon and his small team of volunteers have carried out excellent work here, for which we are extremely grateful, as we are to the teams who look after our other reserves. There is always room for more people to get involved, so give me a ring if you are interested.

Much survey work was carried out by Society members during the year. Many helped with the RSPB Cetti's Warbler survey and the BTO Census of Rookeries. Following the Sea Empress disaster, we organised and completed a count of seabirds along most of the north Cornish coast, most of the results of which compare favourably with the last survey in 1986/87, with most species appearing to be holding their ground. Details are included in the back of this Report.

We found a couple of things to complain about during the year. The behaviour of some of the shooting fraternity during the huge influx of birds into Cornwall in the severe weather at the end of the year was quite disgraceful. Many tired and weak birds were shot unmercifully in the name of sport and we made our views known in no uncertain terms in the local press and radio. In the autumn three commercial cockle dredgers arrived in the Camel Estuary and caused great disruption to the river bed by active cockle-dredging. Again we complained in strong terms to the appropriate bodies.

To end on a happy note, we were glad to be given the opportunity to restore the barn housing mainland Britain's most southerly Barn Owls, just over a mile north of Lizard Point. Three young were raised very nearby in 1997, so hopefully we have consolidated this population locally.

Martin Rule Conservation Officer

180 INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT for the Year ended 31.12.1996

1996 1995 £ £ £ £ INCOME Subscriptions Annual Membership 5,900 5,949 Tax refund on covenanted subscriptions 700 569 6,600 6,518 Donations 274 228 Rents 775 833 Interest War Loan 19 32 NSB Investment Account 440 441 Charities Deposit Account 988 872 1,447 1,345 Other Income Sale of Reports - Isles of Scilly 1,594 1,765 'Birds in Cornwall' 259 193 Legacy - 517 Surveys 345 140 Advertisements 80 95 Other Sales & Income 304 130 Grants - Walmsley Sanctuary 630 630 3,212 3,470

12,308 12,394

Less : GENERAL EXPENDITURE Annual reports - Isles of Scilly 2,010 2,237 'Birds in Cornwall' 2,260 2,350 Newsletters 380 976 Other printing & stationery 462 228 Postage's & Telephone 1,125 606 Hide & Reserve expenses 468 1,145 Subscriptions 37 25 Goods for resale 11 68 Insurance 402 384 Surveys 345 140 Miscellaneous 268 502 Computer Software 425 495 Computer Hardware 1,864 200 10,057 9,356

Surplus for the year £2,251 £3,038

181 BALANCE SHEET as at 31 December 1996

1996 1995 £ £ £ £ INVESTMENTS £902.24 3.5% War Loan at market price at 31.12.95 409 NSB Investment Account 8,555 8,115

8,555 8,524

CURRENT ASSETS Stock 200 50 Sundry debtors 1,417 412 COIF Charities Deposit Account 19,000 15,000 Bank Current Account 851 2,480

21,468 17,942

CURRENT LIABILITIES Subscriptions in advance 466 484 Creditors 5,362 4,009

5,828 4,493

NET CURRENT ASSETS 15,640 13,449

NET ASSETS £24,195 £21,973

ACCUMULATED FUNDS At 1 January 1996 21,973 18,895

Add : Profit for the year 2,251 3,038

£24,224 £21,933 Increase/Decrease (-) in market value of war loan - 40

Deficit on sale of war loan 29 -

£24,195 £21,973

Note : The Society also owns land at Trethias Island and Walmsley Sanctuary, together with a half- share of Maer Lake, in addition to the assets shown in this balance sheet.

ACCOUNTANTS' REPORT

Whitaker Redfearn Pappin Chartered Accountants Newquay

182 THE SOCIETY'S RULES (current from April 26 1996) (words in italics denote changes to Society Rules)

Rule I.(Name)

The Society shall be called "The Cornwall Bird-Watching and Preservation Society".

Rule 2 (Objects)

The objects of the Society shall be :- a. to further the study of birds in the field; and b. to assist in their preservation and conservation.

Rule 3 (Membership) Membership shall be open to anyone who supports the objects of the Society. Classes of membership shall be as follows :- Ordinary members - any person over the age of 18 yrs Life members - any ordinary member who has paid the prescribed life membership subscription. Junior members - any person under the age of 18 yrs. Honorary members - any person, whether otherwise a member or not, who is elected an Honorary member by a General meeting on a recommendatk the Executive Committee in recognition of outstanding service to the objects of the Society. Group members - School or similar groups. All members shall be entitled to participate in all activities of the Society (except that Junior members shall not be eligible to serve as Honorary officers or as members o Executive Committee) and shall be entitled to vote at General meetings (Group members shall be entitled to one vote only on behalf of that body). The Executive Committee shall have the authority to exclude from membership, or cancel the membership of, any person if it considers that person to have contravened requirements contained in these rules or any legislation relating to bird protection or the countryside, or for any other matter which the Executive Committee considers off the well-being, aims or objectives of the Society. Rule 4 (Subscriptions) Subscription rates shall be approved from time to time by the Society in General meeting on a recommendation from the Executive Committee. Subscriptions shall be pay on joining and on the 1 st of January thereafter, but any member paying a first subscription after the 30th of September in any year shall not be liable to pay a fui subscription until after the close of the following year. A member whose subscription is three months in arrears shall, after being reminded, cease to receive the Society's publications, and when six months in arrears shall c to be a member. Rule 5 (Officers) The following Honorary Officers shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting and shall be eligible for re-election :- President, Chairman, Vice-Chairman, General Secretary, Treasurer, Field Meetings Officer, Honorary Solicitor, Conservation Officer, Assistant Conservation Off Newsletter Editor, Public Relations Officer, County Recorder & Editor, Assistant Editor, two joint editors for the Isles of Scilly. Any member, with the exception of Junior members, shall be eligible for election as an Honorary Officer. In the event of a vacancy arising at any time of the year, the Execi Committee shall be empowered to appoint a member to fill that vacancy and such appointment shall be reported to the next General meeting for approval or electio appropriate.

Rule 6 (Meetings) An annual general meeting shall be held in each year. The quorum shall be 20. A Special General Meeting may be called by the Executive Committee, or at the reque: 20 members by application to the Chairman and the General Secretary, such applications to be accompanied by details of the motion or motions to be moved.

Rule 7 (Management) The Annual General Meeting shall elect an Executive Committee to deal with all business of the Society, and any obligation undertaken by the Executive Committee sha! an obligation of the Society. The Executive Committee shall consist of the Honorary Officers and nine other members. The Chairman, General Secretary and Treasurer shall seme for a maximum of consecutive years. At the end of that period, at least one year must elapse before that person shall be eligible for re-election to the same office. Non-officer members shal elected for a period of three years and shall not on the expiry of that period be eligible for re-election until a year after the termination of that period of three years. Nominations for posts as Honorary Officers and for vacancies on the Executive Committee shall be made in writing to the General Secretary over the signatures of proposer and seconder and must reach the General Secretary at least ten days before the date of the Annual General Meeting. The Executive Committee shall meet as often as is necessary and shall be convened by the General Secretary in consultation with the Chairman. The quorum for the Execi Committee shall be eight members. The Executive Committee shall have the powers to appoint such sub-committees as it considers desirable and shall determine the membership and powers of 5 subcommittees, whose proceedings will be reported to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall not delegate to any sub-committee the power to commit Society to any expenditure. The Executive Committee shall delegate to the Management Team (comprising Chairman, Vice-Chairman, General Secretary, Treasurer and Conservation Officer) powe take decisions on urgent matters which cannot await the next meeting of the Committee. Decisions of the Management Team must be unanimous and shall be reported tc next meeting of the Executive Committee.

Rule 8 (Accounts)

The annual accounts of the Society shall be checked independently.

Rule 9 (Trustees)

land of the Society shall vest in the Official Custodian of charities.

Rule 10 (Dissolution etc.) This Society shall neither be dissolved, nor amalgamated with, nor subordinated to any other body without the consent of two-thirds of the members, at a General Mee where the business is transacted, and in respect of which dissolution, amalgamation or subordination, prior notice must be given under rule 11. For the purpose of this R Members may vote by post. Rule 11 (Alteration of rules) An alteration of the Rules of the Society may be made at any General Meeting, provided that the precise alteration has been set out in full on the agenda sent to members that the proposed alteration is passed by at least two-thirds of those members present and voting at the meeting. 183 184