CORNWALL BIRD-WATCHING & PRESERVATION SOCIETY SIXTY-NINTH ANNUAL REPORT 1999 Chough {Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) The emblem of The Cornwall Bird-watching & Preservation Society OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE 2000/01 President Steve Madge, Seawinds, Lower Trerieve, Downderry, Torpoint, PL 15 3LZ Chairman Graham Sutton, Harcombe, West Park Road, Bude, EX23 8PB Vice-Chairman Stuart Hutchings, 24 Kernick Road, Penryn, TRIO 8NT General Secretary Steve Rogers, Roseland, Cyril Road, Truro, TR1 3TA Treasurer Keith Harris, Lowina Cottage, Chyvarloe, Gunwalloe, Helston, TR21 7PY Membership Secretary Debbie Melarickas, 20 Midway Drive, Truro, TR1 1NQ Recorder Kester Wilson, 1 Tol-Pedn House, School Hill Road, St Levan, Penzance TR19 6LP Editor 'Birds in Cornwall Ian Wilson, 3 Hunters Close, Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire, LEI7 6LG Conservation Oficer Brian Craven, 15 Compass West, Tregadillett, Launceston, PL 15 7EA Newsletter Editor Darrell Clegg, 55 Lower Fore Street, Saltash, PL 12 6JQ Field Meetings Officer John Chappie, 28 Carclew Street, Truro, TR1 2EZ Public Relations Officer Tony Langford, Miango, Trewirgie Road, Redruth, TR15 2SX Recorder : Isles of Scilly Paul Stancliffe, 1 Heydor Flats, Garrison Lane, Hugh Town, Isles of Scilly, TR21 0JD Editor 'Isles of Scilly Bird Report' Martin Scott, 6 Museum Flats, St Mary's, Isles of Scilly, TR21 0JU Committee Members: Francis Couch (Bodmin), Roger Jones (St. Austell), Andy Pay (Helston), Martin Rule (Helston) & Paul Stubbs (The Lizard). Records Committee: Greg Conway, Pete Fraser, Steve Madge, Andy Pay, Graham Sutton & Laurie Williams Photographs: Front Page: Red-flanked Bluetail at Rame Head in October - Peter Leigh. Back Page: Night Heron at Sladebridge in April - Adrian Langdon 2 CONTENTS Page Review of the Year 1999 Kester & Ian Wilson 4 Editorial Ian Wilson 10 Acknowledgements 10 Submission of Records 11 Submission of Rarity Reports 13 Systematic List for 1999 Kester & Ian Wilson 15 Records for which details are still required 123 First and Last Dates of Summer Migrants 123 Contributors 124 Photographers 127 Gazetteer 127 Ringing Report 1999 Greg Conway 133 Red-flanked Bluetail at Rame Head Darrell Clegg 141 Cornwall's Farmland Birds Dave Flumm 142 Chairman's Report Graham Sutton 167 Conservation Officer's Report Brian Craven 168 Obituary: Brian and Sheila Bottomley V.S. Paton, J.A. Paton R.J. Chandler & H. Hems 169 1999 Balance Sheet and Accounts 170 The Society's Rules 173 Advertisements 174 Map of Cornwall 176 Printed by B.J. Press Ltd., Unit 29 Threemilestone Ind Estate, Truro, Cornwall, TR4 9LD Copyright Cornwall Bird-watching & Preservation Society 2000 3 REVIEW OF THE YEAR 1999 JANUARY The year commenced with many of the previous year's impressive array of north american ducks still in residence. Black Ducks were at Walmsley until 20th May, and Stithians Reservoir until 20th Feb. Two female Lesser Scaups were at Argal Reservoir, one leaving on 6th February and the other remaining until 5th March. An American Wigeon was at Mawgan Porth and stayed until 8th. Other birds staying from last year were a Great Bittern at Walmsley until 10th and a Pied-billed Grebe on the pond at Nanjizal until 14th April. Iceland Gulls were in the Hayle area, with at least eight different birds being seen during the first five months of the year, with others scattered widely over the county. Glaucous Gulls were more thinly spread, again across the county. The wintering adult Ring-billed Gull remained at Hayle until 10th March, and was joined by another which stayed for most of the month. An adult Ring-billed Gull was also at Par Beach where it remained until 17th Feb. Good numbers of Mediterranean Gulls were seen until early March, and Yellow-legged Gulls were also reported in the flocks of large gulls. Sixty two Black-throated Divers were in Veryan Bay, and twenty-four in Falmouth Bay on 1st, when the first Grey Phalarope of the year was seen in Newlyn Harbour. The 1 st saw flocks of one thousand Linnets at both Winnards Perch and St Merryn, and wintering Water Pipits at Maer Lake and Walmsley. There were three Velvet Scoters in Carrick Roads which stayed until 20th February. A Grey Phalarope was at St Ives on 3rd when a Leach's Petrel and four Balearic Shearwaters were also recorded. Four Balearic Shearwaters were at St Ives on 8th, and a Little Auk was off Trevose Head on 12th. There was the occasional Firecrest and the usual scattering of wintering Chiffchaffs, with an impressive one hundred and fifty at St Austell Sewage Works on 12th. A large flock of one hundred and twenty Greenfinches was at Winnards Perch on 16th, and eight wintering Spotted Redshanks were at Tresemple Pond on 17th when nine Tundra Swans were on Tresillian River. The 17th also saw the arrival of a Black Duck at Colliford Res where it stayed until 16th February. There were eight Jack Snipes at Copperhouse Creek on 20th, and six Greenshanks on Tresillian River on 21st. Nineteen Great Northern Divers and twenty-five Slavonian Grebes were on the Carrick Roads on 22nd, with sixteen Great Northern Divers in Carbis Bay on 26th. A good find on 24th January was a Hawfinch on a bird table in Hayle, and a new/additional Ring- billed Gull appeared at Par on 27th and remained until February 27th. A flock of six hundred Chaffinches was seen at Badgers Cross and eight Red-necked Grebes were in Veryan Bay on 29th, and a Dotterel was a good winter record when found on 30th with European Golden Plovers at Maer Lake where it remained until mid-February. The 30th also saw thirty-four Black-necked Grebes on Carrick Roads, and what was presumably last year's Green-winged Teal appeared at Loe Pool and stayed until 20th Feb. The month ended with a new Ring-billed Gull at Marazion. FEBRUARY As always, this was a quiet month with periods when there was little movement other than the slow turnover of gulls. Seventy-two Red-throated Divers were in Harlyn Bay on 1st, and a Ringed-billed Gull was at Bude Marshes on 2nd. A Cirl Bunting was found on Bude Marshes on 2nd. Ring-billed Gull number three appeared at Hayle on 6th (to join the two already there) and remained until 18th. The Chiffchaffs at St Austell Sewage Works had increased to one hundred and eighty by 9th. There were twenty-five Slavonian Grebes at Seaton/Downderry on 11th, a Spotted Crake was at Trevorrian Pool, and there were ten Greenshanks on the Camel Estuary on 13th. 4 A Lesser Spotted Woodpecker made an appearance at Penrose Armity, Helston on 14th. The 17th saw a Black Duck arrive at Colliford Reservoir for a four-day stay. There were four Red-necked Grebes at Portscatho and twenty-three Slavonian Grebes at Pendower on 20th. The 21st saw seventy-five Bramblings at Bake Lakes. MARCH The flock of Goldfinch at Winnards Perch had built up to eight hundred by 6th. The first sign of the coming spring was seen on 8th with six Sand Martins at Maer Lake, but thirteen Barnacle Geese at Porthleven (until 11th) confirmed that winter had not yet departed. Marazion received a brief visit from thirteen Avocets on 8th, and a third Ring-billed Gull for the year was found at Par on 10th. A Little Ringed Plover was at Trethewey on 12th, and the 14th saw twenty-two Black-necked Grebes on Carrick Roads. Thirty-two Great Northern Divers were in St Austell Bay on 16th, together with forty-eight off Downderry. Fifty-eight Black-throated Divers were in Veryan Bay, and seven in Mounts Bay, on 22nd. The first Willow Warblers were reported on 26th, which also saw two Swallows at Marazion and one at Drift. A very obliging Richard's Pipit appeared at Marazion Marsh on 28th and remained until 11th April. On 29th some six hundred Sand Martins were at Nanjizal where a Spotted Crake was also seen on 31 st. APRIL A Hoopoe was seen at Porth Joke on 1st, an appropriate place on April Fool's Day (!) and another at Mousehole on 2nd.The 4th saw a Kumlein's Gull at Drift. Another Hoopoe was on the Lizard on 6th. The 9th saw the first Grasshopper Warbler at Retallack, and the 10th was the start of a three-day stay of a Night Heron at Padstow. A Richard's Pipit was at Trevose Head on 10th, and the first Cuckoo was at St Columb Minor on 11th. Night Herons appeared at Little Petherick on 10th - 12th, at Perranporth on 12th - 13th, and at Sladebridge on 14th - 16th. The 12th also saw a Lesser Scaup arrive at Stithians Res for an eight-day stay. A Great Bittern was at Walmsley on 14th and a Night Heron at Sladebridge, with both remaining until 16th. The 16th saw an Osprey at Tideford, the first of the year. A Cory's Shearwater was seen at Chapel Point on 20th, and a Pomarine Skua flew past Porthgwarra on 22nd. Land's End had a Serin on 25th when a Purple Heron was seen flying east from St Just, and what was probably the same Purple Heron was seen at Marazion on the same and the following day. The 26th saw a Cattle Egret at Mawgan Porth and a Hoopoe in Lizard Village. A Wood Warbler was ringed on The Lizard on 27th, and the first Garganey was at Marazion. An Osprey was seen at Crowdy Res and the first Hobby at Marazion on 28th, a Serin was at Porthgwarra and a Blue-headed Wagtail at Nanjizal. A Ring Ouzel at Porthgwarra and a Ring-necked Duck at Nanjizal were seen on 29th and 30th respectively.