Birds in Cornwall 2003 Ydhyn yn Kernow Cornwall Bird-Watching and Preservation Society CORNWALL BIRD-WATCHING & PRESERVATION SOCIETY SEVENTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT 2003 Red-billed Chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) The emblem of The Cornwall Bird-watching & Preservation Society HONORARY OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE 2004/05 President Steve Madge, Seawinds, Lower Trerieve, Downderry, Torpoint, PL 15 3LZ Chairman Vacant Vice-Chairman Graham Sutton, Harcombe, West Park Road, Bude, EX23 8PB Email: [email protected] General Secretary Darrell Clegg, 55 Lower Fore Street, Saltash, PL 12 6JQ Email: [email protected] Treasurer Bob Bridges, 21 Pare Peneglos, Bells Hill, Mylor, TR11 5SL Email: [email protected] Membership Secretary Sara McMahon, 72 Underwood Road, Plympton, PL7 1SZ Email: [email protected] Conservation Officer Vacancy Newsletter Editor Bob Bridges, 21 Pare Peneglos, Bells Hill, Mylor, TR11 5SL Email: [email protected] Field Meetings Officer Terry Hasdell, 1 West Tehidy, Tolvaddon, Camborne, TR14 OHP Enail: [email protected] Public Relations Officer Vacancy Honorary Solicitor Greg Adams, 2 Wendron Street, Helston, TR13 8PS Committee Members: Claire Mucklow, Rosemary Parslow & Cathy Tucker The Society is a Charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales Number 255899 The Trustees are the Honorary Officers and other Members of the Executive Committee shown above County Recorder Kester Wilson, 1 Tol Pedn House, School Hill Road, St Levan, Penzance TR19 6LP kesteraw@yahoo .co.uk Editor "Birds in Cornwall" Ian Wilson, 3 Hunters Close, Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire, LEI7 6LG ian.wilson [email protected] Records Committee: Mashuq Ahmad, Greg Conway, Pete Fraser, Steve Madge, Keith Pellow, Graham Sutton & Laurie Williams Photographs Front cover: Common Kestrel - Gary Cockill Back cover: Red-backed Shrike - Gary Cockill 2 CONTENTS Page Review of the Year 2003 Kester & Ian Wilson 4 Editorial Ian Wilson 11 Acknowledgements 11 Submission of Records 12 Submission of Rarity Reports 14 Systematic List for 2003 Kester & Ian Wilson 16 Records for which details are still required 135 First and Last Dates of Summer Migrants 135 Contributors 136 Gazetteer 138 Ringing Report 2003 Greg Conway 146 The Society's Reserves 154 Chairman's Report Gary Lewis 157 Conservation Officer's Report Brian Craven 158 Obituary: Francis Couch Graham Sutton 160 Balance Sheet and Accounts 2003 161 The Society's Rules 167 Printed by B. J. Press Ltd., Unit 29 Threemilestone Ind Estate, Truro, Cornwall, TR4 9LD Copyright Cornwall Bird-watching & Preservation Society 2004 3 REVIEW OF THE YEAR 2003 Reports were received covering two hundred and seventy-seven species, three less than last year. Two new species were recorded, Pallid Harrier and American Robin. JANUARY Several of last year's rarities remained in the county at the start of the year; a Great Bittern at Marazion Marsh remained to 12th Feb; an adult Eurasian Spoonbill continued its stay on the Lynher Estuary and St. John's Lake until 19th February; an adult male American Wigeon was on the Hayle Estuary to 4th April and a Green-winged Teal on Hayle Estuary stayed for a further eighteen days. Red-billed Choughs were present on the Lizard all year; a pair fledged three young but one was found dead on 15th June. The first day of the year saw one hundred and fifty-one Black-tailed Godwits on Truro River, and on 3rd a raft of one hundred and forty European Shags was in Falmouth Bay. Six Hen Harriers were seen on 4th at Men-An-Tol, and a second calendar Black Guillemot was in the sea off Sennen Cove where it remained until 25th March. There was a count of three hundred and forty-six Mallards at Walmsley Sanctuary on 5th, one hundred and ten Common Pochards were on Loe Pool, twenty-two Common Goldeneye and sixty-eight Red-breasted Mergansers were in Carrick Roads, a second calendar Ring- billed Gull arrived at Helston Boating Lake where it remained for the rest of the year and an adult Iceland Gull visited Sennen Cove. An adult Black Guillemot joined the second calendar bird at Sennen Cove on 6th and stayed to 23rd February. Three hundred Pied Wagtails were at St. Austell sewage Works on 8th and twelve Common Bullfinches were at St. Blazey. There were counts of seven hundred and twenty Eurasian Teals at both Harlyn Bay and Walmsley Sanctuary on 9th, last year's Black Duck was on Loe Pool and on 10th fourteen Northern Pintails were on the Lynher Estuary. Forty-nine Black-throated Divers were off Hemmick Beach on 11th, thirty-five Black-necked Grebes were in the Carrick Roads, a second calendar Surf Scoter arrived at Loe Beach, Feock where it remained until 20th April, eleven Wood Larks were present at Gribbin Head, and Windmill Farm had sixty Winter Wrens, forty Hedge Accentors and twenty Great Tits. A Great Bittern was at Par Beach Pool on 12th and remained for a further seven days, there were four Merlins at Goss Moor at the start of a year when they were recorded in above average numbers; last year's Ring-billed Gull returned to Par Beach Pool where it remained until 11th March, two thousand Razorbills were in Carbis Bay, two Black Guillemots were in the sea off Marazion and three hundred Eurasian Siskins at Trevithick. A second calendar Eurasian Spoonbill arrived at the Camel Estuary on 13th and remained for two months, and sixty-two Red Knots were also present. Two Ring-billed Gulls were at Drift Reservoir on 14th and ninety-seven Black-billed Magpies were at Marazion Marsh. The following day six hundred and fifty Sky Larks were at Trevose Head and, on 16th, fifty-nine Red- breasted Mergansers were on St. John's Lake. Thirty-four Red-throated Divers were in Harlyn Bay on 17th together with one hundred and seventy- five European Shags, and four hundred and two Eurasian Curlews were present on Hayle Estuary. Five Goosanders visited Lower Tamar Lake on 18th, two Yellow-legged Gulls were on the Camel Estuary and two Hawfinches were at Polperro. One thousand seven hundred Black-headed Gulls were on Butters Tor on 19th and three White-throated Dippers at Churchbridge. Two Red-necked Grebes were in Carbis Bay on 21st and a Green-winged Teal at Colliford Reservoir was assumed to be last year's bird. Nine hundred and twelve Lesser Black-backed Gulls were on the Camel Estuary on 22nd and a Bohemian Waxwing at Keverne remained for four days. A female Ring-necked Duck appeared at Dozmary Pool on 23rd and stayed until 8th May. A Great Bittern was at Trevorian Pool on 25th and remained to 14th February, one thousand six hundred Northern Lapwings and one thousand two hundred Dunlins were on the Camel Estuary; eleven Jack Snipes were at Land's End and a Bohemian Waxwing were at Mylor Bridge. Another Bohemian Waxwing was at Devoran on 28th, twenty-five Eurasian Woodcocks were at Skewjack on 29th when nine Spotted Redshanks were at Tresemple Pool and two thousand three hundred Black-headed Gulls were on the Camel Estuary. An estimated one thousand Pied Wagtails roosted in Truro on the last day of the month. 4 FEBRUARY Thirty-eight Ruddy Turnstones were on the Camel Estuary on 1st together with three hundred and twelve Mew Gulls, four Lapland Longspurs were at Trevose Head and two Snow Buntings were at Perranporth at the start of an eight-day stay. Two thousand seven hundred European Golden Plovers were at Maer Lake on 2nd and, on 3rd, one hundred and fifty Eurasian Jackdaws were on the Gannel Estuary. Another second calendar Surf Scoter appeared at Loe Beach, Feock on 5th and both remained to 20th April, there was another count of eleven Jack Snipes at Land's End and a Long- eared Owl was ringed at Land's End. Twenty-two Red-throated Divers were in the Seaton to Downderry area on 6th and, on 8th, a second calendar Glaucous Gull was in Sennen Cove. A second calendar Iceland Gull was at Porthcurno on 9th, twenty-five Yellowhammers were at Penare on 11th and, on 12th, there was a Ring-billed Gull on the Gannel Estuary. An American Herring Gull appeared at Treve Common and moved around the area until 14th May and, on 13th, eleven Common Crossbills were at Hustyn. Forty-five Common Ravens were at Ninestones on 14th and, on 15th, twenty-five Northern Shovelers were at Walmsley Sanctuary; a count of thirteen Common Eiders in Helford River was the highest of the year and a second calendar Glaucous Gull was nearby. The flock of Red-throated Divers in Harlyn Bay had increased to forty-three and there were also twenty-six in Perran Bay on 16th, fifty-three Black-throated Divers and two thousand five hundred Black-headed Gulls were in Gerrans Bay, fifteen Black-necked Grebes were still in the Carrick Roads and five hundred and fifty Great Black-backed Gulls on Hayle Estuary. There were two hundred and sixty-three Eurasian Oystercatchers on the Camel Estuary on 17th, one hundred and sixty-five Grey Plovers and eighty-five Bar-tailed Godwits were on the Camel Estuary, an adult Kumlien's Gull was seen at Copperhouse Creek and two Snow Buntings were at Trevose Head. The only report of Tundra Swan was on 24th when two were reported at Wadebridge, and there were twenty-eight Purple Sandpipers and twenty-eight Ruddy Turnstones at Sennen Cove. Three hundred and ninety-six Great Black-backed Gulls were counted on the Camel Estuary on the last day of the month. MARCH A Bohemian Waxwing was at Golant on 2nd and twenty-four Common Crossbills were in Largin Wood.