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Red Kite Annual Spring Influx:

There has been an incredible movement of Red Kites the length and breadth of the county today. In fact early summaries suggest it is going to be a record year! We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their sightings as we have literally been overwhelmed by the volume of reports that we have received. Sadly, due to the sheer amount we will not be listing every single sighting but promise to produce an extensive summarising article in the coming days and credit all observers within this. We do hope you understand!

In order to somehow justify the numbers involved, here are some of the highest observation totals:-

Marazion: 306 over heading west between 11:15-17:15. (D Parker)

Crowlas: 78 over heading west. (R Veal)

Porthgwarra: 112 over. (M Wallace)

Land’s End: 40 Red Kites in one flock at 15:15 (N R Rogers)

Lizard: 230 over. (T Blunden)

A wing tagged bird was also noted in this group and was one of three chicks ringed at a nest in Grizedale Forest, Lake District, in 2019.

Porthleven: 41 Red Kite over (I Maclean)

College Reservoir: 42 S/SW, 10 N, uncertain if these were the same or different birds. (T Phelps, L Langley, M Doyle)

Praa Sands: 50+ over. (S Rusga)

Carclaze: 34 all drifting west (D Cooper)

It appears that the majority of birds and records occurred along the south coast, especially in the central and western portion of the county, but birds were scattered across the whole county.

Other County Sightings:

Late news, 9/5, Gannel Estuary: 2 Tawny Owl, 1 Barn Owl (hunting in field next to penpol house), 2 Tawny Owl heard at Trenance Riding Stables, 4 Tawny Owl heard at Trenance Gardens. (S Grose)

Late news, 9/5, Roche: 1 Osprey briefly. (P Inch)

Marazion: 3 drk Garganey, fem Wheatear on the marsh. (R Veal, S Rogers) 1 Black-throated Diver offshore. (S Rogers)

Drift Reservoir: 2 Barnacle Goose, 29 Canada & 2 hybrid Canada Geese. (D Flumm)

Hayle Estuary: 1f Ruff, 6 Dunlin and Whimbrels. (J Hicks)

St Ives: 4 Swift, Greenshank, Curlew and a summer plumage Dunlin on the Island (G Jones)

Tresillian River: 1 Common Sandpiper and 1 Cuckoo calling in Tregothnan Woods. (M Jones)

Lizard Village: 4 Swift. (P White)

College Reservoir 10:00-15:00: 10+ Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 3 Sparrowhawk, 1 Black-headed Gull, 1 Cormorant, 3 Raven, 15+ Swift, 1 Skylark, 1 Siskin. (T Phelps, L Langley, M Doyle)

Maenporth: 1 Stonechat, 2f Whetear, 1 Greenfinch (P Oldcorn)

Perran Sands: 1 Cuckoo, 3 summer plumage Sanderling with Dunlin and Ringed Plover. Also, 12 butterfly species including Dingy and Grizzled Skipper, Brown Argus, Common Blue and Wall. (R Copeland)

Gluvian: 2 Swift, 1 Kestrel, 1 Dunlin (B Bosisto)

Talskiddy: 1 Raven, 2 Great Black Backed Gull feeding on dead sheep, 10 Yellowhammer, 4 Whitethroat (B Bosisto)

St Columb Major; Bridge: 1 juv. Dipper (B Bosisto L Payne)

St Eval: 2 Cuckoo’s in the western side of the compound this afternoon. (L Curry)

St Columb Road: 9 Swifts and 3 Buzzards   (A & B Tregunna)

Whipsiderry: 3 Corn Bunting, 7 Raven, 89 Herring Gull nests. (S Grose)

Porth Island: 1m Wheatear, 3 Raven, 1 m Kestrel. (S Grose)

Newquay: 4 Raven, 2 ad +2 fledglings. (S Grose)

Goss Moor: Numbers of Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap and Garden Warbler, 1 Sedge Warbler, 3 Cuckoo. (M Jones)

Millbrook: 8 Buzzard and 2 Sparrow Hawk. (B Taggart)

Saltash: Lesser Whitethroat in private garden. (G Lewis)

Bude Marshes: 20+ Sedge Warbler, 8 Reed Warbler, 5 Grasshopper Warbler, 4 Cettis Warbler, 4 Raven, 3 Grey Heron, 2 Common Sandpiper. Also, 2 parties of Swift one of 6 and one of 4. (N Bastin)

Carclaze: 2 Grey Heron, 9 Buzzard. (D Cooper)

Clerkenwater Vean, Bodmin: 1 Cuckoo calling frequently. (A Wagstaff)

Woon Gumpus: 1 Cuckoo. (R Chiffers)

Mawgan: 1 Hobby. (P Bedford)

Gloweth: 1 Shelduck over. (B Mellow)

Porthgwarra: 1 Hobby over Arden-Sawah. 1 Lesser Whitethroat at Polgigga. (M Wallace)