Late News, 21/11,Trevellas Cove and Combe (St Agnes): 1 Black Redstart (m), 1 Firecrest, 2 Kestrel, 1 Peregrine, 1 Sparrowhawk, 5 Oystercatcher, 2 Green Woodpecker, 1 Grey wagtail, 2 Stonechat (L Sampson)

Penberth: 1 Desert Wheatear (male), 2 Black Redstart (fem/1w males), 2 Stonechat, 1 Grey Wagtail (N R Rogers et al)

Desert Wheatear – Nigel Rogers

Desert Wheatear – Mike Mckee

Desert Wheatear – Nigel Rogers

Desert Wheatear – Steve Rowe

Desert Wheatear – Steve Rowe

Church Cove: Red-breasted Flycatcher still present in graveyard and showing very well (D Eva)

Red-breasted Flycatcher – John St Ledger

Nanjizal Valley: 1 Dusky Warbler trapped and ringed this morning on a private ringing site. (K Wilson)

St Buryan: 1 Black Redstart reported in the Churchyard.

Sennen: 2 Black Redstart reported at Mayon.

Newlyn: 1 Black Redstart on roof of the Meadery. (S Grose)

Penzance: 6 Purple Sandpiper, 1 Oystercatcher on rocks behind Jubilee Pool. (D Sharp) Also, 17 Purple Sandpiper, 1m Eider at Battery Rocks. (S Grose)

Purple Sandpiper – Deena Sharp

Hayle Estuary RSPB: 67 Mediterranean Gull from causeway. Carnsew Pool: 2 Goosander (f+juv) 6 Grey Plover, 10 Ringed Plover, 101 Dunlin, 1 Bar tailed Godwit, 2 Turnstone, 2 Greenshank, 1 Common Gull, 1 Mediterranean Gull, 5 Little Grebe, 1 Great Northern Diver in Hayle Harbour. (S Grose)

St Ives: 2 (M&F) Blackcap in private garden. (M Rouncefield)

Scorrier: 2000+ Starling. (S Grose)

Rejerrah: 1 Barn Owl. (S Grose)

Devoran: 1 Spotted Redshank, 1 Knot, 37 Dunlin, 97 Redshank (D Eva)

Penryn: Yellow-browed Warbler trapped and ringed on the Campus.

Poldhu: Snow Bunting still on 4th Tee of Mullion Golf Club, near mini car park between Gunwalloe and Poldhu.

St Martin in Meneage: 1m and 1f Blackcap, 2 Firecrest in our garden (S
Chandler)

Lowertown, Helston: 2 Firecrest, 2 Coal Tit and 6 Long-tailed Tit (A Witheywood)

Helston: 3 male Blackcap in a private garden. (S Ford)

Towan Head: 3 Red-throated Diver, 101 Common Scoter (in bay), 18 Purple Sandpiper, 1 Grey Plover, 28 Turnstone, 9 Oystercatcher, 1 Black Redstart. (S Rowe, M Lammas et al)

Porth Joke: 60 Redwing, 1 Fieldfare, 6 Song Thrush, 15 Blackbird, 1 Blackcap, 1 Chiffchaff, 30 Chaffinch. (S Rowe)

Gribben Head: Firecrest , Chiffchaff, 2 Mistle Thrush, 14 Song Thrush, 20 Redwing, 3 Great Northern Diver, 7 Black-throated Diver, 3 Great Crested Grebe, 127 Linnet, 80 Chaffinch, 1 Greenfinch, 30 Goldfinch. (B Bosisto, L Payne)

Respryn Bridge, Lanhydrock: 1 Dipper (L Sampson)

Downderry: (0740-0910) moving west 2 Common Scoter, 13 Red-throated Diver, 34 Gannet, 4 Common Gull and 56 Kittiwake. Also in the area 2 Great Northern Diver and 3 Fulmar. This afternoon in the village 5 Black Redstarts, a Blackcap and a Chiffchaff. (A Payne)

Torpoint: Great Northern Diver, Black Redstart, Grey Heron. (R Napp)

Lockdown Diary 4:

One of the regular winter spectacles to be found on the Camel estuary is the huge number of Golden Plover that gather on the mudflats. Some years there have been as many as 5,000 birds.

This week I spotted them from near Trewornan on the northern side of the estuary. Remarkably, many hundreds of the birds appear to almost vanish when parked together on the mud, but as they spill into the air, what a display they put on. Illuminated by low sunlight against the dark shadow of Cant Hill, they looked first a darkish brown, then a glowing white, and as they banked round again a sparkling gold like so much festive glitter tumbling out of the sky.

In June last year I almost stumbled across a Golden Plover on the moorland in the Western Isles of Scotland. It was in its fine breeding plumage, a handsome creature. Though they lose a lot of that vibrance out of season, in these great winter congregations Golden Plovers remain a glorious sight on a bright, chill day.

(S Marquis)

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