Squacco Heron in Cornwall | Cornwall Bird Watching & Preservation Society

Friday 22nd May 2020

Posted on 22/05/2020 by Bob BosistoMay 22, 2020

Late news, 20th May, Bude/Marhamchurch area on private land: 1 Squacco Heron briefly

Pendeen: 2 Bee-eater again just west of the village. (P Combridge, B Hibbert et al)

Bee-eater- John Ryan

Montage of one of the Bee-eaters in flight – Tony Mills

Two European Bee-eaters perched in a Sycamore tree, near Pendeen, Cornwall, England, UK – Tony Mills

Walmsley Sanctuary: female American Wigeon still present view from public footpath (hides closed), 2 Ringed Plover, 4 Dunlin, 2 Little Egret. (M Pass, B Bosisto, P Roseveare, M Doyle)

Kenidjack: Tawny Owl. (D Flumm)

Tawny Owl- D Flumm

Hannafore, Looe: 13 Turnstone, 1 Rock Pipit, 2 Stonechat. (D Sharp)

Turnstone – Deena Sharp

Wacker Quay: 2 Dunlin & 1 Great Crested Grebe. (P Kemp)

Croft Pascoe: 1 Spotted Flycatcher. (R Chiffers)

Spotted Flycatcher – Robin Chiffers

Truro: 1 juv Siskin in a private garden. (D Jenkins)

Dobwalls: 1 Red Kite drifted over 09.30, flying north (C&J Duffy)

Carbis Bay: 1 Red Kite over north of Knills monument. (A Rowe)

Redruth: 1 Red Kite.

Downderry: 7 Whimbrel on the beach. Moving west 6 Great Northern Diver, 3 Kittiwake and 2 Manx Shearwater all before 0725. Later, 1225-1345, 63 Manx Shearwater and 1 Great Northern Diver. (A Payne)

St Clement: 2 Whimbrel, 3 Little Egret, 20 Shelduck and 2 Siskin on the feeders (T Wilson)

Carne Creek, St Anthony: Nesting Great Spotted Woodpecker, 2 nesting Mute Swans. (A Witheywood)

Pendennis Point: c07:10-09:30 produced a trickle of 49+ Manx Shearwaters moving southwest and a Red-throated Diver flying into the bay at 08.37. (L Langley)

Tuesday 27th October 2015

Posted on 27/10/2015 by Tony MillsOctober 27, 2015

Late news, 24/10, Nanjizal: 1 Squacco Heron.

Late news, 26/10, Skewjack: 1 Squacco Heron.

Late news, 26/10, Stithians Reservoir: 1 Goldeneye again in front of SH Hide, 75+ Teal and 35+ Mallard. (D Chaney)

Mousehole: 3 Black Redstart on rocks in front of harbour car park. (S Maycock)

Black Redstart, Simon Maycock

2 Black Redstart, Simon Maycock

Wadebridge, Treraven Meadows: 1 Grey Partridge with small flock of Red-legged Partridge, 1 Firecrest, many Goldcrest, 13 Black-tailed Godwit, a few Lapwing and Curlew, 25+ Teal, 3 Little Egret, 2 Grey Heron, 2 Jay, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker and 1 Nuthatch. (D Mays)

St Ives: 1 Tree Sparrow. (B Dodd) Also 1 Snow Bunting on Porthgwidden again. (M Rouncefield)

Snow Bunting, Marlene Rouncefield

Godrevy, Mexico Beach: 2 Kestrel, 4 Stonechat and 30+ Gannet. (R Veal)

Foage Valley: 50+ Fieldfare. (P Taylor & S Cowlishaw)

Treen: 1 Swallow and 1 Black Redstart. (S Turner)

Penzance, Tolcarne Beach: 1 Sandwich Tern, also 50+ Black-headed Gull with Herring and Great Black-backed Gull feeding at water’s edge at high tide, also 4 Mute Swan on the sea and 2 more on the boating lake. (T Mills)

Hayle Estuary RSPB Reserve, Ryan’s Field: 2 Spoonbill (were earlier seen on Copperhouse Creek and Carnsew Pool) 1 Kingfisher, c30 Lapwing and c30 Redshank. (R Farnes, S Turner, R Daddow) Also reported here were 2 Goosander, 4 Greenshank, 2 Knot 1 Grey Plover 1 Black-tailed Godwit and 11 Mediterranean Gull Estuary: 2 f Pintail and 1 Knot. (D Eva) Also 2 Yellow-legged Gull reported.

Kingfisher, Rod Farnes

Spoonbill, Rod Farnes

Spoonbill, Rod Farnes

Spoonbills, Roger Daddow

Men-an-Tol: 1 f Merlin, 1 Short-eared Owl, 1 ringtail Hen Harrier and 2 Dartford Warbler. (D Eva)

Bude: 11 House Sparrow, 1 Wren, 1 Robin, 1 Coal Tit, 2 Blue Tit, 1 Great Tit, 3 Collared Dove and 2 Dunnock in garden. 2 Grey Heron, 7 Moorhen, 2 Kingfisher, c40 Mallard, 4 Mute Swan and 60+ Black-headed Gull on Bude canal and estuary. 7 Meadow Pipit and 1 Cormorant flying over along coast path. (H Wilkins)

Land’s End: 1 juv Rose-coloured Starling again today. (C Corrigan)

Porthgwarra: 19 Firecrest between here and St Levan Churchtown. (M Wallace)

Cot Valley: 1 Firecrest. (Sennen Cove Birdwatching)

Marazion: 2 Firecrest and 1 Black Redstart. (Sennen Cove Birdwatching)

Bosullow: 1 ringtail Hen Harrier later afternoon. (Sennen Cove Birdwatching)

Nanquidno: 1 Snow Bunting below the cliff.

Falmouth, Gorrangorras: 76 Curlew in pony field, 36 Mallard, 3 Greenshank and 7+ Redshank. (D Chaney)

Cape Cornwall: 1 Black Redstart, 4 Balearic Shearwater and 2 Harbour Porpoise. (D Balmer)

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Wednesday 10th June 2015

Posted on 10/06/2015 by Tony MillsJune 11, 2015

Late News, 08/6, Nanjizal: Final total of 202 Red Kite. (KA Wilson)

Late News, 08/6, Pentire Head: 4 pairs of Puffin offshore on the Moules. (B Dodd)

Helston, Garras: 2 Red Kite this morning over farmland. (J Massey)

Sancreed: 1 Red Kite west 0855hrs. (D Flumm)

Polgigga: 1 Red Kite 0955-1000hrs. (D Flumm)

Red Kite, Dave Flumm

Wing-tagged Red Kite, Linton Proctor, 09/06/15, a bird ringed/tagged in NE England.

Porthgwarra: 2 Mediterranean Gull, 43 Kittiwake and 70 Manx Shearwater in feeding raft offshore. (D Flumm)

Camborne:- 1 Red Kite high over Camborne drifting east at 11.47, then 3 Red Kite circling low over the town at 12.10. (D King)

Marazion Marsh RSPB Reserve: 4 Mute Swan, 4 Canada Geese plus 5 & 3+ goslings, 1 hybrid goose, 9 Mallard plus 2 duckling, 11 Grey Heron, 5 Little Egret, 1 Squacco Heron, 3 Moorhen, 1 Little Grebe, 2 Red Kite west at 09:00, 5 Red Kite (east between 12:00 & 13:00), 1 Reed Bunting and 2 Cetti’s Warbler plus Sedge and Reed Warblers. (DK Parker, L Proctor, MJ Spicer, P&H Taylor, S Perfect, M Elliott) Also 1 ad + 1 juv Roe Deer, 1 Fox cub and 1 Otter. (A James)

Squacco Heron, Linton Proctor

Squacco Heron, Linton Proctor

Otter, Alan James

Fox cub, Alan James

Roe Deer, Alan James

Longrock beach: 1 1s Mediterranean Gull. (M Elliott)

St Keverne: 2 Red Kite at 15.00. (S Carey)

Bude, Poundstock: 1 Red Kite. (J Burges)

Lands End: 12 Red Kite. (S Turner) 1 Balearic Shearwater past at 1430. (Sennen Cove Birdwatching)

Luckett: 1 Red Kite. (D Allan)

Rock: 2 Red Kite at 13.15. (B Sibley)

Gulval, Tremenheere Gardens: 1 Red Kite at 16.00. (L Pallett) 1 Red Kite at 11.20. (J Stone-Taylor)

Penzance: 1 Red Kite over Chyandour at 14.00. (D Flumm) 1 Red Kite over Bone Valley at 08.15. (Sennen Cove Birdwatching)

Week St Mary: 1 Red Kite. (J Hall)

The Rumps, Moules Island: 8 Puffin. (per C&B Travis)

Cubert: 1 Red Kite at 13.00. (C Yates)

Veryan, Bessy Beneath: 1 Red Kite at 08.30. (N Knight)

Marazion: 2 Whimbrel,7 Oystercatcher, 11 Sanderling and 2 Dunlin on the beach. (DK Parker)

Drift Reservoir (members only): 2 Mute Swan, 107 Canada Geese, 13 Greylag, 5 hybrid geese, eclipse male Mandarin Duck, 22 Mallard, 4 Great Crested Grebe and 2 Grey Heron. (DK Parker)

Carnon Downs: 11 Red Kite. (J Chapple)

Lizard: 1 Common Rosefinch singing at Housel Bay. (T Blunden)

St Erth: 7 Red Kite, 1 low over fields at 07:40 and 6 heading NE at 13:00. Also 1 Barn Owl at 21:30. (MJ Spicer)

Sennen: 16 Red Kite over Mayon at 0910

Ventonleague: 10 Red Kite over. (Sennen Cove Birdwatching)

Hayle Estuary RSPB Reserve: 1 2cy Ring-billed Gull again. (Sennen Cove Birdwatching)

Redruth, Scorrier: 1 Golden Oriole in flight behind Rodda’s Creanery. (D Chaney) Cardrew Ind Est: 1 Whitethroat, 1 Garden Warbler, Swallows and 2 Raven. (S van Hear)

Falmouth, Swanpool: 40 Coot, 2 Little Grebe, Mallard broods of 1 and 3. 2 singing Reed Warbler and 6 Fulmar on the cliffs. (D Chaney)

Stithians Reservoir: 4 Whitethroat, Willow Warblers, 1 Sedge Warbler, 5 Reed Bunting, 60 CanadaGeese, 5 Greylag, 1 Great Crested Grebe, 1 pr Bullfinch at dam and 1 ad Grey Wagtail at dam with fledging. (S van Hear)

Stratton: 1 Red Kite at 17.00.

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Tuesday 9th June 2015

Posted on 09/06/2015 by Tony MillsJune 9, 2015

Red Kite influx, day 2: Again there were very large numbers reported from different sites across the west of the county. Early morning 166 were recorded at Nanquidno/Lands End Airport area and these seemed to have dispersed and spread up county. 102 counted at Baldhu (R Wilkins), 50+ over Penzance (M Bishop, M Elliott), 23 over Tregonning Hill (I Maclean), several over Truro (S Rogers) and also recorded in Newquay (S Rowe), Grampound (M Jones), Higher Tremar, Bodmin (L Bulbeck), Rame Cross (D Monk), and Launceston (C Hardy).(C Alway, R Menari, M Spicer, R Wilkins, S Rogers, T Mills, D Parker, P Fraser, M Jones, J Lander, NR Phillips, I Maclean, R Butts, L Bulbeck, D Monk, S Rowe, C Hardy) Thank you for all your reports over last two days, it is quite an effort to collate all the reports and to summarise, apologies to anyone i missed acknowledging.

Cambourne: 1 Hooded Crow. (T Mcgowan)

Hooded Crow, Tony Mcgowan

Marazion Marsh RSPB Reserve: 1 Squacco Heron again. (P Fraser, D Parker, L Proctor)

Ventongimps: 1 Black Stork over A30 this morning. (M Jones)

Redruth: 1 Black Stork over at midday drifting towards St Ives. (S van Hear)

Note, a Black Stork was later recorded on St Martins mid afternoon, is this bird commuting back and forth between the Scillies and the mainland, or is it a second one?

Hayle Estuary RSPB Reserve: 1 2cy Ring-billed Gull and 1 Yellow-legged Gull again.

Rosemullion Head (1900hrs): 1 Kestrel, 1 Buzzard, 1 Linnet, 5 Swallow and 1 Song Thrush. (S van Hear)

The Rumps, Moules Island: 8 Cormorant, 2 Fulmar, 10 Great Black-backed Gull, c50 Guillemot, c50 Kittiwake, 2 Oystercatcher, 2 Puffin, c50 Razorbill, 22 Rock Pipit and c20 Shag. Also 1 Grey Seal and 1 Ocean Sunfish. (C&B Travis)

St Erth: 1 Barn Owl again at 21.30 and 21.40. (MJ Spicer)

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Monday 8th June 2015

Posted on 08/06/2015 by Tony MillsJune 8, 2015

An incredible day for Red Kites……: Sightings started early morning (Crackington, B Teague at 08.20) of one’s and two’s and then 8, 10, 12 over Penzance by midday, but that was nothing compared with the afternoon counts towards Polgigga/Lands End where counts reported were 80+ (R Roberts), 100+ (J Swann) and finally 186 (K Wilson). (B Teague, I. Webster, J Hawkey, M Wallace, M Elliott, T Mills, D Ensor, P Kemp, C Alway, D Flumm, R Menari, R Roberts, B Field, J FitzGerald-Patrick, M Bishop, J Swann, K Wilson)

Bev Teague	John St Ledger
Dave Flumm	Richard Menari

Brian Field

….and a Black Stork: First sighting of the day for the Black Stork was over Marazion Marsh RSPB (11.40 D Flumm) then Penzance with 10 Red Kite (12.03, M Wallace). Through the afternoon it drifted with Red Kite, gradually westward to Lands End. It then made the journey to the Scilly Isles, and back, being reported in the evening back over the sea off Penzance.

Black Stork, Brian Hawker, 7th June

Marazion Marsh RSPB Reserve: 1 Squacco Heron again. (J St Ledger) Also 56 Red Kite 11.30-12.45hrs with 1 Black Stork accompanying 8 Red Kite, 11.40, also 3 Little Egret, 1 pair Stonechat with 2 juv. (D Flumm) A further 45 Red Kites between 12:45 and 15:45. (DK Parker, I Webster)

Squacco Heron, John St Ledger

Hayle Estuary RSPB: 1 2cy Ring-billed Gull on the estuary. (D Flumm)

Penzance: 1 m Eider still. (D Flumm) 1 Black Stork with 10 Red Kite. (M Wallace)

Polgigga: 1 Black Stork with 60+ Red Kite. (R Menari) Also 1 Hobby. (M Wallace)

Brane: 1 European Bee-eater mid afternoon. (J Rance)

Lands End Airport: 2 Eurpoean Bee-eater and 1 Hooded Crow. (S Turner)

Hooded Crow, Steven Turner

Seaton valley: 1 European Bee-eater. (D Julian)

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Sunday 7th June 2015

Posted on 07/06/2015 by Tony MillsJune 8, 2015

Marazion Marsh RSPB Reserve: 1 Black Stork flew west at 13.40 and then seen east at 14.55, 1 Squacco Heron seen at 07.20, and 1 European Bee-eater over at 07.40. (S Rogers, B Loader, A McKechnie, D Mays, P&H Taylor, MJ Spicer et al) Also 1 Red Kite, 1 Sparrowhawk, 3 Reed Bunting, 3 Bullfinch, 4 Reed Warbler, 1 Sedge Warbler, 4 Cetti’s Warbler heard and 7 Sanderling on beach (D Mays) and 1 Otter and 2 Roe Deer. (A James)

Squacco Heron Marazion Cornwall 7th June 2015 S Rogers_0973

Squacco Heron Marazion Cornwall 7th June 2015 S Rogers_0975

Squacco Heron, Steve Rogers

Squacco Heron Marazion Cornwall 7th June 2015 S Rogers_0980

Squacco Heron, Alex McKechnie	Roe Deer, Alan James
Otter, Alan James	Otter, Alan James

Polwheveral Creek: 1 Black Stork flew up creek at 16.30, presumed same bird as at Marazion earlier.

Porthgwarra: Pied Flycatcher at Trevean Pool. (S Rogers)

Pied Flycatcher Trevean Pool Cornwall 7th June 2015 S Rogers_0988

Pied Flycatcher, Steve Rogers

St Gothian Sands LNR: 1 Coot, 1 Wheatear and 2 Linnet. (MJ Spicer)

North Bowda: 3 pairs Redstarts, at least 2 of which still feeding nestlings. (A Blonden)

St Erth: 1 Kingfisher along river towards Ryan’s Field. (T Mills)

Hayle Estuary RSPB Reserve: 1 2cy Ring-billed Gull this evening.

tdm

Saturday 6th June 2015

Posted on 06/06/2015 by Tony MillsJune 6, 2015

Late news, 5/6, Porthgwarra: 1 Hobby, 2 Cuckoo (1m 1f), 1 Tree Pipit, few Meadow Pipit, 2 Whitethroat, 6 Fulmar (all flying together), 6 Stonechat, 2 Rock Pipit, 1 Chiffchaff, 2 young Kittiwake, 50+ Gannet and 2 Guillemot. (R Creek)

Late news, 5/6, St.Ives, The Island: 20+ Kittiwake (adults and juveniles), 1 Razorbill, 6 Shag (2 adult 4 juvenile), 2 Rock Pipit and 2 Linnet. (R Creek)

Late news, 5/6, Hayle Estuary RSPB Reserve: 4 Whimbrel, 1 Curlew, 1 Oystercatcher, 6 Little Egret, 1 Ring-billed Gull and 1 Linnet. (R Creek)

Late news, 5/6, Helston: 1 Red Kite over the road between Longdowns and Helston around 6.45 -7.00pm. (A Jupp)

Bude, St Gennys: 4 European Bee-eater early morning, seen in flight and perched on wires, but not relocated after 9.00am. (H Kendall, B Bryne)

Marazion Marsh RSPB Reserve: 1 Squacco Heron on main marsh east of ‘Sanctuary fence’ 0820 hrs and again 1000 hrs. Also Fulmar over, 5 Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk, pair Stonechat with 2 juvs, 20 Swift, 15 Swallow. (D Flumm) Squacco flew in the shorter reeds at ‘front’ of reserve at 3pm (P Cashmore) and then onto the small island. (T Mills, R Menari)

Squacco Heron

Tony Mills

Bodmin Moor, De Lank Waterworks to Garrow Tor (round walk): 3 Cuckoo (2 male, 1 female), 5 Whinchat (4 male – singing, 1 female), 4 Common Redstart (3 adult, 1 juv), 1 Lesser Redpoll, 12+ Siskin, 5 Reed Bunting, 2 Sedge Warbler, 4 pair Wheatear with 8 juveniles between them + numerous other adults, 8+ Mistle Thrush, 8+ Stonechat, 2 Grey Wagtail. Also numbers of Linnet, Meadow Pipit and Skylark. 1 Roe Deer, 1 Fox, 3 Painted Lady and 1 Green Hairstreak. (J St Ledger, S Perfect)

Juvenile Redstart, John St Ledger	Male Redstart, John St Ledger
Juvenile Wheatear, John St Ledger	Male Wheatear, John St Ledger
Cuckoo, John St Ledger	Cuckoo, John St Ledger
Whinchat, John St Ledger	Green Hairstreak, John St Ledger