-
BirdForum is the net's largest birding community dedicated to wild birds and birding, and is absolutely FREE!
Register for an account to take part in lively discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Cornwall Birding (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Conorbirda2
- Start date
myoudale
Well-known member
Again no sign of the snowy owl until 2000.
4 short eared owls
1 Hen Harrier
12 Sand Martins
1 Swallow
1 Ring Ouzel
Please be aware that there is one very white short eared owl, which can be mistaken for the snowy unless looked at closely. The birders up there today belive this is what was reported last night.
4 short eared owls
1 Hen Harrier
12 Sand Martins
1 Swallow
1 Ring Ouzel
Please be aware that there is one very white short eared owl, which can be mistaken for the snowy unless looked at closely. The birders up there today belive this is what was reported last night.
Dave Parker
Well-known member
Hi Paul,
Let me start by apologising for the delay in replying to your posts, my life has been taken up with issues more important than birding just recently. Anyhow enough of my problems, I had hoped that I could be magnanimous and let the matter drop, if only you had had enough sense to keep quiet and not dispute anything. However true to form you just couldn’t resist trying to justify yourself, even when the facts speak for themselves. So let’s get on with the task in hand and look at some of the issues and crass arguments you have raised that now require addressing.
RBA and other news services do indeed get things wrong, like you, they are only as good as the news they receive. The difference is that they correct them in the light of the best information available after taking advice from competent birders. You on the other hand (referring specifically to the Tehidy Hume’s Warbler) continued to put out incorrect information after the bird had been re-identified, presumably because you personally didn’t agree with the identification, even though you now state that you are not an expert. Not that we needed to be told that.
Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
I dont doubt that there are a lot more of both species in the bay at the moment.
Originally Posted by Dave Parker
What is the basis for this sweeping statement about your local area? My personal observations and a quick search of CBWPS reports and the RBA database, show both species to be less than annual and no more observations have been made this year either. You clearly do not know the area on your own doorstep, let alone the rest of Cornwall, unless of course you were just trying to save face?
Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
Maybe you should have spent more time on past reports and less on my previous BF posts. Both RB Merg and Goosander were recorded annually between 1972 and 2004 in the county. I dont know about 2005 + as we havent had the reports yet. There have been Goosander AND RB merg reports this year from the River Lynher and Millbrook to name two.
No Paul, maybe you should spend more time looking at what was actually written! As someone has already said on this forum “Its unfortunate you didnt read it properly before spouting off!” I wonder who that was?
What part of “in the bay” (your words not mine) are you having difficulty understanding? My phrases “local area” and “your own doorstep” may also have given you a clue. If it’s not your inability to comprehend english that’s a problem, then maybe this is yet another example of you struggling to work out your local geography? However, I suspect that it is more likely that this is yet another example of your slap-dash working and not bothering to look carefully at what has been written. Either that or you are ducking and diving trying to get away from the fact that you initially made a fine sounding statement which is actually a load of rubbish. You may get away with it with “up country” birders and even with Birdguides, but local birders will just laugh at such a vacuous statement.
Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
I dont aim to be a news service?!
Really? Then why do you keep asking people for their news even when by your own admission you will not be able to update regularly? That really does smack of a selfish inflated ego, I’ve already raised this issue with you face to face, but will reply in detail at a later date.
Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
I dont have time to look through every photo i get sent.
I cannot believe that you do not at least look at the photographs you upload onto your website, this is just a pathetic attempt to cover up your ineptitude. Surely you take full editorial responsibility for what is on your site? Even a cursory look at the photo would tell you that it was the wrong bird. It seems inconceivable that you could write or post anything without looking at a photo of the actual bird.
Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
As for the BH Wagtail, you certainly did not contact me to say it was a dombrowski. Mush e-mailed me in the first place and i later spoke to Kester
Again Paul, in your own words “Read the post properly”. I never said that I contacted you, just that it was me that first (as far as I am aware) saw the photo and realised that it was incorrectly labelled. I was amazed that you claimed that it was Mush who contacted you, so I have checked with him and he categorically denies e-mailing you on this matter. He discussed it with Kester and it was Kester that alerted you via text message, and Kester has confirmed this to me. Now you may want to call both these birders liars, but personally I am more inclined to believe them than someone like you, who has a proven track record for, (let’s be generous and say), being economic with the truth!
Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
And the Common Gull i have already ben told about, thanks, again, not my photograph. I havent taken it off as i dont know where on the site it is.
Again Paul where is your editorial pride? Even if it is only your hobby you surely must want your site to be accurate? I know it’s not your photo but you still must have looked at it before uploading? Anyhow you actually saw the bird in the field and got it wrong then as well. You even contacted RBA regarding your claim, so yes they do publish mistakes. Rubbish in, rubbish out! As to having not taken it off, doesn’t this contradict what you say in the same paragraph? “When someone then points it out, I can simply rectify it.” It also says a lot if you can’t even find the photo on your own web site, ever heard of a search engine? Of course it helps if you have spelt the bird name correctly in the first place! However even more telling is your attitude in leaving a known error on your site. I doubt our county recorder will have much confidence in using records taken from your site, if he sees this. How many other errors are still lurking out there known to you, let alone the ones you are oblivious too? It totally undermines the reliability of all the records, which is a shame as there are doubtless numerous good records tainted by your careless, indifferent attitude.
Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
And thanks for the 'novice' remark. I suppose 28 years of birding makes me a novice, does it.
Yet again Paul, look at what I have written! I have not accused you of being a novice but of making a “classic novice’s mistake”. However as they say, “if the cap fits, wear it” It is not the length of years that helps you progress from being a novice but what you learn along the way. In this case you have clearly not learnt the basic lesson that you need to rely on the full suite of features rather than concentrate solely on one feature, albeit an important one.
If you need more evidence of your inability to learn have a look at these links.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-540592/Bird-brained-Lonely-goose-moves-colony-swans.html
Take a look at the bottom photo and then look at your considered response below!
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=1157598&highlight=tertials#post1157598
"Jeezus! Look at the bottom photo on the link above. It claerly shows a nice neat line across its back where its tertials have been cut off! Defo escape farmyard garbage.
Out of interest, there is a full winged, unringed Lesser Snow goose on the Millpond at Hayle. Cracking little bird but far too tame for gen!"
I assume that as a ringer you have handled 100’s if not 1000’s of birds and yet you obviously do not understand the basics of elementary bird topography or of how a bird flies. How would cutting a bird’s tertials prevent it from flying? More damming however is the fact that you are clearly incapable of identifying a bird’s tertials yet. This is all the more laughable when on a thread devoted to” Pin the feature on the bird”, you arrogantly state, “Dont quite understand what is being achieved here? The topography of birds can be found in the front of any good birdguide. For more complex measurement then the Ringers guides such as Svennson are the business. A nice idea but seems a lot of work for nowt!” Shame you haven’t taken the time to read those books then.
Out of interest, there is a fully winged, unringed goose superficially resembling Lesser Snow goose on the Mill Pond at Hayle, which has been there since at least last winter (07/08). I assume this is the cracking little bird you have mistakenly identified? Maybe the yellow legs and bill should have given you a clue or perhaps the dark tail!
Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
I really cant remember all the above mentioned and i certainly won't be trawling BF to justify any of them.
I find it hard to believe that you cannot remember the Dartford Warbler debacle as you posted numerous times in an unsuccessful attempt to justify your inability to identify it!
Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
Dear, oh, Dear. Do you really think i give a **** what you think about the grammar etc on my website. As i said before, if you dont like it, dont ******* look at it
As soon as people resort to violence, or in your case swearing, it is a sure sign that they know they haven’t got a leg to stand on. I remind you that it was you that invited me to point out the errors on your site, is this all the thanks I get for helping you out?
Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
I have not changed anything regarding the 2008 Humes/YB warbler on the website
Well Paul, if you have not changed the site, someone else has because it has most definitely changed. I know because I had to change my response to you, in the light of those changes!
Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
I saw the Tehidy bird briefly before it was caught. I did not hear it call.
Is that really true Paul? I suggest you take a look at your own blog (KernowBirder Diaries) for 7th January 2008 and then a long hard look at your conscience. In your blog you clearly state and I quote “the Yellow-browed (96)called and gave itself up for good views”, (my emphasis) ,you are obviously either telling lies in your blog or more likely, in yet another attempt to save face, in your reply to me.
Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
I went to Tehidy to see a YB Warbler, as did quite a few others, and that is what i saw.
But you didn’t, did you Paul? It was a Hume’s Warbler and you made the classic mistake of not looking at the bird carefully and sorting out its identity for yourself. That is possibly why you haven’t progressed from the novice stage, you are obviously not looking at birds critically in an attempt to improve your skills and just accepting a birds identity on the say so of other birders.
Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
In fact RBA and Birdguides and Birdline had it down as Yellow browed.
They almost certainly got this mis-information from your website!
Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
I didnt see any of their website team rushing out to see if it was a Humes?
And neither did you, you have already stated that you went to see a Yellow-browed Warbler. However they did listen to a well-respected and competent birder from the outset, whereas you continued to try and justify your misidentification until the evidence was overwhelming.
Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
So what difference does that make? Is it not the same species? Where does it say on the website that i will stick to one or the other.
You don’t state it anywhere as you obviously have no policy or probably even any awareness of the importance of correct bird names, but it does make a difference when you try to use the search facility. Consistency obviously isn’t one of your strong points. As always, I was just trying to be helpful.
As for the Little Crake, yes I originally put the news out as Spotted Crake, but as I have already publicly stated in my article in Birding World, I had nagging doubts based on my initial fleeting view. I therefore went back later the same day but got equally inconclusive views. It was only early the following morning that I saw the bird well and I was able to correct my initial identification. That’s the difference, I didn’t sit back and wait for someone to correct me, I persevered and corrected my own mistake.
Well that answers your initial reply, I’ll comment further on your later posts when I have more time, hopefully then the matter can be laid to rest?
Dave
Let me start by apologising for the delay in replying to your posts, my life has been taken up with issues more important than birding just recently. Anyhow enough of my problems, I had hoped that I could be magnanimous and let the matter drop, if only you had had enough sense to keep quiet and not dispute anything. However true to form you just couldn’t resist trying to justify yourself, even when the facts speak for themselves. So let’s get on with the task in hand and look at some of the issues and crass arguments you have raised that now require addressing.
RBA and other news services do indeed get things wrong, like you, they are only as good as the news they receive. The difference is that they correct them in the light of the best information available after taking advice from competent birders. You on the other hand (referring specifically to the Tehidy Hume’s Warbler) continued to put out incorrect information after the bird had been re-identified, presumably because you personally didn’t agree with the identification, even though you now state that you are not an expert. Not that we needed to be told that.
Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
I dont doubt that there are a lot more of both species in the bay at the moment.
Originally Posted by Dave Parker
What is the basis for this sweeping statement about your local area? My personal observations and a quick search of CBWPS reports and the RBA database, show both species to be less than annual and no more observations have been made this year either. You clearly do not know the area on your own doorstep, let alone the rest of Cornwall, unless of course you were just trying to save face?
Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
Maybe you should have spent more time on past reports and less on my previous BF posts. Both RB Merg and Goosander were recorded annually between 1972 and 2004 in the county. I dont know about 2005 + as we havent had the reports yet. There have been Goosander AND RB merg reports this year from the River Lynher and Millbrook to name two.
No Paul, maybe you should spend more time looking at what was actually written! As someone has already said on this forum “Its unfortunate you didnt read it properly before spouting off!” I wonder who that was?
What part of “in the bay” (your words not mine) are you having difficulty understanding? My phrases “local area” and “your own doorstep” may also have given you a clue. If it’s not your inability to comprehend english that’s a problem, then maybe this is yet another example of you struggling to work out your local geography?
However, I suspect that it is more likely that this is yet another example of your slap-dash working and not bothering to look carefully at what has been written. Either that or you are ducking and diving trying to get away from the fact that you initially made a fine sounding statement which is actually a load of rubbish. You may get away with it with “up country” birders and even with Birdguides, but local birders will just laugh at such a vacuous statement.Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
I dont aim to be a news service?!
Really? Then why do you keep asking people for their news even when by your own admission you will not be able to update regularly? That really does smack of a selfish inflated ego, I’ve already raised this issue with you face to face, but will reply in detail at a later date.
Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
I dont have time to look through every photo i get sent.
I cannot believe that you do not at least look at the photographs you upload onto your website, this is just a pathetic attempt to cover up your ineptitude. Surely you take full editorial responsibility for what is on your site? Even a cursory look at the photo would tell you that it was the wrong bird. It seems inconceivable that you could write or post anything without looking at a photo of the actual bird.
Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
As for the BH Wagtail, you certainly did not contact me to say it was a dombrowski. Mush e-mailed me in the first place and i later spoke to Kester
Again Paul, in your own words “Read the post properly”. I never said that I contacted you, just that it was me that first (as far as I am aware) saw the photo and realised that it was incorrectly labelled. I was amazed that you claimed that it was Mush who contacted you, so I have checked with him and he categorically denies e-mailing you on this matter. He discussed it with Kester and it was Kester that alerted you via text message, and Kester has confirmed this to me. Now you may want to call both these birders liars, but personally I am more inclined to believe them than someone like you, who has a proven track record for, (let’s be generous and say), being economic with the truth!
Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
And the Common Gull i have already ben told about, thanks, again, not my photograph. I havent taken it off as i dont know where on the site it is.
Again Paul where is your editorial pride? Even if it is only your hobby you surely must want your site to be accurate? I know it’s not your photo but you still must have looked at it before uploading? Anyhow you actually saw the bird in the field and got it wrong then as well. You even contacted RBA regarding your claim, so yes they do publish mistakes. Rubbish in, rubbish out! As to having not taken it off, doesn’t this contradict what you say in the same paragraph? “When someone then points it out, I can simply rectify it.” It also says a lot if you can’t even find the photo on your own web site, ever heard of a search engine? Of course it helps if you have spelt the bird name correctly in the first place! However even more telling is your attitude in leaving a known error on your site. I doubt our county recorder will have much confidence in using records taken from your site, if he sees this. How many other errors are still lurking out there known to you, let alone the ones you are oblivious too? It totally undermines the reliability of all the records, which is a shame as there are doubtless numerous good records tainted by your careless, indifferent attitude.
Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
And thanks for the 'novice' remark. I suppose 28 years of birding makes me a novice, does it.
Yet again Paul, look at what I have written! I have not accused you of being a novice but of making a “classic novice’s mistake”. However as they say, “if the cap fits, wear it” It is not the length of years that helps you progress from being a novice but what you learn along the way. In this case you have clearly not learnt the basic lesson that you need to rely on the full suite of features rather than concentrate solely on one feature, albeit an important one.
If you need more evidence of your inability to learn have a look at these links.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-540592/Bird-brained-Lonely-goose-moves-colony-swans.html
Take a look at the bottom photo and then look at your considered response below!
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=1157598&highlight=tertials#post1157598
"Jeezus! Look at the bottom photo on the link above. It claerly shows a nice neat line across its back where its tertials have been cut off! Defo escape farmyard garbage.
Out of interest, there is a full winged, unringed Lesser Snow goose on the Millpond at Hayle. Cracking little bird but far too tame for gen!"
I assume that as a ringer you have handled 100’s if not 1000’s of birds and yet you obviously do not understand the basics of elementary bird topography or of how a bird flies. How would cutting a bird’s tertials prevent it from flying? More damming however is the fact that you are clearly incapable of identifying a bird’s tertials yet. This is all the more laughable when on a thread devoted to” Pin the feature on the bird”, you arrogantly state, “Dont quite understand what is being achieved here? The topography of birds can be found in the front of any good birdguide. For more complex measurement then the Ringers guides such as Svennson are the business. A nice idea but seems a lot of work for nowt!” Shame you haven’t taken the time to read those books then.
Out of interest, there is a fully winged, unringed goose superficially resembling Lesser Snow goose on the Mill Pond at Hayle, which has been there since at least last winter (07/08). I assume this is the cracking little bird you have mistakenly identified? Maybe the yellow legs and bill should have given you a clue or perhaps the dark tail!
Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
I really cant remember all the above mentioned and i certainly won't be trawling BF to justify any of them.
I find it hard to believe that you cannot remember the Dartford Warbler debacle as you posted numerous times in an unsuccessful attempt to justify your inability to identify it!
Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
Dear, oh, Dear. Do you really think i give a **** what you think about the grammar etc on my website. As i said before, if you dont like it, dont ******* look at it
As soon as people resort to violence, or in your case swearing, it is a sure sign that they know they haven’t got a leg to stand on. I remind you that it was you that invited me to point out the errors on your site, is this all the thanks I get for helping you out?
Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
I have not changed anything regarding the 2008 Humes/YB warbler on the website
Well Paul, if you have not changed the site, someone else has because it has most definitely changed. I know because I had to change my response to you, in the light of those changes!
Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
I saw the Tehidy bird briefly before it was caught. I did not hear it call.
Is that really true Paul? I suggest you take a look at your own blog (KernowBirder Diaries) for 7th January 2008 and then a long hard look at your conscience. In your blog you clearly state and I quote “the Yellow-browed (96)called and gave itself up for good views”, (my emphasis) ,you are obviously either telling lies in your blog or more likely, in yet another attempt to save face, in your reply to me.
Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
I went to Tehidy to see a YB Warbler, as did quite a few others, and that is what i saw.
But you didn’t, did you Paul? It was a Hume’s Warbler and you made the classic mistake of not looking at the bird carefully and sorting out its identity for yourself. That is possibly why you haven’t progressed from the novice stage, you are obviously not looking at birds critically in an attempt to improve your skills and just accepting a birds identity on the say so of other birders.
Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
In fact RBA and Birdguides and Birdline had it down as Yellow browed.
They almost certainly got this mis-information from your website!
Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
I didnt see any of their website team rushing out to see if it was a Humes?
And neither did you, you have already stated that you went to see a Yellow-browed Warbler. However they did listen to a well-respected and competent birder from the outset, whereas you continued to try and justify your misidentification until the evidence was overwhelming.
Originally Posted by Conorbirda2
So what difference does that make? Is it not the same species? Where does it say on the website that i will stick to one or the other.
You don’t state it anywhere as you obviously have no policy or probably even any awareness of the importance of correct bird names, but it does make a difference when you try to use the search facility. Consistency obviously isn’t one of your strong points. As always, I was just trying to be helpful.
As for the Little Crake, yes I originally put the news out as Spotted Crake, but as I have already publicly stated in my article in Birding World, I had nagging doubts based on my initial fleeting view. I therefore went back later the same day but got equally inconclusive views. It was only early the following morning that I saw the bird well and I was able to correct my initial identification. That’s the difference, I didn’t sit back and wait for someone to correct me, I persevered and corrected my own mistake.
Well that answers your initial reply, I’ll comment further on your later posts when I have more time, hopefully then the matter can be laid to rest?
Dave
camelbirder
Well-known member
The bird seen on Saturday was seen by 2 competent birders, and there is no doubt it was a Snowy Owl.
camelbirder
Well-known member
Does anyone know anything about the reported Gyr Falcons along the north coast?
myoudale
Well-known member
I apologise, i was just posting on behalf of the people i was up there with on Sunday.
Dave Parker
Well-known member
Try RBA website
http://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/RealData/RareGallery_ShowSpecies.asp?GalleryID=3734
http://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/RealData/RareGallery_ShowSpecies.asp?GalleryID=3733
http://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/RealData/RareGallery_ShowSpecies.asp?GalleryID=3732
Good luck, hope it's what you want.
Dave
Thanks Dave. That's the easy bit. Please can you pin this Newquay Gyr down and establish where it's roosting - Towan Head?
Dave Parker
Well-known member
As you say that's the easy bit. Assuming it's the same bird, I caught up with it at Sennen and Marazion last year, so I'll leave the roost site to the locals!
Dave
wolfbirder
Well-known member
Looks remarkeably like the Stepper Point bird of March 2007.......a 2nd cy bird in its first adult plummage IMO.
If anyone has any clue as to where it is roosting or best seen it would be great as I wouldlove to see another !! Seemed to be getting into a pattern of being seen near newquay??
Please PM me if you do not want to give details on the site, I would just love to see it thats all. Of course i appreciate so would many others!
If anyone has any clue as to where it is roosting or best seen it would be great as I wouldlove to see another !! Seemed to be getting into a pattern of being seen near newquay??
Please PM me if you do not want to give details on the site, I would just love to see it thats all. Of course i appreciate so would many others!
Conorbirda2
Well-known member
Ilya Maclean
charlatan
Had a Sabine's Gull west past Lizard Point at 9:05 this morning, rather curiously still almost in full 1st winter plumage. I've never seen this bird in spring before. Any thoughts on how unusual it is for Sab Gulls to still retain 1st winter plumage in April?
Brian Stone
A Stone chatting
How usual is it to see Sab's Gull in April at all?! Checking Birdguides records, not very, but when they are seen they do seem to be described as first-winter.
Ilya Maclean
charlatan
Certainly more unusual than in Autumn and certainly a pleasant surprise!
Just had a dig through the literature, including the Olsen gull book. Apparently 1st winter plumage is often retained until May and as you say, a high proportion of the Spring records of Sab Gulls are indeed of sub-adults.
Dave Parker
Well-known member
Hi Ilya,
Welcome to Cornwall. An excellent record! To put it in it’s context, as far as I’m aware there have only been three accepted records in Cornwall for April since 1951 (ad. 8/4/72, imm. 2/4/76 and ad. 23/4/89 – 15/5/89). Note two of them were adults, both in winter plumage. There is also a report of one on 17/4/2006, which was a first winter 1.5miles south of Rame Head from a boat, I’m not sure if the record has been submitted. There have been none in March and only one in May (28/5/72) again an adult but in summer plumage.
I have no experience of Sabine’s Gulls in spring but from what I can gather they have a rather complex moult strategy. In fact the reverse of most other small gulls in that they have a full spring moult, usually completed on the wintering grounds, and only a partial moult in the autumn. However in non-adult phases the moults appear to be protracted and variable. If the moult is undertaken on the wintering grounds it suggests that most spring Sabine’s Gulls could in fact be first summer birds at this time of year. It would be interesting to see your description of the exact plumage state of the coverts, tail etc. No doubt our recorder Darrell Clegg at [email protected] would as well! I appreciate that on a sea watch you are likely to have had less than ideal views.
Dave Parker
Welcome to Cornwall. An excellent record! To put it in it’s context, as far as I’m aware there have only been three accepted records in Cornwall for April since 1951 (ad. 8/4/72, imm. 2/4/76 and ad. 23/4/89 – 15/5/89). Note two of them were adults, both in winter plumage. There is also a report of one on 17/4/2006, which was a first winter 1.5miles south of Rame Head from a boat, I’m not sure if the record has been submitted. There have been none in March and only one in May (28/5/72) again an adult but in summer plumage.
I have no experience of Sabine’s Gulls in spring but from what I can gather they have a rather complex moult strategy. In fact the reverse of most other small gulls in that they have a full spring moult, usually completed on the wintering grounds, and only a partial moult in the autumn. However in non-adult phases the moults appear to be protracted and variable. If the moult is undertaken on the wintering grounds it suggests that most spring Sabine’s Gulls could in fact be first summer birds at this time of year. It would be interesting to see your description of the exact plumage state of the coverts, tail etc. No doubt our recorder Darrell Clegg at [email protected] would as well! I appreciate that on a sea watch you are likely to have had less than ideal views.
Dave Parker
Cuckoo-shrike
Well-known member
First Gropper of the Spring at Windmill Farm this weekend but precious little else there. Green Sand on the Lizard this morning.
Hats off to the person who is providing daily reports from Newlyn Harbour in April. Top effort
Hats off to the person who is providing daily reports from Newlyn Harbour in April. Top effort
Ilya Maclean
charlatan
Thanks Dave
I did manage a take a few field notes immediately after it flew by and will submit these with a description shortly. Thank you for posting the e-mail address. As you suggest, the view wasn't quite as prolongued as I would have wished - Indeed, I have to admit to being slightly miffed that my first decent "find" in Cornwall was a single-observer effort of a bird that in Autumn wouldn't have raised any eyebrows. I would have also hoped for better views of the mantle and bill & head patterning, but wasn't able to see these well enough to be sure of what I saw. That said, I did get a fairly decent look at the wing and tail patterning, definately suggesting 1st winter rather than 1st summer plumage - apparently uniform (at the distance seen - c. 250m through a scope) brown rather than grey coverts, with not particular signs of moult and an unbroken black tail band. The underwing triangle was also visible as it passed, although this to my knowledge being present irrespective of plumage, doesn't help with the age.
On a seperate note, a Hobby hunting over Hayle Kimbro Pool on The Lizard yesterday was my first for Cornwall and a sign that Spring is well on the way.
Last edited:
theMusicMan
Well-known member
Hi to all you Cornish birders from a new(ish) Gwent birder...
Last year we had the pleasure of visiting Sandymouth Bay nr. Bude for my daughters U11's rugby tour. We stayed in the Sandymouth Bay caravan park for a few days... well, we're off there again this coming weekend, staying in the same place, and I am very much looking forward to it.
The difference this time around is that I've done some research on local sites where I'd have some photo opportunities for birding shots. So far, and close to where I am staying are;
Can someone local advise as to if these are OK for me to visit, and what the normal bird life is...? I won't have much time, as the weekend is for my daughter really, but I will be able to have a few hours out and about, probably early in the mornings.
All advice greatly appreciated. Ta
John
Last year we had the pleasure of visiting Sandymouth Bay nr. Bude for my daughters U11's rugby tour. We stayed in the Sandymouth Bay caravan park for a few days... well, we're off there again this coming weekend, staying in the same place, and I am very much looking forward to it.
The difference this time around is that I've done some research on local sites where I'd have some photo opportunities for birding shots. So far, and close to where I am staying are;
- Bude Marshes
- Mear Lake
- Coombe Valley
- ... the usual coastal paths
Can someone local advise as to if these are OK for me to visit, and what the normal bird life is...? I won't have much time, as the weekend is for my daughter really, but I will be able to have a few hours out and about, probably early in the mornings.
All advice greatly appreciated. Ta
John
