New Years Bird List Booster 2025

Sunday 12th January 2025

Determined not to miss out on Blackcap and Long-tailed Tit like last time, today’s group gathered at the 0830hrs start time in the back garden of Cornwall Birdwatching Tours HQ! We were finally greeted with good weather and with a good start we were confident it would be another 90+ species day. Little did we know just how good a day it would turn out to be! Learning from the last NYBLB tour that an early start at Tehidy woods was a good idea, we headed there first. There were still a few cars in the car park on our arrival, but that was expected due to the sunshine! The resident Mandarin pair and male Gadwall were still present thankfully and a Goldcrest performed in the willows above them. The ‘yaffle’ of a Green Woodpecker was heard followed by its low drumming. A sure sign of spring already!?This was followed a short while later by a Great Spotted Woodpecker doing the same. Nice to compare the two very different drumming rhythms. The Rose Garden Feeders gave us Nuthatch, Bullfinch and a flyover Siskin but we had to put in an extra ten minutes before we could finally add Coal Tit to the list.

It was decided we would give Hell’s Mouth a miss and head straight for Godrevy this morning in the hope we could pick up a Fulmar at the latter site. By now the fair weather public were in full outdoor mode and parking wasnt helped by the fantastic surf at Gwithian! We did however ignore the ‘Car Park Full’ sign and find a nice space further up by the headland. This was a great time saver for us and once we alighted from the van, Alex picked up the Water Rail we had seen the previous day in the boggy area behind the car park. A short walk up to the Grey Seal colony also produced the long-staying male Black Redstart. And a Fulmar was also added to the list. The parking along tha main road to Gwithian was once again horrendous, so we opted to miss St Gothian Sands in favour of a coffee break at Ryan’s Field. This decision cost us Coot and Shoveler at the end of the day, but………..

We stopped off for a quick toilet break and a scan at Copperhouse Creek, adding a few waders in the process, when Paul received a message informing us that a Booted Eagle had been reported at Marazion. Really!? A Booted Eagle!? Surley someone has mistaken the very pale Marsh Harrier that had been there the previous day? With news that the bird was currently still showing, all plans for coffee went on hold as we hit the A30 in the direction of Marazion. Pulling into the Station Car Park we could see a few other birders had gathered and were scanning the pine belt behind Marazion Marsh. As soon as we got out of the van, Paul picked up the bird distantly over the pines and got everyone on the bird! A few expletives were apologised for afterwards! What an incredible bird! Only about 6 records in the UK, the juvenile eagle performed for a good few minutes before disappearing behind the trees and out of view. Sadly a bit too far away for photos, but a few others were much luckier with closer views and amazing images! We’ve borrowed the ones below from our CB Ladies group organiser Lisa Lark (Many Thanks for the use of these!) As we chatted elatedly about the bird we were also treated to a very close encounter with a huge female Peregrine that startled the numerous Teal and Snipe on the marsh.

After the hype of the eagle we headed back to Hayle to celebrate with lunch. Paul picked up a nice Water Pipit to add to the list and the main estuary produced the expected Spoonbill, Goosander and Common Gull. No sign of the single Black-tailed Godwit though, one that would evade the final daily tally. Once refreshed with food and warm drinks we headed back west to Battery Rocks for compulsory Purple Sandpiper viewing. There were well over 60 birds today in stark comparison to the lonely three on our last visit! The sea was way too rough to get the whole group onto any distant Divers so we opted for the easy option an picked up a couple of Great Northern sheltering in Newlyn Harbour! It was getting late into the afternoon as we headed to Boscathnoe Reservoir area and the paths there were no less muddy than our last visit. Unfortunately the Little Bunting didn’t show for us but we added Reed Bunting and Jay and also saw at least ten male Bullfinches. Next stop, Drift Reservoir where we once again added Great Crested Grebe.

After speaking to a local birder at Boscathnoe we decided a quick look in at Land’s End was in order where at least two further additions to our list were possible. We got them both. Golden Plover and finally CHOUGH! At our final destination, Bartinney Downs, we were informed by photographers there that we had just missed a male Hen Harrier! And with the Short-eared Owls being a ‘no-show’ we called it a day. 93 species in total and we did get at least one Owl for the list 🙂

Another incredible effort from the group today resulting in a huge 93 species. Lovely to have some decent weather and a fantastic bonus with the BOOTED EAGLE!! Everyone very happy. Many thanks to all our guests today. We’re sure we will be seeing you all again.

BIRD LIST

Great Northern Diver, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Fulmar, Gannet, Cormorant, Shag, Little Egret, Grey Heron, Spoonbill, Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Shelduck, Mandarin Duck, Wigeon, Gadwall, Teal, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Goosander, BOOTED EAGLE, Buzzard, Kestrel, Peregrine, Pheasant, Water Rail, Moorhen, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Lapwing, Purple Sandpiper, Dunlin, Snipe, Bar-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Redshank, Greenshank, Turnstone, Mediterranean Gull, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Kittiwake, Guillemot, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Barn Owl, Green Woodpecker, Great-spotted Woodpecker, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, WATER PIPIT, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Black Redstart, Stonechat, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Redwing, Blackcap, Cetti’s Warbler, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Firecrest, Long-tailed Tit, Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Nuthatch, Jay, Magpie, Chough, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Raven, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Linnet, Bullfinch, Reed Bunting.