Cornwall birdrace January 2026

 

Lesser Yellowlegs

This was the first Naturetrek Great British Bird Race, with tours taking place across eight counties in Britain. Our Cornwall group was based at the Marazion Hotel in Marazion, near Penzance — a charming traditional hotel with excellent rooms, a welcoming lounge, and first-class food.

The winter weather in Cornwall was challenging, with recent storms bringing heavy rain, flooding, and strong winds. Despite this, the group embraced the competitive spirit of the Bird Race, enjoying spectacular coastal, estuarine, and woodland habitats. Highlights included North American Lesser Scaup, Lesser Yellowlegs, Avocet, Spoonbill, Ring-necked Duck, Bonaparte’s Gull, and excellent sightings of seals and other wildlife. By the end of the tour, the group recorded a total of 94 species.

We had been allotted 48 hours to see how many bird species we could see, from 2pm on the Wednesday until 2pm on the Friday. It was a fun event although we all got immersed in the competition despite knowing we would be competing with the county of Norfolk, with its many reserves!

Here are a few of the sights and species we saw on our travels around Cornwall......

 St.Michael's Mount Marazion. 

Black-tailed Godwit

Greenshank

Redshank 

Gwithian

Godrevy island and lighthouse 

Ring-necked Duck (female)

Lesser Scaup (female)

Lesser Scaup (drake)

Bonaparte's Gull

Bonaparte's Gull

Team Cornwall 

Team Cornwall at Walmsley

 

 

 

The Glossy Ibis invasion September 2025.

 

 

We started seeing a few Glossy Ibis in at Walmsley sanctuary (the reserve I manage for Cornwall Birds) on the 5th Sept, not unusual as these birds are known as inveterate wanderers and have often turned up at this time of year. I had a report of 12 individuals using the whole Amble marshes SSI site but when I got down there with my camera I could only find 7,which was still a good count!

However by Sunday 7th things were kicking off in the County with 33 being seen around the Scillies, 34 at Predannick and then another large group (or the same group) at Ruan Lanihorne. 

I anticipated that we were in for a big group at Walmsley as it is a classic Ibis habitat and we had previously supported a group of 18 though a winter back in the winter of 21/22.

I got a call to say there was a big flock in the reserve and when I arrived I counted 41 birds. 

After a while our resident male Marsh Harrier spooked them and they flew off toward the Camel estuary.

That afternoon 50+  were recorded on the estuary and then later 92 were counted in at Walmsley.

Then they were gone!

Later that day there was a report of 91 flying over the River Dart at Totnes in South Devon... maybe 70 miles away.

Had to be the same flock, as by Tuesday morning there were none left at Walmsley or in the whole Amble valley.

I know that there has been a massive influx in Britain and I hear that 12k pairs bred in Coto Donana this spring with a high success rate. Water levels are now dropping in Spain so maybe we are picking up these birds, especially since we've had very strong Southerly winds of late.

Super birds to see and I'm hoping we may have a few to watch through the winter.........

 

 

 

Black-winged Stilts at Walmsley sanctuary, Wadebridge 8th April 2023.

 

Well who'd have thought we'd have a group of 6 Black-winged Stilts turn up at Walmsley this spring. Having raced off to Bude to see one on Tuesday it was a bit of a shock for 6 of them to turn up at our reserve, Walmsley sanctuary, on the Wednesday.

It's now Saturday and they're still there, feeding well and spreading across the site. Marsh Harrier is annoying them at times but I'm sure they will be used to these birds where they've come from.

A remote possibility they may try to breed but after last summer with 18 Glossy Ibis I've lost that hope factor! 

Here are a few images from the past few days.

 

4 of the 6 birds present

 

 

Gadwall courtship. Walmsley sanctuary 26.3.22.

 Sometimes the courtship display and free for all in the duck world can be a dramatic affair which does appear to be very unpleasant for the females.

Here 5 drakes vied for the attention of the duck and there was a lot of jostling for position and bullying of the female. I'm sure the avian equivalent of rape is widespread amongst wildfowl.

I once watched over a dozen drake mallard kill the female in a continued onslaught just to mate with her. 

Gadwall have successfully bred at Walmsley sanctuary since 2012 when this was a first breeding record for the County. They've bred every year since.

They are usually very late breeders and don't normally hatch till late June although everything seems early this year so it may be sooner.

The female is the bird with the orange sides to her bill, there is only the one female in these photos and up to 5 drakes.

Here are a few more images of the amorous adventures of Gadwall.

More Otter pics from the Amble marshes, Wadebridge, Cornwall 7.3.22

Otter having a clean and roll in the grass

 

 

This otter has been around our reserve, Walmsley sanctuary near Wadebridge since November and has been uncharacteristic in its habits, showing openly at all times of the day whether in sunshine or the darkest of gloom.

Many visitors to the reserve have had their first ever sighting of a truly wild otter and it has been so good to see peoples faces when they've watched it swirling in the water and diving deep only to be betrayed by the line of bubbles with which we've been able to track its progress.

It's not always easy to see which makes it even more exciting when we do catch sight of it and because of its high metabolism it does seem to be always eating. I've watched it with sticklebacks, with newts and also with what I think is a large Rudd.

 

One of the largest fish I've seen in the reserve, possibly a Rudd.

In the 25 years I've been warden of this site I've never come across such a "showy" animal and feel privileged to watch and photograph it at such close quarters.

Here are a few more photos from the past few days.

Glossy Ibis feeding on the Amble marshes, Wadebridge. 21.2.2022.

 

There were 9 Glossy Ibis feeding on the marshes today and when I first spotted them they were in bright sunshine but it was harsh & in my face so I knew that silhouettes were going to be the name of the game.

Fortunately as I was setting up my tripod they took flight and landed in a flooded field amongst a dozen Canada geese. This time the light was behind me so I gradually edged into the field and took the decision to lie flat in the wet & muddy grass and try to get some photos at ground level.

It worked and once I got settled they slowly edged toward me, so close that at times I couldn't get them in the frame.

They were very comfortable with my presence and I was wearing camouflage clothes and staying motionless except for my shutter finger....so I just let them do the stalking toward me!

Eventually I had to leave as I had an appointment so I sneaked away from them and they didn't flinch, just carried on probing the wet pasture for food.

Here are a few images.....