As I write this in mid-July the first of the autumn waders are returning with Green Sandpipers at Marazion and Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Redshank, Greenshank, Black-tailed Godwit and Ruff on the Hayle Estuary already. Presumably these are failed or non-breeders as it is still only July after all. The highlight this spring/summer has again been the influx of Red Kites during 3rd-5th June. On the first day 19 appeared over Marazion and two over Hayle. On 4th there were 24 over Marazion and a single over Copperhouse but by the afternoon of 5th they had all moved back east with the last, a flock of ten over Hayle that day. These birds are almost undoubtedly from the various reintroduction schemes the RSPB has undertaken over the last decade but as they are becoming more numerous, fewer are being wing-tagged and most of our birds in Cornwall this spring didn’t sport any tags. However, one bird with green tags on both wings gave a clue to its origin: Dumfries & Galloway and although the precise colour of the tag on the right wing couldn’t be determined it was either tagged in 1998 (lime green) or 2006 (green). Let us know if you see one of these wing-tagged birds and we’ll try and trace it for you.