Okay so I know it has been cold...but the birds have been great. A North American Lesser Yellowlegs graced the front of the reserve for two days early on (2nd & 3rd ) and commanded a lot of interest, even from hardened birders. This species is rare enough in autumn but a spring bird is exceptional and as such the first adult (autumn birds are almost always juveniles) most of us had ever seen on this side of the Atlantic.
The Grey Herons, Mallard, Mute Swans, Canada and Greylag Geese all have young now and the reserve is a hive of activity. Although the pair of Gadwall mentioned weeks ago in an earlier blog do not appear to have nested, they are still here. Unfortunately the same cannot be said of our Stonechat pair which have mysteriously disappeared. I wonder if the Adders have had them - there are several along the Cornish hedge in this (eastern) part of the reserve!
A female Teal turned up for a day on 14th and was followed two days later by a drake Garganey but that too was a one-day bird. Thankfully the same could not be said for our next star species, a Purple Heron which stayed 7 days from 19th-25th. Although elusive much of the time, those who were prepared to put the time in were usually rewarded. Where is it now I wonder?
Site Manager, Cornwall reserves