Anyone going to Cornwall?

[Adam Cheeseman]

If anyone is going to Cornwall this week, you could be mistaken for thinking you were in another country with all the rare and unusual birds down there at the moment. Species like Alder or Willow Flycatcher, Common Nighthawk, Red-eyed Vireo, White-throated Vireo (reported) Red-headed Bunting, plus RB Shrike, Common Rosefinch, Wryneck, Yellow-browed Warbler... If you go to the Scilly Isles it just keeps getting better. It's about time we had a proper Scilly Season again after a few lean years. I don't think I've ever seen so many red stars on the Rare Bird Alert map. Good luck to anyone going, I would be too if petrol wasn't so high and my car a bit sick!

Cheers,

Adam

[Dae]

Oh I wish!! I know a lot of those birds by name, and I've seen red-eye vireos in the states, but wow, some of those I've only ever heard of. Lucky cornwall! Definitely too far and I'm definitely too close to having this baby to go, boo!!! If anyone does go, and has some luck, post some photos!! I'll have to live vicariously through someone else going there

[Wild-Woman]

Has there been a stampede of twitchers or has the petrol prices/financial crisis stopped the dash?

[epops]

they've all arrived about 2 weeks late for me

[Jason Green]

UPDATE Adam: Add to that an Azorean Yellow-legged Gull and a Yellow-throated Vireo.

Sounds amazing!!!

[stephen p]

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

Has there been a stampede of twitchers or has the petrol prices/financial crisis stopped the dash?

Nope the petrol prices haven't stopped them, my dad is working in corwall and he said there are loads of twitchers in west Cornwall, im not sure where yet, but its big news down there and its busy with watchers!

Originally Posted by Jason Green

UPDATE Adam: Add to that an Azorean Yellow-legged Gull and a Yellow-throated Vireo.

Sounds amazing!!!

The Azorean is what my Dad was told about!
Shame i was in Cornwall last week

[Jason Green]

Oh. So how could the Azorean be told from the more regular YL'd in the field, or were photographs studied later?

[Adam Cheeseman]

I'm sorry, but Azorean Yellow-legged Gull is just trying to split a split

I believe the White-throated Vireo was a lone birder sighting and is being treated somewhat suspiciously as this species has been hoaxed before, though there was one near St. Just in the late 1990s. We'll see if it gets submitted to the BBRC or not.

I bet all the Cornish listers were getting a bit worried on missing out with all the goodies that were turning up in Ireland and the Scottish Islands beforehand.

I had a crack at my year list record last year and decided to spend the autumn in Norfolk as it was so poor in Cornwall. What a difference a year makes! Wish I was there now, and what's worse I'm on annual leave at the moment, but my car is expensively poorly.

Cheers,

Adam

[Rob_D]

Would like to see all these birds, but I don't want to mix with all those twitchers. Pagers going like mad, one-upmanship everywhere, arguments over whether Azorean YL Gull is a true species....... who needs it?

[Adam Cheeseman]

It's not that bad Rob. I'm not an out and out twitcher and I don't possess a pager, but I have been to several twitches over the years, though rarely on a first day, and they're not a bad bunch. It's usually good-humoured banter and bon homie, unless the bird fails to show

Believe it or not, twitches are a good place to pick up field craft tips and identification skills. It isn't always a case of turn-up, there's the bird, tick, goodbye.

I myself prefer my own company or one or two mates when birding but never turn down the chance to mingle wth the masses when it arrives. I'm not too proud to tick a bird that someone else has found.

Oh and the Az Gull hasn't been split yet. We're getting as bad as the Yanks!

Cheers,

Adam