Cornwall continues its purple patch

Cornwall still continues to deliver mega rares this weekend.  Nigel golden b Wheatley stumbled across a white morph Greenland Gyr on Sunday at St Just, only for it to be relocated and perched on the moor at Woon Gumpus.  I managed to see it in flight here, but Brian Mellow and Richard Augarde also saw it at much closer quarters near Men an Tol.  This is the 17th record for Cornwall, the majority occurring in March to April.

If that wasn't cool enough, Nigel also found next day a sub adult Snowy Owl at St Just.  This is just the 3rd record for the species in Cornwall.  The previous records are one at St Columb in 1948 and a well observed first winter bird at Zennor from 21st December 2008.

The weekend just gone also produced a summer plumage Black Guillemot in Falmouth Bay, the UK's first for the year Woodchat Shrike at Windmill farm, Lizard plus a Hoopoe at Polgigga.  In addition, the long staying Pacific Diver was seen on sat 2nd April in Mounts Bay with the Hudsonian Whimbrel found again at Boat Cove on Sunday 3rd.  If anyone finds the Franklin's Gull on the Camel could they let me know?

Snowy Owl at St. Just - image kind courtesy Sam Williams.

The weather chart below gives a hint of where the weekend's birds may be coming from.