The highlight of the year for me personally was finding this American Royal Tern on my local patch at Hayle at the beginning of June, a first for Cornwall.
Second winter Caspian Gull.A good winter for Caspians with at least 5 or 6 seen over the winter.
Adult and the above second winter Caspian Gulls in March on the Hayle estuary the first time i believe that two have been photographed together in Cornwall.
Adult Yellow Legged Gull a good year for them.
There were also good numbers of Mediterranean Gulls to be seen at Hayle including this fine Adult.
Our spring trip to the Isles of Scilly produced some great birds with this very obliging Night Heron getting things off to a good start.
This fine male Pied Flycatcher heralded the start of a good passage of common and scarce migrants passing through the islands by mid April.
Although possibly an intergrade i am certain this is a good candidate for an Eastern Yellow Wagtail which i photographed on Bryher on the 19th of April following on from a bird found a few days before on St Marys it also called frequently which drew our attention to it ,on returning home we played some recording of EYW and were amazed how similar it was to our bird.
As above.
This Dapper Woodchat Shrike frequented the campsite area of Bryher for sometime in April.
Sat in the gorse watching this superb Eastern Subalpine Warbler feeding was a real pleasure in the spring sunshine on Bryher.
As above one of my favourite pics of the year.
As above
As above.
Tree Pipits passed through the islands in reasonable numbers.
Whinchat.
Lesser Whitethroat.
This singing male Wood Warbler was a treat to watch as it performed well in Carreg Dhu gardens on St Marys
As above and my personal Favourite pic of the year.
Male Redstart.
Willow Warbler.
Turtle Dove once common but now an uncommon sight in the uk.
Decent numbers of Grasshopper warblers were present mid April not an easy bird to photograph.
Blue Headed Wagtail.
On the same day and in the same field this Ashy headed Wagtail was present on St Marys on the 1st of May.
Savis Warbler trapped and ringed on Marys the following day.
Garganey Hayle ,August.
July and August produced a decent passage of Yellow Legged Gulls mostly first winters like this bird.
Little Stint Hayle September.
Western Bonelli,s Warbler near Lands End.
One of the highlights of the year for many myself included was the Brown Booby in St Ives bay incredibly a second bird turned up on the Lizard a few days later,photo by Paul Freestone which he kindly gave me permission to use.
This Blue Rock Thrush graced St Marys in October although it was very elusive most of the time .Photo again Paul Freestone.
This very obliging Spotted Crake pleased the crowds in October St Marys.
My mate Adam Hutt found this very skulky Blyths Reed Warbler St Marys October.
Firecrest in flight one of my favourite birds.
Lesser Scaup, Helston November.
If accepted this Paddyfield Pipit could be one of the birds of the decade.
This Adult Caspian Gull in November was one of several birds seen this winter at Hayle with 15 plus birds seen,in my post next i intend to publish some of the different birds i,ve found and photographed.
Last but certainly not least a couple more shots of the American Royal Tern a moment i will never forget.
