Wild Roseland Nature Notes September 2022.
The Return of the Choughs
Choughs, the symbol of Cornwall and our county badge, are back on the Roseland; and with them a mystery. Did they breed this summer or were they explorers investigating the possibilities, looking for sites?
In legend, when King Arthur was mortally wounded in the battle of Camlann he took the form of a bird, and his blood became the red colour of the legs and curved beak of the Cornish Chough.
What a beak it has! It is an efficient tool for probing into short vegetation such as clifftop turf in its hunt for food such as grubs, larvae, and insects. In the Cornish language its name is Palores, which means Digger!
The choughs all but disappeared during the last century, through habitat changes on the clifftops and persecution from egg collectors but re-establishment began in 2002 when a pair nested on the southernmost point of the Lizard.
A joint project was initiated by the RSPB, the National Trust, and Natural England to restore habitat and ensure these precious, confiding corvids would thrive. This summer 25 pairs successfully produced 70 fledglings, so that it is now estimated that there are almost 200 birds in Cornwall, mainly on the north coast. From 2 to 200 in 20 years, at a time when choughs elsewhere are declining!
However, the only pair previously to breed on our side of the Lizard arrived here on the Roseland in 2015, stayed and bred 3 young in 2016. We have had none since! They are here, but as a schedule 1 bird, protocols have rightly prevented us from publishing information. Only the RSPB rep, the County bird recorder, accredited Choughwatchers and observers have been informed. Now the breeding season is over we can share the mystery, at least in general terms.
The first sighting was made by a seal research group volunteer when she saw two unringed birds early on the 24th April, amazingly on the same headland as the 2015 birds! The passing of food from one chough to another was a promising sign of potential breeding behaviour. During those early days I saw four choughs in flight calling. Then on 15th May two choughs were seen and later photographed by on duty Coastwatch personnel at Porthcurnick.
Throughout June they were regularly observed feeding near to where they were originally found. Then on 2nd July one was heard by a National Trust Ranger beyond the Roseland, near the Dodman, nine miles north of their original sighting. A visitor in that area observed twigs and vegetation being carried from a beach to the cliffs. Reports of sightings of singles and up to four birds along the cliffs to the north of Nare Head were also received, as far as Portloe, both at the beginning of the month and towards the end.
The mystery is that still no-one has found a nest-site yet, unless you have!!
Our best guess is that they are all youngsters, exploring and expanding their range. Let us hope they stay and breed next year. Please let me know of any other sightings you have of these wonderfully acrobatic iconic birds.
Just to round this off: during the Autumn /Winter months choughs do tend to disperse generally in their search for food, often focusing on the far southwest. However, last winter choughs were thought to be inland here on the Roseland, so watch out for their bounding flight and listen for their distinctive calls, wherever you are! If you want to find out more about them and what they sound like visit the RSPB website.
Photographs can soon be seen on our website, wildroseland.org or keep up to date by signing up for our mailchimp newsletter in the contacts section of our website.
it the e contacts section. of our website.
Thanks to you all for supporting Wild Roseland.
David Hall
Acknowledgements to:
David Hall for the article
Photos:
Photo 1 & 2 – Stuart Martinez
Photo 3 – Pair of Choughs first sighting, KH
Photo 4 – Pair of Choughs, David Foster
Photo 5 – Pair of Choughs feeding, KH
Photo 6 – Chough soaring over the sea, David Hall
Photo 7 – Stuart Martinez