Red-breasted Flycatcher at Curch Cove 2nd Dec 2020

 

With lockdown eased for us Cornish I had a full days "twitching" to catch up with a couple of the rarities in the far West of the county.

First the Sociable Plover at Crows-an-wra which showed well but distant. 

 

This was followed by a run down to the Lizard where we saw the beautiful male Red-breasted Flycatcher at Church Cove.

 

These birds breed in Northern and Eastern Europe and usually migrate to the South East to winter in India. Accidental visits to the UK often happen when winds catch them out and deposit them miles from their target route.

 

It is in the churchyard of St.Wynwallow at Landewednack on the Lizard, the most Southerly church in England so if it decides to overwinter here it has probably the best chance of anywhere in the country as it's right on the coast and is usually a very mild climate.

Hopefully it'll be able to find enough flies and small insects to survive.