FIRST CORNISH SNOWY OWL FOR 63 YEARS

The juvenile SNOWY OWL previously present on St Martin's (Scilly) has followed the recent Gyrfalcon from that archipelago to MAILAND CORNWALL where today it was showing very well 3 miles WSW of St Ives and south of the B3306 at Sperris Croft on the open moor 400 yards west of the ruined cottage. It was found during the monthly RSPB Hen Harrier roost-count after a member of the public had videoed the bird showing down to 60 yards for two hours early afternoon.

Ludgvan birder Richard Minari relocated the bird at around 1600 hours and during the next forty minutes, some 12 birders connected, including John Swann, MA, Dave Flumm, Dave Parker, Paul St Pierre, Duncan Walbridge and John Foster. The bird flew at 1640 hours, after it sat for nearly an hour on a 5-bar gate.

This is the third record for Cornwall following a long-staying bird near Bude in April-May 1945