Op Hathor - Cornish Chough update 2013 (Claire Mucklow)

2012 was the best year yet for choughs in Cornwall with 18 young fledged from five nests, would 2013 be even better? The breeding season started off with all the signs it could be another bumper year, albeit the season got off to a slow start for most of the established pairs and it was unlikely that the new young pairs would do anything other than ‘practise’. Of the nine pairs, (by standard methodology), five were confirmed breeding and all was going well until an unpaired male decided to muscle in on the territory of the long established pair at Southerly Point on the Lizard. A day of pretty nasty and prolonged fighting resulted in the disappearance of the older male – almost certainly a fight to the death- and the new usurper male immediately taking over the site alongside the older female who chicks were at the time a week or so old. It is very unlikely the new male was the father of these chicks as the pair had not been tolerating him, but his urge to breed and him being a younger stronger bird won out. He and the female continued to feed the chicks for about a week more, then she disappeared too – this is not unusual where birds have a life-long bond-leaving the new male to bring up the babies on his own, which he did with great success, the two chicks fledging in early July. A sad end for this important pair of choughs, but the legacy they leave is remarkable and truly historical for Cornwall. 

Another pair of Lizard choughs was also not faring well, on checking their nest, the two chicks were found to be underweight, one succumbing to the inevitable shortly afterwards. Towards fledging time the remaining chick, and mysteriously, both the adults then vanished – we can only assume that they were struggling to find food to feed themselves and abandoned the site.

Happily, elsewhere the chough pairs have done really well with two maximum broods of five in Penwith, and a new pair raising one chick, so a total of 13 young fledged for the year, not bad considering. Thanks to the chough team and all those behind the scenes who do their bit for choughs in Cornwall.

 

There are birds on the north coast ranging from Godrevy to Mawgan Porth as well as on the Lizard peninsula and far west Cornwall. All records are very useful to keep track of their numbers and movements so please do send your sightings to cornishchoughs.org.uk

 

Claire Mucklow

Op Hathor - Cornish Chough Update

Latest update from our RSPB partner, Claire Mucklow regarding our Cornish Choughs:

The last week has been one of both tremendous highs and lows for us in Cornwall.

I’m very sad to have to report the loss of our wonderful male chough from Southerly Point on the Lizard. Just over a week ago a volunteer witnessed two choughs locked in combat for the most part of the day, and it appears that the new younger bird has ousted and probably killed the older male. I always joke ‘they will live forever’ when people ask me how long the pair at Southerly Point will be around, but sadly choughs are not invincible and nature in all its rawness has won the day. An end of an era, and the loss of a very special bird. 

What a legacy that chough and his mate have left Cornwall with though. Since they returned in 2001 they have brought so much joy to those lucky enough to spend time with them and a real sense of Cornish pride enveloped them. The pair together raised 44 chicks and many of those birds have gone on to breed themselves, securing a future for choughs in Cornwall. Proper job!

 

But, there is a happier twist to this tale. The new male, a bird often seen in the company of the Lizard pair, has adopted the old male’s chicks – extraordinary as normally a bird would try to kill any chicks that were not his. This is new behaviour, possibly not previously recorded for choughs. The female having invested so much time and energy in her new brood has accepted this new male and together they are feeding her two chicks, which are around two weeks old. Here’s hoping the female and her new mate will live for many a year.

Talking of chicks, there are already chough fledglings, five youngsters took to the skies last week in Penwith. The crazy weather has really affected the breeding season with six weeks between first and last broods, the last chicks will not fledge until early July. The total number of young for this season is 16, two broods of five, and three broods of two. There are a further three pairs of choughs that have shown signs of breeding but they are too young this year.

Hope this finds you all well, thanks for all your continuing interest and support for choughs.

Claire Mucklow

Cornwall Projects Manager

07764 230246 / 01392 453775

@cornishchoughs

www.cornishchoughs.org.uk

A Timely Reminder............

The 2013 breeding season has been very slow coming, but we do finally have some young birds on the wing. This is a particulary vulnerable time for young birds of prey as they are susceptable to being stolen. We currently have a case in Devon that the Wildlife Crime Group are investigating, where four Peregrine chicks are alleged to have been stolen! If you see any suspicious activity at possible or known nest sites then phone us immediately on 999. We would not encourage you to challenge possible offenders, but if you do carry a camera, take photos and make a note of any vehicle registrations that may be in the vacinity.

 

Peregrine (photo:courtesy of Cornwall Birding website)

We are pleased to announce that Operation Hathor has been approved! This is a joint Operation between D&C Wildlife CrimesGroup and the RSPB Chough Project that will afford our Cornish Choughs some official police recognition. The Cornish Chough Project have been instrumental in ensuring the safeguarding of nest sites in Cornwall and the flagship Lizard Point site has been a huge visitor attraction for the past 11 years. With 7 pairs of Chough nesting this year, Operation Hathor will aim to collate and centralise information and intelligence from each site and act on any information regarding unusual activity or behavior at the sites.
 

 

 If you see any suspicious activity at possible nest sites please contact us immediately on 999