Surfbirds News

The original choughs and the two birds that paired up last year have produced nine young between them this spring - six males and three females.

The now world famous pair of wild choughs came back to the county six years ago after the species had been absent from Cornwall, and extinct as a breeding species in England, for nearly 30 years.

Chough © Nigel Blake

One of the reasons behind their natural recolonisation of the area was sensitive land management by local farmers, the National Trust and Natural England, who have since joined forces with the RSPB to form the Cornwall Chough Project which both monitors the birds and makes sure they have what they need to stay in the county.

RSPB conservation officer Claire Mucklow said: 'In 2002 there was one pair of wild choughs in Cornwall rearing three young which was exciting enough, but two pairs raising nine young is an amazing feat!

'Burgeoning numbers mean the choughs are doing a great job of naturally repopulating the county, giving much pleasure to all who are privileged to see them on their coastal walks.'

Both nest sites, the second of which remains a closely guarded secret, have been protected round the clock by a team of volunteers to ensure the choughs were not disturbed or their eggs stolen.

Claire added: 'Without the help of our volunteers, many of whom have been with us since 2002, we could not be sure that the choughs would nest safely.'

Chough © Nigel Blake

As well as the ongoing success of the Cornwall choughs, there have been confirmed sightings of the species on the north coasts of Devon and Somerset. Conservationists are excited by the reports as the birds have come across from the Gower peninsula in Wales, suggesting a new population of choughs in South West England is not far away.

Back in Cornwall, work supported by Natural England's environmental stewardship schemes continues to restore suitable coastal habitats for the increasing numbers of choughs in the county.

'What better sight to see than a flock of choughs flying overhead then coming to land and feed on grassland that a few years ago was covered in bracken. It's good to know that all the encouragement and good partnership working is now bearing fruit - or choughs in this case!' said Peter Bowden, Cornwall Land Management Team Leader for Natural England.

The new young choughs are likely to be seen roaming along the coast anywhere between the Lizard and Cape Cornwall, and perhaps beyond, in the near future.

The birds have been colour-ringed and the Cornwall Chough Project continues to collect people's sightings of them, preferably stating when and where they were seen and precise details of the colour rings, if possible. These can be sent to: cornishchoughs@rspb.org.uk