Red-rumped Swallow, Torpoint, Cornwall

Sunday 9th December was a day of chores but on checking the Birdguides website at around 3:30pm I was surprised and intrigued to see a report of a red-rumped swallow at Torpoint, just across the River Tamar from Plymouth. Local birder Russ texted me shortly after to confirm the report but it was too late in the day for me to get there for a look before it got dark.

I was due to meet work colleague Sue for lunch at The Cremyl Arms at Mount Edgecumbe on Monday 10th but not until 11:45am in order to catch the ferry across from Admirals Hard at Stonehouse and so I decided to go and have a look for the swallow first but not really expecting it to still be present.

I caught the bus to Devonport and then the ferry across to Torpoint and was pleased to note that it had been reported as being present that morning on the Birdguides website. I soon arrived at the car park by the police station in Torpoint where it was being reported from and within seconds saw it flying around overhead being admired by a small group of birders - my first UK red-rumped swallow in a car park in Cornwall in December, how very bizarre!

Red-rumped Swallow

 Red-rumped Swallow

 Red-rumped Swallow

 Red-rumped Swallow

Red-rumped Swallow

At one point a policeman came out of the police station and questioned me as to what was going on as he was concerned we were photographing the police station but when I explained what we were looking at he smiled and rolled his eyes as he realised we were "twitchers" and disappeared back inside.

I watched the swallow flying around overhead and at times it flew past very close, it also perched up on telegraph wires for brief periods to have a preen allowing for some nice views of it. It was a juvenile bird, a bit scruffy looking and worn but still an attractive looking bird, and watching it flying around it had a distinctive flight style, like a cross between a house Martin and a barn swallow.

 Red-rumped Swallow

 Red-rumped Swallow 

 Red-rumped Swallow 

 Red-rumped Swallow 

 Red-rumped Swallow 

 Red-rumped Swallow 

Obviously finding enough food! Watch out below!

It was soon time for me to head off to meet Sue for lunch and I left it perched on wires busily preening and being photographed and admired by the birders present - a nice bunch with a few familiar local faces and not too twitchy although there were lots of curious locals passing by wondering what we were up to.

Lunch at The Cremyll Arms was very nice and on a short walk around Mount Edgecumbe Park it was nice to see 3 males and a female gadwall with the mallards and moorhens on the pond, the most I have seen here before.