Rowena's Rarity Sightings of the Decade

I have seen and photographed all these rare species in Cornwall. For talks and presentation on my "TOP 20 RARITY SIGHTINGS of the DECADE", please contact me via email at [email protected].

Top 20 Rarity Sightings of the Decade

20. Sandhill Rustic Moth
19. Silver-washed Valesina
18. Heath Fritillary Aberration
17. Grizzled Skipper Aberration
16. Silver-studded Blue Aberration
15. Long-tailed Blue 
14. Family of Choughs on the North Cornwall Coast
13. Brambling
12. Leucistic Starling
11. Snow Bunting 
10. Hawfinch
9. Purple Heron
8. Glossy Ibis
7. Grey Phalarope
6. White-rumped Sandpiper
5. Buff-breasted Sandpiper
4. Grey Cat Bird
3. Brown Booby
2. Dalmatian Pelican
1. Lammergeier, the Bearded Vulture 

Species: Grey Cat Bird
Date: 17th and 23rd October 2018
Location: Treeve Moor near Land’s End, Cornwall, UK
​Photographer: Rowena Castillo Nicholls

Species: Brown Booby
Date: 4th September 2019
Location: Kynance Cove, Cornwall, UK
​Photographer: Rowena Castillo Nicholls

Species: Dalmatian Pelican
Date: 16th May 2016
Location: Drift Reservoir, Cornwall, UK
Photographer: Rowena Castillo Nicholls

Species: Lammergeier, the Bearded Vulture
Date: 23rd May 2016
Location: Breney Common Nature Reserve, Cornwall, UK
Photographer: Rowena Castillo Nicholls

Sooo lucky to be the "FIRST" one to have seen and photographed the Bearded Vulture, also known as the LAMMERGEIER or OSSIFRAGE in Cornwall. Me and my husband Rob Nicholls cannot believe our luck. 

We were actually in Breney Common doing a butterfly survey in preparation for our fieldtrip on Monday, 30th May for the Cornwall Butterfly & Moth Society Fieldtrip and to see the rare Marsh Fritillary.

It was a sunny afternoon, about 2:30pm. We were looking up towards Helman Tor when a large bird, soaring high, came into sight over the ridgeline, heading in a south westerly direction. It’s just gliding gracefully in the sky. The wingspan was probably 9 feet or more, 3 metres.

It was very high, maybe up to 2,000 feet and had a small bird in tow - which was not getting too close. The small bird turned out to be a buzzard!

The Lammageier did not flap its wings. It was just gliding gracefully across the sky. It was huge and unlike anything usually seen in the skies over Cornwall.

Luckily, I was already prepared with my camera and was able to take some pictures.

We were able to watch it for about 12 minutes, before it went out of sight.

Perhaps a once-in-a-lifetime sighting.

It's nice to sometimes be in the right place, at the right time!

Other species seen in Breney Common:
Marsh Fritillary, Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Small Copper, Common Blue, Small Heath, Read Admiral, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Orange Tip, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Brimstone, Speckled Wood and a lot more...