Friday 6th June

am visit to Marazion:
Purple Heron reported again.
Got on site and 2 women said to me there was now 2 Purple Herons on the reserve and she was still watching 1 of them. I took a look but I had to let her down gently and informed her it was a Grey Heron. She was very disheartened.

2 Little Egret,
Reed Bunting,
Cetti's and Reed Warbler both heard.

Zennor Head:
Plenty of Fulmar including a lovely courting pair
Whitethroat 5 (2 of which were seeing off a Magpie)

Sennon Cove:
very quiet just a Linnet plus usuals

Penzance Harbour:
Virtually nothing except a Rock Pipit and Herring Gulls.


A great week with breathtaking scenery and some good sightings, and some major dips.
Plus uncountable Buzzards on both journeys.
Cheers

Thursday 5th June.
Full day birding starting with a lookout and listen for Golden Oriole but sadly nothing.

Mousehole fishing village, of note:

Herring Gulls,
Great Black-backed Gulls
2 Swallows
Cormorant
...and a Rock Pipit.

St.Ives Rocks
Gannets maybe 60+
Plenty of Fulmar,
2 rock pipits,
1 Skylark,
Usually see a few Kittiwake here every year but none this time.

Buttermilk Hill (just inland overlooking St.Ives)
2 Whitethroat and a pair of Linnet
No cuckoos or Red Kites as reported recently.

Sancreed Downs:
Cuckoos reported but none seen by us.
1 buzzard and a Whitethroat

Kenidjack (near St.Just) lovely place :
Turtle dove reported and a silhouette got us going but turned out to be a Collared Dove with a slight pattern on it's back.
Local woman from one of the farmhouses told us she'd seen a strange bird fly across infront of her on the driveway other day, resembled a dove, had an orangey back, we thought that must be it. No sign for us though. She also told us about a mass twitch she remembered approx 20 years ago right outside her driveway when a Yellow-throated Vireo turned up there.
Rock Pipit,
Male Kestrel.

A late visit to Marazion:
Purple Heron was reported yet again.
No sign but I did get 4 Sandwich Terns fly along the waters edge but too quick for a photo.
Juv Iceland gull reported but I didn't see one whilst I was there.
2 Cetti's warbler were heard again within approx 50 ft of each other, 2 brief glimpses of one bird as it flew across the path between the reeds and then on again to another reed patch but that's all I got.

A walk to the pub through the woods at the back of Ludgvan had us on high alert for the Golden Oriole. Plenty of Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler around and 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker fledglings constantly calling for the parents for a good 10 mins.

Wednesday 4th June

Lizard - a long walk (probably 6-7 miles) around the coast path.
Of note:
plenty of Gannet and Fulmar,
few Shag and Cormorant,
Whitethroat, Linnet and Stonechat commonplace around the Lizard.
...and a brief dorsal view of a Basking Shark albeit for a few seconds before it went under and out of view.

Windmill Farm (Lizard inland):
What looked like a dead Pygmy Shrew on the path near the visitor centre, apart from that not much else.

RSPB Marazion:
Purple Heron reported again but no sign of it whilst we were on site, plenty of Grey Herons.
Reed Warbler heard, 2 Cetti's Warbler heard and 1 seen briefly flying across from where it was singing to another reed bed.
Marazion Beach: Cormorant with a large flat fish (probable Sole) being mobbed by a Great Black-backed Gull. The Cormorant emerged victorious! Photos captured the action.

Tuesday 3rd June.
Day trip to St.Mary's (Scillies) and actually managed a bit of 3G to post previous sightings.
Anyone who's never been here I would recommend this place, it's beautiful, like something from the Treasure Island novel. Pity we came out of peak time for bird movement.

Seen from the Scillonian III :
Plenty of Manx Shearwater
Lots of Gannet (adults and various juv)
Small groups of Guillemot with a few Razorbill
Plenty of Fulmar too

On the island:
Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Whitethroat heard and singles of each seen.
Linnet and Stonechat up on the heath near the Golf Course.

On return journey to Penzance:
Much the same as earlier plus...
2 Common Dolphin jumping not far from the boat (probably Short-beaked as they are more widespread)
2 Porpoise
7 Birds in a low flight line above the water which I thought resembled Skuas but I now know are Kittiwakes, a poor image from a moving boat of moving birds but thanks for the ID Ian.
A juv Great Northern Diver out in Penzance bay and a single Rock Pipit that landed on the boat before we docked and then watched everyone off the boat from a harbour lamp-post.

As a general observation myself and Steve both agreed that we had never seen so many Blackbirds and Song Thrushes in such a small area. The Blackbirds were in groups of 3 and 4 sometimes, and probably numbered well above 50.
Song Thrush we reckon at least 20+ probably more.

Monday 2nd June 10.30am - 12.30pm

Started with a Green Woodpecker in the garden at Ludgvan then had a couple of hours at RSPB Hayle/Lelant
Of note:
100/200 Gull roost, didn't appear to be anything else apart from Herring, Great Black-backed and Black-headed Gulls.
Curlew 20+ (probabably a lot more feeding in the lower flats)
1 Whimbrel near the hide
At least 5 Little Egrets
5 Dunlin with 3 Ringed Plovers
Plenty of Shelduck (some with large broods)
1 pr Oystercatcher driving off Carrion Crow
Grey Herons

Unconfirmed report of a Golden Oriole in Ludgvan where we are staying in mates bungalow. One of the local residents told me this morning it's been heard near Ludgvan Church (ironically where it was heard same time last year) and is 50yds away from the bungalow.
He told me it's a male so someone has obviously seen it and it's been around a few days now. We will try our hardest to locate and photograph this bird if it's still around.
Cheers

Week off work, with best pal Stephen Ellison.
Sunday 1st June

Porthgwarra:
4 Chough (2 of them were youngsters following the parents around being fed)
Minimal access to this location and still being monitored by the RSPB and other volunteers.

Plenty of Gannet around, some flying by with 2nd yr juv's
Shag - 6
Fulmar - 4
Raven - 2
Guillemot - 1
Rock Pipit - 2
Stonechat - 1 pr with 1 juv
Linnet - 4
Skylark - 2
Wheatear - 1
Rock Dove - 1
Whitethroat - 1m
Plenty of Swifts and Swallows
...and 1 large Grey Seal up close to the shore in the bay.

Penzance Harbour...(out towards Marazion)
1 Great Northern Diver quite a way out from shore
1 Rock Pipit

A few days in Cornwall and managed a bit of twitching.

Friday pm, half hour at Marazion Marsh
Of note...a pair of Rock Pipits, a low flying Bittern over the marsh, and what I thought could've been a Marsh Harrier but the photo is at distance and is inconclusive so not too sure.


Saturday pm.
Marazion Beach for a quick look at the unfortunate dead whale that's been here since around the 15th Feb.
Tide was coming in and the Whale was a good distance away from the nearest beach steps so rather than chance being stranded myself I took far out shots of the body.
Locals think it is a Minke Whale (or a Lesser Rorqual for the old school name) but these are large Baleen (filter feeding) Whales whereas the Whale on Marazion has teeth, it's bottom was jaw removed by marine biologists for ID and teeth are now exposed on the upper part of the mouth.
Judging by size and shape I thought more Pilot Whale-like or one of the smaller Beaked Whale family. Cuvier's Beaked Whale now seems to be the likely species.
Birds of note: Curlews and Oystercatchers.

Saturday pm...quick visit to Penzance Bus Station to view the coastline after reports of a Surf Scoter.
Parked up in the Bus Station and looked over the wall and within minutes another bloke pointed out a black dot literally surfing the waves.
My first Surf Scoter living up to its name!
It did eventually surf a lot closer and I managed blurry but ID'able shots due to distance. A lifer nonetheless!
Dipped on the earlier reported Black Redstart 'in' the bus station.
Other birds of note:
Oystercatchers and an unusual looking Gull near the Surf Scoter that is probably something obvious but there are a lot of different Gull species being reported this last week in Cornwall so I'm just not sure.

Quick Saturday pm visit to RSPB Hayle
Birds of note:
Curlew, maybe approaching 100
Plenty of Wigeon and Teal
A few Redshank
Unable to pick out the Juvenile's Iceland Gull and Glaucous Gull due to diminishing light and distance.



-- Edited by Rob Creek on Monday 10th of March 2014 11:17:53 AM

No problem at all Louis, scroll a bit further down the Cornwall thread and you will see our sightings from June this year.
Cheers,
Rob

Thank you very much for that Rob, I know Cornwall is excellent for birdwatching and my family and I travel down there pretty much every year.

Thanks once again, Louis.

Louis Hill wrote:

---

Anyone know good places to see birds and the species around the Mullion area?

Louis.

---

I hope this reply isn't too late for you Louis!
Me and my mate go to Cornwall a couple of times a year and travel to various places when we're there. Some good spots for birding down there, but as Ian McKerchar quite rightly pointed out to me, it can be fairly quiet early on in the year. Winter can be particularly good at some sites including the 2 RSPB reserves.
RSPB Marazion Marsh, RSPB Hayle Estuary, Land's End, Sancreed Hills, Goonhilly Downs, Lizard Point, St.Ives Rocks, and of course Bodmin Moor to name just a few. A trip to the Scillies is always worth looking into too while down there.
Once you get south of Bodmin, alot of these places are within fairly easy reach, and not to forget there are localised places also good for birds that aren't publicly too well known.
Mullion is no exception, not far from Lizard and Goonhilly, and is fairly good in its own right for sea birds at Mullion Harbour. When I was down there, I used this website below. It gives daily sightings and info like ours does.

Hope this is of help....
http://www.cbwps.org.uk/cbwpsword/sightings/

Cheers, Rob

2 weeks in Padstow area 2nd-14th Aug. Family holiday so just casual sightings

main highlights:

Camel Estuary - boat trip on Jubilee Queen
c.15 Med Gulls together on sand banks at low tide
c30 Sandwich Terns also on the sand banks
6 Shag
12 Turnstone still mostly in summer plumage around harbour
and best of all c.10 Bottlenose Dolphin following the boat - brilliant!

Trevose Head
2 Corn Bunting - including 1 bird singing
1 Stonechat
1 Peregrine
Numerous passing Gannets

Anyone know good places to see birds and the species around the Mullion area?

Louis.

All in all a good week.

Buzzards everywhere, considering the mileage we covered walking and driving...coast and inland...we didn't see a single Red Kite yet it appears every bugger else saw them.

Missed the Golden Oriole and Purple Heron.

Saw plenty of bats every single night walking home we saw plenty of Pipistrelle Bats, some quite larger which I'm assuming could be Noctules, but Greater Horseshoe Bats are very common in this area as they roost in the remains of tin mine buildings but I couldn't be 100% as trying to identify a fast flying bat in poor light after a few beers is near impossible.

One other thing of note, not a single Basking Shark, and we covered alot of coastline. Few of the locals told us that it was just too cold and they will be later this year. 1 was seen in Cornwall and 1 in the Isle-of-Man in the last few weeks.

ROCK PIPITS have all been confirmed

5 waders I was unsure of confirmed as SANDERLING

Single wader I thought was a Knot, is indeed a KNOT

The other species near Lands End I was unsure of, confirmed as a female Wheatear

Thanks to I.McKerchar

-- Edited by Rob Creek on Sunday 9th of June 2013 04:14:41 PM

Friday 7th June.

Another few miles hike around Ludgvan, through the vales and woodland and passing some of the old tin mine remains.
Usuals plus plenty of Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, 1 male Blackcap, alot of Buzzards


Couple of hours at RSPB Hayle - Lelant Water
Alot more activity than last time
Of note...
Great Black-Backed Gulls in abundance
4 Mute Swan
1 Black Swan
7 Little Egrets (quite large considering)
~20-25 Shelduck
6 Curlew (increasing as tide came into the flats)
2 Whimbrel
4 Dunlin
1 Bar-Tailed Godwit (1st Summer youngster)
2 Oystercatchers
3 Grey Heron .....

...and another Heron, very dark and almost purpley in colour with markings down the neck, surely we hadn't travelled all the way to Goonhilly to see the Purple Heron when it was on the doorstep???
No, I put it down to a young Grey and indeed that's what it was.

-- Edited by Rob Creek on Sunday 9th of June 2013 03:54:45 PM

Thursday evening.
We found out on the Cornwall birding site a Golden Oriole was heard singing at Ludgvan Church. The same church my mate got married in last year and his bungalow is 50yds away. We've sat in the garden and walked passed the church to get to the pub and we haven't heard a single Golden Oriole

But what we have seen and heard every evening is a Song Thrush producing the most fantastic song. That's not to say there hasn't been a Golden Oriole, I'm saying we missed it.

After the Cuckoo excitement we drove over Zennor Hills but not a Red Kite in sight so dropped down into St.Ives so mate could do some rock Mackerel fishing. We walked out of the main village to the big hill on the other bay.

Birds of note...
1 Great Black-Backed Gull in village centre

7 maybe 8 Kittiwake on the rocks and flying around us (3 immature in 1st Summer plumage)
4 Fulmars (fly by's)
10 or so Gannets (fly by's)
2 Shelduck (fly by's)
Few Cormorant's
Few Swift and Swallow
1 pair of Rock Pipit's up close

1 large Herring Gull that nicked my mate's Launce that he caught to use as bait

Thursday 6th June.
A drive to Sancreed @ 10.30am with the hope of a Cuckoo sighting.
Indeed that's exactly what we got, what looked like an ungainly Collared Dove had me telling my mate to stop the car. We pulled over and it was a Cuckoo floating down the heath and landing on a telephone line.
Got some identifying shots and video and it flew off further out from us to be joined by a 2nd bird.

1m + 1f Cuckoo
1m Whitethroat
Chiffchaff
1 other bird of note, sure it was another Chiffchaff, bit greyer and duller than the 1st, doing a spot of 'Flycatching'

Weds 5th
..on way back from Lizard, called over to Goonhilly Downs for possible Purple Heron sighting. Walked a good 2.5 - 3 miles round this wide open sandy fen and marsh and over to the pools.

No sign of Purple Heron, but plenty of Meadow Pipit, Skylark and Stonechat.

Thought I'd already posted this but must've lost data signal.

Tuesday 4th June approx 3pm - 5pm

Marazion Beach...
roughly 50-55 birds on beach very flighty due to people.
Approx 30Dunlin
10 Sanderling
10 Common Sandpiper
Plus 1 Whimbrel
Approx 5 birds different to the others....couple looked like Dunlin minus black breast area and a couple looked Sandpiper-like with slight plumage variation. Probably were just Sandpipers.
1 bird with them slightly larger and braver, darker mottled plumage with reddy brown down from face to lower breast then turning white. Thought Curlew Sandpiper at 1st but can't detect any curvature on bill so I'm thinking its more than likely a single Knot, not got my Collins with me so will try and verify when I get home.

-- Edited by Rob Creek on Thursday 6th of June 2013 03:56:33 PM

-- Edited by Rob Creek on Thursday 6th of June 2013 08:50:01 PM

-- Edited by Rob Creek on Thursday 6th of June 2013 09:25:05 PM

Weds 5th June

Good few miles walk round Lizard Point
Birds of note...(coast)

Great Black-Backed Gulls
Lesser Black-Backed Gulls
Handful of Gannets
2 Ravens mobbing a Buzzard
Few Cormorants
Skylarks
Meadow Pipits

Gorse path back to inland village...
3 Whitethroats
Pair of Sedge Warbler
Few Linnets
Dunnock, Wren, Stonechat activity with young

1 bird unidentified whilst on coast, at first appeared Swift-like, maybe marginally larger and paler brown with sandy coloured underparts, end of wings were dark brown, Bird of Prey-like...Racked our brains but haven't a clue, too quick for photo!

PM to Ian

Black Swan here also at Hayle. Was visible from the road at Lelant roundabout.

Tuesday 4th June
Mate finished off Coastal Path from near Pembeth Cove- Lamorna Cove to Mousehole,
birds of note...
1x male Peregrinne
1x male Kestrel
Plus usuals mentioned

I'm afraid I dropped him off and did the road version of the same route but had success none the less.
Birds of note...
Possible Rock Pipits at Lamorna but will wait for photo confirmation
Few Whitethroats
Few Linnets
1x Great Spotted Woodpecker
Meadow Pipits
Skylarks
Good number of Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs
Alot of Buzzard activity

Got round to Mousehole to get a few shots of the Fulmars, every year in the same place these few pairs that I walk round to see do well, and long may they and their offspring do so!

ps. not on the Coastal Path so probably why they do well.


-- Edited by Rob Creek on Wednesday 5th of June 2013 10:11:59 PM

Mon 3rd June

An hour or so pm visit to RSPB Hayle inland estuary.
Of note...

2 main gatherings of Gulls (~60 total) mainly Herring, Great Black-Backed and Lesser Black-Backed.
7 Shelduck
3 Little Egrets
1 Oystercatcher
1 Pied Wagtail

Very little here, yet in years gone by, this site has always been very busy with birds. More so in winter.

Mon 3rd June

Stithians Reservoir (near Camborne)

Considering this site is mentioned quite alot on the Cornwall birding sites, surprisingly little here and very disappointing despite its huge size. Wouldn't recommend this site as a good summer reserve (depending on what you want to see), my guess is this is a winter haven for a whole host of species.
Of note...

3 Buzzards
1 Tufted duck m
1 Teal m
Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff, and Whitethroat city!!!

Sun 2nd June 9.20am - 3.56pm

Lands End to Sennon Cove
RSPB Visitor Centre closed.
Birds of note...

4 Fulmars
10 Shags
4 Gannets
4 pairs of Stonechats
2 Wheatears
2 Ravens
1 Kestrel
Curlew
Meadow Pipits

Back to Lands End and an excruciating 10 mile walk to near Lamorna Cove via Southwest Coasal Path
Of Note...

Fulmars
Raven
Alot of Stonechats
Buzzards
Sparrowhawk
Plenty of Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers
At least 8 Whitethroats (all males seen)
2 Grey Seals in one of the coves (large bulky snouts and head, definitely Grey)

Possible Rock Pipits and another species can't decide, will get shots sent for ID when we get back.

1 Green Woodpecker in the tree in my mates holiday bungalow garden, flew off towards the farm on opposite side of road

A week in Cornwall started today with my best mate.

RSPB Marazion Marsh. (Approx 4.15 - 5.15pm)
Birds of note...
Plenty of Reed Warbler activity allover the reserve, visually and vocally.
1 Sedge Warbler
1 Green Woodpecker
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Wren singing with beakful of food right infront of us then proceeded into the nest sending the chicks into pandemonium!
5 or 6 Grey Herons (very flighty so could be less)

No sign of the Purple Heron that's been here all week. Plenty of time yet!

17/10/2012 - My last day in the Falmouth area:

Rosemullion Head seawatch in a force 5 SSW and walked back to Swanpool:
4 Great Skuas
15 Kittiwakes
2 Firecrests
1 Blackcap
1 Chiffchaff
15+ Mediterranean Gulls
2 Stonechats
1 Kingfisher - maenporth lake
no sign of reported possible Double-crested Cormorant

College Reservoir in the PM:
1 Purple Heron - juv, nice to see on my old patch
1 Water Rail
1 Kingfisher
2 Firecrests

-- Edited by Henry Cook on Wednesday 17th of October 2012 11:31:42 PM

Got back last Saturday (13th)from my annual trip to Cornwall,and although it was a relatively quiet week by usual cornish standards still managed to see a few good birds,
Several Yellow Browed Warblers about all week,Firecrests everywhere,plus still lots of Chiffchaff,Blackcaps,a few Willow Warblers,Pied Flycatchers,and plenty of other common migrants still about.
Got strokeable views of one of the Glossy Ibis near Sennen,brief views of the Olive Backed Pipit at Pendeen,where a short seawatch produced a Balearic Shearwater,hundreds of Auks,Kittiwakes,Gannets and the odd late Manx Shearwater.
Managed to dip the Whites Thrush in Cot Valley(as did everybody else except the finder),no surprise there as they're are real skulkers.
A trip down to The Lizard on friday was worthwhile with a Yellow Browed Warbler around the car park and excellent views of the Paddyfield Warbler,first one I've seen for at least 20 years,should be some of my pics of the bird when Ian has the time to post them on the site.
To make the trip complete several pasties washed down with the odd pint of St,Austells Tribute bitteralmost as good as Holts bitter,but nearly twice the price !!

-- Edited by pete berry on Wednesday 17th of October 2012 11:00:56 PM

Henry, I spent a week or so in that area during June, staying near Treesooth. However my Mum breaking her leg in a fall in St Ives rather curtailed my birding activity and I saw fewer species in the period that I was there than you appear to have done in a day.

i loved the area around Maelporth and Swanpool where there were Rock Pipits, lots of Stonechats, Bullfinch and several Raven. I also loved the area around Devoran, though the pub food was disappointing and walks around the Argal Reservoir. We didn't see much at The Lizard either. I don't think that June was the ideal time bird-wise.

16/10/2012 - Big day around the Falmouth area (78 species seen):

Swanvale NR area -
1 Yellow-browed Warbler - still present though elusive
2 Firecrest
1 Water Rail
1 Green Woodpecker - in the cemetery

Pendennis Headland -
2 Firecrest
5 Med Gull
1 Common Gull
40+ Gannet
1 Common Scoter
2 Kittiwakes

Falmouth Golf Course -
1 Lesser Redpoll - flyover, scarce in the Falmouth area
1 Blackcap
2 Stonechat
1 Swallow

Stithians Reservoir -
1 Marsh Tit
1 Reed Bunting
1 Teal
7 Wigeon
8 Lapwing - south of Golden Lion pub
1 Raven

Devoran -
1 Whimbrel
5 Greenshank
4 Bar-tailed Godwit
10+ Black-tailed Godwit
30+ Wigeon
7 Teal
1 Kingfisher

14/10/2012 - birded some old hotspots in the Falmouth area which were productive and then down to the Lizard peninsula which was a total dip-out:

Swanvale + Swanpool NR, Falmouth -
1 Yellow-browed Warbler
4 Chiffchaffs
3 Bullfinches
15 Little Grebes
2 Water Rails

Pendennis Headland -
3 Firecrests - around the castle grounds
2 Chiffchaffs
1 Whimbrel
20+ Skylarks - over
2 Siskins
7 Linnets

Church Cove, Lizard - no sign of Paddyfield Warbler, Glossy Ibis or Red-backed Shrike
1 Yellow-browed Warbler
1 Reed Warbler
1 Blackcap
4 Chiffchaffs
2 Stonechats
1 Wheatear
4 Ravens

5th October.

Morning visit to Porthgwarra with Henry Cook:

1 Firecrest
1 Yellow-browed Warbler
1 Sparrowhawk
1 Kestrel
6 Siskins
1 Greenshank
3 Balearic Shearwaters
3 Sooty Shearwaters
1 Arctic Skua

With the rain setting in, we made the dash over to nearby RSPB Marazion when news broke and we were treated to the amazing sight for the UK of SEVEN Red-rumped Swallows feeding over the reserve and beach together.


-- Edited by Phil Owen on Saturday 6th of October 2012 07:37:27 PM

Just got back from four days around the camel estuary.

highlights included
Bar-tailed Godwit, Sanderling, knot, dunlin, manx, sooty & (maybe) Balearic Shearwater, Guillimot, Fulmer (both juvs sat within a mile of each other on the beach!)
& (dare I say it) a Sabines Gull in with a huge flock of black heads.

didn't bother reporting then ben have gone over enough of my field notes to convince myself.

Cheers
J

Not really that bothered John,seen hundreds abroad,and as I'm not interested in my British list these days it doesn't really matter if it gets accepted or not.
Update of last few days,
4 Pecs together at Drift(a flock?),also Greenshank,Spotted Red,Ruff,Common Sands and Arctic Terns there
Yesterday a Buff Breasted Sand at Hayle,also several Curlew Sands,but managed to dip the Bairds again!!
And today 2 Buff Breasts 15 mins walk from where I'm staying.
Seawatching tailed off due to thick fog the last couple days but managed a few more Great Shearwaters,and good nos. of Sooties and Balearic Shearwaters before it closed in.

You may have to wait a while for the BBRC with this one Pete, they still have 2 in circulation from 2007.

Cheers, John

Pity you couldn't have stayed a bit longer John,We've had a MADEIRAN STORM PETREL this afternoon at Pendeen,first picked up by Martin Elliot and seen by everyone there including 2 other Mancy birders,Paul Wren and Geoff Lightfoot(although Geoff still thinks Cheadle is in Cheshire !!)
Other birds seen since I arrived Saturday
Numbers of Great Shears each day,
several hundred Sooties
30 + Balearics
3000 + Manxies
10+ Stormies
2 Poms
12 Arctic Skuas
10+ Bonxies
And when not seawatching
Black Kite
Pec Sand
several Little Stints
Several Curlew Sands
Spotted Red
Knot
Dunlins
Little Egrets
Med Gulls(inc a few juvs)
Chough
Peregrine
Raven
etc.etc etc
And a couple of Pasties and the odd pint of St.Austells tasty Trewelyne Bitter(almost as good as Holts,but considerably dearer)

Just spent a bird filled 48 hour trip to Cornwall with the specific target of Great Shearwater. We were not disappointed and these were the highlights:

3rd Sep. Gwennap Head, Porthgwarra (dawn till 09.30). Light SW wind and early sun soon gave way to cloud

28 Manx Shearwaters, 3 Sooty Shearwaters, 2 Balearic Shearwaters, 7 Rock Pipits, 2 Ravens, 1 Chough were the highlights

A wander around the coastguard lookout provided 4 Wheatears, 1 Stonechat and 2 Whinchats plus a preening Wryneck that just stayed and stayed. Amazing views of its long wire-like tongue, which was easily half the body length.

At Polgigga a walk along the lane to Bosistow Farm gave us a flyover view of the long-staying Black Kite

Time out in steady drizzle to secure saturday night's accomodation then on to Hayle RSPB where we failed to find the Baird's Sandpiper. The best of a selection of waders was a superbly marked juvenile Little Stint.

We pottered around waiting for the rain to pass then decided to give Gwennap Head another go, what a good decision. As we arrived there were 2 birders there since 12.30 and we were greeting with "Great Shearwaters are p****g through".

I personally saw only a small fraction of this passage with many birds beyond reasonable range for my optics, but I did see in 90 minutes:

165 Great Shearwaters, 74 Manx, 4 Sooty and 1 Balearic. We later heard that the day total for Greats was 2,003. The beer tasted good that night

4th Sep. Today we had a sunny hour or so birding the beautiful Nanquidno Valley, almost found a Pectoral Sandpiper at Drift (but didn't) and finished off with an excellent male Cirl Bunting at Berry Head (Devon).

Cheers, John



-- Edited by John Rayner on Sunday 4th of September 2011 10:06:15 PM

Cheers Henry!

PM sent Joe.

Hi, does anybody know a good spot for birding in Cornwall near to Newquay. I'm going down with the family, but should have a bit of time early morning to go somewhere.
Many thanks,
Joe

Just back from a week in Cornwall and delighted to say that we were successful in spotting our main target for the week: chough (first time for us).

But topping that, while visiting Heligan we stumbled upon our first 'proper' twitch: a Green Heron that was showing brilliantly by the main pond. Able to get some great views from the multiple telescopes set up around it.

Yes Henry I was quite happy with the Great Shearwater - found it myself and confirmed by the Leeds birders and others present - one of 3 lifers for me today - the others being Sooty Shearwater and Storm Petrel

Big well done with the Great Shear Sid! A tricky beast to see in the British isles without a spot of seawatching in Cornwall, but what a wonderful bird.
Henry.

In Cornwall today I too visited Gwennap Head at Porthgwarra and found Common Scoter (1), Shag (several about), Manx Shearwater (minimum 10), Raven (3), Sooty Shearwater (1), Storm Petrel (minimum 8), Great Skua (1), Great Shearwater (1) and numerous Kittiwake, Fulmar and Gannet. Very windy on that exposed headland for 5 hours but good fun with assembled crowd of birders. Not such an extensive list as yours Pete but I was very happy thanks to yourself and before I came down to Cornwall to Henry C for the tips.

-- Edited by sid ashton on Wednesday 19th of August 2009 09:41:18 PM

Just got back from my annual pilgrimage to the Mecca of seawatching,and although it was poor by Cornish standards I still managed to see:- Great Shearwater (1) Cory's (1) Balearic Shearwater(20+) Sooty Shearwater(15+) Storm Petrel(40+) Bonxie(12) Arctic Skua(3) Plus all the usual suspects like Manxies,Fulmars,Kittiwakes etc.We also had good views of Nightjar that breed down there,few Med Gullsetc. We also saw about a dozen Basking Sharks,several Sunfish,Harbour Porpoises,and the what was probably the highlight for me,a pod of 140 Common Dolphins just a few hundred yards offshore from Porthgwarra.