Outside!

Managed to get out after several weeks on crutches at home recovering from a torn calf-muscle. Fowlmere first for a very slow walk around around for a couple of hours, before a short walk at dusk at Shepreth. Similar story at both places. Lots of Thrushes (hundreds of Redwings at Fowlmere) but very few other passerines apart from Corvids.

Starlings

Time to leave Cornwall. Stopped off at the Hayle for a quick scan and added a few new birds to the Cornish list which ended at 74 species. Went to Truro for some lunch (nice city) and stopped at Ham Wall on the Somerset Levels to look at the Starling roost. Good numbers, but a touch disappointing as they just came in and went down without really performing. Two Great White Egrets were also seen. Then home!

St. Levan, Porthgwara, Cot Valley, and Mousehole

Went out with the kids for a few hours whilst Michelle took the bus to Penzance.

Started off at St. Levan. Quiet. No sign of the reported Richard’s Pipit or any of the reported Lapland Buntings. Took the coastal path to Porthgwara were we enjoyed a pastie. Still not many birds, but good fun, and Tom did a bit of sea-watching.

After Sam went Surfing at Sennen, we continued to the  Cot Valley for a final look for birds. Seemed very quiet for Passerines, though a Chough and a Peregrine were good to see. Finally managed to find something half decent on the beach: A Black Redstart.

Tom needed to get back to revise, so I spent the last half hour of light at Mousehole. Found a Firecrest; a good bird to end the trip