Cornwall (Day 1)

A weekend at Land’s End with the family. Drove down the previous afternoon, staying here. Dropped Michelle and Sam at Penzance so they could get a bus to St. Ives, and at St. Levan with Tom at about 8am for the very elusive Scarlet Tanager. No sign! One turned up on Scilly whilst we were waiting. We contemplated going over but could not get a flight anyway. Gave up about midday and went for a walk in nearby fields before taking the coastal path to Porthgwara. Not a lot of birds, just two or three Peregrines,a Swallow, a Red Admiral, and four Peacocks. Still, good fun trying and did have a nice pastie from the small shop!

The walk back produced little, apart from a Raven, and so after a cursory check at St. Levan (where just about everyone else had left), we headed for Nanquidno. Quite a few birders were there (fellow dippers) but no birds! Just a whole load of Red Admirals (well, eight). Did take quite a nice photo of a Pied Wagtail whist there…

So on to the Cot Valley and more birders, and more Red Admirals, and just a Chiffchaff and a couple of Rock Pipits.

So on to Kenidjack. More Red Admirals despite it getting late and cold, and nearly the find of the day: A Yellow-browed Warbler heard but unfortunately not seen despite searching (it was later found by someone else.) Oh well. Collected Michelle from Penzance and on to the Ship Inn at Mousehole.