Cornwall (Day 2)

A lazy start. I was tired so had a lay in and then breakfast with Michelle from our bedroom window in Mousehole…

A lovely day but no birds. . Not a single Chiffchaff all day. Best bird was a Firecrest I found at Porthgwara in the morning. Came back at lunchtime for a Sunday Lunch with Michelle and Sam and then did Nanjizal last thing.

Porthgwara
25 October 2015 10:06 - 12:52
Sunny 18C 13SW
Buzzard, Kestrel, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest, Firecrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Skylark, Long-tailed Tit, Wren, Blackbird, Robin, Stonechat, Dunnock, Pied Wagtail (heard), Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Red Admiral, Peacock, Speckled Wood

Nanjizal
25 October 2015 14:55 - 17:11
Cloudy 12C 18SE
Pheasant, Buzzard, Kestrel, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Chough, Magpie, Jay, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit (heard), Wren, Blackbird, Robin, Stonechat, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail (heard), Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Linnet

Cornwall (Day 1)

Left home around 7am with Michelle and Sam for a week in Cornwall. Slow drive due to traffic. Stopped off at Hayle to look for a Ring-billed Gull. Didn’t see, but think I was looking on wrong section of Hayle. Did find three Mediterranean Gulls (two adults and a 2nd winter).

Dropped Michelle and Sam off at our house for the week (great place, amazing views!) in Mousehole before continuing to Porthgwarra. Very quiet, though did have brief views of a Firecrest (only ‘Crest actually seen).

Hayle
24 October 2015 13:30 - 14:00
Patchy cloud after rain 12C 10W
Curlew, Redshank, Black-headed Gull, Mediterranean Gull, Herring Gull, Starling, House Sparrow, Meadow Pipit, Goldfinch

Porthgwara
24 October 2015 15:15 - 17:45
Patchy cloud 13C 8W
Buzzard, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest (heard), Firecrest, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit (heard), Chiffchaff, Wren (heard), Starling, Blackbird, Robin (heard), Stonechat, Dunnock (heard), House Sparrow, Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch

Yellow-legged Gull

Feeling pretty ill (very heavy cold) but needed to get out so went for a slow walk around Foxton with Michelle. Two adult Yellow-legged Gulls were loafing on the field South-West of Foxton Woods with c.200 Lesser Black-backed . Also 24 Grey Partridges, three Buzzards, c.200 Lapwing and c.100 Golden Plover (the distant Fowlmere flock), and three Corn Buntings and a Yellowhammer.

Foxton

A couple of rides around the ‘circuit’ today. No rares, but 55 Grey Partridges, c.75 Skylarks, and c.150 Linnets were impressive totals. Also around 20 Golden Plovers, around 20 Meadow Pipits, the usual few Corn Buntings, and a single Red Kite. Also, an impressive sunset…

Starlings

Nice Starling flock tonight at Fowlmere at dusk. Numbers have obviously built up over the last few days I’ve been away. Not a lot else apart from about 150 Golden Plover still on the field leading to the reserve.

Shepreth L-Moor
12 October 2015 12:57 - 13:40
Patchy cloud 13C 7N
Pheasant, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Great Spotted Woodpecker (heard), Magpie, Jay, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest (heard), Blue Tit, Great Tit (heard), Wren, Blackbird, Dunnock (heard), Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Rabbit, Speckled Wood

Fowlmere
12 October 2015 17:30 - 18:43
Overcast with some very light drizzle later on 9C 7N
Greylag Goose, Greater Canada Goose, Teal, Shoveler, Grey Partridge, Pheasant, Water Rail, Moorhen, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Tawny Owl (heard), Magpie, Jay, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest (heard), Blue Tit (heard), Great Tit (heard), Long-tailed Tit (heard), Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Robin (heard), Dunnock (heard), Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit (heard), Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Reed Bunting (heard), Rabbit, Brown Hare, Fallow Deer (heard)

Languard Goldcrests

Had planned a day on the North Norfolk or Suffolk coast. But weather didn’t look too promising for migrants so had gone to the pub the night before instead. The next day the weather had changed slightly and Norfolk was turning up goodies: Red-flanked Bluetail, Radde’s Warbler to name two. But by that time it was too late to go so I headed for the nearest bit of coast available: Languard, not the nicest of sceneries, but only about an hour away. Nothing too special in four or so hours there, but I’ve never seen so many Goldcrests before in one day. Obviously a big fall. They ringed over a hundred (I saw at least that many) as well as a single Firecrest (i didn’t). Also a large number of Robins and the first Brent Geese of the autumn,

Landguard
11 October 2015 12:09 - 16:15
Patchy cloud 12C 12NE
Brent Goose, Cormorant, Kestrel, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Starling, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Rabbit, Large White, Small White, Peacock

Shepreth L-moor and Fowlmere

Shepreth L-moor for the second time this week at lunchtime. Hoping for a Yellow-browed again in the Sycamores. There must be one lurking somewhere.

Went to Fowlmere after work. Looking through the Golden Plovers for the third time this week (seemed slightly fewer tonight, though still over 100). Hoping for a Lesser amongst them! Scanned the flock twice, no joy. Then a huge female Peregrine flew over the field (poor record shot below). Interesting behaviour from the Goldies. All the other birds went up, the 100+ Lapwings and the similar number of Starlings. Both had obviously spotted the Peregrine before I had. The Goldies however didn’t go up, but instead, went down; crouching on the ground keeping very low so as to almost not be seen. Then they obviously realised the score, the threat was from above, and took off too.

After several minutes the Lapwings and Starlings came back down, some distance away from the Peregrine that had decided to sit in the field (without prey). The Goldies carried on somewhere (I didn’t see where as was watching the Peregrine). The birds on the ground seemed wary after that, always keeping an eye on the Peregrine. Over ten Hares were in the field too.

The reserve held little, though a Tawny Owl was heard at dusk after dark and there were lots of medium-sized bats (another poor record shot below).

Shepreth L-Moor
08 October 2015 12:41 - 13:33
Patch cloud 15C 6NW
Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Wren (heard), Blackbird, Robin, Meadow Pipit (heard), Chaffinch, Linnet, Yellowhammer (heard), Rabbit, Brimstone, Small White

Fowlmere
08 October 2015 17:31 - 19:06
Patchy cloud 15C 6NW
Teal, Mallard, Red-legged Partridge, Pheasant (heard), Kestrel, Peregrine, Water Rail (heard), Moorhen, Golden Plover, Lapwing, Black-headed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Tawny Owl (heard), Green Woodpecker (heard), Great Spotted Woodpecker (heard), Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Goldcrest, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Skylark (heard), Long-tailed Tit, Chiffchaff (heard), Wren (heard), Starling, Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock (heard), Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Yellowhammer (heard), Rabbit, Brown Hare, Fallow Deer, Muntjac