Fowlmere, Dead Man’s Hill, Barley area

Started at Fowlmere in the morning. One hour. Not a lot seen apart from a Buzzard and the Cetti's Warbler calling. Later went to Dead Man’s Hill. Weather not great and not a lot flying; again just a Buzzard.

Late afternoon did another farmland walk. This time south of Barley: Smiths End, Barley south. North-west to Newsells Stud. North-east along the road to Barley (the most promising part as it turned out.)

Corn Bunting x 3
Marsh Tit x 3. A surprising find. One in a small wood west of Wigney Wood, and the others in Walk Wood.
Yellowhammer x 3
Merlin – along the road back to Barley.

Looking towards Great Chishill from Barley

En-route to Barley I had 21 Red-legged Partridges along Fowlmere Road. I also called in to Fowlmere at dusk where there was an impressive four figure Rook and Jackdaw flock flying around before roosting.

Fowlmere and a long walk

Though spending less than an hour there, Fowlmere at midday was quite good. Excellent views of two Bearded Tits, a Brambling, and this confiding Red Admiral…

Then, possessed by madness*, I undertook an eight mile walk through farmland in a desperate attempt to find a Lapland Bunting for Herts. The route was: Start in Royston. Walked south along the Hertfordshire Way to Reed. West to Reed End. North along the Icknield Way. North-east along the east edge of Therfield Heath to Royston. No Lapland Buntings (as expected), but four species of raptor (Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, five Buzzards, and two Red Kites.) Also twelve Red-legged Partridges, seven Yellowhammers, three Corn Buntings, and a Red Admiral.

Looking north towards Cambridge at the start of the Icknield Way

*Probably induced by hearing the delayed news of an American Bittern been present on the Land’s End peninsula the whole time I had been in Cornwall and then changing my mind at the last minute the previous night and not driving down as it hadn’t appeared to go to roost, only for it to fly from its roost this morning.

Fowlmere

Despite finding not a lot on the last day in Cornwall, it’s still better than Fowlmere. Two hundred Starlings at dusk was the highlight of a brief visit.

Cornwall (Day 4)

Pretty much a full day again ignoring the late start and an hour of surfing…

Porthgwara (all four of us.)
Surfing at Seenen
St Leven (with Tom, dropped Michelle and Sam at Land’s End.)
Nanquidno (all four of us, though Michelle read her book in the car.)

Nothing all day! Slogged around for hours and not even a Firecrest. A few Goldcrests at Nanquidno, and Red Admirals and this Peregrine (of two seen) at Porthgwara…

A quick pint of “Doom Bar” in the “First and Last Inn” before the long drive home.

Cornwall (Day 3)

A full day’s birding at last (well sort of: Breakfast isn’t until 9am and I had to drop the other three off at St. Ives for the day.) Rain hampered birding in the morning at the first site, but it brightened later.

Kenidjack
Grey Wagtail
Goldcrest x 5
Chiffchaff x 7
Yellow-browed Warbler? – one possibly two birds. The first 99% sure of Id, but just couldn’t clinch it. The second was a probable.
Sparrowhawk – despite some good self finds of semi-rarities, this was the bird of the day. I was scanning through a few Chaffinches perched on top of some bramble when I noticed the Sparrowhawk flying in at the height of the bushes. Most of the Chaffinches took off. The one I had my bins on with the Sparrowhawk in the background didn’t. Bang! Amazing power, and great to see.
Firecrest

 

Cot Valley
Yellow-browed Warbler – a good self find though unfortunately it had already been found by some other birders who were watching from around the other side of the tree!

Nanquidno
Firecrest

Porthgwara...
Large Pipit sp.? – flew over at dusk. Didn’t call. Seemed much larger than Meadow Pipits and wasn’t a Redwing!

Cornwall (Day 2)

More family stuff (St. Michael's mount) but eventually got out birding mid-afternoon with Tom. Porthgwarra, but nothing seen. Only birds of note being a couple of Choughs, a Willow Warbler, a Blackcap, and a Swallow. Also about fifteen Red Admirals.

Cornwall (Day 1)

Left home at 7:30 for three nights near Land's End, Cornwall. Ten buzzards en-route and an awful coffee at Starbucks near Bristol. First stop was Hayle for a pastie, but with the tide out, little was seen on the estuary. Next stop Sennen to take the kids surfing. I had a bash around the cove but saw little. We then went lookinng for the Buff-breasted Sandpiper in fields "south of Sennen". Couldn't find it or any birders but did manage a couple of Chough. Then I realised that south was actually north and whilst looking up the grid reference on my OS map, got a flyover Lapland Bunting! When we'd worked out where to go it was easy! Surprised by how small it was with accompanying two hundred or so Golden Plover (never seen them in a flock with other species before.) Several flight views too as flock got spooked on occasion.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper by Tom

After a quick look around Porthgwara (which had apparently had lots of goodies - we arrived late and saw nothing apart from a few Red Admirals), we headed to our pub-hotel , the Ship, at Mousehole.