WEST CORNWALL

As ever our CORNWALL tour from 14th – 20th October produced some excellent autumn birding, scenery and superb food and service from our base at The Mount Haven Hotel. DAY ONE saw everyone arrive on time and we were soon on our way to the Hayle Estuary complex on an overcast, but mild afternoon. The highlight of the day was undoubtedly the Spotted Sandpiper that showed very well at Hayle Estuary that was much appreciated by all. The remainder of the afternoon produced a few Little Egrets, Bar-tailed Godwits, large numbers of Eurasian Wigeon, but sadly no sign of the hoped for Least Sandpiper. DAY TWO dawned windy and overcast, but it soon warmed up as the sun burnt off the gloom and we enjoyed some excellent birding. Our first stop was at the famous valley at Porthgwarra and after a bit of anxious wait, we were able to get some good scope views of a Melodious Warbler in a garden. The wind meant that few passerines were showing, but we did get a few Common Chiffchaffs and Goldcrest and a small group of Barn Swallows flew over. A couple of European Sparrowhawk showed very well and a Peregrine and Common Kestrel hunted over the cliffs. A flock of 23 European Golden Plovers were on the moor and good numbers of Northern Gannets were passing offshore. We moved on to Copperhouse Creek and after a brief glimpse on arrival, and a wait while it roosted, our patience was rewarded with stunning views of the Least Sandpiper as it fed alongside a group of Dunlin, then flew close to us and was just thirty metres away as we scoped it. A brief stop at Hayle Estuary brought a few trip ticks with Ringed Plover, Common Teal and a lone Sandwich Tern, as well as more Mediterranean Gulls, Bar-tailed Godwits and Northern Lapwing. Our final stop was at Marazion Marsh, where species such as Moorhen and Little Grebe were added to the trip list. DAY THREE began with a brisk east wind again as we made our way to Lands End. A couple of Reed Buntings and a Northern Wheatear were new, but otherwise it was small groups of European Starlings, Sky Larks and Meadow Pipits passing overhead that grabbed our attention, along with a couple of hunting European Sparrowhawks and Common Kestrels and Northern Gannets offshore. Following being caught in a ferocious hailstorm, we found a cracking Yellow-browed Warbler, which lifted everyone’s spirits as it showed beautifully after we endured a right soaking! Lunch at Sennen Cove produced a flock of Ruddy Turnstone and a large bull Atlantic Grey Seal and a walk at the beautiful Nanquidno Valley saw us add two very showy Red-billed Chough and another Northern Wheatear. The warm afternoon sunshine produced a plethora of Red Admirals, as well as a Small Copper and a Clouded Yellow butterfly, which rounded off another excellent day. DAY FOUR began with torrential downpours and we wisely waited until this weather had passed before venturing out. We added Song Thrush and Redwing to the tour list at Kenidjack before the heavens opened again and we had to spend the next hour or so sheltering. Finally, we were able to walk down the valley, where plenty of common migrants such as Common Chiffchaffs, Goldcrest, Blackbirds, Stonechats, Blackcaps and Chaffinches could be seen. We heard another Yellow-browed Warbler and eventually managed fleeting views as it disappeared into a garden and out of sight. The afternoon was spent in warm sunshine in Cot Valley, but despite our best efforts, we seemed to be in the wrong place every time the newly arrived Barred Warbler showed. We had to make do with more of the common migrants seen earlier, as well as several sightings of Common Buzzards, Kestrels and European Sparrowhawks. Butterflies were much in evidence again with more Clouded Yellows, Painted Ladies and Red Admirals noted and a walk to the bottom of the valley produced a first winter Mediterranean Gull on the sea and a few passing Northern Gannets. Small numbers of Rock Pipits and a single Northern Wheatear completed the picture here. Our final stop was again at Marazion Marsh, this time at the seaward end where a Little Egret showed well and a distant Cetti’s Warbler was heard singing from a sallow. DAY FIVE was again pretty windy and proved a real challenge to find any birds. The valleys were again quiet with just a few common migrants encountered A second winter Mediterranean Gull was on the airfield and a walk at Nanquidno again produced two Red-billed Chough, as well as new trip birds in the form of a Bullfinch and a flock of Long-tailed Tits. Earlier in the day we had seen a brief Hummingbird Hawk Moth and an amazing Death Head’s Hawk Moth that was trapped overnight. News of an immature female Surf Scoter in Penzance reached us and we enjoyed excellent views of this bird close inshore. Also here were three Greater Scaup, two Sandwich Terns, a Razorbill and good numbers of Northern Gannets. Our final stop at Marazion produced more Little Egrets as well as a flock of Ruddy Turnstones and our first Sanderling of the tour. DAY SIX was much better day weather wise despite a very poor forecast and torrential overnight rain. Our first stop was at Drift Reservoir where we soon added the long staying Pink-footed Goose to the trip list, as well as Greylag and Tufted Duck. News of a Bluethroat saw us head to the next intended destination of Porthgwarra a little earlier than anticipated. No sign of that bird, but we did get excellent views of a female type Marsh Harrier and a late Sedge Warbler while we looked, as well as a few Common Chiffchaffs and Goldcrests while we sheltered from a heavy shower. More common migrants were in Kenidjack Valley, but the highlight was a Siberian Chiffchaff found in the lower sallows. Once again, we saw several Red Admirals, and Clouded Yellow butterflies and a Hummingbird Hawk Moth. DAY SEVEN dawned cloudy, but calm, so it was perhaps surprising that we chose to go sea watching! We initially drove to the bottom of Cot Valley with the intention of searching for any missing passerines, but as we noticed streams of passing Northern Gannets and distant auks, we drove instead to Pendeen. Thousands ore Gannets went past along with large numbers of Razorbills, Guillemots and Black-legged Kittiwakes. Careful observation produced eight Common Scoters a Great Skua and five Balearic Shearwaters; all seen well and all new for the trip. By mid morning passage had died off and we were just wondering where to make our last stop when news of a Long-eared Owl at Lands End came through. We drove straight there and had scope views of what was as usual a very skulking bird – a great end to a tour that had produced some superb birds in often testing conditions. As we were driving past, we called in briefly at Drift Reservoir for lunch and a quick view of the Pink-footed Goose, which was sound asleep! Next Year’s tour is run in conjunction with Bird Watching magazine from 13th – 19th October and already has limited availability.