CORNWALL WINTER 23RD - 26TH FEBRUARY 2009

OUR inaugural CORNWALL WINTER tour from 23rd – 26th February 2009 was a resounding success. Any trip that starts with a Snowy Owl is unlikely to go far wrong and that was the case as we viewed this exceptional bird on its moorland home near Zennor. After an anxious wait the bird showed very well to the group. Also seen on DAY ONE were Red Knot, Goosander, five Mediterranean Gull, 100+ Dunlin, six Little Egret, ten Bar-tailed Godwit, fifteen Grey Plover and large numbers of Eurasian Wigeon, Common Teal, Eurasian Curlew and Common Redshank, as well as a few Common Raven and Common Buzzard. DAY TWO provided us with an awesome day of winter birding as we spent time at Gerrans Bay watching the sea. No fewer than twenty Black-throated Divers, but probably quite a few more gave superb views on a flat calm sea, where ten Great Northern Diver, an amazing thirty Slavonian Grebe and four Red-necked Grebe, as well as a drake Long-tailed Duck were also seen at close range – superb! A few Northern Fulmar, Northern Gannet, European Shag, Common Scoter and Common Guillemot were also present as well as a male Yellowhammer at a nearby farm. The afternoon as spent enjoying our boat trip up the Carrick Roads, which also delivered some superb birding. Twelve Great Northern Divers and a multitude of European Shag gave close up view, while thirty Red-breasted Merganser included several superb drakes. A flock of seven Black-necked Grebe included a splendid breeding plumaged bird and a Slavonian Grebe for fantastic comparative views, while the highlight for many were the up close and personal views of two first year drake Velvet Scoter that allowed us to get within a few metres before flying off down river. The river banks also provided us with some excellent sightings including four Common Kingfisher, thirty Little Egrets and at least that many Grey Herons, many of which were in their rookery. A Black-tailed Godwit was found among a flock of Eurasian Curlew and several European Oystercatcher and Common Shelduck were also noted. We still weren’t finished as a stop at Swanpool produced a Water Rail feeding a couple of metres away right in the open and our first Tufted Duck, Goldcrest and Long-tailed Tits of the tour were also present. How can we follow that tomorrow?! DAY THREE was spent in the district of Penwith, where another tremendous days birding was had. First year Iceland and Glaucous Gulls were present at Newlyn Harbour, two Cattle Egrets showed superbly in Sancreed and three Greater Scaup and a drake Northern Pintail rounded off an excellent morning. In the afternoon, several Great Northern and a superb breeding plumaged Red-throated Diver were in Mounts Bay, along with fourteen Common Scoter, two Black Redstarts and a first winter Mediterranean Gull were on the beach and a cracking Water Pipit, several Common Snipe, a Common Chiffchaff and two very showy Firecrest were in the marsh. Finally, a Purple Sandpiper was at Jubilee Pool. DAY FOUR produced two Siberian Chiffchaff, several Common Chiffchaff and a Firecrest in Helston, a few Common Goldeneye, European Sparrowhawk and Great Crested Grebes at Stithians Reservoir and we finished a superb tour with a female Surf Scoter, Common Greenshank and twenty Dark-bellied Brent Goose at Dawlish Warren on the way home. If you would like to join us in 2010, please hurry as we already have just two places remaining. Dates 22ND – 25TH FEBRUARY 2010. Cost £450.00.