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| Falmouth Bird Race - 14/01/2007. Total Species seen (combined) 86. Henerz = 73, Nick G = 77 |
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| This trip report details the events of a mixed sunday in the area of Falmouth just using Bike. The pictures used are not from the race as carrying my camera all day would have nearly caused death! and so are just for reference and interest. The weather was forecasted as being rather good today compared to the last few weeks of wind driven storms. |
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| After reaching Restronguet Wier at about 8.30am I quickly scoped across the Carrick Roads in hope of Black-necked Grebes which winter here and this site is most well known for. First in the scope was a pair of Goosander (not bad, but I knew goosanders were still present at College Res.) The B.N.Grebes followed soon after though (5 in total) along with a close pair of Slavonian Grebes looking very stately even in winter plumage - a good race tick and lovely birds to see so well. Others showed here inlcuding the expected Red-breasted Mergansers but no sign of scoters/divers. Land based birds seen and heard along the way included Fieldfare, Pheasant, Jay and Goldcrest. |
| A quick stop along the route back to College and Argal Reservoirs at Mylor Creek at low tide was very rewarding even with a huge unexpected downpour (come on weathermen sort it out!) Best bird was a Greenshank followed closely by a pair of Shelduck which I hadn't even thought of as possible around these here parts! Little Egret, Turnstone, Redshank and Curlew also put in appearances on the Creek - Time = 10:30 (1 hour behind schedule) but a decent 42 species seen so farincluding some tricky ones, and so onto Argal Reservoir (come on legs, work!) |
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| Goldcrest - College Reservoir - 19/11/2006 |
| Argal Reservoir was pretty disappointing and didnt warrant a walk around the whole reservoir. There is work going on at the moment, disturbing all but the hardiest Mallards. Two more ticks here though were Skylark - another one I thought not possible around here in winter and Argal's ubiquitous Grey Wagtail trying to call louder than the rushing water over the now closed dam. |
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| College Reservoir always holds a good selection of woodland and waterfowl. I was happy to find a flock of tits moving through including Long-tailed Tits and a Coal Tit but no sign of any elusive Marsh/Willow Tits seen so far through the winter. Things took a turn for worse after a thorough scan of the water failed to produce Pochard, Gadwall, Teal or Ring-necked Duck! It was time to think, there was plenty more to be seen here but I had planned a visit to Kennal Vale with its Dippers, so... I turned back and took the path along the northern shore of College with lovely oak woodland and decided to gamble by not venturing to Kennal Vale (perhaps another time!) A Marsh Tit quickly showed and called to reveal the species (with Willow tit being very similar) and immediately made my descision to stay worth while. More followed with Great-spotted Woodpecker, and on the water female Goldeneye (new patch tick), 2 Pochard amongst the plentiful Wigeon and Tufted Duck. Finally the Ring-necked Duck female showed, proving very elusive today, hiding behind the island (Nick dipped it). A text message came through with Nick not giving much away and I was hoping that my good start to the day could carry me on through the slow spell at College - Now 1pm and the list now stood at 63. |
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| Mallard - Argal Reservoir - 09/10/2006 |
| Ring-necked Duck - College Reservoir - 09/11/2006 |
| I arranged to meet my competitor but after finding out that where we had thought of meeting was closed we spoke over the phone as he was still travelling back from a jaunt to Devoran on the bus. Quite be chance we met as I was speeding back to base camp on the cycle track and he was walking back to Falmouth in the other direction. I soon found out his total of 77, I wasnt depressed or angry but pleased for him and myself with my total as something to improve on in future cold January bird races! Well done Nick and I look forward to next Jan. For species lists go to Listing, and then bird races Any Falmouth birders wanting to take part next year please join in and please say how you get on by e-mail. Thanks. |
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| Mylor Creek - in Mylor Bridge at high tide. |
| Gannet - Pennance Point - 30/11/2006 |
| Water Rail - Swanpool - 30/11/2006 |
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| Swanpool beach looking across to Pennance Point easily accessed by the often muddy coastal path! |
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| Arrival at Swanpool was a welcome relief to my legs which were starting to cramp up on every single revolution of the pedal. Hoped for Med Gull didn't show however, the reliable drake Shoveler of recent weeks was on his favourite branch allowing many birders to see this beautiful duck up close. I moved on up to Pennance Point not seeing Rock Pipit on the way and starting to feel very fatigued. Pennance was windless which normally would mean nothing much on the sea but conversely at a fair distance there was quite a movement. Gannets filtered past, their large black wing-tips and gliding flight good field characteristics. A single Kittiwake, Lesser Black-backed Gull and pair of Rock Pipits finally showed in a lovely afternoon in the sun. Auks passed very distantly not allowing identification but one pair did come close - Guillemots. The final leg of the race and I sat down on the famous benches at the seaward end of Swanpool lake in search of a cryptic and elusive reed dweller. I'd forgotten the magic ingredient (bread!) but thankfully someone had decided to feed the birds and left a whole pile of seed on the ground near the reeds. Literally just one minute passed and out of the reeds crept a lovely Water Rail in the fading light, tentatively probing the ground for some of the seed. This was my last tick of the day as relentless searching for Med Gull until dark didnt pay off but very happy with the final days total of 73. |