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| April 2007 Archive |
| 23rd, April 2007 Some of you might have been wondering why there's been little activity on 'Falmouth Birding' well read below you lazy bloggings! I fully aim to get cracking and go birding first thing tomoz down at College Res. Ah, just checked the weather forecast, think i'll go for the lie-in option, sos! |
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| 25th, April 2007 Finally making it out this lunchtime I headed to College and Argal Reservoir. A new oxygenating system in Argal after months of disruption here has turned the place into one huge fishtank! not a single waterbird here. Moving on to College and the woodland had transformed - Lush forest and a dazzling understorey of Bluebells were beautiful. Birds out on the water here were low now with 1 Mute Swan, 3 Canada Goose, 1 Moorhen and 1 Mallard (female with fledged 2 chicks). 10+ Sand Martins, 9 House Martins, and 7 Swallow hawked frantically over the water. The woodland however stole the show, and undoubtedly watching a singing Garden Warbler was the highlight. 21 Chiffchaffs, 1 Willow Warbler, 4 Blackcaps, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 3 Long-tailed Tit, 2 Goldcrest, 1 Song Thrush were also seen. The water levels are still v.high and unproductive so I'm going to give the river Penryn a thorough grilling soon in hope of some migrating waders |
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| 26th, April 2007 A wander along the Penryn river towards flushing was very quiet this morning, maybe because of the northerly winds. The wader roost totalled 2 Greenshank, nice but not a great variety on show! 4 House Martin and 2 Swallow flew gracefully over a small stream in an inlet near the greenshank roost. A Buzzard caught my eye when it flew towards me with carrion hanging from its beak, closely followed by 2 Ravens, great to watch but the buzzard at close range had a white belly and white underside to tail. Not a rough-legged buzzard but certainly a strange buzzard nevertheless. 4 Linnets, and 5 Greenfinches were singing from the churchyard along the walk. |
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| 27th, April 2007 Lovely weather prompted me to cycle to Argal Reservoir. Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers and Blackcaps were all heard along the way and my count for the trip heavily increased with the walk around the reservoir. 4 Whitethroat were scratching out their song from brambles and young saplings on the southern shore of the reservoir and Swallows + House Martins were overhead, its great seeing them back in good numbers now after the mammoth migration they've just undertaken, good for them being back too as there's bucket loads of annoying, t-shirt sticking flies for them to eat! Chaffinch numbers were high with several pairs nesting around the reservoir with 2 pairs of Goldfinch in the area too. A Blue tit and Robin showed well too (click the links for photos). Only birds of note on the water were 9 Male mallards, presumerably the females are raising chicks elsewhere. On the journey back I heard the piercing call of 'Devil Birds' or Swifts to most people, they are just amazing to watch, being so perfectly adjusted to flying in the sky, brilliant to see them back again! |
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| 28th, April 2007 Only in Cornwall... can you twitch 7 amazing, rare, GLOSSY IBIS and not see another birder in sight! I didnt mind tho. The adult birds showed distantly only allowing for record shots but still a cool sight, even my non-birding friends hogged the telescope in awe! Next port of call was Lizard Point where we quickly caught up with a pair of the nesting Choughs on the cliffs. Totally forgot though to look for an iceland gull which has been around the area for a bit. Offshore was 6+ Gannet, 3 Kittiwake, 2 Fulmar and plenty of Shags. Swallows were coming in off the sea which was strange to watch. Last stop of the day was Windmill Farm CBWPS. I've never been here before and I can imagine on a nice, sunny, windless day it is a lovely place, but the conditions were not at all perfect. Still, it was a delight to hear my first Cuckoo of the year, not too far away but wasn't able to see it. (of insect interest, we found a 'Green Tiger Beatle' here, a cool little insect) |
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