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| May 2007 Archive |
| 1st, May 2007 White Rabbits, or do you say that in April, no that's funny haha fools day. Right anyway. Strange goings on at Tremough in the late hours of the afternoon. Missing the joy of birding, I was getting desperate whilst sat at the desk doing work (for the 'n'th squared day running, grrr). I then heard this cool noise and thought "THATS AN OSPREY!". Nope it wasnt, or at least I think not. It went 'KA-KA-KA-KA', quite strongly. Looked out the window and saw nothing. Probably was a calling Little Owl (Falmouth tick), just realised how similar they can sound. What do you think...? Easy mistake to make (he says hopefully!). Comments if you please (no need for answers on the back of postcards, I have a guestbook). Thanks readers. |
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| 3rd, May 2007 Finally got off campus today. Decided to celebrate with a 4 hour walk around College+Argal Reservoirs and an area west of Argal with heathland. This heathland area was quiet with 2 Buzzards overhead and 3 Mallards on a disused granite quarry. Highlight of the walk was at Argal where a Sedge Warbler sang from an area of young willows by the waters edge. A Chiffchaff and Grey Wagtail showed well here. Swifts and Swallows were over in small numbers whilst House Martins numbered nearly 40. Blackcaps, Willow Warblers, Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs were around in very high numbers (presumerably nearly all breeders!). The Garden Warbler was still singing at College Reservoir where 1 Coot, 1 Moorhen, 1 Grey Heron, Herring Gulls, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and 1 Jay were also seen. Of note, 2 Damselflie species were seen - pretty early. |
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| 4th, May 2007 A planned 6am start didnt go to plan because of a naughty lie-in but 6 hours later I was in Falmouth and birding. Swanpool held 3 singing Sedge Warblers but very little else of note on the lake. Pennance Point was lovely with a sunny breeze and a suprising amount of birds considering the lack of good seawatching conditions. 4 Sandwich Tern (yeartick - my only real target for today), 1 Great Northern Diver, 2 Whimbrel, 2 Gannet, 2 Guillemot, 1 Razorbill, 1 Buzzard, 4 Raven, 2 Swallow, 4 Linnet, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker! were seen and then.... I spotted a flippin Kite sp. drifting in from the sea over towards Pendennis Point but it was too far to see colours and structure clearly enough, very disappointing! Walking to Maenporth there were more Ravens and several Whitethroats were singing from bushes clinging to the edge of cliffs. |
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| 5th, May 2007 Another late morning walk around the patch revealed little new but some stuff showed really well. A pair of Swallows perched on the dam at Argal Reservoir allowing very close approach and a Mute Swan was displaying at College Reservoir to a party of swans close by. The Garden Warbler was still singing at College on the northern shore. I was amazed to see a Fox near the end of my walk at College Res. in pasture fields, just walking through in the middle of the day..It posed beautifully amongst the grass so i've put a photo on the gallery (Not even a bird, must be good!) |
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| 6th, May 2007 Having resigned myself to a full day of work it was a pleasant distraction to hear a Green Woodpecker 'yaffling' as they do, somewhere not too far from my flat. A quick scan didnt reveal the bird but i'm happy there was nothing else it could have been (unlike a certain 'OSPREY' incident!) |
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| 10th, May 2007 Local Bird News - Stithians Reservoir - 1 Garganey (drk at southern end this afternoon). |
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| 17th, May 2007 A long awaited return to the patch highly rewarded with the discovery of a nest of breeding Marsh Tits, obviously I can't say exactly where but I took a photo (click on 'Marsh Tit'). At first I thought that they had fledged young already but I think that the male was only feeding the female out of the nest before she returned and then things went quiet again. No Purple Herons here so on to Argal. Summer has arrived at Argal with a fledged Grey Wagtail being fed by daddy at the base of the dam, also here were some skimmer dragonflies (couldnt see which species). Loads of warblers and hirundines about with Whitethroat, Blackcap, Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff around Argal but no sign of the Garden Warbler at College (Conservation work is ongoing there at the mo (which seems to mean destruction down here!)). House Martins were still passing through with c16 seen. Swallows however have become more local, a sign of breeding birds. It was strange to see a small group of gull fly into Argal though, 1 Lesser Black-backed (1st for me at Argal), 3 Herrings and 3 Black-headed - all breeding birds as well! 41 species for the walk, not a bad day. |
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| 19th, May 2007 No way was I going to turn down a lift to the Lands End area, and by 11am we were walking the coast path, taking stops to view the birds and general wildlife of the area. A short seawatch produced 1 Storm Petrel, 500+ Manx Shearwater, c200 Gannets and c200 Fulmers - great numbers passing in such a short time, a brilliant sight! Peregrine, Raven, Stonechat, Linnet and c150 Swallows were also encountered on our walk along the coast path. Cape Cornwall was our next destination where we chanced upon some more common birds of the area - Rock Pipits, Meadow Pipits, Grey Wagtail, and Kestrels on land, Shags, Guillemots and more Manxies were seen offshore. Last stop on the way home was at Marazion Marsh, a stunning and transformed place since the wintertime. 3 Whimbrels, 1 Reed Warbler, 2 Sedge Warblers, 1 Whitethroat, 1 Marsh Harrier, 1 Buzzard, 4 Grey Herons, 7 Mute Swans (5 cygnets), 6 Swifts, c30 Sand Martins and 1 House Martin were seen in a short time on the reserve whilst 4 Dunlins and 30+ Sanderlings were on the beach across the road. All in all a very good day (c50 species seen) with good Cornish weather on our sides for a change! |
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| 23rd, May 2007 A return trip to Marazion bagged me Cetti's Warbler, as usual though this species merely sang provocatively and only showed in flight a couple of brief times. Being there early morning meant there was loads else singing including: Reed, Sedge+Willow Warblers, Whitethroat and Chiffchaff. On the beach were 63 Sanderling with a mixed state of plumages now, 5 Whimbrel, 6 Dunlin and 12 Oystercatcher. A Shelduck!, Raven and Buzzard flew over the reserve but no sign this morning of any Kites/Harriers. Not realising 2 rare Rosefinches had been seen at Lands End I hopped on the bus back to the campus via Stithians, gutted when I got back. At Stithians however I was really pleased to hear 2 Cuckoos (Falmouth tick). A pair of Great Crested Grebes were on a nest easily seen from the hide. Sedge Warblers sang, Coots had chicks in the marshy areas and I heard the varied songs of Skylarks, Linnets and Meadow Pipits. |
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| 22nd, May 2007 Local Bird News - Stithians Reservoir - 2 Scaup (M+F). |
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| 30th, May 2007 Busy recently not birding sadly but doing the old exam stuff, not fun! This doesn't stop a birders ear working though and from the campus I've been hearing a regular Green Woodpecker but no sightings yet, I endevour to get views and photos of these beautiful birds soon. Other birds noted include 2 Swifts, Chiffchaff and the regular breeding birds to be expected. Families of Blue Tits, Chaffinch, Song Thrush, Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook and Robin are in the area with their chicks making a racket! |
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