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| February 2008 Archive |
| 1st February 2008 Walked from Mousehole to Marazion today braving hail storms and frequent showers but there was some fantastic winter birding on offer. 1 Black-throated Diver swam close to shore just north of Mousehole. 10+ Fulmars were already on the cliffs nearby and 50+ Gannets offshore, a solid start to the day. Newlyn Harbour showed up the 2 Black-necked Grebes, 2 Great Northern Divers, 1 Black Redstart, 7 Turnstones and 1 Kingfisher all very confiding. What a cracking harbour. Penzance was quiet but another Kingfisher wizzed away and 1 Purple Sandpiper took the prize for tameness, over by the Jubilee Pool). 6+ miles after setting off in the early morning and i'd reached Marazion. This place always fills me with hope and excitement after many successes here and today didn't disappoint with the finding of a flighty Water Pipit at the edge of the pools. Nearby were 2 Reed Buntings. Grilling of all the Gulls in the bay didn't reveal any white-wingers but i'm saving those for back at the patch! Local Bird News - Stithians Res - 1 Bittern (still in southern cut-off) Swanpool - 1 Great Northern Diver + 1 PILOT WHALE! |
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| 2nd February 2008 Local Bird News - Stithians Res - 3 CATTLE EGRETS (SE of southern cut-off in cattle fields), 1 Ring-necked Duck (fem) + 1 Bittern (still in southern cut-off) |
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| 3rd February 2008 Local Bird News - Penryn - 1 SPOONBILL (flew east ever Mabe, it might well have settled on the River Penryn) Carnon Downs - 2 Siberian Chiffchaff (at the sewage works) Stithians Res - 1 Ring-necked Duck (fem) |
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| 4th February 2008 There was no sign of yesterday's exciting report of a Spoonbill along the Penryn River. A quick lunchtime walk in changable conditions revealed some unexpected birds though. The churchyard which forms part of the walk along the northern shore of the river from Penryn towards Flushing had a Green Woodpecker which put on a great show looking for insects before flying off silently but showing a startlingly bright yellow-green rump. Waders provided the biggest interest as it was obvious there was no Spoonbill amongst the Mute Swans! Six species of wader were seen (a good amount for the river in winter) with 1 Dunlin, 1 Snipe, 8 Turnstone, 2 Greenshank, 20+ Redshank and 12 Curlew (the last of which flew off high, probably to roost in the firlds above College Res.). Other bits and bobs along this currently muddy walk included a Meadow Pipit, 2 House Sparrows, 4 Goldfinch, 2 Pied Wagtail, 1 Cormorant and 2 Little Grebes. Local Bird News - Stithians Res. - 2 Cattle Egrets (west of Golden Lion pub in muddy cow field) |
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| 5th February 2008 Local Bird News - Stithians Res - 2 Cattle Egrets (in fields West of northern cut-off again today) + 1 Bittern (showing well in front of southern cut-off hide at 4pm) Argal Res - 2 Goosanders (m+f) + 12 Tufted Ducks College Res - 2 Goosanders (m+f), 18 Canada Geese, 1L.B.B+4G.B.B.Gulls. Swanpool - 1 Slavonian Grebe, 13 Black-throated Divers, 1 Great Northern Diver + 1 Med Gull |
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| 6th February 2008 2 Yellowhammers were the best I could do on a fieldtrip with the uni to Lobbs Farm adjacent to the world famous 'Gardens of Heligan'. The Barn Owls made famous by the Springwatch prog on BBC1 were not showing even in the glorious weather we were treated to. Other bits and bobs included 2 Mistle Thrushes, 5 Meadow Pipits, 1 G.S.Woodpecker and 2 Pheasants on a short walk around this traditional farming landscape of Cornwall. Local Bird News - Stithians Res - 1 Ring-necked Duck (fem, still) + 1 Bittern (southern cut-off) |
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| 8th February 2008 Local Bird News - Stithians Res - 1 Cattle Egret (west of Golden Lion Pub still in cattle field), 1 Ring-necked Duck (fem, still) + 1 Bittern (southern cut-off). Castle Beach - 1 Black Redstart + 1 Slavonian Grebe. |
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| 10th February 2008 Before I forget all about the multitude of birds seen recently, here's an account of a thoroughly enjoyable day out around mid and west Cornwall in fantastic winter weather (if a little too warm for my definition of winter!) Get ready, it's a long one! First port of call was Stithians Reservoir before the fog burnt off were after over 9 hours of solid observation I was rewarded with very good views of the Bittern in the southern cut-off, actually sat on the ground in full view from the hide!! The Ring-necked Duck was picked up again, along with 1 Raven, 1 Little Egret, 1 Linnet and 6 Shovelers. At Tehidy Country Park the birding was tough, I only connected for a spilt second with the wintering Humes Leaf Warbler in a dark evergreen tree whilst my friends dipped, having only heard the call, I was the lucky one! We really wanted to see some of the hordes of Cattle Egrets currently roaming this green and pleasant land so off to the Drift Reservoir area where 11 were picked up after some searching, only a Goldeneye and Reed Bunting provided a brief distraction at the res. At Newlyn Harbour for another attempt at seeing the winter specialities currently around we maxed out our luck and saw a stunning Iceland Gull (1w) within touching distance at times when it flew by. Here a Black-necked Grebe and 3 Great Northern Divers showed close-by and an unseasonal Whimbrel was at Mousehole, offshore on the island. Quick stop en-route back home at the Jubilee Pool in Penzance was well worth it with not only 13 Purple Sandpipers hugging the rocks but a Black Redstart flashing it's fiery red tail, exquisite. Pushing the limits of the lenghtening daylight hours we walked from Helston Sewage Works to Loe Pool to see what was around in an under-watched area at the end of the day. 5 Chiffchaffs, 4 Jays, 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and a Bullfinch showed up during the walk but the only thing of note on the lake were 130 Pochards, no sign of any Long-tailed Ducks certainly. But a possible Yellow-browed Warbler chirped up on the way back. Overall I'd say it was a Brilliant day really! (Now my fingers need to rest!) |
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| 13th February 2008 Local Bird News - Penryn - 1 Raven (flew over) Stithians Res - 1 Cattle Egret (no more info), 2 P.F.Goose (north end), 1 Common Sandpiper + 1 Bittern (southern cut-off) Swanpool - 1 ICELAND GULL (juv at 4pm) |
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| 14th February 2008 Local Bird News - Stithians Res - 1 Cattle Egret (just south of Golden Lion Pub) + 1 Bittern (southern cut-off) |
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| 15th February 2008 Quick update from Friday's birding foray around the coastpaths of Falmouth. Highlight was a 1w Iceland Gull found at Falmouth Docks circling around with Herring Gulls for over 30 minutes. 2 Black Redstarts remained at Castle Beach and a nicely patterned Med Gull flied by at Swanpool. A dull day weatherwise but kept local and all on foot with some great wintering birds still around and to be found! Local Bird News - Stithians Res. - 2 CATTLE EGRETS (still near golden lion pub), 1 Ring-billed Gull (1w) + 1 Bittern (still in southern cut-off) |
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| 16th February 2008 A spot of out-of-county birding today for a change and after a couple of hours on the train I had reached Topsham and the amazing Bowling Green Marsh RSPB reserve nearby. My luck was in and apart from the stunning sight of 100+ Brent Geese flying over and c200 Avocets scoped, I relocated the LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER feeding frantically on the Clyst Estuary alongside a Spotted Redshank (well wouldn't you after flying over from America!). Year ticks galore and the dowitcher was a long awaited lifer after having dipped the species 6 times at many locations around the country. Local Bird News - Stithians Res. - 1 Bittern (still in southern cut-off) |
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| 17th February 2008 Quickly nipping into Falmouth for some shopping I detoured to Swanpool (as you must) and refound what was probably the same Iceland Gull as recently seen at Falmouth Docks. A 1w type bird but with an all dark bill, which doesn't seem to fit the description but structurally it was an Iceland. With the seaside village of St Mawes as a base for the next couple of days I took full advantage and wandered the local area in search of the odd mega or two! 3 Med Gulls (2ads and 1.1w) roosted in the bay and 9 Little Egrets could be seen feeding along the muddy channels at low tide. 4 Red-breasted Mergansers, 1 Grey Wagtail and 2 Rock Pipits topped things off just before dusk. Local Bird News - Stithians Res. - 1 Ring-necked Duck + 1 Bittern (still in southern cut-off) |
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| 18th February 2008 Non-stop birding with the use of a car and I was at Stithians Res. before dusk hoping to jam in on some more Bittern action but it was asking too much of the birding god (what's he called again? David Attenborough is god of most things, might well be him). I was shown the Ring-necked Duck but upon looking at it closely through the scope I was put in that position of saying, erm, nope it's not. A female Pochard did a fairly good impersonation but not good enough to get beyond my hardened eyes. 3 Great Crested Grebes, 9 Shovelers, 3 Snipe and 2 Buzzard were picked up in the brief scan. Local Bird News - Stithians Res. - 2 CATTLE EGRETS (still near the Golden Lion Pub) + 1 Rig-billed Gull (1w, in fields north of Polmarth). |
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| 20th February 2008 Local Bird News - Stithians Res. - 1 Ring-billed Gull + 1 Ring-necked Duck (fem at south end) Swanpool - 1 Great Northern Diver (offshore) |
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| 21st February 2008 Local Bird News - Swanpool - 1 Iceland Gull (juv), 1 Great Northern Diver (offshore) + 1 Firecrest Tremough Campus - 1 Green Woodpecker + 1 Curlew |
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| 22nd February 2008 Local Bird News - Stithians Res. - 1 CATTLE EGRET (still, from golden lion pub) + 1 Ring-necked Duck (at southern end of res.) |
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| 23rd February 2008 Local Bird News - Stithians Res. - 1 Ring-necked Duck (still, from golden lion pub) + 1 Bittern (still, in southern cut-off) |
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| 24th February 2008 Local Bird News - Stithians Res. - 1 Bittern (still, in southern cut-off) |
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| 25th February 2008 A stroll (under duress) at Wadebridge resulted in a shock, a House Martin hawked around briefly before disappearing downstream. My earliest record ever and perhaps the first record for the UK this year! Local Bird News - Stithians Res. - 1 CATTLE EGRET (still by Golden Lion Pub), 1 Ring-necked Duck (fem at south end of res.), 1 Iceland Gull, 1 Bittern (still, in southern cut-off) + 1 Goosander (fem) |
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| 26th February 2008 Local Bird News - Portscatho - Sand Martin, 2 Great Northern Divers Stithians Res. - 1 Bittern (still, in southern cut-off) |
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| 27th February 2008 A lack of trips recently has seen me desparate to breathe the fresh air of the coast and to get away from the work at uni. The Iceland Gull had left Swanpool today but 10 Fulmars were back on the cliffs nearby, always a pleasant sight as they zoom around and swoop back to the nesting ledges. |
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| 28th February 2008 Local Bird News - Falmouth - 1 Iceland Gull (juv roosted at the docks), 1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Razorbill + 12 Fulmars |
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| 29th February 2008 Local Bird News - Stithians Res. - 1 Bittern (still, in southern cut-off) |
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