Info -
Not far south from Swanpool following the coastal footpath is this small headland of Pennance Point which offers some of the best seawatching in the area behind St Anthony head (on the other side of the Estuary) and Rosemullion head further south (beyond Maenporth). Strong southerlies or south-westerlies are necessary for great seawatching but often there is stuff around in the bay (protected from weather from the west by the lizard promontary), with a few Great-northern Divers and the odd Black-throated Diver present in winter and a bit further out always the odd gannet and guillemot.
Peak time for numbers in is autumn with birds migrating southwards when huge counts can be had including 100's of Kittiwakes and Gannets, and a recent count of 176 Shag being exceptional. Rarer birds are likely to pass at this time of year with Great or Arctic Skuas possible and other treats such as Little Gull, Sabine's Gull (if really lucky!) and others to pass by, fighting their way back out to sea.
Seawatching is tough in the 'best' conditions and few people regularly do it, but it can pay large dividends in finding some jems, that next black-browed albatross is just waiting to fly past Pennance!
Recent Rarities include - Sooty Shearwater, not much nationally rare but tricky stuff in Falmouth such as Manx Shearwater, Storm Petrel and Skuas are rarities of the area. |
