Info -
This site just south of Falmouth has a good repuation in winter for attracting rare gulls. In past winters there has been as much chance finding an Iceland, Little, Mediterranean, Ring-billed or Glaucus gull here as anywhere in the south of the country. Activity really busies up when fishing boats use the estuary to stay safe from the weather attracting thousands of gulls (mainly herring). In winter the shoreline attracts purple sandpipers along with the more common turnstones and a black redstart might be found around the cliffs to the east or west of swanpool.
The lake itself used to be open to the sea but became silted up forming a brakish lagoon which the sea floods into every now and then. Breeding birds include little grebe, coot, mallard, moorhen and possibly reed warbler. Fulmars breed on the cliffs. But it is in winter when rare birds are more often spotted with overwintering warblers in the trees surrounding the lake possibly including firecrest. Siskins feed in the lakeside alders.
Swanpool is a short walk south of Falmouth from the moor and is easily found by following signs to the beach. There is a walk around the lake with good views at the northern and southern sides. For seawatching there is a coastal walk from Falmouth all the way at least to Maenporth which encompasses most of the productive areas and this is a good area for an overwintering black guillemot (rare in the south).
Past rarities are numerous and include Britain's first Forster's Tern, Grey Pahalarope, Little Auk, Yellow-browed Warbler, Surf Scoter (2003+2006), Laughing Gull (2005), Black-necked Grebe (2005), Little Bittern (2003), Long-tailed Duck (2002) |
