Rame....the new Mecca?

A strange thing has been happening up at Rame recently. It seems to be enjoying a renaissance amongst birders.

 Up until this year I knew that I could almost guarantee running into one of the very few local birders who have made the place their patch. The two Mikes, Keith, Roger and Dave. We also got a couple of visits a year from some of the Plymouth guys, Russ, Pete, Phil and Vic. Some of the older birders were visiting less, Ray has given up his car and John and Leon are now into mothing....and as for Tony!

 

Rame Churchyard - home of Bluetails

So that was it, with less than a dozen birders to cover the peninsula good birds were at a premium. This year however I've been seeing scope toting birders everywhere I turn. I'm not adverse to this - there's plenty of room for everyone, but it means that some birds are now being found when I can't get there which is ever so slightly galling. It also seems to be making the regulars spread out more. It has been interesting to note that we've been watching Penmillard, Forder, the Coastguard cottages and Rame Hamlet much more this year, and whilst they haven't delivered..yet (apart from Rogers farmyard Bonxie) the potential is certainly there.

Penmillard Farm Yard

 I have a theory (which I like to tell everyone,) that birds don't like the Headland - either at Rame or at Penlee, and they will quickly make their way to more sheltered parts of the peninsula. The first real shelter is at the Church, but I believe that birds then filter down to the valley bottom at Forder, and careful watching in that area will provide dividends. I've found all sorts in there over the years from solid Rame birds such as Woodcock and Ring Ouzel, to good migrant scarcities such as Yellow-browed (about 6 so far) to proper mega rarities - Spanish Sparrow anyone! There was also that November Spotted Flycatcher that Steve and I found which was almost white and could only have come from the Central Asian race (neumanni)
 This year Dave found a Melodious Warbler at the Church. It was only there for the afternoon. A few days later one was found at Forder - was this the same bird moving down the valley? I like to think so if my theory is to hold water.
The problem is that the valley floor is only watched sporadically. With so few birders and an area as big as St. Mary's to cover good birds are always going to get missed. Hopefully these new people, many of whom seem to have retired to the area, will help to increase the coverage.

A typical twitch - Rame regulars looking for Barred Warbler Oct 2012

 

So, what of my October at Rame? - well I missed the Melodious, and Roger's Snow Bunting, but all in all it wasn't too bad. There were no mega rarities. The heart didn't skip a beat as that shape in a bush morphed into some gorgeous American Wood Warbler, but I saw some good birds, found a few more and enjoyed the company of like-minded people.

 

This was one of the best years for Yellow-browed Warblers. Assessing how many were there is like trying to herd cats but I know there were at least two on the 17th because we had them calling at the same time. As to totals for the month - hmmm! was the bird at Rame Barton on the 17th the same bird as 23rd? Was the bird at the Church on 23rd the Rame Barton bird moving about? I think it's fairly safe to say that there were at least 3 with a maximum of perhaps 5 or 6 which in Rame terms is excellent.

 

A few Rame scarcities such as Firecrest and Pied Flycatcher kept interest going, and a Barn Owl was an unexpected but welcome surprise. The best day for me however was right in the middle of the month - 15th October.

 

 I noticed that a recently ploughed and tilled field had attracted a large number of Herring and, unusually for Rame, Black-headed Gulls. Scanning through them I soon picked up a Wheatear, and then a few Chaffinches and Yellowhammers. It was obvious that this is where a lot of birds were congregating as Skylarks and Meadow Pipits were also joining and leaving at intervals. Amongst the chatter and chirrups of Skylarks I heard the harsh insistent "Scheep" of a Richard's Pipit - a first at Rame for me. Initially I dismissed it and assumed I misheard something else. Then I heard it again and quickly scanned the sky for the bird. Having no luck I went back to the car for the scope and grilled the field, all to no avail. I assume it must have moved to one of the other fields that the birds were using - ah well, one of these days! A group of Crossbills flew over my head calling which made up for not actually seeing the Pipit  and added to a great day - As I said, birds are always at a premium here but with stars such as this beauty to keep you going the place is never dull.

 

 

 



The Prodigal returns

Blimey, is it really over a year since I last posted?

In my defence a fair few things - mostly work related, have severely curtailed my birding, but hopefully the worst is behind me and I can start to get out a bit more.

First of all I suppose I'd better give a brief update on what's happened (birdwise) to me in the last year. Autumn 2012 was pretty good with some decent self-finds. A Lesser Yellowlegs at Kingsmill Lake kicked things off last September. It sounds silly, but I was initially pretty disappointed that it wasn't a Wood Sand as that would have been a site tick having seen the previous Lesser 'legs only a few months before - told you it sounded silly!

In October I found two new birds for the area. When I tell you they were Red-throated Pipit and Barred Warbler you'll understand just why I call it the "Empty Corner." The Barred Warbler actually caused a mini twitch as it was one of the most eagerly anticipated new birds for Caradon. A couple of Yellow-broweds rounded off the Autumn nicely. I thought I'd found a Ring-necked Duck at Siblyback in November but unknown to me at the time someone else had seen it a couple of days before- drat!

The winter was pretty uneventful except for the fact that the constant rain washed away a large part of the cliff at Hannafore, taking with it most of the cover used by wintering (and breeding) birds. A previous photo I posted of the flute playing chap and the dancing Spaniards shows an area which now no longer exists. Hopefully in time it will all recover, but for now it's a sad sight.

Into 2013 and things haven't changed much. I'm still not getting out as often as I wish - save for the regular WeBS counts. However, it's now October and I'm on leave so can get to Rame every day (well almost) - so check back to find out what I did on my holidays!

Petrel Station

Mid June in England and it seems that all we have to look forward to is rain and strong winds. Of course if you live near the coast and have an interest in birds this is not a hardship, so today with a gale force SW wind and periods of heavy rain I headed out to Hannafore with fairly high hopes.
I've blogged a few times about Hannafore but I don't think I've ever described the place or explained why it is one of my favourite places. Hannafore is actually Hannafore Point, a 400m rocky beach at West Looe. It has a promenade at sea level and a parallel road which is raised atop a grassy bank/sea wall. The river Looe provides the eastern boundary and there is a vegetated area to the west which holds a decent variety of birds, especially in winter as it very rarely freezes. So far so ordinary. Although it is called Hannafore Point please don't get the idea that the place is on a headland or juts out into the sea - quite the opposite. Hannafore is actually in Whitsand Bay and is ostensibly as far from a decent seawatching spot as it is possible to get.

 What I've so far neglected to mention is that just 1km offshore is Looe Island, also known as St.George's Island. The lee of the island provides shelter from the prevailing SW winds, and over the 20 odd years I've been coming here I've become convinced that birds getting blown into the bay use the island as a navigation aid to help them reorientate back out to sea. This brings them within 1km or so of anyone watching. The traditional seawatching spot is from the ladies toilets! There's a lovely big awning where three people at a pinch (and there's never more than three people at Hannafore) can stand completely sheltered from the wind and rain. The coastguard lookout is also a good place to try, and recently I've been seawatching from my car, thanks to the recent purchase of a camera beanbag which steadies a scope beautifully.

Looe Island from Hannafore.

Looking east from nearby Portnadler with Rame Head in the distance.



Don't get me wrong, it's no Porthgwarra, St.Ives or Pendeen. Good seabirds here are counted in singles, and the thought of a Fea's or even a Great Shearwater is just the stuff of dreams. Nevertheless, given the right conditions birds do pass by.

Today was just one of those days, and this being mid-summer the target birds were Storm Petrel and Balearic Shearwater. Stormie was pretty easy to find- I wound my car window down and one was already dancing over the waves some 300m offshore. The local birds were out in force with Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls passing constantly, Shags and Cormorants fishing in the channel and Fulmars cresting the white horses. Out beyond the island was a regular stream of Manx Shearwaters and Gannets. Unfortunately they were all at a distance where it was impossible to tell whether any Balearic were present.

A late Whimbrel on the beach was a nice surprise, and the appearance of a few more Stormies was particularly pleasing. Three or four seemed to be hanging around a group of yellow flags so I suspect there was some sort of food source there. A pale phase Arctic Skua dodged a nasty squall and headed west, and a group of Oystercatchers, presumably breeding birds from the island called loudly as they were disturbed by the incoming tide and tried to land on the few remaing rocks on the beach.

A second Arctic Skua, this one a dark phase passed by to the south of the island amongst the Manxies, and this was followed minutes later by another skua which decided to have a go at a hapless Herring Gull. The agility of the bird, combined with its size had me thinking it must be a Pom as both birds disappeared in the murk. It was actually a Bonxie which reappeared, powering past a couple of Petrels and off into the distance.

The rain had set in by now and visibility was pretty poor. It had been an engrossing two hours, with 14 Storm Petrels a match for anywhere else in Cornwall today. As I said before, Hannafore isn't a seawatching mecca, but I wouldn't have it any other way. 

Long time no see

I hadn't realised that it has been so long since I updated this blog, but truth be told I haven't really done that much to warrant committing it to cyberspace. Of course I've been out birding but the quality has been pretty poor and the spring migration has sort of passed me by.

Recently I've been spending my free time writing species accounts for the Cornwall Bird Report - I've now only got hirundines and Rock Pipit to do, which I hope to finish this weekend. Dave and Mark will be pleased!!! Writing about all these fabulous birds is no substitute for actually going out and seeing them, so as today was rather sunny I decided to spend a day in the field.

 I chose to forgo the delights of coastal birding at Rame for the chance of actually seeing something in the Fowey Valley - the very northern tip of the empty corner. On a good day this is birding at its best - and easiest! A good spread of species in a very small area, and all within yards of where you are standing. Locally the area is known as Ninestones, and on a warm sunny day there really is nowhere nicer.

As soon as I stepped out of the car I could hear at least two Cuckoos, and after a quick scan I could see one of them on a distant fence post with the characteristic drooping wings. The other dominant sound was Willow Warbler, they were everywhere. I really don't know of another site, at least not locally, where this species is so abundant. Of course this doesn't make them any easier to photograph!

Thinking about it, most of the birding here is done by ear, at least initially. Birds are calling everywhere and from every bush so it is as well that you know your bird calls before venturing too far - more of which later. A flyover Tree Pipit was nice, and a distant Grasshopper Warbler reeled briefly, but my attention was drawn to the unmistakable wheezing call of a Willow Tit. This is the real prize species here, and you are not guaranteed to find them on every visit. Willow Tit is a very rare bird in Cornwall with only around 15 pairs, mostly in this valley. The birds at Lower Tamar Lake don't count - they're in Devon! I was lucky today with at least three birds calling and feeding along the track.

Blackcaps were singing, and I could just make out the song of a Garden Warbler amongst them. I felt very pleased with myself when he popped out of the bush for a look around, confirming my identification.

In the distance was the one bird I really wanted to see - Redstart. He was singing in a far off group of trees - if you  can really call it a song. I always think that the male sounds like he starts off meaning well but then loses interest and forgets about a proper ending. I may have really wanted to see him but I'm afraid I had no luck tracking him down - most frustrating.

One bird which should have been present is Sedge Warbler. It struck me at the time how odd it was that I didn't hear one. I hope nothing has happened to this species this year. I was  up at Walmsley a few days ago and was surprised to only see two. Of course they are probably doing just fine, and it is my bird finding skills which are at fault.

Thinking back to that Tree Pipit got me wondering about a breeding site I found a few years ago when surveying for the Cornish Atlas so I decided to go and check it out. This involved a short drive to the very western tip of the empty corner - talk about birding the extremities! Again there were plenty of Willow Warblers and Blackcap singing, along with Robin and Chiffchaff. And then the strangest thing happened. I heard a Lesser Whitethroat. That buzzing Cirl Bunting like call is one I haven't heard for a couple of years in Cornwall, so it really made my day. Of course I didn't see it - it was in the middle of a thick expanse of scrub  but it didn't really matter. I waited a while and was just about to move off when a Yellowhammer flew out of the scrub and began to sing - minus the cheeeese!! Had I got it wrong? Had I mistaken Yellowhammer for Lesser Whitethroat? Surely I couldn't be that naive? Well we'll never know for sure. The Lesser Whitethroat didn't sing again after the Yellowhammer flew off, but then he hadn't sung for at least five minutes before the Yellowhammer showed up. I'm confident there were two birds - but then I would say that, wouldn't I?

Oh - and as for the Tree Pipits, like me, they'd moved on too.

Ruffing it!

Looking out of my back bedroom window I can see the Tamar estuary up as far as Skinham Point. This means that I can see the entrance to Kingsmill Lake, and I have often put the 'scope up to have a look at the Avocets and Black-tailed Godwit as they congregate at the mouth of the lake on a rising or falling tide. Over the years I have seen some decent birds from home, including Cattle Egret, Osprey and oddities such as Velvet Scoter. What I seldom do however is actually take the trouble to walk out to the lake to see what is in  there. This is unforgivable given that it is so close and in the past I have found Least Sandpiper, Bonaparte's Gull, Pec Sand and numerous Ospreys in there.

The report of a Ruff there at the begining of December was interesting but hardly earth shattering news so I didn't bother to go and have a look at a bird which had already been found by someone else. Last night however I had an email from Mike, who originally found the bird, enclosing a photo which clearly showed a Lesser Yellowlegs. Mike said that he had only seen the bird on four occasions since the first sighting and each time it had been at a great distance. He had always suspected that it wasn't a Ruff but because of the viewing distance and his unfamiliarity with American tringa species he preferred to exercise caution. Yesterday however it came close enough to get a digiscoped photo which allowed me confirm his ID.

This morning I was down there to catch the falling tide to try and relocate the bird. I always have a great time when I get to the site so it is even more perverse that I go so seldom. Today was no different with decent numbers of Dunlin, Curlew, Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit. Searching around turned up a couple of Knot and a Spotted Redshank. A nice male Shoveler was a surprise here and a dozen or so Greenshank completed the wader line-up. After an hour or so I was joined by Mike who had brought Ray along with him. Ray saw the last Yellowlegs on the Tamar in 1958 which was on the Devon side. I've never been convinced by the record from Millbrook -to me it was a Juv Redshank, but it was accepted by BBRC so technically this bird would be the second for Caradon.

After a further twenty minutes or so I suddenly saw the bird feeding on the edge of the saltmarsh. It was at least 250m away but was identifiable all the same. Mike got on to it and Ray got it just before it disappeared up a channel. This was to be the pattern of the morning - a couple of minutes on view followed by fifteen minutes of waiting for it to reappear. We used the time when it was out of view to phone around a few locals and put the news out to Birdline SW. Keith arrived in the hide, followed soon after by a reappearance from the Yellowlegs,and this time it flew a short way allowing us to see the white rump. It was still a long way off but at least we were getting views of it in the open

It had been a good morning, and it was particularly nice that before I left Steve arrived and was able to get to see the bird - even if it had only been there for 90 days!

A Change is Gonna Come (with apologies to Sam Cooke)

First day out today for quite a while. Work commitments have curtailed my birding since the New Year so the fact that today dawned bright and sunny added to the desire to get down to Hannafore to see what was about.

Spring is most definitely in the air, and the short drive down to Looe was very pleasant with the hedges full of daffodils and primroses. I was out and about before the Sunday drivers too so the journey was nicely uneventful and stress free. Unfortunately the same couldn't be said for Hannafore - the dog walkers were already on the beach and the usual wader roost site had become a spaniel playground. This is a frequent occurance and there's nothing we can do about it. It seems to have been going on for ever but it doesn't seem to discourage the birds, they just move out to the rocks to roost.

Dog walkers were not the only distraction. I hadn't been there long when I heard the distinctive "Oop-oop-oop"of a Hoopoe. I was naturally delighted and looked around to try and find it. This would be my second Hoopoe in Looe, the first was about six years ago when myself and Steve went to check out the Heronry which is opposite the municipal car-park. As it was early morning the car-park was empty and I took my time trying to find the best parking spot. I located my chosen space and was just about to drive into it when I had to brake suddenly because a Hoopoe was nonchalantly walking up the white line. That bird was in May, but with the weather we've had over the last few days a February bird was surely not out of the question. I followed the sound of the bird and came upon this:

Some bloke practicing his flute - pity the only noise he could make was a Hoopoe imitation!

With hopes of a goody dashed it was time to check what else was around. The weather notwithstanding it is obvious that the change to Spring is just around the corner.The Meadow Pipits have already departed and the Rock Pipits, which reached up  to 50 in December, are now down to around 15. None of them are yet showing any signs of being definite littoralis but I suspect that will change over the next couple of weeks. Turnstone numbers are also down to about half their winter peak. A new arrival was a Common Sandpiper which dashed along the bay, first one way, and then the other. This is the first one I've seen there this winter and I suspect is a bird on the move rather than an overlooked wintering bird.

At first sight the bushes were surprisingly empty, though the local Dunnocks and Blackbirds must be the most photogenic in Cornwall:

As if not to be outdone by all this showing off for the camera, a Common Chiffchaff put in an appearance and performed beautifully

At times this bird came so close it was almost possible to touch it, and this brought back memories of the tristis type which was present last year which behaved in exactly the same way - I wonder if there is a reason for it?

tristis type from Jan 11

The Black Redstart, present since January put in an appearance but was surprisingly distant and elusive. Other birders here keep telling me of the amazing photo opportunities they have had with this bird but I just can't get the shot I want. Yes it comes close at times but as Hannafore faces south there is always a problem with the light, and if the bird is on the beach you are looking down on it, which does nothing for the composition - still if you're happy with photos like this!

I was soon joined by Gary and we spent an enjoyable hour or so watching the Chiffchaff and Black Redstart, but always keeping an eye out for something else. A Peacock butterfly was a first of the year for both of us, and the Mediterranean Gull group on the rocks reached an impressive 13 birds, but that hoped for Firecrest or Iceland Gull never materialised.

Not content with a Hoopoe imitating flautist, the appearance of the sun also brought out a group of ...well, I don't quite know what they were. I think they were Spanish, but I don't think that Spaniards as a nation routinely walk onto beaches, dance around in a circle, shake their hands about a bit and then go home...do they?

Going home after a bit of a dance!

There was no bird at Hannafore that could possibly top that performance and with a lunchtime bacon butty and an afternoon painting windows beckoning I reckoned it was time to head home. It may still be an empty corner, but it's certainly not dull!



Forgive me for I have sinned!

I went and twitched a bird today.

I'm not adverse to a bit of twitching but I tend to be very selective about what I go to see. There is no real rhyme or reason about what I twitch, and it doesn't have to be a particularly rare bird. I'm not keen on crowds, though I do enjoy the banter with a few mates when I get there.

Today was just right, a nice Ring-necked Duck at Par. It's outside the empty corner- but only just, and with a Little Gull present as well it would make a nice excursion.

There's not really a lot more to say. I went to the pool, both birds were there, I took some photos and then came home. There was no stakeout, no fieldcraft was involved. There were no crowds, though there were quite a few birders coming and going (most of whom I didn't know)

The bird spent most of its time in the middle of the pool with a small group of Tufted Duck. It was way out of range of most lenses so I busied myself trying to take pleasing photos of the usual assortment of birds waiting for goodies at the feeding area.

I noticed that once the feeding area was clear of people the Tutfed/Ring-necked group would swim closer to shore so by waiting and waiting I managed to get a couple of passable record shots.

The Little Gull was a bugger though and constantly stayed just out of range. Ah well, there's always the chance of one at Millbrook I suppose.

What we did on our holidays

Once upon a time New Years Day would involve a bunch of us scurrying all over the empty corner trying to see as many species as possible in the eight hours or so of daylight available to us. It was great fun, but we did try to get in a full days birding in all sorts of inclement weather and I think these days I prefer to just head out to Hannafore to see what's about.
 This year I arrived just as the tide was peaking and found Gary already there, in the usual place looking out for passerines in the sheltered corner. From the car I could see that the three Slavonian grebes were still present and had been joined by a Great Crested Grebe. A juvenile male Kestrel was hunting the steep bank between the road and the promenade, and I made sure I got a good look at him given the luck that non-birding walkers from Knutsford had had at Zennor recently!!

Pipits were still there in good numbers and the ringed bird was particularly easy to pick out as it now has a dirty black mark on the right flank - I still couldn't read the ring though!

The only other passerines on the beach seemed to be Dunnock - which were everywhere. Conspicuous by their absence were the local Chaffinches and House Sparrows, hopefully they were feeding in the local gardens. I know that the Stonechats were wiped out here by the cold weather last winter but I hope it won't be long before they recolonise. Speaking of recolonisers, I had reports of Dartford Warbler in the field behind the beach last year so I hope to go and check them out soon - probably early April when the males start to sing. Diverting for a moment I always find Dartfords easiest to see before the Whitethroats get here - they seem to go quiet once their more numerous cousins arrive.

All of a sudden, and as if from nowhere, this little beauty arrived

She spent the next hour or so hopping between the wall, the beach, and surprisingly the nearby trees. We couldn't decide if two birds were involved or not - it seemed to move from one place to another amazingly quickly for a single bird, but we never actually saw two birds at once.

Out at sea a couple of Kittiwakes meandered across the bay and Gannets were fishing in the lee of the island, which is unusual here. A small flock of Wigeon passed through, but otherwise movement was non existent. Even the Med gulls had wandered off somewhere else with only one adult offshore.

The New Years Day Weather finally closed in and it started to rain - that cold uncomfortable rain which does nothing but make you miserable. I made my excuses and left. Not the most hardcore or the most exciting birding I'll do this year but it's a start, and as it's a leap year there are still 365 days to go.

Life in the fast lane

Back to Hannafore today, as I will be most weekends until late March to see what the tide brought in. As it happened the tide was firmly out exposing the rocks, pools and weed which in turn hid most of the birds.
Out at sea three Slavonian Grebe patrolled the channel between the point and the island. They were firmly in the sun making photography impossible, but I assume they were the same three present last weekend when I managed to take a record shot of them as they battled in the teeth of a gale.

Very heavy crop of two of the three Slavonian Grebes

The Med gull group seems to be growing. There were at least eleven birds present today. There have always been Med gulls at Hannafore, but in the past these have been restricted to one or two individuals. Over the last couple of years the numbers have risen - first five, then seven, eleven and now up to eighteen birds. It was John Nicholls who told me the last number - the highest count I've heard of at this site. It was good to see John, even better was the fact that he was birding! moths have been his passion for the last couple of years but he seems to have become interested in gull movements at Hannafore, particularly the Great Black-backs ringed(rung?) by Bruce over the last two summers. He has recorded 36 different birds from this year as well as 18 from last year and has also recorded birds ringed elsewhere in Britain and from as far away as Norway.

John - (just finished having a pee!!)

I was particularly pleased, nay ecstatic to find that the Pipits have returned in force. Winter numbers have been fairly low for the last five or so winters with around 20 Rock Pipits and no more than three or four Meadow Pipits. At the moment there at at least 50 Rock and 20 Meadow - more than enough to keep me happy until they disappear in March. Those of you who know me will know that I love Pipits - particularly Rock Pipits. I find them endlessly fascinating and I think we still have a lot to learn about them. I tell anyone who will listen that I believe the vast majority of birds in Cornwall in winter are Scandinavian littoralis rather than the nominate petrosus even though officially the county has fewer records of the former than proper rarities such as Richard's Pipit. One day I will prove it!!

One bird has a ring. This is great news because I can spend the winter trying to read it.

Hopefully this ring will have a Stockholm address

Unfortunately there were quite a few dog walkers out on the beach today so the birds were pretty flighty and getting any kind of decent photo was all but impossible. There was however one Meadow Pipit which hung on just long enough for a couple of passable photos.

There was also just time to grab a couple of photos of some of the other common stuff we tend to forget about.

Hopefully the promised bad weather over the next few days will stir things up a little. In the past I've seen Little Auk, Leach's Petrel and even Desert Wheatear here in December but I know that working this patch is hard and the rewards are lean so I'll be happy with just the Pipits for now.

You're Irresistable

A day off! and the choice of ironing or birding is no choice at all so I headed off the see the Bufflehead with the lovely Jane.

On the way down I glimpsed some gulls taking flight over a field at Shortlanesend and a bird which was faintly gull-like or possibly harrier-like in the middle of the melee. It suddenly banked and the crescent markings and black wing tips gave it away as a Short-eared Owl. This was very nice but I couldn't stop and Jane hadn't seen it - Oh dear!!

Jane and I go back many years but we haven't been out birding together since I took her to see the Snowy Owl so it was great to get out again for the day. It was a bright and sunny day with just a slight wind, but once we walked down the hill and into the wood that overlooks Loe Pool everything was really rather pleasant

Jane

Gulls were the most conspicuous birds with Black-headed and Herring dominating. I picked up a first winter Med loafing about in the middle of the group - which was nice!

A female Goldeneye vied for attention as she flew about over the gulls, and a wigeon also put in a brief appearance, but none of these were really what we had come to look at. I had been told that the Bufflehead could be elusive so I was prepared for a long search, however after only about five minutes I picked her/him up diving about in the bay near Penrose. It was distant but I suppose that couldn't be helped. We got decent scope views in between the diving forays and I was surprised just how obvious the white ear coverts were even at distance. Bufflehead is a species I haven't seen in the States and my only experience in Britain is the Roadford male back in 1998 which may/may not have been ringed - depending on who you talk to. I'm sure the credentials on this are as good as we're ever likely to get when you take into account the age/sex, where and when it turned up and its behaviour. It exorcises the spectre of escapee for me of the Roadford bird, and the fact that this is a Cornish tick means that seeing it was a no-brainer!

There's a Bufflehead across the bay - but it's probably underwater!



The trip back to the car was pleasant with the chance to scan a large roving party of Long-tailed Tits which had acquired a few hangers-on such as Goldcrest, Bullfinch and the arse end of a Firecrest which disappeared quickly.

A trip to the Sewage works was surprisingly unproductive - probably because there was a lot of activity, a delivery or something. The boating lake is always good though the status of many of the birds is a little suspect. Gadwall, Shoveler and Pochard were nice and I did get the chance to photograph some of the commoner birds that we usually tend to forget about. It also gave us a chance to have some lunch, which is always welcome.

The flick of a coin decided our next move. Heads won and it was off to Lizard on another twitch, this time the six Common Crane wandering around a stubble field just outside the village. It has been a few years since I have seen Crane in Cornwall (Oct 1999 to be precise) so I was keen to catch up with these, even though I knew viewing would  be difficult from the main road.We decided to take a footpath from the village to see if we could skirt the farm where the birds were, but it soon became obvious that this was a waste of time because the footpath took us away from where we wanted to be. We met a birder on the way back who had the same idea as us. She said that it should be easy to see six four-foot high birds wandering around a field. I thought then that it was clear she'd never gone looking for Crane before! Back at the car I decided to scope the likeliest looking field and soon enough found what appeared to be a grey sack - only it was moving! A little patience and more and more birds appeared until all six could be seen. I was hoping for a slightly better view so walked up to the recycling centre where more satisfactory views were had. I settled on that as I didn't want to go upsetting the farmer by attempting to get closer - it's never a good idea. 

The day ended with a quick visit to Marazion, but it was getting late and the wind had got up so I wimped out  and we headed back to the empty corner. A great day with quality over quantity and not a scrap of ironing.

Stumbling in the dark... (with apologies to The Jayhawks)

It's been a while since I've been able to get out - work and all that, so it was a joy to set off yesterday to see if I could track down the Glossy Ibis that has been wandering about the estuary for the past week. I could always take the easy option and wait at Devil's Point in Plymouth for the bird to fly past on it's way to roost on Drake's Island but that would mean watching the bird from Devon, and the primary point of seeing this bird was to see it in Cornwall, or more specifically in Caradon to get that all important local tick.

I wasn't the first to get to St John's Ford - Tony had beaten me to it  and he was busy scanning every inch of the salt marsh and exposed mud looking for the bird. Those who know Tony will know I'm talking rubbish - he was doing what he normally does, sat in his car doing the Telegraph crossword and hoping a casual glance now and again would pay dividend.

Tony in full-on birding mode

There were actually quite a few birds there - Canada Geese mainly but also good numbers of Wigeon, Teal, Redshank and Curlew. There were a few Dunlin, Med gull and Little Egret, and singles of Green Sandpipier, Bar-tailed Godwit and Lapwing, but the Ibis was conspicuous by its absence.

Leon and Dave Allen turned up but the Ibis stayed away. I went for a walk along the foreshore whilst everyone else stayed at the ford. I think this was because I was the only one who had wellies and could negotiate the horrendous mud. When I got back everyone else had gone - perhaps they all had the right idea!!

Ray and Vic soon arrived. Both had seen the bird in Plymouth, and as Plymouth birders were able to gloat over their local tick !!

Still the bird stayed away and we were able to enjoy a bit of banter as birders do, casting aspersions on the sightings of others and discussing the endless lack of decent birds in the area, not realising the irony of such conversations with a Glossy Ibis in the area!

Ray - handsome devil

Vic- a legend

By 12.30 the tide was out and birds had dispersed along the mud so we all decided to check other sites in the area in the hope that the Ibis was feeding elsewhere. We had no luck and actually saw very little of note. There were only a couple of Med Gulls and small numbers of Black-tailed Godwit at Millbrook and no sign of any Greenshank or Whimbrel there. Similarly there were no Avocets or Spoonbill at Wacker though 300+ Wigeon there was rather nice.

Although I hadn't seen the Ibis I had enjoyed the day and arrived home mid afternoon satisfied that I'd done my best to find it- it was just one of those things.

I turned on the computer and checked Birdguides just to see what else was around:

Cornwall - Glossy Ibis - St John's Lake: 12:59. Still near the ford on the north-west side......bugger!!

Of Mice and Men

Best laid plans and all that... Yesterday was fairly warm and bright, with a lovely force 6 SE wind - and what better way to spend a Sunday than to go seawatching at Looe. What I forgot was that this week is half-term and half the population of the midlands had descended on the place to enjoy the break. Dogs and kids were everywhere on the beach and seeing anything at all was a struggle. To make matters worse, even though the wind was blowing there was clearly no passage. Never mind, it was midday so I shouldn't expect much and I had three hours to go until high tide.

The View

Down at more established Cornish seawatching sites such as Pendeen during a decent NW wind you can expect to see a bird every few seconds, but here, I was treated to just 5 Kittiwakes, 12 Gannets and a few Razorbills. Finding your own birds in the empty corner is sometimes very trying!

I had a nice surprise in the form of a smart drake Eider which was patrolling just off the beach. I suspect that this is the bird which turned up as a juvenile three years ago so it's really just re-finding a returning bird, but he was much appreciated all the same.

Hello!

Wherever he's come from we can safely say he's not one of the birds present earlier in the month.

Great Black Backed Gulls were present in some numbers, with around 200 sitting out the storm over on Looe Island. The lee of the island, usually a great place to find sheltering Duck, Grebes and Divers was disappointingly empty.

High tide arrived and an amazing thing happened. The cloud came over, the crowds disappeared and the crashing waves churned up the accumulated weed and attracted hundreds of gulls. OK so they were just the local gulls but the sight of them feeding was fascinating. They were almost exclusively Black-headed and Herring gulls, but that didn't really matter as I was kept busy just trying to photograph them. The poor light and the speed of the birds necessitated upping the ISO to 800 which introduced an element of grain but that couldn't be helped.

A couple of Mediterranean Gulls added a little spice to the group, even though they are now regular at this site.

Even Turnstone numbers had increased, from a paltry seven on the beach earlier to an impressive 42 at the high tide roost.

Having gone through the group numerous times and satisfying myself that I hadn't overlooked that elusive Sabine's Gull I decided to check just down the coast at Seaton where I knew there was a regular high tide roost. Here I found more of the same - Black-headed and Herring Gulls with a single Med amongst them, but this time there was also a splendid Little Gull dipping in and out amongst the waves, and far too far out to get anykind of photo. C'est la vie!!

A truth universally acknowleged...(with apologies to Jane Austen)

There seems to be a generally held belief that I always find a good bird on or around my birthday. Over the years I've managed to find the odd Yellow-browed, Pallas' and the like. I turned up a Penduline tit once - and a Monarch, but of course the Rame Bluetail in 1999 was the real biggy, not least because back then Bluetails still had a certain cache and this was a county first! I must admit that I've spent quite a few hours up at Rame over the past couple of days in an attempt to replicate that day, and whilst the results were not as exciting as in 1999, they weren't disappointing.

I started off at St John's Ford to see if I could see the Sabine's Gull reported there yesterday afternoon. I didn't - but the place looked great in the early morning light.

Skylarks are plentiful and the Linnets are still around, but the majority of the hirundines have moved on. One or two Siskins and small groups of Redwing have been giving their presence away as they call overhead. The highlight yesterday was undoubtedly the Short-eared Owl which came over the Military Road and was immediately set upon by the local gulls and corvids. There was a second bird apparently but unfortunately I missed it. I did however manage to get a distant record shot:

Up at the Head the Yellowhammers and House Sparrows were in their usual place around the coastguard cottages. It seems incredible that I have to mention this as both species used to be numerous but have declined dramatically over the last few years. Sparrows seem to be making a comeback and numbers are building nicely, but Yellowhammers are a serious cause for concern, not least because East Cornwall is really the centre of the Cornish population.

Cirls were in evidence today with at least two males and two females in amongst the Yellowhammers

These are natural colonisers from the Devon population rather than part of the reintroduction scheme which has been going on further down in mid Cornwall.

The first Black Redstart of the year - a drab female was found around Rame Barton briefly before it was chased off by a Pied Wagtail. Hopefully now that the first bird has turned up a few more should follow.

Bird of the day was undoubtedly the Yellow-browed Warbler I found around Penmillard Farm. I say I found it but unfortunately I didn't actually see it - it just called three times from one of the gardens before presumably moving on with the Long-tailed and Blue Tits. My birthday luck continues!!

Tip of the day - literally! Don't go for a pee in a nettle patch...