Thursday, 15 August 2019

A LITTLE CORNISH BIRDING

Whilst my reason for visiting Cornwall recently was for a holiday, rather than birding, I did managed to get a few more year ticks without too much effort on my part!

Our first day was wild and windy, with sunshine and showers. We parked down at chapel porth  beach car park, and whilst admiring the view, I soon spotted some small brown birds running about the car park. They had to be rock pipits, and I took a few  shots from the car window. Then with the sun showing through the clouds I ventured onto the rocky beach and found a sheltered spot. I noticed a rock pipit was darting amongst the rocks nearby and then approached me, staying within a few feet as it hunted for food amongst the stones. I cautiously got out my camera and snapped away till it was disturbed by other visitors. 

rock pipit





The next day was sunnier but with strong winds. To enjoy the effect on the waves, I drove the coastal route via Porthtowan and Portreath then down to Godrevey point. Despite the strength of the wind, plenty of people were out and about admiring the views. I decided to join them and took my camera bag with me and walked around the headland. There was a steady stream of birds passing by just off shore, their bright white colour with black wing tips, made me take out my binoculars to confirm that they were in fact gannets. 
Godrevy lighthouse, birds were passing between the island and the shore

very cropped photo of a gannet


By Monday it had calmed down a little, and I took a pleasant hour's walk around Carnsew Pool, part of the RSPB Hayle estuary reserve which is accessed conveniently from the ASDA carpark, where my parents were shopping.. Although the tide wasn't yet in, there were still plenty of birds to be seen, notably little egrets, oyster catchers, good numbers of ringed plovers, dunlin, black headed gulls, curlew, herring gulls, black tailed godwits, and searching amongst the seaweed and rocks, a turnstone. 
little egret


little egrets

turnstone

little egret
oyster catcher


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