The great Cornish sardine mystery! Marazion 22.12.2016.

Rumours are rife about the cause of all these fish being washed ashore in Cornwall this winter.

Whatever the cause it's an awful waste of both life and food. Whether they ended up on plates, in tins, in the stomachs of dolphins, tuna or whales, or even better swimming free in the Atlantic ocean anything would have been better than this!

I'm not sure whether the gulls were sated or are waiting for the storms to break the fish down into more palatable pieces but they weren't eating very many despite the high numbers of both dead fish and live gulls!

I doubt we'll ever know the real reason!

Nevertheless it is an interesting event and one I've not come across before.

If it's Penzance it must be Purple Sandpipers! 22.12.2016.

Purple Sandpipers... one of the "must see birds" if you're in Penzance in the winter!

Super birds!

Eastern Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros phoenicuroides) at Mousehole, Cornwall 22.12.2016

I had a day "down West" yesterday when I caught up with the beautiful Eastern Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros phoenicuroides) that has been spending its days looking at the famous Mousehole Christmas Lights!

Instantly recognisable as a member of the Robin / Chat family but very different from our usual over-wintering Black Redstarts.

Well worth a visit for those with time to spare over the Xmas break!