Sociable Plover at Bude marshes. 27th Dec 2020.

 

I caught up with the "Bude marshes" Sociable Plover or Sociable Lapwing this morning. 

 

Probably the same bird that was at Crows an Wra near Lands End a few weeks ago. 

 

Seems to know it's a rarity as loves to hang out in very difficult to photograph places!

 

However a super bird and well done to Mark Worden for finding it hiding in the north of the county.

 

Classed as "Critically endangered", this species breeds on open grassland in Russia and Kazakhstan.

 

These birds migrate south through Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Armenia, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Turkey, to key wintering sites in Israel, Syria, Eritrea, Sudan and north-west India. 

 

It is a very rare vagrant in western and northern Europe, where it is usually found, as this one, with northern lapwings.

 

 

Red-breasted Flycatcher at Curch Cove 2nd Dec 2020

 

With lockdown eased for us Cornish I had a full days "twitching" to catch up with a couple of the rarities in the far West of the county.

First the Sociable Plover at Crows-an-wra which showed well but distant. 

 

This was followed by a run down to the Lizard where we saw the beautiful male Red-breasted Flycatcher at Church Cove.

 

These birds breed in Northern and Eastern Europe and usually migrate to the South East to winter in India. Accidental visits to the UK often happen when winds catch them out and deposit them miles from their target route.

 

It is in the churchyard of St.Wynwallow at Landewednack on the Lizard, the most Southerly church in England so if it decides to overwinter here it has probably the best chance of anywhere in the country as it's right on the coast and is usually a very mild climate.

Hopefully it'll be able to find enough flies and small insects to survive.

 

 

 

 

Yellow-browed Warbler in wetland on the Amble marshes today 29th Nov 2020

Really lucky to see this stunning little bird flitting around the willows on thhe Amble marshes today.

It was on the edge of our Walmsley reservecatching insects in the trees in the winter sunshine.

A seasoned traveller is this species with the main breeding areas from the Ural mountains east into Siberia , Mongolia & China. 

More are breeding west of the Urals now so it's thought that these are the birds heading west into Europe to overwinter or pass through.

A tiny little thing sized between a Goldcrest and a Chiffchaff,  its amazing how it adapts to this long distance mirgration.

Firecrest at Egloshayle, Wadebridge. 23rd November 2020

 

I popped down the road from our house to see if I could spot a Yellow-browed Warbler that was reported to be skulking around the hedgerows but failed to spot it.

So I wandered back through the cemetery which in the old section is very unkempt and an ideal place for birds.

There are lots of ancient Yew trees and several other mature species along with plenty of ivy, holly & brambles. All species that are often attractive to wildlife, birds in particular.

This place hosted up to 9 Hawfinches two winters ago and I'm always hopeful of spotting one again in the trees.

Well, I got lucky and whilst searching the Yew's I spotted a cracking little Firecrest flitting around searching for insects.

Firecrests are a passage migrant and winter visitor to Cornwall although rumours abound that they may now be a breeding bird in the County but to date no positive record exists.

Here are a few more pics of this, the smallest British bird, a characteristic it shares with  it's close relative the Goldcrest.

Peregrine Falcon on a Lapwing "kill". Camel estuary 12th Nov 2020

 

All the birds on the marsh in front of me took to the air as a Peregrine falcon swooped down through them.

Lapwing, Redshank, Godwits & Dunlin all hit the "panic" button.

After a while they all settled back down again and I started checking them out once again until a sideways glance showed a bird on the ground in the marsh to my left.

On raising my binos I saw it was the Peregrine and it was mantling a dead lapwing.

It was at the limit for my lens to be able to reproduce the images at an acceptable quality because the light levels were very low.... it was after 4pm in mid-November!

ISO was at best 2500 and at worst past 12,000 so I wasn't expecting exhibition quality images!

I also tried some video clips as my camera can cope with them better in low light.

Here are a few pics and a video clip as the bird tore apart the Lapwing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5CpJ4k53hE

 

Possible "Arctic" Redpoll at Trevose Head, Cornwall 7th Nov 2020.

 

I came across this Redpoll in the quarry at Trevose Head near Padstow this morning.

I was actually hoping for Snow Bunts but this was a welcome diversion!

Such a stunning little bird, it was feeding on the brown seed heads of Sea Plantain.

It kept returning to the same patch of it and I got lucky to get some close up images.

Shame I didn't get the rump photo as it would have been key to unlocking the true identity of the bird.

I've heard of it being Arctic, Mealie, Common,Coulies, Icelandic race etc. 

I hold my hands up to now knowing but am pleased to have found it and to have let my friends see it as well.

Here is a link to a video clip I took and a few other photos of this super little bird.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31LcMtCmFVU

 

More from Golitha Falls, River Fowey, Bodmin Moor. 2nd November 2020.

 

A few images of the tumbling stream as it leaves the granite boulders of Bodmin Moor on it's way to the sea.

Always a welcome annual pilgrimage to this beautiful part of Cornwall.

Fungi at Golitha Falls, River Fowey, Bodmin Moor. 2nd November 2020.

We had a good day between the showers photographing fungi at Golitha Falls.

The place rarely fails to combine good species, autumn colours and stunning landscapes.

I'll post some of the waterfall images tomorrow but in the meantime here are some of today's fungi pics.

 

 

Cornish Choughs on Newquay headland. 10th Oct 2020.

 

I'd heard on Facebook that there had been some Choughs around the Newquay area... they are gradually spreading up the North coast having initially bred down on the Lizard.

So I popped out to east Pentire headland between Fistral beach & the Gannel at Crantock and lo and behold there were 6 Choughs feeding on the short cropped grasses on the clifftop.

They were concentrating on feeding & oblivious to all around them. Peoples dogs bounding around & holidaymakers taking pics of the view & selfies with the waves in the background etc.

Always exciting for a Cornishman to see our "National" bird, but to see 6 together... Wow!

Anyway here are a few photos....