Cornwall

Me & Dad popped out to Chipping Sodbury Common to see the Wryneck, that was found in the early afternoon. The bird was very mobile and didn't stay in one place for very long. It remained in the area until dusk & was not seen the following morning, despite a thorough search.

Yate 23rd September 2022

Mum found this Adult Angle Shades Moth in our garden late afternoon.

Bere Ferrers Saturday 24th September 2022

On our way to Cornwall, we stopped at Bere Ferrers near Plymouth in Devon to look for the European Roller that had been present since 5th September. It wasn't until the late afternoon that the Roller showed very well perched on the wire & pole. European Rollers are regular vagrants to Britain between May-September & Winters in Africa. It remained until dusk and was not seen the following day. We continued our journey down to Cornwall .

Cornwall
24th-30th September 2022

Hayle, Lizard & Devoran Sunday 25th September 2022

We started the day at Ryan's Field RSPB at Hayle, but the tide was out & not many birds were seen from the hide. Some Goldfinches & Greenfinch were feeding on teasels & a single Curlew was wading in the water. We headed down to the Lizard near Bay Cott Pool where a Juvenile Pallid Harrier was reported distantly earlier in the morning, but was not seen. We popped to Kynance Cove NT for the Choughs, but only one flew past during our visit. Our final port of call was Devoran Quay, where the Ospreys were fishing in the morning. We only had a brief view of one bird flying over the trees & disappearing. A few Canada Geese, Curlews, Little Egrets, Oystercatchers & Black-tailed Godwits were seen.

Goldfinch [Juvenile]

Eurasian Curlew [Adult]

Common Chiffchaff [Adult]

Chough [Adult]

European Herring Gull [Adult Winter]

Black-tailed Godwit [Adult Moulting]

Osprey [Juvenile]

Eurasian Oystercatcher [Flock Winter]

Wadebridge & Chapel Porth Monday 26th September 2022

As we are Members of the Cornwall Bird Watching Society, we took the opportunity to visit the Walmsley Sanctuary (MEMBERS ONLY) near Wadebridge. A Speckled Wood was resting on a bramble leaf. We went to the Tower Hide, where a few feeders attracted Blue & Great Tits mainly. The Juvenile Hobby showed very well perched on a dead tree, it then flew to a nearby post & took off as there was not many Dragonflies on the wing. A Little Egret flew past & landed in front of the hide for a short while. There was 5 Cattle Egrets feeding with the cattle in the distance & then flew past the hide. As we were heading back to the car, 2 Male Common Pheasants flew overhead.

In the afternoon, we went to Treraven Meadows to look for the Pectoral Sandpiper. A couple of Green Sandpipers showed very well from the viewing platform. The Juvenile Pectoral Sandpiper had been present since 21st September and showed very well but distant, having previously being flushed by a Common Buzzard. It remained distant feeding with Dunlin during the duration of our visit until it was sadly taken & killed by a Sparrowhawk. Mum was very upset as she had been watching it through the scope when the Sparrowhawk attacked.

We finished the day at Chapel Porth Beach watching the Rock Pipits in the car park.

Eurasian Hobby [Juvenile]

Speckled Wood

Blue Tit [Adult]

Eurasian Hobby [Juvenile]

Little Egret [Juvenile]

Little Egret [Juvenile]

Cattle Egret [Adult Winter]

Pectoral Sandpiper [Juvenile]

Rock Pipit [Adult Winter]

Green Sandpiper [Adult Winter]

Chapel Porth Beach

Devoran Point

St Just in Roseland, St Clement & Stithians Reservoir Tuesday 27th September 2022

As it was a very damp drizzly day we caught the King Harry Ferry over to St Just in Roseland. We haven’t been to this very pretty church since I was a child. We walked down to the estuary, but there was not much about. After lunch we went to St Clement near Truro to see what was there. Me & Dad had a walk up to Tresemple Pool. It was very quiet but saw Common Redshanks, Greenshank, Curlews & Little Egrets. We also had a quick look at Stithians Reservoir but due to the Summer heatwave the water level was very low. The feeder Hide had Robin, Dunnocks, Chaffinches, Coal, Blue & Great Tits feeding. A Goldcrest was seen briefly. A Male Kingfisher made a brief flying visit. A few Brown Rats were showing underneath the feeders at times.

Common Greenshank [Adult Winter]

Eurasian Curlew [Adult]

Little Egret [Juvenile]

Coal Tit [Adult]

Chaffinch [Female]

Dunnock [Adult]

Brown Rat

Common Kingfisher [Male]

Godrevy, Botallack, Penzance & Hayle Wednesday 28th September 2022

A sunny but windy day. Our first port of call was Godrevy Point. A flock of Linnets were perched in the bushes. Grey Seals were lazing in the bay. The Choughs were showing very well around the point during our visit. A couple of Rock Pipits & a Wheatear were also present. Sanderlings & Ringed Plovers foraged around the beach. We headed to Cape Cornwall near St Just for lunch.

St Just in Roseland Church

St Just in Roseland Bay

In the afternoon, we headed to Botallack & saw more Choughs feeding in the field with other Corvids. We went back to Penzance near Jubilee Pool to look for any Purple Sandpipers, but no sign yet. Another Kingfisher was seen on the rocks by the seawall.

We had a drive along Copperhouse Creek in Hayle & saw Curlews, Common Redshank, Dunlins & Bar-tailed Godwits.

Sanderling [Adult Winter]

Chough [Adult]

Linnet [Female]

Grey Seal [Adult]

Chough [Adult]

Ringed Plover [Adult Winter]

Sanderling [Pair Winter]

Rock Pipit [Adult Winter]

Godrevey Bay

Godrevey Lighthouse

Chough [Adult]

Common Kingfisher [Male]

Bar-tailed Godwit [Pair Winter]

Botallack

Devoran & Hayle Thursday 29th September 2022

We popped back down to Devoran, where we had better views of the Ospreys fishing along Restronguet Creek during the morning. A few Turnstones were seen. We had a look at Gunwalloe Church Cove on The Lizard. A few Stonechats were present around the area. We saw a report on RBA that a Grey Phalarope was seen from the causeway at Hayle. Fortunately by the time we got there, the 1st Winter was still present & showing well from the causeway by B3301 main road. It remained in the area until 1st October 2022. We went back along Copperhouse Creek & managed to see one of the Curlew Sandpipers that were around the area.

Osprey [Juvenile]

Eurasian Oystercatcher [Adult Winter]

Eurasian Curlew [Adult]

Turnstone [Adult Winter]

Stonechat [Female]

Grey Phalarope [1st Winter]

Curlew Sandpiper [Juvenile]

Devoran Quay

Hayle RSPB Friday 30th September 2022

We decided to head back home in the afternoon, as the weather in Cornwall was forecast for heavy rain. We spent our final morning at Ryan's Field RSPB watching the Greenshank, Curlew, Grey Wagtails & Kingfishers. After lunch we headed for home. A lovely week, but the weather was not that brilliant.

Common Greenshank [Adult Winter]

Common Kingfisher [Female]

Common Kingfisher [Female]

Porthtowan at sunset

Common Kingfisher [Female]

September and Cornwall