Cornwall in October

Since the school holidays in October is at the end of the month, it is not really the peak time to visit migration sites. However, it is still a good time, with many species that can be found at other times in autumn.

A Black Redstart at Pendeen

The decision of where to go in the autumn had flipped around a lot, but I eventually settled on Cornwall, going with my aunt and staying with her friends near Land's End.

This turned out to be a good decision, as almost no birds turned up on the east coast because of the wind direction. Another lucky event was the discovery of a Grey Catbird a few days before I went down, which was not only showing well, but was about ten minutes from where I was staying.

The drive down to Cornwall was mostly uneventful, with a few Buzzards and Red Kites and some overcrowded service stations for lunch, but we eventually reached Cornwall, where the first stop was a brief afternoon visit to Drift Reservoir, near to where I was staying, but there wasn't much here.

I arrived at the cottage, but was out again a few minutes later for the Grey Catbird ten minutes away.

On arrival at the site, I walked to the end of the field and joined the large gathering of birders. After a short wait (and after the screen falling completely off my camera) the shout came that the bird was showing and, to my amazement, it flew straight towards us and landed in view in a small bush.

It was here for about five minutes, before perching out in the open on a bare branch for a few seconds, then diving in to the bushes, presumably to roost. An awesome bird to begin with, and one that showed well. I put a donation in the bucket and left, preparing for the following day.

A Black Redstart seen at Pendeen

The next day, I got up early to try for a second view of the Catbird, without success, and returned to eat breakfast. I was soon out again though, to Porthgwarra, one of Cornwall's best valleys. Things began well when I found a Firecrest in the trees at the bottom of the valley, and heard many Goldcrests.

I walked up the to Gwennap Head, where I searched for migrants amongst the few bushes that were here, but was instead given amazing views of Chough, which circled the cliffs and landed in the short grass to feed. Walking further through the valley, I came across a large area of bushes, with a lot of people grouped round them.

I was told that they had re-located a Dusky Warbler found earlier in the day, and I immediately heard it calling, then, unexpectedly, it flew over the path, calling as it flew. Annoyingly, it had landed in a dense patch of bushes. Over a period of time, it showed about twice more, for c.1 second each time, but it remained vocal throughout (there was a Blackcap in the bush to add confusion with the calls too). However, the best views were when it worked its way through the front of the vegetation, visible for about a minute.

A Yellow-Browed Warbler also called a few times, but remained unseen.

Once the crowds had cleared, the Dusky Warbler flew over my head about 4 times, continually calling. This was my second lifer of the week.

Stonechats were entertaining, with smart males perching at the top of the vegetation and calling constantly.

Wrens called from almost every bush, and a Grey Wagtail was flying around the top of one of the houses. I stopped to check for Rose-Coloured Starling on the way back from the valley, but without luck.

The next day was a slightly longer drive to the Lizard, an under-watched location in Cornwall. I started off at Church Cove Cemetery, where there were few birds, but a Yellow-Browed Warbler was present, although I only heard it. Next to Church Cove, with almost no birds at all, except Robins, Dunnocks and Blackbirds. Butterflies included Wall Brown, Speckled Wood and Red Admiral.

After lunch at a cafe on Lizard Head, with House Sparrows picking food off tables and Grey Seals in the water, I attempted to bird the surrounding area. However, the 'good' weather proved to be a negative, with huge of people to dodge as I walked down the paths and too much disturbance for the chance of many birds.

I ended the day looking for a reported Little Bunting, which I'm almost certain I saw. However, given the fact that it was distant and there was no size comparison and loads of Reed Buntings in the area, I don't want to confirm it. 

The next day was also uneventful, with almost nothing all day - one Yellow-Browed Warbler each at Cot Valley and Nanquidno Valley, both heard only, but the highlight of the day was a Yellow-Browed Warbler at Kenidjack Valley, which ended up showing very well, calling constantly. There were also Choughs seen in every valley, often as flyovers. 

An evening visit to a moorland site to look for Hen Harriers was unsuccessful, but I did get a brief flight view of a Wheatear, and saw many Ravens. 

However, the day after, bird quantity improved rapidly, with an early start at Drift Reservoir. Almost immediately, I heard a Yellow-Browed Warbler calling from the bushes, but, at first, couldn't locate it. I had a few glimpses after a while, but got the best views when someone else turned up and started 'pishing', which brought the bird out in the open for perfect views! After investigating the noise, it returned to feeding, but this time in the nearest bush. It remained very vocal, the most vocal one I had ever heard.

Next, I walked around the reservoir, hearing Reed Bunting and Chiffchaff along the way, and reached the hide, where most of the birds were gathered. Almost immediately after reaching the hide, someone inside said they had a Ring-Necked Duck showing well in front of it. They soon put me on to the bird, a 1st winter, and a lifer!

While watching the duck, a wader appeared on the shore of the reservoir - a Green Sandpiper. There were also Tufted Ducks, Teal, many Gulls, Wigeon and a pale Buzzard.

I think it is safe to call this a record shot - Ring-Necked Duck

Next I went to Pendeen, where I failed see anything on a seawatch, but instead was entertained by a showy Black Redstart on the lighthouse. I still had some time left before it got dark, so I went back to the Lizard area to visit Croft Pascoe pool, where there were reports of Vagrant Emperor dragonflies.

I reached the pool in mid-afternoon, where a few dragonflies were still active, mostly Common Darters. However, I soon saw a large dragonfly, which proved to be the Vagrant Emperor, although it showed only briefly, which another half hour after the first sighting with it not appearing again. While watching the Dragonflies, a flock of Siskins flew over.

I had only about an hour of birdable daylight time left, so I travelled to Stithian's Reservoir, a place where Temminck's Stint had been seen the previous day, although not reported when I went, so I wasn't expecting it to still be present. However, after taking many wrong turns and ending up on the wrong side of the reservoir, I finally reached the site to be told that the bird was still there.

I set up my scope and, although distant, saw a very small wader that was the Temminck's Stint! Another lifer, and a bird I had wanted to see for a while. Even distantly, I could see the the colouring of the bird matched what I had seen in books, but the easiest way to tell it was a stint was when a Green Sandpiper appeared next to it. Once the Sandpiper starting 'bobbing' I worried I had been watching this bird the whole time (as I had taken my eyes off the spot), but realised the Temminck's stint was next to it, so small it was barely noticeable until it moved!

I got up much later the next day, but ended up at Nanquidno valley with a few hours before setting off for Hayle. Unfortunately, no matter how much I scanned the brambles and field edges, I couldn't find a Ring Ouzel, and, in fact, found almost nothing at all.

So, later that afternoon, I ended up at Hayle, where I first looked around Carnsew Pool. There was a good variety here, with Grey Plover, Bar-Tailed Godwit, Curlew, Redshank, a distant Spoonbill and Oystercatcher. I watched a small bird shoot across the water, clearly a Kingfisher, which then landed on the margin of the pool and showed well. 

As I was walking up the path, I heard a distinctive call from the bushes, and watched a Bullfinch in the closest vegetation - a bird I hardly ever see, despite them being present at most places.

Male Bullfinch

However, the best feature of the pool was that the 'distant Spoonbill' was walking closer and closer and, after a while, ended up on the shore directly in front of me and proceeded to give amazing views - the best I have ever had of this species. 

Spoonbill

Next I searched a few creeks in the estuary, where I again saw the Kingfisher, another Grey Plover, a lot of Redshanks and a Greenshank. Wigeons whistling and the sight of hundreds of Teal was also an exciting feature here.

I arrived at Ryan's field for the evening high tide, where I immediately saw the Great-White Egret that had been there for a while. The Spoonbill had also re-located here, and was feeding happily. To add to the numbers of 'big white things' here, there were a couple of Little Egrets arriving with the tide. Waders began to trickle in, although there weren't huge numbers. There were more Redshanks, Dunlin, Oystercatchers and Bar-Tailed Godwits, as well as Black-Tailed Godwits and Curlews.

Spoonbill with Little Egret

For the final full day, there was a planned, yet very random, day trip to the Isles of Scilly, decided about two days previously. It was mainly for the sea-crossing, although I had a couple of hours on St. Mary's. The crossing there didn't really produce many birds, but there were a lot of Kittiwakes, Guillemots and Razorbills. I also managed to miss 2 Sooty Shearwaters and a Manx Shearwater, as well as a group of harbour porpoise. 

When I arrived on St. Mary's, I had to make a quick decision of what to do - deciding the best thing was to search for the Rustic Bunting that had been seen quite nearby. One of the local birders kindly gave me and a few other birders a lift to the Rustic Bunting site which was a field near a cafe. 

It was here where it finally started to feel like autumn - the Yellow-Browed Warblers previously were very autumnal, but the number of birds made the difference - a huge flock of Chaffinches with numerous Bramblings in it, Redwings and Fieldfares constantly flying overhead, Song Thrushes everywhere and a Mistle Thrush bounding through the field.

The Chaffinch flock flew up to the bushes whenever they felt threatened (often by a Kestrel), but mostly fed in the fields. It wasn't too long before I was scanning through the bush and found the Rustic Bunting, which had stayed there while the Chaffinch flock was in the field. 

I quickly tried to get other people on to it, but through my shock and lack of practice, I was unable to give directions, and only one person got on the bird, something that I clearly need to improve on. 

However, the Bunting was once again found a few minutes later, this time only briefly, and almost everyone managed to see it. With patience, it was located in the field and went on to show amazingly well in the flock of chaffinches and Bramblings, almost certainly the highlight of the week (after the Catbird of course!) 

Right after this, it was time to go back on the Scillonian, where the crossing back produced more Kittiwakes, and a few pods of Common Dolphins.

The final bird was a small raptor seen for just a second in Penzance harbour, diving in to a starling flock and catching one (I think, as I heard a starling squealing from under the building it dived to). I am almost confident it was a Merlin, but couldn't say from this sort of view. 

The drive back included rain, hail, snow and sun in a 10 minute period, and eventually I reached London. It was a lucky decision to go to Cornwall, as it turned out better than I expected, with 6 lifers and highlights of Rustic Bunting, Grey Catbird, Temminck's Stint, Ring-Necked Duck, Dusky Warbler, Firecrest, Yellow-Browed Warbler, Black Redstart, close views of Spoonbill, Choughs and the sight and sound of the birds on Hayle Estuary. I will be back. 

Great-White Egret 

Portland - Searching for Yellow Brows

After not really getting out last October and almost doing nothing in the famous October of 2016, I made sure that I went somewhere this year. And since I hadn't been to Portland yet in the year, I decided to go there.

Unfortunately, the bird obs was full, so I once again stayed in the bunkhouse, as I had last September. It is fine as a hostel for a couple of nights, but the atmosphere isn't as interesting as most of the people tend to be rock climbing university students, who would speak loudly until 2am...

I did manage to get some sleep though, and got up just after sunrise on Saturday morning. On previous trips to Portland, I have spent the full day at the observatory, without looking around much, so this year I tried to spend the whole day walking around the island.

I started by walking to the obs garden, where a crest species appeared briefly in the trees, but disappeared just as fast. I walked up to Southwell, then to Easton, visiting quarries along the way.

The first quarry held a few Blackcaps and a large flock of Goldfinches, with the same in the next. The winds were strong in the morning, but died down pretty quickly.

In a small quarry, there was a lot of bird activity, so I waited here for a while. It wasn't long before I heard the distinctive call of a Yellow-Browed Warbler which sent me in to a run around the quarry. I did not, unfortunately, manage to see it, as it typically stopped calling as soon as I worked out its location. There was possibly a second bird too, but it could have just been the wind blowing the noise of the original bird around.

After stopping at Tesco for food, I tried to find the way to Suckthumb Quarry, and on the way saw a pair of both Stonechats and Peregrines. Upon reaching the quarry, I heard Chiffchaffs calling (and singing) and Blackcaps 'tacking'.

Along the path there was a Clouded Yellow, a new butterfly species for me, which settled in one of the fields.

Clouded Yellow

However, the rest of the day was quiet for birds, so I headed to the nearby reserve of Radipole Lake, where there had been a Lesser Yellowlegs for some time. I didn't know how easy it would be though, and could actually see it from the car park!

Lesser Yellowlegs - so close even I could get an identifiable photo of it

I enjoyed great views, as it was just on the spit in front of the visitor centre, along with a Dunlin, a Snipe and a couple of Mediterranean Gulls.

I then went back to the bunkhouse, very tired as I had walked about 15 miles, but worth it for the birds...

The next day the forecast looked really bad, and getting up in the morning didn't really fill me with hope - it was raining heavily. Today, a half day, I was going to stay around the observatory area to try and get views of Yellow-Browed Warbler.

I sheltered under the trees, where there was a Chiffchaff, which would prove to be more numerous than the previous day. Ravens flew over and called and a huge flock of linnets was flying around in the fields by the road.

Soon, the rain began to stop, and I stood in the front garden, where I watched a Merlin hunt a small passerine. Lucky for the pipit(?) the Merlin wasn't very accurate, and eventually gave up. I heard Yellow-Browed Warbler call a few times in the garden but failed to catch sight of one - while I was looking in the trees someone came to report to me that they were watching Yellow-Brows from the kitchen window! I failed to see them unfortunately.

There were a few more migrants around, with some flocks of Siskins landing in the trees and flying over.

The moth trap was then brought in from the garden, which was very interesting, although I struggled to remember all the names of the moths (the next subject I need to learn about). I remember a Large Yellow Underwing, a medium sized moth that really did have a yellow underwing.

A Chiffchaff was caught and found to already be ringed, apparently caught during the spring, and was on its way back from its breeding grounds.

Later in the day however, one of the ringers came with news that they had trapped and ringed a Yellow-Browed Warbler. It is always great to study birds close up, and this Yellow-Brow was no exception. It was released in the back garden, where it flew off to continue feeding.

Yellow-Browed Warbler

Unfortunately, soon after this, I had to leave, but checked the field full of gulls on the way. Here I saw a Yellow-Legged Gull - I don't claim to be an expect on gull ID, but all the features added up - narrow edges to tertials, white head and breast, dark eye smudge, advanced moult, brown coverts, greater coverts with a dark bar and becoming less barred towards the wing bend, and the slightly squarer head and thicker bill.

Yellow-Legged Gull

On the way back - I stopped off at Radipole again, where the Yellowlegs had moved, but I saw Mediterranean Gull and common ducks.

I try to get to Portland every year, as it is great for birding and everyone there is helpful and friendly - I highly recommend it to anyone who is thinking of going. However, during the Saturday, when I covered 15 miles, I saw no other birders in the many quarries. This was interesting because there could be anything lurking at Portland, it just doesn't get as much coverage as other places.