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Falmouth Birding (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter dantheman
- Start date
dantheman
Bah humbug
Cheers! Somewhat unexpected, was scanning the distant gulls and buzzards and stuff over towards Asda, in the vain hope of an Osprey. Guess it will have to do.
Some nice waders would be great -unfortunately I won't be around to see them much - getting dragged off to Kent and Essex tomorrow to visit the OH's friends and relatives. And we're not even allowed to stop off and look for anything on the way ... bah!
Some nice waders would be great -unfortunately I won't be around to see them much - getting dragged off to Kent and Essex tomorrow to visit the OH's friends and relatives. And we're not even allowed to stop off and look for anything on the way ... bah!
dantheman
Bah humbug
... The Purple Heron reported as present yesterday afternoon again by a local birder, along with a pair of Garganey - nice!
Went down today around midday, saw 3 other birders which was unprecedented for me, but no sign of the Purple Heron unfortunately. The Garganey pair were showing well -the drake particularly well feeding not far off, the female a bit more skulking on the island shoreline. One Swallow over Argal, with 3 Great Crested Grebes there too. Chiffs and Blackcaps at College res.
Pendennis had a Wheatear on the rocks, not an awful lot else of note (Blackcap and Chiffchaff on the point too, 4+ Rock Pipit etc).
Went down today around midday, saw 3 other birders which was unprecedented for me, but no sign of the Purple Heron unfortunately. The Garganey pair were showing well -the drake particularly well feeding not far off, the female a bit more skulking on the island shoreline. One Swallow over Argal, with 3 Great Crested Grebes there too. Chiffs and Blackcaps at College res.
Pendennis had a Wheatear on the rocks, not an awful lot else of note (Blackcap and Chiffchaff on the point too, 4+ Rock Pipit etc).
Jon Turner
Well-known member
Agreed! I've been missing your Falmouth updates Dan! Welcome back! Have you been somewhere else after Morocco?
dantheman
Bah humbug
Might have ...
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=195515
Then of course domestic stuff gets in the way of birding, away for a week now, and then some more trips planned for May etc. Nice of you to say you've missed the updates though, cheers. Hopefully some more good stuff to come this spring.
Jon Turner
Well-known member
Might have ...
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=195515
Then of course domestic stuff gets in the way of birding, away for a week now, and then some more trips planned for May etc. Nice of you to say you've missed the updates though, cheers. Hopefully some more good stuff to come this spring.
Hadn't spotted that thread, sounds good. Did Israel (well, Eilat area) many moons ago with family but still managed 150+ species, including Black Bush Robin.
dantheman
Bah humbug
Argal and College Reservoirs
Successfully ‘twitched’ my own bird today (?!) – Purple Heron showing nicely on the island on College Reservoir. I’d been away a week, it hadn’t been reported for 5 days or so, possibly because interest had now waned and it could be elusive at times (resting up in the trees nearby), but at least I’ve seen it well now. Other good birds reported over the last couple of weeks have included Pied Flycatcher and single Greylag and White-fronted Geese. Best I could manage today was a Great Black-backed Gull and nest-building Mute Swans...
Spent more time at Argal Reservoir – the circuit produced 10+ Willow Warber, 4 Chiffchaff, 6 Blackcap and 4 Whitethroat (all singing males), 6 Swallow, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Nuthatch and 3 pairs each of Long-tailed Tit and Bullfinch. 1 Sparrowhawk, Buzzard etc. 3 Great-crested Grebes still present – 2 appearing paired up. A couple of orchids near the path.
Greenland-type wheatear near Treverva, and had my first Painted Lady of the year yesterday (19th)
Successfully ‘twitched’ my own bird today (?!) – Purple Heron showing nicely on the island on College Reservoir. I’d been away a week, it hadn’t been reported for 5 days or so, possibly because interest had now waned and it could be elusive at times (resting up in the trees nearby), but at least I’ve seen it well now. Other good birds reported over the last couple of weeks have included Pied Flycatcher and single Greylag and White-fronted Geese. Best I could manage today was a Great Black-backed Gull and nest-building Mute Swans...
Spent more time at Argal Reservoir – the circuit produced 10+ Willow Warber, 4 Chiffchaff, 6 Blackcap and 4 Whitethroat (all singing males), 6 Swallow, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 Nuthatch and 3 pairs each of Long-tailed Tit and Bullfinch. 1 Sparrowhawk, Buzzard etc. 3 Great-crested Grebes still present – 2 appearing paired up. A couple of orchids near the path.
Greenland-type wheatear near Treverva, and had my first Painted Lady of the year yesterday (19th)
dantheman
Bah humbug
nice find there Dan! I'll be back in the county on the 29th so save some good birds for me!
Cheers. It's stuck for 2 and a half weeks so far so you may be in luck ...
It (the Purple Heron) was reported again today. Had a Common Redstart in a garden off Trescobeas Road (just at the start of the footpath between Lamb's Lane and the railway cutting) as we walked into town this afternoon. Didn't see it on the way back - lawn mowing in process and maybe a tad on the disturbed side.
dantheman
Bah humbug
Pendennis and Swanpool this morning;
Managed an early start for once. Pendennis at dawn was nice, Blackcap and Whitethroat singing, Linnets getting frisky and Gannets in the distance. Surprise of the morning were 2 Black-throated Divers flying west, fairly high up, but close in. 6 Swallows seemed to be migrants, as were 3 House Martins.
Swanpool generally quiet, 2 Reed Warbler singing, an overflying Grey Heron being mobbed by gulls, and young Coots on the water. On the rocks on the west side of Swanpool beach 3 Common Sandpiper and 2 Whimbrel near the Herring Gulls.
Managed an early start for once. Pendennis at dawn was nice, Blackcap and Whitethroat singing, Linnets getting frisky and Gannets in the distance. Surprise of the morning were 2 Black-throated Divers flying west, fairly high up, but close in. 6 Swallows seemed to be migrants, as were 3 House Martins.
Swanpool generally quiet, 2 Reed Warbler singing, an overflying Grey Heron being mobbed by gulls, and young Coots on the water. On the rocks on the west side of Swanpool beach 3 Common Sandpiper and 2 Whimbrel near the Herring Gulls.
Ilya Maclean
charlatan
dantheman
Bah humbug
No sign of the Purple Heron in a brief look this evening.
Other birds on College Res included;
Grey Heron 1
Cormorant 3 roosting
Canada Goose c.20 (included a pair with nest)
White-fronted Goose 1
Herring Gull 18
GBB Gull 3
Argal Res-
Great Crested Grebe 2
Grey Heron 2
Swallow c.20 washing/drinking
Mallard 5
Gripping stuff. Actually, just remembered on monday (25th) there was a female Mallard with 9 ducklings on Argal.
Other birds on College Res included;
Grey Heron 1
Cormorant 3 roosting
Canada Goose c.20 (included a pair with nest)
White-fronted Goose 1
Herring Gull 18
GBB Gull 3
Argal Res-
Great Crested Grebe 2
Grey Heron 2
Swallow c.20 washing/drinking
Mallard 5
Gripping stuff. Actually, just remembered on monday (25th) there was a female Mallard with 9 ducklings on Argal.
dantheman
Bah humbug
Nice... but cruel
Meant to post my pics up a few weeks back ... better never than late I guess ... ?
The orchid - Early Purple?
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dantheman
Bah humbug
Cheers. Really rusty on plants (and birds and mammals and ... )
Anyway, I'm off tomorrow (again) for about 3 weeks, off to Turkey and neighboring areas this time, which should be fun. Good birding too. If I get back, look forward to seeing what's been about in the area - to be honest I'm thinking I'd much rather be here checking the reservoirs and coast, but once I actually get there I'm sure I'll enjoy it. I know I'm not going to get any sympathy anyway ...
Reckon Falmouth is about due a mega though ... whether anyone clocks it before the early morning dog walkers flush it remains to be seen ...
)Anyway, I'm off tomorrow (again) for about 3 weeks, off to Turkey and neighboring areas this time, which should be fun. Good birding too. If I get back, look forward to seeing what's been about in the area - to be honest I'm thinking I'd much rather be here checking the reservoirs and coast, but once I actually get there I'm sure I'll enjoy it. I know I'm not going to get any sympathy anyway ...
Reckon Falmouth is about due a mega though ... whether anyone clocks it before the early morning dog walkers flush it remains to be seen ...
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dantheman
Bah humbug
Bit of a downer. Not quite the mega I was predicting, but undoubtably a good bird for the SW. Went to the reservoirs this morning, very quiet of course. Highlights (if you can call them that when you've just been enjoying more exotic fare abroad);
College Reservoir - Mute Swan, Canada Goose, 3 Herring Gulls
Argal Reservoir - Mallard 8m, 3f with broods of 9, 4 and 4 respectively, Common Swift 6, Sedge Warbler 1 singing, Whitethroat 1 singing, Chiffchaff 3+, Willow Warbler 3
dantheman
Bah humbug
Mostly quiet these days, but did a bit of a circuit early this morning.
College Res - 51 Canada Goose flew in at 5:30am, Goldcrest, 2 imm Grey Heron, 5 Cormorant, 1 Willow Warbler, Great Spotted Woodpecker etc
Argal Res - dozen or so Common Swift about, 5+ Mallard, 2 ad Grey Heron, 4 singing Whitethroat with 2 additional ad males seen (c. 3 females seen), 5+ Bullfinch, 4+ Blackcap, 5 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Linnet, 2 Willow Warbler, Chiffchaffs, young of various species including Dunnock ... etc etc
Swanpool - Pair of swans with 6 young goslings, 1 GBB Gull
Pendennis Point - 1 Rock Pipit, 1 Whitethroat, 3 Oystercatcher roosting
Falmouth Bay - 4 Guillemot, 1 Razorbill and 1 Gannet on the sea.
Then it was about to rain so I went home.
College Res - 51 Canada Goose flew in at 5:30am, Goldcrest, 2 imm Grey Heron, 5 Cormorant, 1 Willow Warbler, Great Spotted Woodpecker etc
Argal Res - dozen or so Common Swift about, 5+ Mallard, 2 ad Grey Heron, 4 singing Whitethroat with 2 additional ad males seen (c. 3 females seen), 5+ Bullfinch, 4+ Blackcap, 5 Long-tailed Tit, 3 Linnet, 2 Willow Warbler, Chiffchaffs, young of various species including Dunnock ... etc etc
Swanpool - Pair of swans with 6 young goslings, 1 GBB Gull
Pendennis Point - 1 Rock Pipit, 1 Whitethroat, 3 Oystercatcher roosting
Falmouth Bay - 4 Guillemot, 1 Razorbill and 1 Gannet on the sea.
Then it was about to rain so I went home.
Jon Turner
Well-known member
I hope you mean Cygnets Dan.....:-O
I dashed down to the Lizard yesterday morning but the Common Rosefinch had moved on. We did meet a guy who had had spectacular views of it on Tuesday. He mentioned the word scarlet several times.... all those I've seen over the years have been autumn/winter birds in pretty dull plumage, so had hoped for better. AH well, another day....
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