[Chris Oates]

I've known Hayle Estuary for 50 years but only one as a birder, initially I found it overwhelming - huge amounts of Wigeon, Teal, Lapwing, Curlew, GBB Gulls, BH Gulls and apparently one or two rarities.
I could never find these rare things but had some pointed out to me which was nice but wasn't very exciting - bit like being advised where the wrongly priced frozen chicken is at the supermarket.
Gave up looking and started to study what the birds were doing. why and where the tide was - soon learned that the birds are like LA gangs and have their turf staked out - even amongst species there is an order.
The Wigeons occupy the west end nearest the sea at low tide and tolerate smaller Gulls & a few waders but they seem to split north/south within the species - there's a gang that like browsing the channel near Lelant station and another that favour the bank of Carnsew pond - the American Wigeon is a Carnsew pond bank browser - as the tide drops it goes left - as the tide rise it goes right and ends up behind Tempests depot on the Causeway - just like clockwork nearly every day.
The southeast end is Teal territory (most have left now) - they tended to stay up there and didn't range much when the tide dropped - they just browsed whatever the tide exposed - the Green-winged Teal always favoured the water nearest the road by the Quay House Pub and never moved more than a few hundred feet.
The Long-billed Dowitcher is either at the Estuary or in Hayle behnd the library - at the Estuary it always appears as the tide turns a few feet in front of Lelant station - it thinks it's a Redshank and always teams up with one and occasionally a Greenshank - today we had LBD, SP redshank, Redshank & Greenshank all together for great size comparison - the Barwits were a bit aloof and stayed in their patch which is a towards the ponds where the Gulls are which the Redshanks will also use - the Redshank bully the Gulls & Wigeons despite being smaller - the LBD sticks to the same channel well away from the Gulls & Wigeon but quite close to humans and railway trains which don't seem to bother it.

Purpose of this post is - you can be put onto a bird wherever you go or you can learn to understand what/why/when the birds do what they do and find them for youself very easily - most satisfying.

[mrpjdavis]

I've only just picked up on this post. What a cracking set of observations! In many ways the best type of birding - and I'm a part-time twitcher!

Pete

[Tav94]

:Some great info there Chris I have yet to make a trip to Hayle Estuary spent a few hols there years ago on the camp sites but was into a differnt type of bird then all the Chris.

[scoxie]

Nice one Chris. I'm a Hayle regular and found that very interesting. Last time I saw LBD it was further up Copperhouse Creek, towards the footbridge by the Co-Op.

Recently, I've had a couple of walks along prom alongside the estuary - opposite Copperhouse- and I seem to have found the home of a pair of Bullfinches. Lovely male Blackcap there last time too.

[Chris Oates]

Originally Posted by scoxie

Nice one Chris. I'm a Hayle regular and found that very interesting. Last time I saw LBD it was further up Copperhouse Creek, towards the footbridge by the Co-Op.

Recently, I've had a couple of walks along prom alongside the estuary - opposite Copperhouse- and I seem to have found the home of a pair of Bullfinches. Lovely male Blackcap there last time too.

The LBD does seem to now favour the mud between the Library and the Co-op these days - possibly this is due to the increase in dog walkers and bait diggers at Lelant.

The 'prom' is King George V memorial walk - I'll have a look for the Bullfinches - I found a pair at the clay drying kiln opposite the clay pit at St Just last week.
I've got a Blackcap pair outside my bedroom window

The Estuary is bit empty - passed through twice today and the Teal & Wigeon appear to have left - this presumeably means that the American Wigeon has migrated with the Eurasian Wigeon after a long stay - be interesting to see if it returns later along with the Green-winged teal.

Plenty of Curlew - they appear to be employed aerating the soil at the local golf courses, Shellduck which don't do anything but eat, GBB & Herring who all want my Pasty.
There have been small gatherings of birds, Redshank & Barwits, which have moved on, the Glaucous, Ring-bill & Med gulls can't be aresed to do anything but the BH gulls have gone somewhere - the BH amuse me - all my life (until I birdwatched) I (and everyone I know) thought they were Terns

Tav - I used to holiday in Hayle in the 50's - we stayed in a single decker bus with no wheels and the seats removed - it was cheaper than renting a chalet - those were the days.

[Andrew]

I must get down soon if only for a 'medium' from Hampsons!

[Chris Oates]

Originally Posted by Andrew

I must get down soon if only for a 'medium' from Hampsons!

Haha !!
I'm a Philps man myself.

[Tav94]

Originally Posted by Chris Oates

Haha !!
I'm a Philps man myself.

You cant beat a good Cornish lucky bag.