Falmouth Birding (8 Viewers)

[dantheman]

Seawatch 6:40 - 8:40 Pendennis light SW, odd light shower. All west unless otherwise stated

Gannet c.500 (range of ages)
Manx Shearwater 135
Kittiwake 10 ad
Med Gull 3 (2 ads hunting in the bay, 1 first sum west)
Sandwich Tern 2
Fulmar 3 (all very pale - heavy moult??)
Common Scoter 112 (2,5,35,70)
Red-throated Diver 1 ad sum
Razorbill 28
Auk sp. 5+
Curlew 1

Shag, Cormorant, GBB Gull etc present in the bay.

 

[dantheman]

That was probably the highest number of Common Scoter I can recall seeing down here in a day out of interest.

Tried a seawatch this morning, hoping the misty conditions would have brought stuff in closer, but it wasn't really that much fun - maybe two flocks total 20 Manxies, 2 Fulmar and thin passage of Gannet, so desisted after half an hour. Made it to the reservoirs later on -

Argal Res

Swallow 30+
GCGrebe 5
Mallard 6
Moorhen 1
House Martin
Garden Warbler 3 singing
Willow Warbler 2 singing
Chichaff 3+ singing + others
Whitethroat 3
Nuthatch, Bullfinches, LTTit flock etc


College Res

Mute Swan 2ad
Canada Goose 5
Canada Goose/Greylag hybrid 1
GCGrebe 2
Grey Heron 1
Swallows, Willow Warbler, 20+ Herring Gull, 1 GBBGull

 

[Mark Grantham]

Bit late in the season now, but West Cornwall Ringing Group and Falmouth Marine School are doing some work on urban gulls in the town and are keen to hear about accessible nest sites. We'll be colour-ringing as many birds as we can in the town to look at behaviour and movements of urban gulls, so the more sites we can access the better. More info here:
http://cornishringing.blogspot.co.uk/p/kitt.html

If you do know any let me know here or contact details are also on the website.

 

[dantheman]

Out to Pendennis for a seawatch (baywatch) c.6:15 - 7:15

Pretty horrible heat haze but nice to be out and relatively cool. Gannets present and small flocks moving west. Two Fulmar. including one tailless individual, 3 Auk sp west, 5+ Med Gulls in the bay (3+ ad, 1 1st s, 1 2nd s), BH Gull 1 west, c.20 Common Scoter flew west, presumably same flock later flew east but closer in.

Swanpool still 4 young Mute Swans with parents, 65+ Mallard and domestic ducks including young, 6 each Tufted Duck and Coot, 3+ BH Gulls and 40+ Herring Gull.

 

[dantheman]

... and called by Gorrangorras, Penryn River (well this side and looked out at t'other) 9am this morning -

BH Gull 38 (incl 2 juv)
Curlew 16
Redshank 6

 

[dantheman]

Had a brief look from Pendennis c.8:30 this morning - still cloudy for the most part for a change. An easterly wind, so wasn't hopeful. Gannets about, 5 auks west, 2 distant Manxies west (beyond the wave hub), and a Med Gull near St Anthony's Head.

Had a brief look at Gyllyngvase, but only clocked 9 BH Gulls on the beach. High tide was around 8, so headed to Gorrangorras, where there were 2 Curlew, 17 Redshank and a Little Egret. A Sparrowhawk flew over, mobbed by c. 30 Swallow, 2 Sand Martin and a House Martin.

Later in the day what was most probably another Sparrowhawk low over being mobbed by c.40 Linnet on farmland near Treverva.

 

[dantheman]

Falmouth Bay from Pendennis 9:30am this morning - a feeding flock of gulls a mile or more out.

c.100 Herring Gull
21+ Med Gulls (1 1st summer, the rest ad type - impossible to tell if any were 2nd summers at that range)
2 Kittiwake ad
1 Sandwich Tern
3+ Small Gull sp.*

Also 12 Manx Shearwaters visited, with another 2 west further out, 3 Razorbill west, 2 Auk sp, the odd Cormorant, Gannet and GBBGull. Linnets on the point. Bumped into JSL for the first time in ages who said that one of the 8 Med Gulls he'd had near Gyllyngvase the other day was a colour-ringed French bird.



(* bit of an odd one, distant, but possibly an age class of Little Gull - got a bit confused at the time. Further out, but perhaps crucially, impression a lot smaller compared to the Med Gulls and dusky grey underwing on at least one noted. Can't find any refererence books, but will look into it.)

 

[dantheman]

3+ Small Gull sp.*


(* bit of an odd one, distant, but possibly an age class of Little Gull - got a bit confused at the time. Further out, but perhaps crucially, impression a lot smaller compared to the Med Gulls and dusky grey underwing on at least one noted. Can't find any refererence books, but will look into it.)

Ok, 2+ 1st summer Little Gulls

Could blame JSL for turning up, but tbh I was distracted enough trying to count the meds, scanning for petrels and the like. Only 2 birds seen in brief flight at once, but although there were 4 - 5 at that point on the sea altogether, can't say for certain all were the same.

 

[dantheman]

Early look at Pendennis didn't happen this morning, but a spent a pleasant enough half hour or more from 9 or so. 3 distant Manx Shearwater west the only movement out there (light and heat haze not helping), along with the ever-present Gannet movements, but a nice flock of c.50 Common Scoter on the sea off Maenporth, which later flew out to sea. 3+ Med Gulls, 2 Razorbill and a few auk sp.s, with 2 distant Bottlenose Dolphins also in Falmouth Bay, with 4 Rock Pipits on the point. Also bumped into another Falmouth birder, Simon Van Hear for the first time.

Back on the evening of the 12th, returned to Pendennis for a brief evening spell - Manx Shearwaters streaming west at closer range was nice. No waders at Gorrangorras - think the disturbance levels too high at this time of year sometimes with small boats and people moving about.

 

[dantheman]

And popped out again to Pendennis this evening 7:55 - 8:40

Manx Shearwater 154 west (mostly distant)
Kittiwake 1 ad,
Fulmar 3
Black-headed Gull 1 juv west (they really are striking in flight!)

 

[dantheman]

Quick look at the reservoirs this afternoon

Argal -

Mute Swan pair + 1 Cygnet
GCGrebe 2 distant
Herring Gull 5
BH Gull 3

College -

Mute Swan pair (no young)
Canada Goose 8
Hybrid Goose 1
Mallard 2
Herring Gull 50
LBBGull 1
Grey Heron 1
Swallow 20+
House Martin 1

Sign up about blue-green algae at Argal.

 

[dantheman]

Other local news - Wood Sandpiper at Stithians Sunday and Monday. JSL did say the water levels were beginning to look a little low and interesting ...

 

[Samuel Perfect]

JSL did say the water levels were beginning to look a little low and interesting ...

BRILLIANT!!! Can't wait to check it out this autumn!

 

[Jacana]

I'll be in the area next week, it'll be fun to explore my old stomping grounds again!

 

[dantheman]

Early morning look from Pendennis, but unfortunately, and as expected, really not much - maybe 4 Med Gulls the highlight. Edit: and 2 duck, presumed Mallard, west across the bay.

Went back this evening for the Manx passage back to wherever it is they go (Scillies?) - bit of a millpond and a nice pleasant evening.

Manx Shearwater 300 west (exactly, in about an hour or so. Mostly quite distant). No Balearics unfortunately.)
Gannets, 2 auk sps etc
Med Gull 10+ including 1 st sum. in the bay, along with
Black-headed Gull 50+

 

[dantheman]

I'll be in the area next week, it'll be fun to explore my old stomping grounds again!

Presume you're sorted for birding etc? Be good to bump into you perhaps. Probably off to the Lizard beginning of the week myself.

 

[dantheman]

Pendennis briefly early this evening (7pm) as it was quite windy for a change. South easterly though, and as I expected not great. There were Manxies and Gannets flying west, but they were a long way out (2-3 miles?) so a bit of a pointless exercise really, so left it at that. 1 Med Gull out there, and another 12 on the rocks next to Gyllyngvase beach.

Penryn River opposite Lild's perhaps more productive than last couple of visits- c. 100 Woodpigeon disturbed by shots. 19 Redshank, 13 Curlew, 1 Greenshank, 8 Mallard and c.30 BH Gull.

 

[dantheman]

Didn't bother with Pendennis at the weekend - easterlies not ideal, although you never know. Popped out this morning - winds SW but rather light and mist meant nothing doing. 6 Med Gulls off Castle Beach. 3 juv LBBGulls on Gyllyngvase beach with Herring Gulls.

Swanpool had 100+ Mallard, 8+ Tufted Ducks etc.

Later in the day - Argal Res - 4 GCGrebes + 2 stripey young, Pair Mute Swans + Cygnet, c.300 Herring Gulls (mostly imm birds), 5+ LBBGulls, 5+ BH Gulls, 2 Mallard

College Res - 3 Cormorant roosting, 2 Grey Heron, 1 GCG, 7+ Canada Goose, 7 Mallard

from a quick look at both - Green Sand and Greenshank reported at the weekend. Water levels high unfortunately, but some nice blue-green algae at Argal, with an enticing aroma of playdough ...

Nearby (Higher Eathorne Farm, Treverva) an unidentified raptor gliding over south - maybe a harrier sp., alerted to it by Swallows, but tail end view by this point.

Gorrangorras, Penryn River 4:30 (approaching high tide) - 4 Greenshank and 16 Redshank at roost.

 

[dantheman]

Pendennis 6:30 -7:30

Manx Shearwaters (and shearwater sps) a mile or two out, going west, but because of the low light/ mist any suspicions of Balearic remained just that. c.20 Manx and c.20 shearwater sp.. 5 Med Gulls in vicinity, 1 Whimbrel west across the bay.

 

[dantheman]

Pendennis this morning the usual odd Med Gulls and a flock of c.80 Manx Shearwaters milling about in the bay.

This evening started a seawatch as the wind was southerly, but not actually that strong and the birds were no closer than recent. 7:00 -7:30 c.80 Manx Shearwater and 6 Kittiwake west. A mixed flock of c.150 of mostly Herring Gulls feeding in the bay contained c.20 Med Gulls.