Falmouth Birding (10 Viewers)

[dantheman]

Took the opposite side of the Penryn river to check out Gorrangorras for the Yellow-browed Warbler this afternoon. Reached the reed bed, and there it was! Working the edge of the sallows, showing well at times, not heard to call at all.

Other birds included -

Reed Bunting, Coal Tit, 6 LTTit, GSW, Kingfisher, c200 Wdpigeon.

Ironically the bird was showing in exactly the same spot as Samuel had a 'chiff' a couple of weeks back, but we lost the light.

 

[dantheman]

A nice bird in the sunshine ....

 

[Samuel Perfect]

Other birds included -

Reed Bunting

Good job finding another patch scarcity Any chance I can upgrade that Chiff I had? 3

 

[dantheman]

Good job finding another patch scarcity Any chance I can upgrade that Chiff I had?

Not if it was a Chiffchaff. And no otherwise ...

 

[dantheman]

Managed to drag myself out early afternoon for a few hours on patch (not enough sleep as opposed to alcohol consumption the cause).

Pendennis Point - twenty minute or so seawatch

several dozen Gannet
Pomarine Skua - 1 west rather distant, total surprise and only about no 6 or 7 on the yearlist!
Med Gull
Kittiwake 10
4 Great Northern Diver on the sea
1 Guillemot

Swanpool -

Long-tailed Duck
Water Rail
Chiffchaff

Swanpool Beach -

14 Turnstone, 2 Rock Pipit, 4+ Pied Wag, Fulmar offshore

Gorrangorras -

c100 Curlew
25+ Redshank
1 Greenshank
Sparrowhawk, Green Woodpecker, 2 Buzzard

 

[dantheman]

Stithians Reservoir -

Kingfisher
Slavonian Grebe
6 Goldeneye
4 Shoveler
2 Pochard

etc

 

[dantheman]

The news is out there on the bird news services admittedly, but haven't been posting up news of Falmouth birds reported elsewhere as much as I would have liked.

To wrap up the end of 2014 -

A 1st winter Ring-billed Gull was apparently at Swanpool on the 30th Dec, resting on the ice with the other gulls (it was half frozen over in the recent cold snap). Both myself and JSL hot-footed it down there on hearing the news, but unfortunately it had left a short while earlier, heading out to sea. Three Med Gulls and day-ticking the Long-tailed not really compensation tbh.

JSL found the first coastal Slavonian Grebes on the 31st, a flock of 3 off Castle Beach (still present yesterday), with a Knot at Gorrangorras on the 29th Dec.

Earlier in the year (I'd have to look up the dates) I had what I had initially down as a Great White Egret flying close in past Pendennis Point - despite long black legs and all black feet I then dismissed it as a Little Egret. Of course there was then a Great White reported not far along the coast two days later or so. To finish heard two probable Chough from Pendennis a few weeks back - but because I didn't see them I didn't really think any further (I think I did mention them to Samuel though). Will have to see if these tie in with two I see noted on the Roseland datewise.


And to start 2015 -

2 female type Eider off Nansidwell beach (just north of Rosemullion Head, and quite possibly visible from Pennance Point) yesterday.

42 Black-necked Grebes reported in the Carrick Roads + extras

Not quite as many quality birds to start the year as 2014 perhaps, but not a bad start (LTDuck still present presumably) and early days yet ...

 

[dantheman]

Today -

Meant to do an early start but I wasn't awake and the weather was pretty dire anyway.

Two Purple Sandpiper on Pendennis Point c.11am the highlight of an hour or so this morning - sewatching for twenty minutes or so producing 8 each of Kittiwake and Gannet,with 1 distant GN Diver in the Carrick Roads. A final check out to sea ended in disaster when my scope slid off a wet bench and onto the concrete below - will be scopeless for a while now at least (at least until I can sort out the superglue or something, and hoping the innards didn't get to jarred).

A Blackcap in the Buddlejah outside the lounge window the last two days has been nice, but no sign of the Black Redstart recently.



(Pics the one looks like it should be rare, and should have persevered for the purps a little longer)

 

[Trotsky1977]

Had a quick tour on the bike this AM

Swanvale NR on path:
Nuthatch heard

Swanpool
Long Tailed Duck
GC Grebe
LBB Gull at wash station

 

[dantheman]

Had a quick tour on the bike this AM

Swanvale NR on path:
Nuthatch heard

Another birder out there?! Thought I heard one distantly the other day (Nuthatch I mean).

Black Redstart (f) again Woodlane/Florence Place, also a flock of 17 Greenfinch flying about, f Blackcap still.

 

[dantheman]

Out for a few hours this afternoon - a few bits and bobs.

Swanpool -

Long-tailed Duck
Great Crested Grebe
Med Gull
2 Chiffchaff

with 1 BT Diver and 1 Med Gull offshore and 75 Pied Wagtail pre-roost gathering in the car park.

Swanpool Point -

15 Turnstone

Gyllyngvase -

1 m Stonechat behind western end in the ornamental pampas

Pendennis -

1 Whimbrel past

 

[henerz1]

Sorry to hear about your scope Dan.

Enjoying the Falmouth updates though. Getting some good wintering stuff there this year (LTDuck, YBWarbler etc).

Keep it up.

Henerz.

 

[dantheman]

Sorry to hear about your scope Dan.

Enjoying the Falmouth updates though. Getting some good wintering stuff there this year (LTDuck, YBWarbler etc).

Keep it up.

Henerz.

Cheers! Realised just how reliant on the scope I am - seawatching pretty naff without it, and waders at Gorrangorras too distant to really do properly. Hopefully the innards are ok and I can glue the body back together this weekend.

Not sure if the YB is still there this month though - weather not helping, but will give it another go soon.

 

[dantheman]

3 Black Redstarts together (1m 2f) on telephone wires/palm/rooftops as I drove past at the east end of Marlborough Road this morning. Interestingly, 3 very vocal Blackcaps in the same palm/the next tree too - almost as if the Black Redstarts were stressing them out ...

 

[Trotsky1977]

Another birder out there?! Thought I heard one distantly the other day (Nuthatch I mean).

Black Redstart (f) again Woodlane/Florence Place, also a flock of 17 Greenfinch flying about, f Blackcap still.

Yes Dan, I've been a very bad boy of late and have not got out a lot. I enjoyed the bike tour of the patch...might do that a bit more often and leave the car behind.

Haven't seen Black Reds in Berkeley Cotts for a while but had a close-up view of a male Blackcap from my lounge window.

Happy New Year!!!

 

[Trotsky1977]

Yes Dan, I've been a very bad boy of late and have not got out a lot. I enjoyed the bike tour of the patch...might do that a bit more often and leave the car behind.

Haven't seen Black Reds in Berkeley Cotts for a while but had a close-up view of a male Blackcap from my lounge window.

Happy New Year!!!

Haha...check that...just seen a fem type Black Red in my back yard 2 mins ago!!

o

 

[dantheman]

Yes Dan, I've been a very bad boy of late and have not got out a lot. I enjoyed the bike tour of the patch...might do that a bit more often and leave the car behind.

Haven't seen Black Reds in Berkeley Cotts for a while but had a close-up view of a male Blackcap from my lounge window.

Happy New Year!!!

Cheers, and yourself

Last year there was a lot more birder activity if I recall correctly - prob down to the Grey Phal and good numbers of grebes in the bay. Always good to see the blackreds etc still about though ...

 

[dantheman]

Popped out for an hour at the end of the day to get some fresh air.

Garden tick earlier was a Pied Wagtail on a neighbours roof, and a male Blackcap in the garden still.

Long-tailed Duck still on Swanpool (near the sw corner); GCGrebe, 100+BH Gulls etc. Met 2 visiting birders who said they'd seen good numbers of Chiffchaff- 4 (I only managed one, but it was getting dark admitedly), but they hadn't heard there was a LT Duck about, a little strangely! Water Rail, Sparrowhawk over, 45 PiedWags (but still building) in the car park, and 2 more Blackcap up in the SE corner of the cemetary (nearest Swanpool Point) by the roadside.

 

[Samuel Perfect]

Last year there was a lot more birder activity if I recall correctly - prob down to the Grey Phal and good numbers of grebes in the bay.

That LTDuck and both Scaup dragged in a steady crowd! There were a lot more birders/bird photographers that came from out of town to see this years highlights than did those coming to see the divers last year. Now I think of it I wasn't even here when the Phal popped up so how would I know...?

 

[dantheman]

That LTDuck and both Scaup dragged in a steady crowd! There were a lot more birders/bird photographers that came from out of town to see this years highlights than did those coming to see the divers last year. Now I think of it I wasn't even here when the Phal popped up so how would I know...?

Was referring to the period 1st Jan on, but yes. I'm pretty sure the weather was a lot more settled this time last year, plus I was probably out a lot more myself last year ('cos of the foot-it as much as anything of course).