Camel Estuary, Cornwall (1 Viewer)

[Qingcol]

Walmsley Sanctuary last evening, 2 Brown Hare, birds included 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 male Gadwall, 1 adult Northern Lapwing and hybrid Teal still.

 

[gonvena]

Thanks for the comment on Redshank Derek. I assume that is for recent times. How does that compare with 15 to 20 years ago. I seem to recall, back in the early 90s, we did not see Redshank at the Bridge and at Pinkson until early July. Yes / No??

Interesting notes on Wood Sands. Could they now be breeding further south? Or just a none breeding bird(s) (Colin did put a ??? mark against the bird's age).
Working on the maxim of 1 swallow does not a summer make, it will be interesting to see how many more turn up in Cornwall, or in the southern UK come to that.

 

[Qingcol]

Interesting notes on Wood Sands. Could they now be breeding further south? Or just a none breeding bird(s) (Colin did put a ??? mark against the bird's age).

I put a ? on the birds age because of the very early date and the possibility of it being an adult non-breeding, but my first impression was of a juvenile.
The upperparts were warm brown clearly spotted buff, with the breast buffish and streaked brown almost forming a pectoral band, yellowish legs and good clear supercillium. Seen only once in a group of 3 Sandpipers, one an adult Green the other unidentified in the lush Walmsley vegetation.

Hybrid Teal still last evening.

 

[DELACOWI]

Yesterday evening on the high tide there were 142+ curlew and 74+ black headed gulls opposite the Burniere hide.Most in summer plumage but a few have nearly completed their moult into winter plumage.

 

[Qingcol]

This evening on the high tide at Dinham Flats, birds included 8 Common Redshank, 1 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Whimbrel, 40+ Curlew, 1 female Eurasian Teal, at least 2 broods of Common Shelduck (photo below) 100+ Black-headed gull including 1 juv, 1 first summer Little Gull, 51 adult Mute Swan!

 

[Qingcol]

One Green Sandpiper and 3 adult Northern Lapwing at Walmsley last evening, plus 2 Eurasian Teal (male), 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 male Gadwall, 6 Sand Martin, 6 House Sparrow, 33 Wood Pigeon and 2 sub-adult Grey Heron squabbling over dead Eel.

One adult Med Gull over Wadebridge late afternoon yesterday.

 

[Ash1456]

Great Pics!!!

 

[Qingcol]

Welcome Ash1456! Birds at Walmsley this evening included 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 4 Northern Lapwing, 4 Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Curlew, 1 Whimbrel (photo below) and 1 Gadwall.

 

[Qingcol]

3 Green Sandpiper and a Barn Owl at Walmsley Sanctuary this morning. The eclipsed male Gadwall has now lost all the primaries on one wing, some Mallard have lost all and are flightless.

 

[Qingcol]

Two bits of interesting behaviour noted last evening at Walmsley, at the moment there seems to be a Moorhen population explosion on the sanctuary, with the birds enjoying a very good breeding year the result, all the adults simultaneously wanting to fight their neigbours apparently ignoring their own young. One very small lone unattended Moorhen chick wandered into the territory of a pair of Little Grebe, one Grebe dived below the chick and tried to pull it under water (photo below) then both birds attacked the little chick quiet viciously until one of the Moorhen parents came to its aid, from some distance away. Another Moorhen brood of four very small chicks appeared to be looked after and fed by a large juvenile Moorhen! plus birds noted included 3+ Green Sandpiper (including a juvenile) 6 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Eurasian Teal, 1 Northern Lapwing, 1 eclipsed male Gadwall, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Reed Warbler, Reed Bunting, Linnet, Goldfinch, Yellowhammer and many Sedge Warbler.

 

[stephen p]

Great to see the sedge warblers. I remember watching them last year at Walmsley, lovely little bird.

 

[camelbirder]

Yesterday spent the whole day birding about the estuary. Highlights included at :
Amble Marshes - 4 Green Sandpiper, 2 Teal, 1 Gadwall
Off Padstow - 2 Sandwich Tern
Dinham Flats - 1 Little Gull, 1 adult Mediterranean Gull, 2 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Greenshank, 2 Redshank. 2 Sandwich Tern, (which were probably the Padstow birds).
Burniere Hide - A singing male Lesser Whitethroat.

 

[Qingcol]

More unusual bird behaviour at Walmsley this evening: A racing Pigeon complete with racing rings circled the sanctuary several times each time lower and lower until eventually it deliberately ditched in at least 2 feet of water, while floating with wings half open it dipped its head under water several times, holding its head back to drink, then it appeared to take off with ease from the water and carry on its way.
Birds included 7 Northern Lapwing, 3 Green Sandpiper, 4 Eurasian Teal and a Gadwall.
Nearly full grown Red Fox cub (photo)

 

[Qingcol]

Walmsley this afternoon birds included, 6 Eurasian Teal including a juv! 1 Green Sandpiper, 7 Northern Lapwing (all adult) 1 juv Little Grebe, 1 eclipsed male Gadwall plus juvenile Pied Wagtails, Reed Buntings, Barn Swallows and Long-tailed Tits.

 

[Qingcol]

Twelve Barn Owl pellets analysed at Walmsley this week contained exclusively Short-tailed Field Vole (Microtus agrestis): All the pellets contained at least one skull, and one very large pellet contained three.

Up to five Grey Heron appear to be catching plenty of Eels (could be due to the falling water level) this mysterious fish can spend up to 16 years in the pools before heading downstream to spawning grounds in the Sargasso sea.

 

[camelbirder]

Yesterday at the Amble Marshes 109 Mallard were counted outside the main Hide together with 6 Teal. The only waders noted were four Black-tailed Godwit and a flyover Greenshank.
Mammals included a Brown Hare and a Red Fox.

 

[camelbirder]

A good trawl around the outer estuary this morning yielded a total of 4 Mediterranean Gulls, with 2 (an adult and a juvenile), off Padstow and 2, (an adult and a second summer) at tregirls Beach. Also noted were 2 Sandwich Terns off Padstow and 3 Gannets off Hawker's Cove.

 

[camelbirder]

On Wednesday, the Wednesday Bird Walk Group noted 10 Puffins off the Rumps. They also saw Corn Bunting.

 

[Qingcol]

Juvenile Sedge and Reed Warbler this evening at Walmsley, plus juv Little Grebe. Mute Swan brood now reduced to two cygnets.

 

[Qingcol]

One Green Sandpiper at Treraven Meadow this morning.