Cornwall Birding (1 Viewer)

[Chris Oates]

There is a lot of Sprat and Sand Eel in St Ives/Carbis Bay at the moment causing a bit of a feeding frenzie that is well worth keeping an eye on. I had 3 RB Mergs in CarbisBay an a close inshore Sooty Shearwater sat on the sea off St Ives island this morning.

Been like this for a while - going through Carbis Bay on the train if the light isn't too bright you can see the vast shoals as huge dark blobs.
St Ives harbour is full of sand eels.
Very late today the bay was full of Gannets down on the water after a good feed and some 'non diving' GN divers at Godrevy.

 

[ray roche]

Quote
originally posted by Conorbirda2

''Thanks Ray, according to Will Bowell on another thread it was reported by David Roche. Any relation? I drove up there at first light this morning and the weather was horrendous, driving SW drizzle and thick fog. Cleared up alot in the afternoon though. Hope it stays til the weekend.''

The answer to the query is yes.David is my son, and is filling in the months between a seasonal contract as Assistant warden at Dungeness bird Oservatory.Having picked up a few local goodies such as the Beds Red Breasted Flycatcher and the Bucks Cattle Egret before Christmas the Snowy Owl was just too tempting fopr him to ignore - though until he rang me yesterday to say he was watching it, it was also a long way to go for a potential dip !!! Ray Roche

 

[Dave Parker]

There is a lot of Sprat and Sand Eel in St Ives/Carbis Bay at the moment causing a bit of a feeding frenzie that is well worth keeping an eye on. I had 3 RB Mergs in CarbisBay an a close inshore Sooty Shearwater sat on the sea off St Ives island this morning.

Hi Paul, are you sure they were mergs? I photographed 3 Goosander (usual rubbish quality, the photos not the birds) in Carbis Bay on the 9th Jan. Does seem a bit of a coincidence, but stranger things have happened! Also had 6 Meds in with the Black-heads and hear today that a Little Gull has been seen there.
Excellent photos of ex phalarope.
Dave

 

[Dave Parker]

Hi Paul, are you sure they were mergs? I photographed 3 Goosander (usual rubbish quality, the photos not the birds) in Carbis Bay on the 9th Jan. Does seem a bit of a coincidence, but stranger things have happened! Also had 6 Meds in with the Black-heads and hear today that a Little Gull has been seen there.
Excellent photos of ex phalarope.
Dave

Hi Paul,
Just looked at your website and see that 1 of the mergs was a male, (Goosanders all redheads), so it does seem that it was one of those remarkable coincidences. Not just a "2 bird theory" but a "6 bird theory". Can anyone top that?
Dave

 

[Conorbirda2]

Are you casting aspertions Mr Parker!!!

They were right on the edge of the surf, close in and then in flight. I know they're easy to confuse but these were definately Mergs Dave.B

Oh and it was me that saw the Little Gull too. 1st winter close to the west side of the beach feeding with Kittiwakes. And the Sooty was defo a Sooty!

 

[Conorbirda2]

Quote
originally posted by Conorbirda2

''Thanks Ray, according to Will Bowell on another thread it was reported by David Roche. Any relation? I drove up there at first light this morning and the weather was horrendous, driving SW drizzle and thick fog. Cleared up alot in the afternoon though. Hope it stays til the weekend.''

The answer to the query is yes.David is my son, and is filling in the months between a seasonal contract as Assistant warden at Dungeness bird Oservatory.Having picked up a few local goodies such as the Beds Red Breasted Flycatcher and the Bucks Cattle Egret before Christmas the Snowy Owl was just too tempting fopr him to ignore - though until he rang me yesterday to say he was watching it, it was also a long way to go for a potential dip !!! Ray Roche

It certainly was. I spoke to a few on Sunday that had travelled some distance and dipped. Hope it hangs around til the weekend, I still havent managed it in 2009! Dont think its been reported today.

 

[Conorbirda2]

Buzzard photos

Thanks for your comments about the Buzzard/Grey Phalarope photos. They made the National newspapers this morning with the usual media variation on the story! Depending on which paper you buy i need to clarify a few things:
1. There is not a hide at St Gothian Sands
2. I did not wait for hours in a hide or a bush(!) to see the Grey Phalarope!
3. Im not (well not really) a Twitcher!
4. Im actually only 24yrs old.

The photos look good though and are HERE if you havent seen them yet.

 

[David Roche]

Looks like I can backup the "6 bird theory"... I had a group of 3 redhead Goosanders feeding in Carbis bay on the evening of the 10th. I suspect that 2 of them were young drakes, given the light scaling on the flanks, but they still looked esscentially like "redheads" Clearly just a matter of bad timing and coincidence, given that your bird was presumably an obvious drake! Best I could manage with the gulls were a couple of Meds. Other highlights as follows:

Greenshank (3) - From the train, at Lelant saltings 10/1
Firecrest - St Ives (in the Sycamores above the railway station west of Porthminster Point) 12th and 14th
Purple Sandpiper (3) on the rocks below St Ives island. 14/1
Hen Harrier Ringtail at Zennor 12th and 13th
Great Northern Diver Two in Carbis bay and two from St Ives island both 14/1

And last but not least... one Snowy Owl!

David

 

[Conorbirda2]

Looks like I can backup the "6 bird theory"... I had a group of 3 redhead Goosanders feeding in Carbis bay on the evening of the 10th. I suspect that 2 of them were young drakes, given the light scaling on the flanks, but they still looked esscentially like "redheads" Clearly just a matter of bad timing and coincidence, given that your bird was presumably an obvious drake! Best I could manage with the gulls were a couple of Meds. Other highlights as follows:

Greenshank (3) - From the train, at Lelant saltings 10/1
Firecrest - St Ives (in the Sycamores above the railway station west of Porthminster Point) 12th and 14th
Purple Sandpiper (3) on the rocks below St Ives island. 14/1
Hen Harrier Ringtail at Zennor 12th and 13th
Great Northern Diver Two in Carbis bay and two from St Ives island both 14/1

And last but not least... one Snowy Owl!

David

Thanks David, I wish I'd got a photo of them now! They were well within photo range but couldnt be bothered! I dont doubt that there are a lot more of both species in the bay at the moment.

 

[timwootton]

Great work Paul - sorry I'd missed the 'real story' here.

 

[dantheman]

Pretty interesting, the whole Grey Phal/ Buzzard story . . . Nice one!

Unrelated- bit of late minor news - my brother (non birder living in Falmouth) tells me he saw a male Hen Harrier over Zennor way last week (He was passing by, nothing to do with the Snowy Owl). I just did a check on Birdguides etc, doesn't seem to be any adult males reported, just ringtails. If this is worth putting in as a report? If so I could probably extract an exact location and date from him . . .

Cheers, Dan

 

[Conorbirda2]

Thanks Dan. Send me the record and I will add it to the website. Cheers

 

[Cuckoo-shrike]

Drake American Wigeon at Windmill Farm on Ruan Pool. Tony Blunden found it yesterday. We saw it again today. Only slight iffy feature is apparent chestnut tinge to nape, but light wasn't good and it could be a remnant of juv plumage. Otherwise it's spot on.

I have asked any visitors to carefully follow the waymarkers to the new hide, through the gate and along behind the hedge (apparent once you're there). But judging by the number of people who completed ignored directions for the stilts and insisted on walking right across the heath, I'm not too hopeful. There are 100+ duck on the pool (Wigeon, Shoveler, Teal) and they are flighty. If they are flushed on to neighbouring pools, especially late in the day, they are quite liable to be shot! Hopefully we won't get many over for this B-list rarity!

Dougy Wright had another new bird for the reserve, a Bittern, at the farm on Saturday. It flew towards Ruan Pool but we couldn't find it today.

 

[Dave Parker]

Are you casting aspertions Mr Parker!!!

In answer to your question, not specifically, it just struck me as a coincidence that we both had 3 birds of different species, but obviously if one of yours was a male....
However I do recall you having some difficulties with Goosanders in the past!
LOL
Dave
PS Are you sure you didn't get too close to the Grey Phalaropes at Marazion? It looks as though you may have flushed some of them, judging from your photos!

 

[Chris Oates]

Moderate activity in St Ives bay
Manx shearwater
Balearic shearwater
PossibleYelkouan Shearwater
Grey phalarope
Great skua
Little gull
Little auk
Common scoter
Great northern diver
Kittiwake
A dolphin
Large numbers of Razorbill, Guillemot & Gannet

Puzzling though...normally south/west bound birds enter the bay by Godrevy light, make a right in the middle of the bay and fly past the island...the Auk types are doing this as are Skua & 'Gulls' - however the Shearwaters head for Carbis Bay and don't re-appear at the Island (certainly not the last two days)....maybe they get a peek at Penzance and take an overland route ??

 

[Chris Oates]

In answer to your question, not specifically, it just struck me as a coincidence that we both had 3 birds of different species, but obviously if one of yours was a male....
However I do recall you having some difficulties with Goosanders in the past!
LOL
Dave
PS Are you sure you didn't get too close to the Grey Phalaropes at Marazion? It looks as though you may have flushed some of them, judging from your photos!

Apparently the Phalarope was 'gagging for it'...flying up the red river outflow, landing, letting the flow carry it to the sea, flying up...and repeat all day.

 

[Chris Oates]

If anyone is feeling lethargic, has that transit problem that only expensive yoghurt can cure...get in the car/train or on the Western Greyhound 555/6 bus and go to Wadebridge.
From the town centre go north to the river and then turn right & find the Camel trail - you only need go 1/2 a mile to see Firecrest, Black tailed godwit, Greenshank, Water pipit, Woodpecker, Snipe & tons more.
Going the other way (west) you can walk to Padstow and sample Mr Steins fish 'n chips after admiring, Common sand, Goldeneye, Greensand, more Blackwits, Grey plover, Great crested grebe, Pintail, Shoveler....

Some keen birders up there who are happy to help you and if you aren't too fit it's totally flat.

Camelbirders

Great area to visit as there is always something to see and it's easy on the legs. Wadebridge has a good chippy, just follow the signs for the Camel trail which goes from Padstow through Wadebridge to Bodmin.

Train to Bodmin Parkway, 555 bus to Wadebridge or 556 up from Newquay to Padstow.

 

[Conorbirda2]

In answer to your question, not specifically, it just struck me as a coincidence that we both had 3 birds of different species, but obviously if one of yours was a male....
However I do recall you having some difficulties with Goosanders in the past!
LOL
Dave
PS Are you sure you didn't get too close to the Grey Phalaropes at Marazion? It looks as though you may have flushed some of them, judging from your photos!

So you are casting aspertions! When did i have trouble with them in the past!?
As for the Phal, i couldnt have flushed it if i tried. If you sat on the edge of the red river, it flew past you, then went back out on the tide about 2 ft away!B

 

[camelbirder]

If anyone is feeling lethargic, has that transit problem that only expensive yoghurt can cure...get in the car/train or on the Western Greyhound 555/6 bus and go to Wadebridge.
From the town centre go north to the river and then turn right & find the Camel trail - you only need go 1/2 a mile to see Firecrest, Black tailed godwit, Greenshank, Water pipit, Woodpecker, Snipe & tons more.
Going the other way (west) you can walk to Padstow and sample Mr Steins fish 'n chips after admiring, Common sand, Goldeneye, Greensand, more Blackwits, Grey plover, Great crested grebe, Pintail, Shoveler....

Some keen birders up there who are happy to help you and if you aren't too fit it's totally flat.

Camelbirders

Great area to visit as there is always something to see and it's easy on the legs. Wadebridge has a good chippy, just follow the signs for the Camel trail which goes from Padstow through Wadebridge to Bodmin.

Train to Bodmin Parkway, 555 bus to Wadebridge or 556 up from Newquay to Padstow.

Glad you are enjoying this part of Cornwall:t::t:

 

[Dave Parker]

So you are casting aspertions! When did i have trouble with them in the past!?

Do you really want me to air your past misidentifications on a public forum?

Dave