National Moth Night

After all the wildlife excitement of last weekend this week has been very quiet with work, chores and weather hampering any opportunities to get out and about.

Friday 28th August was cool and showery and so we visited Saltram with Mother-in-law for a short walk and a spot of lunch. We walked down from the car park to the bird hide and back and on Blaxton Meadow on the high tide there were the usual Curlew, Oystercatcher, Little Egret, Herring Gull and Black-headed Gull along with a Stock Dove and 2 White Doves while Ring-necked Parakeets screeched in the trees nearby.

Scruffy looking Mandarin Ducks in eclipse plumage were seen roosting around the Cafe Pond with Mallards and Moorhens while we ate our lunch. A Mistle Thrush was feeding on Yew berries in the tree by the Pond and a Sparrowhawk flew overhead while Swallows swooped into the roof space of the stables to feed young in their nests.

Mandarin Duck

Moorhen

I had the moth box out in the back yard that night for National Moth Night and the next morning I had 25 Moths of 11 Species. The theme of this year's moth night is Red Underwing, no chance of one of those in my trap, but I did have a Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing and 12 Large Yellow Underwing although the numbers of Large Yellow Underwing this year are noticeable lower than usual (so far). A Spectacle was a nice first for the year and the other moths seen were a lovely Marbled Green, 3 Vines Rustic, 2 Brimstone Moth, 1 Double-stripe Pug, 1 Square-Spot Rustic, 1 Light-brown Apple Moth, 1 Common Marbled Carpet and 1 Eudonia Angustea.

Spectacle

Spectacle

Marbled Green

After sorting out the moth box I headed out to Wembury for a walk on what was a sunny but cool day with a strong northerly breeze. Being a Bank Holiday weekend I expected it to be busy and indeed it was but it wasn't too bad.

A Double-striped Pug in the toilet block and 2 Silver Y along the coast path were the only moths noted but there were many Red Admirals, Small Whites and Large Whites seen along with a Comma, 2 Common Blue, Meadow Browns, Speckled Woods, a Green-veined White and 2 Small Copper. A male Beautiful Demoiselle and 3 Hawker Sp. were also seen.

 Green-veined White

 Green-veined White

 Green-veined White

 Comma

Comma

On the incoming tide there were 2 Ringed Plover, 2 Curlew, 12 Dunlin, 5 Turnstone and 20 Redshank out on the rocks with the Oystercatchers and 6 Little Egret and a Grey Heron. 7 adult and 5 juvenile Mediterranean Gulls were roosting amongst the Herring, Black-headed and Great Black-backed Gulls on the rocks too. 

 Dunlin

 Turnstone

Dunlin

Chiffchaff, Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat, Stonechat, Linnet, Swallow and House Martin were also noted along my walk with a Buzzard overhead, Pied Wagtails along the beach and 6 Wheatear in the top horse field.

Stonechat

On checking the wildlife sightings pages on the Internet that evening I read that a juvenile Woodchat Shrike had been found at Wembury that day but it was along the footpath past the church heading towards Noss Mayo, a route I have only walked once in all the years I have been visiting Wembury and so I wouldn't have seen it anyway (and I did see the cracking male Woodchat Shrike at Wembury Point back in May of this year). 

Sunday 30th August and with 2 night shifts looming I headed out in the morning to Ernesettle Creek to look for 2 reported Osprey seen fishing along the River Tamar the previous day. It was sunny but cold in a biting northerly breeze and I was hopeful of catching up with them.

I set up my scope and scanned around briefly before hearing Oystercatchers in a bit of a kerfuffle and flying down river and on looking up I found an Osprey circling around over the water and heading over towards Kingsmill Lake on the opposite bank - a result in just 5 minutes of arriving on site!

River Tamar from Ernesettle

I watched it flying around and making a few aborted dives before it flew back to the mouth of the River Tavy where it eventually caught a fish and flew upriver and out of sight. On view for around 30 minutes and some lovely scope views and my first in the Plymouth area - very pleased.

I hung around for another hour in the hope that the second bird would appear to fish but it wasn't to be so instead I kept myself amused watching 3 Raven and a Sparrowhawk flying over, a Wheatear feeding on seaweed along the foreshore, 5 Great-crested Grebes out on the river including 2 Juveniles, 2 Dunlin flying upriver and the usual Redshank, Oystercatcher, Little Egret, Grey Heron and Gulls.

A look along Ernestettle Creek revealed a Greenshank and 2 Common Sandpipers while a Chiffchaff was heard singing and Swallows flitted about overhead.

Greenshank

A very pleasent morning indeed and something to help me get through the joys of a double night shift on a Bank Holiday weekend.

New Year Listing begins

Friday 3rd January was to be my first birding day out of the year but I switched plans and had a quiet day at home instead which I spent cleaning, tidying, sorting and organising after all the Christmas shenanigans, a shame as it turned out to be a lovely sunny day but with a chilly breeze. We did have a walk though around The Barbican and Plymouth Hoe and I did see the adult Mediterranean gull again amongst the black-headed gulls on Sutton Harbour but there was no sign of any great northern divers off The Hoe.

Saturday 4th January and it was finally time to get out on my first proper birding day of the year. I caught the train to Penzance, arriving at 09:40hrs on a mostly sunny day with a cool breeze and occasional and annoying mizzle showers complete with rainbows. I had my new telescope with me to put it through its paces and it was fantastic and especially so when scanning through the gulls roosting out on the estuary at Hayle but it is a heavy beast to lug around, well not so much heavy but awkward, chunky and cumbersome and by the time I returned home at the end of the day I felt like I had had a bit of a workout. Nevertheless it was well worth carrying it around as it enabled me to get some great views of the birds and has really opened up a new level for my birding.

On arrival in Penzance I firstly had a quick scan from the sea wall by the bus station but could only find a distant male eider out in the bay as a very tame turnstone ran along the wall towards me presumably in the hope of getting some food scraps.

 Turnstone

Turnstone

I began my walk towards Newlyn and on a quick look around the rocks by the Jubilee Pool I failed to find any purple sandpipers. Off Tolcarne beach I picked up a distant female common scoter offshore and on reaching Newlyn Harbour I quickly found my first target bird of the day, a beautiful white winger in the form of a 1st winter Iceland gull floating around on the water.

 Iceland Gull - amazingly close views

 Iceland Gull

 Iceland Gull

 Iceland Gull

Iceland Gull

Also seen were 3 Great Northern Divers which also gave great close views along with a more distant male and immature male eider while off the harbour wall another Great Northern Diver was seen along with a large grey seal swimming by.

 Great Northern Diver - amazingly close views

Great Northern Diver

There was no sign of my second target bird, a black guillemot, and so I walked further along the coast towards Sandy Cove where it has occasionally been seen from but there was no sign of it on arriving as I scanned across the sea. No firecrest, black redstart or water rail were seen either but I did find a female bullfinch, a jay and a redwing to add to the new year list.

I wandered back to Newlyn Harbour where the Iceland gull was still sat out on the water and giving some lovely views before it flew off for a bathe off Tolcarne beach and then a preen on the roof of the fish market. It looked quite small and slight sat on the water but looked more chunky and robust in flight. Still no sign of the black guillemot but on chatting to a local birder he informed me it had just been seen off Sandy Cove and so I walked back there where I quickly found it out on the water having a preen before it continued diving for food - my first for Cornwall and a nice bird to see indeed.

 Black Guillemot - not so close views

Black Guillemot

It was soon time to head back to Penzance to catch the train to St.Erth and along the way I finally managed to find 4 purple sandpipers on the rocks at the Jubilee Pool.

Purple Sandpiper, Jubilee Pool

On arriving at St.Erth after a short train ride I walked down to the Hayle estuary where there were plenty of birds out on the mudflats and amongst the usual birds were a single greenshank and only 1 first winter Mediterranean gull. A quick look at the Carnsew Pool on the walk to Hayle railway station and I quickly found target bird number three for the day, a nice Slavonian grebe and good to finally see one for this years list other than Herbert the resident bird on the River Exe.

Sunday 5th January and I decided to have a quick walk along the River Plym on the high tide for a look around, taking my telescope with me again despite my achey forearms. It was cloudy and cool but remained dry and I had another interesting walk. I had my camera with me but had left the memory card at home so no photos other than just one crappy one saved on the cameras internal memory of a male winter moth on the wall of the underpass near Sainsburys (one of two present).

Winter Moth

On the incoming tide 2 male and 3 female goosanders were preening and roosting out on the mud with a female goldeneye, I think my first sighting of one on the Plym. The great northern diver was still present just off The Folly along with the great crested grebe and at least 5 little grebes while 6 male and 4 female wigeon were feeding by the sluice gates before flying onto Blaxton Meadow to feed.

Redshank, oystercatcher, dunlin and 5 greenshank were roosting along the railway embankment with grey herons and little egrets and there were a few shelduck roosting out on the water amongst the assorted gulls.

I had a walk along the path behind The Folly and eventually found a very smart firecrest feeding in the bushes with 2 goldcrest and a coal tit while at least 3 skittish redwings were feasting on ivy berries with a song thrush and blackbirds.

At Marsh Mills a common sandpiper, a grey wagtail and 2 male and 2 female Mandarin ducks were found before it was time to head back home on the bus and I was relieved to find that using the straps supplied with the telescope stay on case made for an easier and more comfortable experience carrying the telescope around than on my previous days outing.

Wet and Windy Birding

Since my visit to Bowling Green Marsh the weather has been pretty crap especially on my days off so I have been unable to get out birding but with a hoopoe being reported at Dawlish Warren on Wednesday 30th October I decided to go and have a look for it the next day despite the rain and murk.

David dropped me off at Dawlish Warren before heading to Toby's at Exminster with a plan to meet up later at The Anchor Inn at Cockwood for lunch. It had been cloudy but dry in Plymouth when we left but it was mizzley and misty at The Warren and after wandering around for an hour and getting soaked through there was as expected no sign of the hoopoe, not helped by lots of disturbance from workmen clearing vegetation around the car park area. A pair of hunting sparrowhawks, some nervous looking linnets and a moorhen by the main pond were the only birds seen but I did see a hoopoe - a stuffed bird in a case with a great spotted cuckoo when I looked through the window of the visitors centre!

I began the walk to Cockwood and while walking along the bridleway opposite the Dawlish Sands Holiday Park I found a feeding party of small birds flitting through the hedgerow - blue tits, long tailed tits, 2 firecrest and a yellow browed warbler. Unfortunately my glasses were very rain splashed and I had put my binoculars away in their case under my coat so the views of the yellow browed warbler were brief and difficult amongst the leaves. It appeared quite pale and washed out and later I heard it calling and it sounded a little off but I never got a decent view of it before it fell silent and disappeared. The firecrests were equally frustrating too with brief and obscured views but it was nice to find them all on such a wet and miserable day.

Saturday 2nd November was another day off with an horrendous weather forecast for strong winds and heavy rain and so I decided to kit up in my waterproofs and head out anyway, this time travelling to Berry Head for a look offshore. The journey by train and bus was uneventful and I arrived in Brixham at 08:30hrs for the walk to the quarry at Berry Head.

It was very wet and very windy but down in the quarry it was quite sheltered from the worst of the wind although there was no such let up from the rain. On the walk down to the waters edge I disturbed a pair of peregrines sheltering on the quarry face, the male being noticeably smaller than the female as it flew away calling but the female did return to perch on the rock face.

Peregrine

As I reached the waters edge I had a quick scan offshore in very misty conditions and picked up a single gannet flying around and had a brief view of a harbour porpoise fin breaking the waters surface. After a few minutes the mist began to clear and I picked up a few more gannets and also a few kittiwakes flying towards shore and with them was an Arctic skua, flying low over the water before landing on the sea. It appeared uniformly dark in the poor light and at distance but as I moved position to get a better vantage point for viewing it amongst the swell and to wipe the rain off my glasses I lost sight of it as it presumably flew off.

More gannets appeared and I picked up a distant great skua heading towards shore before it changed tack and headed back out to sea, flying shearwater style into the wind as it moved off west and out of sight.

Guillemots and fulmars were also seen flying around along with a red throated diver flying into Torbay. Later a red throated diver was seen flying west and later again one was seen flying into Torbay again but I have a feeling that the sightings were all of the same bird. The surprise sighting though was a female/immature marsh harrier battling against the wind as it flew low over the sea towards the shore. It made very little progress and occassionally flew up high before returning down to the water as it drifted across the bay towards Hope Nose where I lost sight if it.

Eventually harbour porpoises showed very well close to the rocks and attracted the attentions of gannets which soared over them with occassional dives into the sea, there were at least 3 harbour porpoise present as they moved back and forth offshore giving some very nice if brief views at the surface.

Gannet

Gannet

A red admiral was seen flitting about despite the rain but with my feet beginning to get wet and cold it was time to start the journey home and on the walk back to Brixham I had a brief view of a firecrest in the woods feeding with goldcrests. A pasty for lunch was very welcome as turnstones scuttled around the quayside of Brixham harbour and the journey back to Plymouth was uneventful too although I was glad to get out of my waterproof gear when I got home - and my new waterproof gloves had at least kept my hands warm and dry this time.

Turnstone

A Trip to St.Ives in Cornwall

Thursday 15th March and an early start saw us heading down to Penzance on the train with clear skies and sunshine all the way. Arriving in Penzance at just after 9am and I headed off towards Newlyn while David wandered around the town.

On the walk to Newlyn a quick look off Jubilee Pool and there were 50+ sanderling and 17 purple sandpipers roosting on the rocks with turnstones while a quick wander around Morab Gardens revealed 2 singing blackcaps and a singing chiffchaff.

Grey Squirrel, Morab Gardens, Penzance

Off Tolcarne Beach 2 winter plumaged bar tailed godwits were feeding on the sandy shoreline and a 1st winter Mediterranean gull was roosting on the rocks amongst the black headed gulls. At Newlyn Harbour the usual gulls were loafing about but I couldn't find any white wingers although there were a few adult lesser black backed gull amongst the usual herring gulls and great black backed gulls and the usual tame turnstones were pottering about the quayside.

 Bar-tailed Godwit, Tolcarne Beach, Penzance

Turnstone, Newlyn

I walked out to the end of the harbour wall and scanned offshore, picking up at least 4 grey seals poking their heads out of the water and a very smart looking 1st winter Iceland gull resting on the water while further out 3 great northern divers were resting together with a smaller diver species further out again but too distant to pick up any great detail.

 Iceland Gull, Newlyn

Iceland Gull

After meeting David at Wetherspoons for a quick beer we headed back to the train station and caught the train to Hayle but just as we alighted off the train it began to rain and so our walk along the estuary to St.Erth railway station was a wet affair with just wigeon, teal, grey plover and bar tailed godwit to show for our efforts - more annoyingly the rain had stopped by the time we arrived at the station! We caught the train to St.Ives and from the train I saw a redhead goosander along the estuary while enjoying the stunning views and on arriving at St.Ives the rain began to fall again.

After checking into the hotel we had a quick walk around St.Ives in the rain where more tame turnstones were running around the harbourside while just offshore I had some nice views of 2 winter plumaged red throated divers. Gannets were flying around offshore and diving for fish and I had a brief view of at least 2 common dolphins underneath them. Also seen were 3 Sandwich terns roosting on buoys and diving for fish before they all flew off towards Hayle.

 Herring Gull from the Hotel Window, St.Ives

 Turnstone, St.Ives

 Red Throated Diver, St.Ives

Rainbow View from the Hotel Window, St.Ives

The following day was glorious with sunshine and warm temperatures and wandering about St.Ives I watched at least 6 Sandwich terns flying around offshore with just a few gannets, the odd grey seal poking its head out of the water and just 1 red throated diver. The harbourside turnstones were fun to watch and they gave some great views and it was interesting to watch a carrion crow pick cockles out of the sand and smash them open by dropping them on the nearby concrete steps.

 Turnstone, St.Ives

 Grey Seal, St.Ives

 Cockle Smashing Carrion Crow, St.Ives

Red Throated Diver, St.Ives

We had lunch overlooking Porthminster Beach and it was lovely to watch Sandwich terns and gannets diving very close to shore while the red throated diver busily preened itself on the water before it was time to catch the train back to Plymouth - a great break away and needed after the recent stresses and strains.

West Cornwall Delights

Wednesday 25th January and it was off to West Cornwall for the day on the train. For a change I caught the 7am train - it cost the same as the 8:20am train I usually catch, I'm usually awake early in the morning anyway and it would give me an extra hours birding.

I arrived at Hayle at around 9am and headed off to the Carnsew Pool, walking all the way around the edge, but there was no sign of the now resident spoonbill although I had some nice views of a pair of goosanders feeding at a low tide on the river off Lelant.

Goosanders

I walked over to Copperhouse Creek where the spoonbill has sometimes been reported from and I quickly found it feeding in the river channel but as I walked around the creek to get a better view it flew off to towards the Carnsew Pool - typical! I walked back to the pool, seeing a kingfisher along the old quay along the way, and had some nice views of the spoonbill busily feeding around the pool although it was more distant than the views I had back in October.

 

Spoonbill with Cormorants and a Grey Heron

Spoonbill

Spoonbill

Spoonbill - getting closer

Spoonbill

Spoonbill

Spoonbill

After watching the spoonbill for a while along with 3 adult winter plumaged Mediterranean gulls I wandered off along the estuary towards the causeway bridge, noting bar tailed godwit, teal, wigeon, lapwing and dunlin along the way. From the bridge a large group of gulls were loafing about on the mudflats and I scanned through the herring, lesser black backed and greater black backed gulls but couldn't find any of the recently reported Caspian, yellow legged or Iceland gulls.

I eventually found the wintering green winged teal roosting amongst the teal flock out on the mudflats, a little distant and difficult views as it slept amongst a mobile flock but at times showing well. It eventually showed very well as it waddled off across the mudflats before disappearing into a tidal creek, its white breast stripe being very noticeable.

Teal

Lapwing

Just as I was about to leave the causeway for the walk to St.Erth railway station to catch the train to Penzance I caught sight of a very white headed large gull with dark grey upperparts preening alone on the mudflats - a third winter/sub adult yellow legged gull! Large, bright bill, grey upperparts darker than nearby herring gulls but paler than nearby lesser black backed gulls, larger and bulkier than nearby herring gulls and with olive green looking legs, it certainly stood out before flying to the waters edge to bathe. After a while it flew off and disappeared amongst the roosting gulls but it was quite a distinctive looking bird and nice to find - cue some crap photos (distant views, harsh light, buffeting winds).

Yellow Legged Gull

Yellow Legged Gull

Yellow Legged Gull

Yellow Legged Gull

Yellow Legged Gull (right)

Yellow Legged Gull (right) with Lesser Black Backed Gull (upper left) and Herring Gull (upper middle)

Yellow Legged Gull

Yellow Legged Gull

Unfortunately with the strong breeze it kept itself facing into it and therefore facing me and I didn't manage to get much of a view of its wingtips and both times it flew I missed getting a good view of it but I was pleased to have picked it out.

It was time to head off to Penzance on the train from St.Erth and as the train pulled in to Penzance I noted how rough the sea was looking and was undecided as to where to go, east to Marazion or west to Mousehole, but when I walked over to the bus station the bus to Mousehole was just about to leave so west it was.

I quickly found the male Eastern black redstart on arriving in Mousehole, it was busily feeding along the beach rather than amongst the boulders and was being watched by just one other birder. It was very active and at times came very close to me and I was struck again by how almost curious it seemed to be - cue some decent photos (close, good light, sheltered from the breeze).

Eastern Black Redstart, Mousehole

Eastern Black Redstart

Eastern Black Redstart

Eastern Black Redstart

Eastern Black Redstart

Eastern Black Redstart

Eastern Black Redstart

Eastern Black Redstart

Eastern Black Redstart

Rock Pipit, Mousehole

Offshore a few gannets and kittiwakes were flying around in the strong breeze while 2 adult winter plumaged Mediterranean gulls flew along the shoreline. A pale grey seal was sleeping on the rocks of the small island off the beach which was also covered in lots of roosting gulls.

I then caught the bus back towards Penzance and again got off at Newlyn for the walk along the beach promenade to the Jubilee Pool. 3 adult winter plumaged Mediterranean gulls were found amongst the black headed gulls resting on the sea but there was little else I could find on the choppy water.

Turnstone, Newlyn Harbour

At the pool there were 31 purple sandpipers roosting on the rocks at high tide which gave some very close views and a dark grey seal popped its head out of the water by the harbour wall a few times.

 Purple Sandpiper

 Purple Sandpiper

 Purple Sandpiper

I had a quick walk along the coastpath from the bus station towards Marazion before catching the train home but there was no sign of any black redstarts. I did find some roosting waders along the pebble beach though - ringed plover, turnstone, dunlin and sanderling - quite well camoflagued and easy to overlook.

 Sanderling with a Dunlin

 Sanderling and a Dunlin

 Sanderling with a Dunlin

Heading home on the train and I felt pleasently knackered after a busy but very productive days birding.