September 8th and it was time to head off to Perranporth for our usual autumn trip. It was sunny but breezey and on arriving at The Watering Hole on the beach the black clouds rolled in and it began to rain! It soon passed and we were able to enjoy our cooked breakfasts outside overlooking the beach and with the sand between our toes as per usual.
Perranporth Beach - Gorgeous!
A great day out and with the sun not disappearing behind the clouds until we left for home at around 4pm and with some nice wildlife sightings as well.
A male stonechat, a hovering kestrel and rock pipits were seen along the cliffs while offshore a single fulmar and gannets were seen all heading south. The stream held the usual trout but there were more of them than I have ever seen before although most were a little on the small size.
Trout
Trout
Along the beach were the usual roosting gulls - herring, black headed and lesser black backed - but there was no sign of any Mediterraneans. A juvenile gull posed a few ID headaches - I think it is a pale and advanced juvenile LBBGull but it doesn't look quite right, I thought it might be a weedy YLGull with a weak bill but it doesn't look quite right for that either.
Juvenile LBBG looking a bit YLGully
LBBG
LBBG
LBBG
A lone dunlin was seen flying along the beach and later some walkers disturbed a small flock of waders hunkered down in the sand - I watched them fly away, noting 2 sanderlings and a ringed plover amongst the dunlins but they were soon gone and lost from sight.
A lovely day as usual despite the stiff breeze and getting mugged for £30+ at Waitrose on the way home!
September 9th and we headed off to Siblyback Reservoir for a walk on a grey and overcast and very windy day. The water levels in the reservoir were low, a shock after only having visited the reservoir in winter when it has been full to the brim. There was lots of muddy shore on show but despite searching I couldn't find the reported buff breasted sandpiper or pectoral sandpiper although I did see 2 very tame ringed plovers and a common sandpiper.
Ringed Plover
Ringed Plover
We then headed off to the National Trust estate at Cotehele for lunch and a look around the gardens and orchards. The orchards were very interesting with the trees in the old orchard looking beautifully gnarled and lichened and the trees in the new orchard growing well and filling out. The windy weather was causing apples to fall off the trees and so we tasted a few that we watched fall to the ground and they were very tasty.
Mistletoe on Apple Tree
A few red admirals and wasps were feeding on some of the rotten fruit on the ground and I also saw a small white feeding on flowers and a speckled wood, and around the pond were at least 2 male southern hawkers with a third male seen trapped in the roof of the barn in the new apple orchard.
Red Admiral
Southern Hawker - male
Southern Hawker - male
Pond Reflections
Small White
Small White
Small White
Small White
Heading home and the clouds were becoming increasingly dark and rain filled looking but it had been a nice day out despite being mugged for £30+ in Waitrose again on the way home!
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