Another gloomy and dull day on Sunday 30th October saw me heading off on the train to the Hayle Estuary in Cornwall to look for a Franklin's gull that had been seen somewhat erratically for the past few days. I was feeling tired and wasn't in the mood to spend 4 hours on a train (2 hours there, 2 hours back), but armed with food and drink, my MP3 player and the Sunday paper crossword supplement the journey wasn't too bad and allowed me time to contemplate my lot in life as the gorgeous Cornish scenery passed by.
I arrived at Hayle at around 11am and walked off towards the Carnsew Pool, seeing a kingfisher and a little egret along the quay by Asda. On the Pool were at least 6 mobile little grebes all constantly diving along with 2 female red breasted mergansers. Another (or the same) kingfisher was perched on seaweed covered rocks by the waters edge before being disturbed by walkers.
Kingfisher
A few waders were feeding on the exposed mud - dunlin, redshank, grey plover, oystercatcher, curlew and bar tailed godwit - but my attention was quickly grabbed by a very close immature spoonbill busily feeding in the shallow water, presumably the long staying bird that has been around on and off for the past year. It had a small amount of black feathering in its primary tips, noticeable only when it flapped its wings, but its bill was still a pinky, yellowy colour with some darkening to black noticeable.
Spoonbill
Spoonbill
I was a bit distracted by the spoonbill and finally remembered why I had made the trip to Hayle when I saw the large group of birders on the causeway bridge busily pointing their telescopes and cameras at the mass of gulls, ducks and waders roosting and feeding on the mudflats. I hurried down to the bridge as quickly as I could and on arriving a birder very kindly put me onto the Franklin's gull sleeping amongst the gulls quite close to the road - result, a British/life tick for me! A smart looking bird, black headed gull sized, with dark legs, dark grey upperparts with distinct black and white wing tips and a hint of a partial black hood as its head was tucked under its wings.
Franklin's Gull (Centre)
It eventually awoke and walked down to the waters edge where it stood around and sipped water for a while before yakking up a pellet and flying off south over Ryans Field and out of sight but I was very pleased to have seen it so well.
Franklin's Gull
Franklin's Gull
Franklin's Gull
Franklin's Gull
Franklin's Gull
Franklin's Gull with Teal, Redshank, Little Egret, Black Headed Gull, Herring Gull and Wigeon
With the gull disappearing from sight I headed back to the Carnsew Pool to enjoy more close views of the spoonbill, probably the best views I have ever had, and it was nice to watch a spoonbill actually doing something! It was also very nice to point it out to a lady birder walking by who had never seen one before, she was very pleased and excited to see it.
Spoonbill and Little Egret
Spoonbill and Little Egret
Spoonbill
Spoonbill
At least 4 adult winter plumaged Mediterranean gulls were mobile around the Pool, feeding, preening and looking quite ghostly in flight in the sunshine which had begun to appear from behind the clouds.
Mediterranean Gull with Herring Gull
I wandered back along the estuary to the causeway bridge to admire the birdlife in what was now lovely light - a common sandpiper, 2 greenshank, teal, wigeon, ringed plover, 3 black tailed godwit, a grey plover, dunlin, lapwing, grey heron, cormorant, little egret, golden plover, Canada goose, lesser and greater black backed gull, herring gull, a 1st winter common gull, greylag goose, black headed gull, rock pipit, starling, redshank, curlew, oystercatcher, carrion crow and Mediterranean gull were all seen.
Common Sandpiper
Male Wigeon
Lapwing and Teal
Lapwing and Golden Plover
Golden Plover, Teal and Black Tailed Godwit
The spoonbill appeared on the mudflats down river as the tide came in and the Franklin's gull was refound on the sand banks off Lelant railway station, distant views only through my telescope but still a striking and obvious bird amongst the black headed gulls and Mediterranean gulls.
It was time to head off home and I walked up to the railway station at St.Erth to catch the train home, having had a very enjoyable time and all for the princely sum of £10.10 for the train ticket.
No comments:
Post a Comment