Trip to Cornwall, 3rd-6th March 2023
A large group of us (22 in the end) joined the long-weekend trip to Cornwall. For practical reasons we split up into two teams for our walks, visiting most of the sites on different days. Team 1 was initially led by Richard S and Richard F, and Team 2 by Stuart and Audrey (Richard F and Audrey swapped on the last day for logistical reasons). The reports for each day’s sites are written by a member of one of the teams, but we have also included some brief comments about the other team’s visit to that area. The bird list at the end includes all the birds seen by either team at each group of sites.
Hayle & Marazion
I (Ann) went with the larger group (team 1), and we started by going to Copperhouse Creek in Hayle. The tide was right and we saw a lot of birds pecking in the mud. I was delighted to see a greenshank fossicking around as it was my first of the year as well as some bar-tailed godwits. There were other waders like redshank and turnstones as well as gulls and a selection of ducks, mostly wigeon and teal. On the other side of the path was a bushy area. I am sure that there were many birds there, but they mostly hid so we had to be content with the likes of robins, dunnocks and chaffinches – very frustrating it was.
Then we went to Carnsew Pool, beside Asda, where there were three little grebe, when they were not diving they were swimming in a row. Team 2 did a little better here – Andy spotted a kingfisher across the pool, which obligingly stayed around and then moved closer.
The next stop was the Hayle River, which is known for its gull roost. There were certainly a great many gulls there, but they were quite a way away on a sandbank and all looked very close together. Claire and I thought that we had a Caspian gull as it seemed taller than the others and had a pale streaked head, but it was difficult to tell.
The last site of the day was Marazion Marshes. The star place there was Longrock Pool, where we found a scaup, then a goldeneye. Two of us were lucky that a Cetti’s warbler popped up about 10 feet from us, sang, and then flew off, so we had brilliant views. There was a song thrush walking in the short grass when we were looking at some stonechats. We walked round the side of the reserve and the habitat became more wooded, but the light got worse, which made identification tricky. We saw several blue tits and a goldcrest. (It was less windy when the other team visited, and they managed to see more small birds, including coal tit, bullfinch and nuthatch.) We then returned to the hotel after a tiring day.
West Penwith
The morning was overcast and the day progressed with intermittent sunshine and cloud. Our first visit was to Drift Reservoir where we saw a pair of smart great crested grebes which looked like they were getting ready to do their courtship displays along with a few ducks, gulls and Canada geese, though for such a large reservoir bird life was quite scarce.
We followed up by driving to Sennen Cove where we climbed the steps to the headland to be greeted by our first sighting of choughs. The adjective iconic is overused these days but is definitely appropriate to describe this wonderful bird. We continued our walk to Land’s End with a light step, appreciating the spectacular Cornish coastal scenery along the way. We saw some nesting fulmars and noted a large flock of golden plovers swirling around. Close to Land’s End, the plovers had landed close to the path so we were all able to appreciate their beautiful plumage. Some of the birds were in their breeding finery, and the photographers in the group were able to get some good photographs. As we walked back along the inland path, we saw a large flock of meadow pipits landing in a field where they immediately became difficult to see amongst the tufted grasses.
We then visited the National Trust site of Botallack where choughs have previously bred, though none were visible when we visited. The spectacular industrial tin mining relics interested the group and we decided to do a circular walk around the coast and then back through farmland lanes, witnessing an interesting dispute between a raven and a buzzard over some food – the raven won!
Team 2 didn’t visit Botallack, but instead spent longer at Carn Brea – the most westerly hill in England, we believe. There were meadow pipits aplenty and a few of them saw some golden plover trying to pretend they were a starling murmuration. A kestrel made a welcome appearance – there are so few around these days. Those of us in team 1 made only a brief visit before the rain came, seeing a large buzzard which was flying low, apparently in hunting mode.
Lizard Peninsula
We woke up to dull skies and a steady drizzle that seemed to be getting worse. Our first destination was the boating pool at Coronation Park, Helston. Fortunately, by the time we got there the rain had stopped.
Out on the pool a small, drab, brownish duck was floating with its head tucked under its wing. When it helpfully raised its head, we could see it looked rather like a female tufted duck but with a dark eye surrounded by a pale eye ring. Its most distinctive feature was a white ring around its grey bill above a wide, flat, black tip. It had no obvious ring around its neck but it fitted the description of the ring-necked duck that we had heard might be seen there.
Our next stop was at the car park in Lizard village where a greenfinch was calling from the top of a nearby tree. We set off towards Kynance Cove so that the strong westerly wind would be at our backs once we reached the coast path. We passed a row of houses where the gardens and hedgerow were sheltering dunnocks, collared doves and great tits along with other small birds. As the path dropped downhill a buzzard was soaring overhead and at least one kestrel was hovering above the cliffs.
When we reached the coast path, we turned to walk along the cliffs towards Lizard Point. Waves were breaking against the rocks and a small number of gannets were flying offshore. A skylark was singing above us and there were rock and meadow pipits darting around. On rocks out at sea there were groups of shags and two great black-backed gulls. Two grey seals were bobbing around, and another was resting on a rock.
The highlight of this part of the walk came as we heard the distinctive calls of a group of four choughs that flew overhead, tumbled down the cliff face then soared up again, hung around above us then flew away across the fields. With their fingered wing tips, red legs and long pointed red beaks they stood out from the large numbers of jackdaws flying and feeding in the same area.
Reaching Lizard Point, we looked into the bay on the sheltered side of the point where Pat noticed a small bird preening itself amongst the rocks. It moved closer onto a much more prominent rock and Stuart confirmed it was a black redstart. Luckily most of us were looking in its direction when it turned and flew away showing its stunning rusty red tail as it departed. Before heading for home, we made a small detour around the lighthouse and were rewarded by the sight of a number of fulmars perched on the cliffs and others gliding around on their narrow, stiff, straight wings.
All in all, we had an excellent walk on the last day of the trip in dry weather, with some wonderful scenery and plenty of birds. Many thanks to Richard and Richard, Stuart and Audrey, for leading our groups and enabling us to see so much and identify it.
Ann Crawford, Claire Savaryn, Vicky Swain, Alison Lawrence and Richard Swinbank
+ The ringed chough in the photograph is a male who was hatched at Porthgwarra in 2018. The bird on the right is probably his second partner, but they have produced no young after 2 years. They nested near where the photo was taken.
