Cornwall - Sat 26 Mar to Sat 2 Apr

A week away in Cornwall on a family holiday and we spent most of our time chilling out on the beach as we were very lucky with the weather. That being said, I did, of course, manage some birding whilst we were away!

With our first day being travelling we didn't really get out and about form our base in Portscatho until the Sunday when we spent most of the afternoon on Porthcurnick beach having walked from Portscatho. A sea watch produced two Slavonian Grebes, one of which was in full breeding plumage.

At least two Great Northern Divers were noted and a single Sandwich Tern was flying around. A small flock of four Common Scoters flew west whilst a lone Manx Shearwater flew east. Among half a dozen or so auks, most being seen distantly in flight, there were at least two Razorbills and a Guillemot. All in all a very productive couple of hours.

On Monday we set off to Newlyn in the hope of connecting with an adult Kumlien's Gull which had been present for several weeks (though the last confirmed sighting was the Friday before we arrived in Cornwall). After scouring the harbour it soon became obvious that the gull had gone...a major dip! A female-type Black Redstart was seen, but was little consolation.

Tuesday we stayed local, and from the veranda of the bungalow we were staying in from the week I was able to pick out several divers out to sea, with at least twenty-six seen. We then walked down to the beach where three Great Northern Divers were very close to shore.

There were also twelve Turnstones on the beach and nine Sandwich Terns off Portscatho. Further out in Gerran's Bay my final total were twenty-six Great Northern Divers, two Black-throated Divers, one Red-throated Diver, a single Slavonian Grebe and a lone Guillemot whilst flying by several Gannets and two Fulmars.

The next couple of days were spent chilling out, with a trip to Towan Beach where a Mallard was out on the sea and a lone Sandwich Tern was feeding offshore.

Thursday morning was given over to a course I had to complete but in the afternoon we returned to Porthcurnick beach via Portscatho and a Guillemot was close in to shore.

Walking between the two beaches across the rocks a Grey Heron and two Little Egrets were seen and twenty-seven Turnstones were feeding on the rocks.

There were still a few Great Northern Divers about, but not in the same numbers as earlier in the week, however, Sandwich Terns had risen to nine birds and pretty much every buoy in the harbour hosted one.

Our week away drew to an end after a nice lunch at The Hidden Hut and we arrived back home after a wonderfully relaxing week away.