Cornwall - Fri 13 Oct to Fri 20 Oct

A week away from the patch, to be honest there has been nothing of note over the past fortnight other than a pair of Stonechats on West Pool on 5 October and a putative Caspian Gull that flew just as I got on it...very frustrating and one that got away.

Anyway, back to the holiday which was pretty devoid of birds with Gerrans Bay holding no divers or grebes and very few smaller birds seen anywhere.

A seawatch off St Anthony's Head on the morning of 16 October did produce a Cory's Shearwater and a Manx Shearwater along with good numbers of Kittiwake and Gannets.

A trip to Ruan Lanithorne failed to turn up anything much in the way of waders though both Greenshank and Redshank were seen at St Just in Roseland.

Several walks along Pendower and Calne beaches produced a fly-over Ringed Plover in very windy weather and I also had two separate sightings of Choughs, both involving two birds on 17 and 19 October.

So not a lot of birds, but some quality ones thrown in, and a very relaxing and much needed family holiday.