A quick stop at the reservoir before work this morning and it was terribly quiet, nothing of note at all from the northern causeway so, despite time restrictions, I pegged it down to the southern end just in case. Whilst counting the Teal, of which there were around sixty-five, a small party of Mallard flew from the bottom corner and headed north right past me, and they were in the company of a female Goldeneye! This is only my second ever record of Goldeneye at Sutton Bingham, the first being a male bird back in 2010. I certainly wasn't expecting that this morning!
A quick stop on my way home from work at lunchtime, provided another flurry of excitement but a higher measure of frustration as a small grey and white wader flew north over the top of the reservoir, unfortunately it was too distant and moving too quickly for me to identify. So after the highs of the morning, a little bit of disappointment this afternoon with one that got away!
Sutton Bingham year list 2016 now at 120 species.
Saturday, 5 November 2016
Friday, 4 November 2016
Roseland Peninsula - Wed 2 Nov
The final day of the holiday, and it was another warm and sunny day. Spending a couple of hours in the garden I notched up nearly forty species of bird, with highlight being a couple of Cirl Buntings, one of which showed really well (even if it did have it's back to me most f the time).
A large flock of around forty Redwing flew over, a Great Spotted Woodpecker dropped in, an adult Mediterranean Gull drifted over and three Bullfinch put in an appearance.
After packing the car we decided to make one last stop at Carne Beach and coffee at the Nare Hotel before walking across the sand to Pendower Beach. I relocated what was presumably the same Firecrest I had found a couple of days earlier behind the car park as well as a couple of Chiffchaff.
Leaving the beaches behind us we took a leisurely drive back home after a great few days away!
After packing the car we decided to make one last stop at Carne Beach and coffee at the Nare Hotel before walking across the sand to Pendower Beach. I relocated what was presumably the same Firecrest I had found a couple of days earlier behind the car park as well as a couple of Chiffchaff.
Leaving the beaches behind us we took a leisurely drive back home after a great few days away!
Roseland Peninsula - Tue 1 Nov
There was a lot of movement this morning over our cottage, with a flock of over fifty Fieldfares passing south and well over three hundred Woodpigeons moving through. In the garden I found a Firecrest which showed really well and a very late Swallow flew over.
After breakfast we set off and took the King Harry Ferry across the River Fal to visit Trelissick, a National Trust house and gardens. First though we had time to pop down to Loe Beach at Feock where a scan of Carrock Roads produced a very distant Red-necked Grebe, four Common Scoters, a couple of Little Grebes and a very nice Red-throated Diver.
As we walked around Trelissick I noted half a dozen Mediterranean Gulls overhead with a single Common Gull. The gardens were wonderful, though I didn't see much in the way of birds, however a Siskin was seen and I heard a Treecreeper.
After returning to our accommodation for a rather late lunch we set off for St Anthony's Head, whilst it was a pretty spectacular view there was not much else to do so we went back to Pendower Beach for the last couple of hours of sunlight. I found a Black-throated Diver offshore and three Common Scoter.
After breakfast we set off and took the King Harry Ferry across the River Fal to visit Trelissick, a National Trust house and gardens. First though we had time to pop down to Loe Beach at Feock where a scan of Carrock Roads produced a very distant Red-necked Grebe, four Common Scoters, a couple of Little Grebes and a very nice Red-throated Diver.
After returning to our accommodation for a rather late lunch we set off for St Anthony's Head, whilst it was a pretty spectacular view there was not much else to do so we went back to Pendower Beach for the last couple of hours of sunlight. I found a Black-throated Diver offshore and three Common Scoter.
Roseland Peninsula - Mon 31 Oct
A quick check of the garden and field before breakfast was worth while with three Cirl Buntings being seen as well as a single fly-over Redwing and a Grey Wagtail. We then set off for Carne Beach where we enjoyed an almost deserted beach and a coffee and the Nare Hotel overlooking Gerrans Bay. A counted a total of four Great Northern Divers, including a wonderful bird in full summer plumage.
Leaving Carne Beach we popped along to Pendower Beach where a late Willow Warbler was unexpected alongside two Chiffchaffs.
After lunch, which we had back at "home" we set off to St Mawes and a wander around this small and typically Cornish town. I then returned to Pendower late in the day to see if I could find anything else of interest, but other than a single Great Northern Diver out in the bay it was really quiet, though a pair of Stonechats were nice to see.
After lunch, which we had back at "home" we set off to St Mawes and a wander around this small and typically Cornish town. I then returned to Pendower late in the day to see if I could find anything else of interest, but other than a single Great Northern Diver out in the bay it was really quiet, though a pair of Stonechats were nice to see.
Roseland Peninsula - Sun 30 Oct
An extended weekend away with the family and we spent five lovely days on the Roseland Peninsula in Cornwall.
The Saturday was spent travelling, though with hindsight we should have set off earlier, but we had things to do at home before we left, so the Sunday was our first real day away and after breakfast I spent a little time checking the birds in and around the garden, with a real surprise in the form of a male Cirl Bunting! I was not expecting that, but this smashing bird has been reintroduced to Cornwall within the last decade and by pure coincidence we happened to be in the right area to see them.
There were also good numbers of Skylarks and Meadow Pipits in the field behind the garden as well as lots of Goldfinches and Linnets.
We then popped down to Porthcurnick Beach for a morning stroll, enjoying a coffee and cake (well I had a pasty) at The Hidden Hut café. On the bird front I located a Red-necked Grebe and Great Northern Diver offshore, and several Gannets were in the bay.
After lunch back at our accommodation we set off to visit the church at St Just in Roseland. It was a wonderful setting and we enjoyed a nice walk around the village. I stumbled upon a nice feeding flock of tits, but couldn't find anything our of the ordinary amongst them.
Our final stop of the day was a trip to Pendower Beach which produced a fair bit of interest around the car park as another feeding flock of birds held a Firecrest and half a dozen Chiffchaffs, a nice end to the first full day away.
The Saturday was spent travelling, though with hindsight we should have set off earlier, but we had things to do at home before we left, so the Sunday was our first real day away and after breakfast I spent a little time checking the birds in and around the garden, with a real surprise in the form of a male Cirl Bunting! I was not expecting that, but this smashing bird has been reintroduced to Cornwall within the last decade and by pure coincidence we happened to be in the right area to see them.
We then popped down to Porthcurnick Beach for a morning stroll, enjoying a coffee and cake (well I had a pasty) at The Hidden Hut café. On the bird front I located a Red-necked Grebe and Great Northern Diver offshore, and several Gannets were in the bay.
After lunch back at our accommodation we set off to visit the church at St Just in Roseland. It was a wonderful setting and we enjoyed a nice walk around the village. I stumbled upon a nice feeding flock of tits, but couldn't find anything our of the ordinary amongst them.
Our final stop of the day was a trip to Pendower Beach which produced a fair bit of interest around the car park as another feeding flock of birds held a Firecrest and half a dozen Chiffchaffs, a nice end to the first full day away.
Sutton Bingham - Fri 28 Oct
A real surprise this evening, I failed to failed anything of note though the Teal flock had reached more than 120 birds. In fact I was feeling a little fed up and thinking how the best of the year had probably been and gone, when from the north a drake Goosander flew in and headed straight on south! This was my first patch Goosander for three years, and the last few have all been redheads, so great to get in on the year list.
Driving back I stopped briefly at the northern causeway where sixty-four Wigeon were grazing on the bank near the Sailing Club with a the Canada Geese and a single Barnacle Goose (presumably the bird that was present on Wednesday).
Driving back I stopped briefly at the northern causeway where sixty-four Wigeon were grazing on the bank near the Sailing Club with a the Canada Geese and a single Barnacle Goose (presumably the bird that was present on Wednesday).
Sutton Bingham - Thu 27 Oct
A quick check of the southern end of the reservoir produced a flock of one hundred Teal and over a hundred Mallard. Other birds of note included a Peregrine on one of the pylons, a fly-over Skylark and two Stonechats.
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