Been a relatively quiet Easter  week for Birding down in SW Cornwall, there have been various reports of Ringed Ouzel around, but I've yet to see one. I did head up towards St Ives on Sunday, but as the fog got thicker I just turned around. So here's a round up of what we've seen for the last couple of weeks.. still managing to get in new sightings 😉

Down at Hayle I captured a solitary Knot for the first time, down on Ryans field.

Marazion provided lots activity over the last couple of week.  I caught my first closeup glimse of a Wheatear, saw another on up at Portgwarra on Sunday.

Also at Marazion a week earlier, there was a little ringed plover ( apparently ID'd by the eye ring amonst other things and small build).

Over the last couple of weeks there have been lots of Sand Martins down at Marazion, feasting on the midges. I've yet to get a really sharp picture of one yet .. so watch this space for when I do. Also, I'm convinced I saw a little heron down at Marazion, which apparently would have been the first recorded sighting, it flew off before I could get the camera sorted out.  There had been reports down at Polgigga, and since then up at St Ives.

We had walk up to Gwithian, late March, and managed to get this close up shot of a Skylark just as it landed, on the reserve at St Gothian Sands.

Spent a windswept day down at Porthwarra, didn't manage to see anything unusual, but had a challenging 30 minutes on a windy cliff ledge photgraphing Gannets.

Had a couple of brief trips up to Stithians reservoir, a from a distance saw a pair of great crested grebes, and near the bird feeders a reed bunting.

Highlight of the week has to be getting a new Sigma 150-500mm lens late on, but not really had the chance to get out and take many pictures yet.

Early on in the week I stopped briefly by Newlyn, and caught the Iceland Gull off the rocks behind the fishermans mission. This was with the old lens, so need to re-visit and get a sharper picture.

Mid week, stopped by Hells mouth, and got some interesting pictures of the Cormorants gathering nesting material.

On the weekend stopped by Marazion, and saw the Shoveler duck, and a new one for me Greylag geese.

Finally on the Sunday we had a loooong walk completely round Loe Pool, which is really a long way. Unfortunately we didn't really get close enough to get any decent pictures, but did see Eider, Goosander, Great crested Grebe, Little Grebe, and another first a Goldeneye, albeit from a long way away.

On the way back from Loe Pool., stopped off at Marazion to see if I could capture the Water Pipit, and from a distance there he was.

So on reflection not a bad week for birding, 3 new species for me. I can't wait for this grey weather to lift so I can get some decent captures. Here's looking forward to the next weekend 😉

Not had much time this week for Birding, but yet again 2 new species in a week for me ! – A Dipper, and Greenshank.

The Dipper was seen during a brief visit to Cotehele, near the Cornwall / Devon border at Plymouth. Cotehele is a great national trust property, with walks through a wooded valley leading to a mill.  I saw the dipper on the stream between the mill and and the entrance to the wood.  More information on the dipper can be found on the RSPB site here

Then  I paid a 30 minute to Hayle, walking round to Carnsew pool.  From a distance it looked quiet, but as I rounded the corner, I couldn't believe the numbers of birds near the waters edge, and all in photographing distance.   There were  6+ Grey Plovers, and at least 10 bar tailed godwits. There are both bar tailed and black tailed godwits at Hayle, out of flight, the easiest way to distinguish is that on the bar tailed there is a slight upcuve on the beak.

Shortly after I got some more shots, including this great in flight shot ( click on the picture to see it full size)  the birds got spooked by something, which turned out to be a Buzzard overhead.

Once things settled down, and walking back to the car, there was even more to see on the relatively small pool.  3 drake Goosander were having a rest in the wind :-

The final bonus, was another wader, which I've never seen before, a Greenshank :-

So all in all, this short outing turned out to be a great day, showing what a treasure Hayle is for birding,  with some reasonable pictures for a change 😉