Gunver Head and Stepper Point, St Merryn, Cornwall

The intention was to start early and go for a walk around Gunver Head and Stepper Point. A slight over indulgence of red wine the night before meant that we had a slightly later start than intended and arrived just after 9 am. We parked in the lay-by mid way between Crugmeer and Lellizzick and headed along the permissive path to Gunver Head. It was a dull and overcast start, but as we headed west along the path a couple of Barn Swallows drifted past. As we approached the cliff three Northern Wheatears flicked up and sat on a nearby fence, a good start, which built my anticipation for the rest of the walk.

Male Stonechat

Stonechat taking flight

Stonechat in flight

We worked our way around the cliff path, Spring Squill covered the cliff top giving it a subtle blue haze, and the sweet smell of Gorse filled the air. Herring Gulls, Shags, Fulmars and a pair of Oystercatchers had taken up the best nesting sites on the cliff. Linnets, Skylarks, Meadow Pipits and several pairs of Stonechats were present in the gorse, and seemingly already on territory. 

Skylark

Skylark

A very approachable Raven provided me with an interesting diversion. It allowed me to get within two metres of it, I have never got this close to a Raven before. This unusual behaviour made me question the bird’s health as they are generally such shy birds, hopefully it was just used to people.

Raven

Other than the occasional passing Swallow there was little evidence of spring migration and it was only as we approached the car that I picked up our first Whitethroat and Chiffchaff.

Birding without all my senses - April 2014

The last couple of weeks has proven to be a somewhat frustrating time which started with a heavy cold and led on to ten days with significant hearing loss. For most of the time I was house bound, but this last weekend I decided that I would venture out for some fresh air. Not wishing to travel far, I decided to start with a spot of patch birding and soon found out just how difficult it was to bird with very limited hearing.

I travelled to Botley Wood and could just about hear a common chiffchaff singing about three metres away, finding it, without any sense of direction proved to be even more difficult. I continued along the main track and was rewarded with very little, other than a wren, song thrush and the resident blue and great tits, but it was tough going. Fortunately, the warm spring sunshine made it ideal conditions for raptors. At least seven common buzzards were enjoying the thermals and sparring with each other.

Common Buzzard

The sparring buzzards took my mind off my deafness and as I tried to get some photos I noticed a common raven in amongst them. There has been a pair loitering in the area in recent weeks; this bird was making it very clear that they were still around, and they didn't like the buzzards being there.

Common Raven with two Common Buzzards

The expansion of the common buzzard in the UK has been one of the avian success stories of recent years. Unfortunately its success has been met with anger from the gamekeeping fraternity and there are increasingly regular reports of persecution. The aerial sparring between the buzzards and raven kept me occupied for a while, but they soon got bored with each others attention and drifted off.

Peacock Butterfly

The warm spring conditions were proving ideal for butterflies too. Brimstones were the most abundant with the bright yellow males patrolling the woodland edge. Peacocks too were fairly abundant, seeking out the blackthorn flowers to feed. I recorded two other species on the day, comma and an unidentified small white, which vanished before I could make out whether it was a green-veined or small white.

Great Crested Newt egg - This species is protected under European law
and therefore it is an offence to disturb them. I hold a Natural England licence
that allows me to survey for the species.

There are a few ponds dotted around the patch, and two of these support breeding great crested newts. Newts begin to return to ponds to breed in early March so I thought I would check out one for evidence. It took about 30 seconds to find my first egg and confirm that they were still breeding. A female great crested newt can lay as many as 250 eggs a season, and will lay around 10 a night as the air and water temperatures increase. This early in the season a female may only lay one or two eggs a night.

Streamer Moth

The warmer day and night-time temperatures has seen an increase in moth activity too. Two nights moth trapping in the garden produced 128 moths of 18 species. The majority of the species were ones that I had already trapped this year; the new species were streamer (above), blossom underwing and early tooth-striped (below).

Early Tooth-striped Moth

A Stormy Day with a Hint of Spring in Cornwall...

I am back down in Cornwall this weekend and so there will be no bird ringing for me, instead I will have the chance to do some birding at my usual haunts, and maybe see some spring migrants. I had the option to go shopping in Bude, but without hesitation chose to be dropped off at Crowdy Reservoir, and be picked up three hours later. As we were just leaving the house a heavy downpour made me briefly reconsider....but only briefly.

Typical Wind Blown Cornish Tree

As I was dropped off the weather seemed to be clearing, but as my lift disappeared over the hill the weather closed in again and a heavy downpour ensued. It was cold and bleak for a while, but I was at least able to bird from the shelter of a conifer plantation...not that there was much to see. A handful of Herring Gulls, with a couple of Lesser Black-backed and Great Black-backed Gulls, were bathing and a flock of 15 Canada Geese were at the waters edge, loudly honkng a me! A couple of Eurasian Teal and a Great Crested Grebe made up the list of species present.

Stormy Cornish Scene at Crowdy Reservoir

As the rain cleared and the sun re-emerged, bird life became more obvious, with a Song Thrush immediately bursting into song, followed quickly by a male Goldcrest. My aim was to get to Davidstow Airport, where I was to be picked up, and as I walked along the road singing Goldcrests and Siskin were the most numerous species. 

Common Raven

Just as I got to Davidstow a Common Raven flew over croaking and four Common Buzzards  circled overhead uttering their typical mewing call, but there wasn't really much else going on. The main aim for me going to Davidstow was to look for spring migrants and in particular Northern Wheatears, and as I scanned the airfield it wasn't long before I picked one up.

Male Northern Wheatear

Unfortunately this bird wasn't very confiding so I was unable to get any decent shots, and even resorted to digiscoping; these two images being the best I can offer.

Male Northern Wheater

I was still able to age and sex the bird though, and you can see in the picture above the grey mantle of a male, and the pale fringing on the primaries (just about visible on the blurred image above) ages this bird as a first year. So, my efforts were rewarded with my first Northern Wheatear of the year but not much else to speak of, off down Valency Valley in search of Dippers tomorrow.