PORTHGWARRA AND GWENNAP HEAD – POLGIGGA POND – DRIFT RESERVOIR – LELAND STATION – RYAN’S FIELD
WEATHER: wall to wall sunshine all day, cool breeze later.
We had fantastic sunshine all day, but it was never hot, just about warm when out of the cold breeze. We set off for Porthgwarra staright after our 7am breakfast and spent nearly an hour getting there due to road-works and then road closures. We had to go all the way to Sennen at Lands End and then turn back on another road to get to Porthgwarra, it was 9:30am when we finally got there!
one of many Wheatears seen today at Porthgwarra
After birding around the car park and the lane leading up the valley, we walked up to the Lighthouse Watch-Point at Gwenepp Head. We saw Chiffchaff in the car park, Red-billed Chough from the lane and plenty of common species in the fields, our first Kestrel of the trip was seen as well as a couple of Buzzards. Many butterflies were on the wing espe cially around the flowering ivy, we saw over 20 Red Admirals, a few Peacocks, Large Whites and at least two Painted Ladies.
my first Painted Lady of the year!!
Up on top of the cliff we found several Northern Wheatears, a few Stonechats, lots of Linnets, Goldfinches and dozens of Meadow Pipits. Sea watching was a dead loss, Gannets, Gulls, Cormorants, Shags and very distant unknown birds were passing. We found quite a few Grey Seals and a Peregrine sat on a rock pinnacle.
The Scillonian III, on its way to St Mary's as it passes Wolf Rock Lighthouse
We watched the Scillonian ship pass on its way to St Mary's, the Wolf Island Lighthouse was in its pathway. We could easily see the Isles of Scilly in the clear light (I will be over there next week).
the Day Mark tower on St Martin's Isl;es of Scilly seen from Gwennep Head
More Wheatears and Stonechats were all we found on the heather moorland, Ravens past over with Buzzards and kestrels and lots of Swallow were on the move.
a couple of Grey Seals
We left the area at 11:30am and drove up to Polgigga village where we sat and ate our lunch. Whilst eating a message came through that a Wryneck had just been seen at a farm we had just driven past! So we went back down towards Porthgwarra for a mile or so. We spent a fruitless 30 minutes searching for a mythical Wryneck, once again! We found Robin, Dunnock, Wren, Pied Wagtail, Starling, House Sparrow and Collared Doves!!
Most of the afternoon was spent visiting Drift Reservoir, it is a long walk to the hide but on a beautiful sunny day it was lovely. We watched at least 3 Kingfishers from near the dam, one came very close to us. The walk to the hide produced more butterflies and dragonflies as well as a few new species of birds for our list. Great Crested Grebe and Ruff were new for us, as was Southern Hawker Dragonfly and Wall Butterfly.
Kingfisher just about to leave us, showing off its flash of blue
a Ruff takren by Lorna
From the hide we enjoyed an hours even though a brisk cold breeze blew into our faces! We searched for a Garganey that had been seen recently without luck, but we did add Gadwall, Tufted Duck and Cattle Egret to our list. We also found Teal, Little Grebes, 3 Common Sandpipers, lots of Canada Geese, Moorhens and Little Egrets. The walk back to the dam produced another butterfly species to our list, Small Copper.
Southern Hawker
We finished the day at Hayle, the tide was rising fast as we stood on the platform of Lelant Saltings Railway Station scanning the saltings. All the usual suspects were present excluding the Spoonbill and we added Sanderling to our wader list. Nearly 200 Curlews were present!!
At Ryan's Field RSPB Reserve we enjoyed watching the waders arrive from the Estuary which was now completely flooded during this hide tide period. The PECTORAL SANDPIPER was still present, we also found a single Ruff, a single Red Knot, which was our first of the trip and two plenty of Godwits.
our second Ruff of the day
A Kingfisher kept the photographers happy as it hovered in front of the hide, we also enjoyed watching Curlew Sandpipers, lots of Redshank, Bar-tailed Godwits, Oystercatchers and the odd Greenshank.
We left the hide at 6pm and drove into Hayle to a local fish and chip restaurant, we decided to eat there before we went back to the hotel. A good decision, a good meal with a hot drink, wramed us up. We we back at the hotel for night at 7:30pm.