 If I am to drag myself away from my local patch at the start of the 'peak season' then what better place to go than Cornwall! Arriving on 29th March and departing on 4th April I managed to fit in some good birding that included 3 life ticks! First up was the long-staying Booted Eagle just north of Penzance that had arrived the day after I left Cornwall in January. Thankfully it had then stayed put all that time and had developed a routine of appearing just south of Sancreed Beacon each morning. My wife and I therefore joined the assembled photographers and watchers on top of the beacon first thing along with some inquisitive wild ponies. I was perhaps the only one present who hadn't seen the eagle yet so was particularly focused on scanning the tall pines at Trelew Farm above which it apparently arose each day. Sure enough I picked it up a couple of miles south, rising just above the tall pines - my first ever British BOOTED EAGLE. A pale-morph bird, it then slowly made its way towards us but remained distant, perhaps giving the best views as it glided down below the horizon on occasion. The Booted Eagle from Sancreed Beacon, Cornwall on 30th March 2025 With the main bird in the bag it seemed rude not to poke my head over the fence of a small paddock at Marazion and see the Hoopoe - one of many birds in this Spring's influx. The following day I stayed local on The Lizard and picked up a few year ticks in the form of a Great Skua passing with lots of Manx Shearwaters and Kittiwakes off Lowland Point near Coverack. I also found my first Willow Warblers of the year and Coverack bay held fishing Sandwich Terns. A walk out along the cliffs and through the heathland around Kynance Cove the next day found me several Wheatears, including my first female of the year, and a smart male Black Redstart. Female Wheatear and male Black Redstart around Kynance Cove on 1st April The 2nd April found me a Red Kite on passage over St Keverne around midday (still a scarce bird here) and then a visit to Loe Bar later in the day connected me with my first Osprey of the year. I scanned the beach and sea at Loe Bar picking out Sanderlings, a male Common Scoter and a Red-throated Diver but nothing rare...however that was all about to change! Red Kite over St Keverne and Osprey over Loe Pool on 2nd April Early the next day, local birder David Collins, messaged to say he had found an adult male Kentish Plover on the beach at Loe Bar - definitely not there the evening before! I got there as quickly as I could and thankfully immediately got on the bird - my first ever KENTISH PLOVER and a very smart bird at that.  The Kentish Plover at Loe Bar on 3rd April 2025 As I arrived to see the plover I was also conscious that many other birders were rushing back past me to go for another rarity that had turned up near Lands End just the day before - an Alpine Accentor. It would seem rude not to follow suite and later that day, accompanied by my wife and dog Max, I arrived at the stunningly beautiful stretch of coastline north of Sennen Cove. The bird was favouring a rocky outcrop (Aire Point) just north of Gwynver Beach and walking down the steep slope to the coast path, the azure-blue sea before me, glistening in the sun and lapping at the white sand of the beach made me feel like I had been transported to a tropical paradise! I don't think I've every 'twitched' in quite such a beautiful setting. After a 20 minute walk I arrived at Aire Point joining around 10 others all looking for the bird. It had just been seen but disappeared behind the rock outcrops. A tense wait followed but all of a sudden it was back in view, seemingly unconcerned about the admiring onlookers. A set my scope and phone camera up and managed some pleasing shots of what was my first ever ALPINE ACCENTOR. The Alpine Accentor at Aire Point, Cornwall on 3rd April 2025 A subtly beautiful bird with many features only becoming apparent after close scrutiny - its partly yellow beak and speckled white throat for instance. It behaved exactly like its smaller relative, the much more familiar Dunnock, hopping slowly amongst the rocky, coastal flora. It struck me that perhaps this remote headland resembled the closest thing to a rocky alpine outcrop in its more usual territory in the mountainous regions of southern Europe. Both the Kentish Plover and the Alpine Accentor were birds that I had missed much closer to home with both occurring at Pitstone Quarry in recent years. Needless to say, the Cornish setting was undoubtedly the finer scenery! I was also later very pleased for my photos of both birds to feature in the Rare Bird Alert Weekly Roundup Report. My time in Cornwall was up but not before I added my first Whitethroat of the year, singing along the entrance road to Kynance Cove. Welcome back and I'm sure the first of many still to come!  Whitethroat at Kynance Cove on 4th April 2025
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 After all the excitement of the previous day (Cornwall Delivers! - Day 1), I decided to walk from the house I was staying in and stick to the coastline immediate to me. I knew the stretch of coastline well - after all it included one of our family's favourite swimming spots. The circuit would take me out through Treleaver, along the mighty serpentine cliffs to Kennack Sands and then up a wooded valley before heading back across dairy farmland. Of course, I hoped I might find a Yellow-browed Warbler with many being reported just the week before and the strong chance that some may have lingered. I also dreamed of a rarer warbler - maybe in one of the wooded valleys along my path as I had noted the discovery of a Western Bonelli's Warbler further SW along the Cornish coast the day before. But birds or no birds, it was going to be an enjoyable walk. Halfway between Black Head and Kennack Sands I heard a wimpery bird call just ahead of me on the path. I wasn't sure what it was but it recalled young Bullfinches or a young bird. I turned the corner (probably too noisily) and saw a small bird fly into the one and only bush sticking out of the heather. I got my bins focused and wow! A Wryneck! Having never found my own Wryneck until just a month ago this was a real surprise not to mention a treat. The bird stayed put just long enough for a quick 'record shot' before disappearing deeper into the undergrowth. I waited for it to reappear but eventually had to move on leaving it to its disappearing act.  The Wryneck on 15th Oct 2024 The walk through Kennack Sands produced very little else save a few Chiffchaffs and the ubiquitous Firecrests. However, as I climbed out of the valley by Trevenwith Farm I encountered the first foraging flock of warblers and tits of the day along with more Goldcrests and Firecrests. I began to hear what sounded like a Yellow-browed Warbler but very faintly. However, as the flock moved through it called loudly a few more times and showed itself very well right in front of me! I managed to capture one call in a short video. The walk had indeed been a success as far as birds were concerned but the next day the weather closed in limiting my options. However, in the evening I returned to Treleaver valley and was reward with my first Ring Ouzel of the autumn flying up the valley along with quite a few Blackbirds. The following day (17th) saw me join local birder, Steve Wood, for a seawatch at the Lizard Point. From 7.30 - 9am we witnessed the continuing (and extraordinary) passage of Cory's Shearwaters - at least 60 past - along with smaller numbers of Manx Shearwaters and a single Great Shearwater. Seeing large shearwaters regularly off the Lizard has become expected in the last 5 years but prior to that they were very scarce so close in and certainly not as late as mid-October! A group of 7 Choughs also left the roost noisily at first light. After the seawatch I traipsed around the Lizard fields looking for rarer pipits but with no joy. The highlight, however, was a group of 20+ Ringed Plovers roosting in a freshly ploughed field.  Ringed Plovers on 17th Oct 2024 My final day on the Lizard saw me walk a long circuit of Kynance Farm and the surrounding moorland. While the Bluetail appeared to have well and truly gone I was rewarded with another Ring Ouzel that dropped in near the ruins at Kynance Farm along with a flock of 60+ Golden Plover circling over Predannack Airfield. Walking out across the moor and I encountered a couple of Dartford Warblers scolding me from the scrub along with 5 late Swallows heading south. I finished the day with a late afternoon seawatch from Porthoustock that turned up very little save a steady flow of Mediterranean Gulls, a few Manx Shearwaters and a single Great Skua that I managed a distant photo of.  Great Skua going past Porthoustock on 18th Oct 2024 Dragging myself away from Cornwall I headed home but stopped briefly at Lower Tamar Lakes to year tick Willow Tit! I had a good view of one very scruffy individual along with several smarter Marsh Tits. I hope to be back soon but thank you again Cornwall!
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Rupert’s BlogHere you'll find my observations and musings on the wildlife I encounter - usually locally but sometimes further afield. Archives
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