Cornwall delivers! - Day 1

I love visiting The Lizard in Cornwall - I have a long history there and many happy memories.  Lots of those memories are connected to birds and this recent trip from 13th to 19th October 2024 made a few more!  I had noted the arrival of a few exciting birds in the previous few days - notably, The Lizard's first Red-flanked Bluetail and a Lapland Bunting just a short drive from where I would be staying.

En route to Cornwall I realised that to get the Bluetail (a potential lifer for me) I would be arriving at dusk with a long walk to the site and no guarantee that the bird would still be there so instead I eased off on the gas and made a pit-stop at Davidstow airfield.  The airfield is an intriguing mix of wild, windswept beauty and the remnants of an abandoned, hilltop airfield now grazed by sheep.

This combination means the site often attracts rarer passage birds and my target today was a long-staying Great Grey Shrike.  I followed the road to the dropped pin and sure enough, there were a group of assembled birders all staring gratefully at the Great Grey Shrike.  I joined them and enjoyed cracking views of this smart bird along with 20 or so Crossbills in nearby pines.

I left as other birders went in search of a reported Hawfinch and continued towards The Lizard but not before clocking a smart Yellow-legged Gull amongst the sheep!

Adult Yellow-legged Gull at Davidstow

Arriving at Goonhilly Downs on The Lizard and you know you are in a special place - the wide open grassland surrounding the former 'Earth Station' with its huge satellite dishes makes for a unique vista.  My target bird a Lapland Bunting, reported over the last few days along the central track from Traboe crossroads.

I parked up and walked slowly along the track a few hundred metres until I spied a small brown form picking around at the edge of the track.  I set up my scope and, sure enough, a Lapland Bunting!  I moved closer and the bird seemed unbothered by me allowing views down to about 10 yards!  I was able to see its lovely chestnut wing coverts, facial markings and observe its low hopping movement as it fed discretely along the track.

At one point the bunting flew up with some Meadow Pipits, calling as it went and I soon found the cause of its alarm - a hunting Merlin!  The Merlin cut across the moor towards me and sat up in the wind like a Kestrel just above my head.  I wondered if it had noticed the bunting but as I walked on I turned to see the bunting hoping ever closer to me - perhaps finding security in my presence.  The Merlin perched up by a small pool and I left both birds to work things out!

While I had been watching the bunting news came it the the Red-flanked Bluetail had shown again in the fading light!  A pang of angst went through me as I questioned my decision not to trek out to see it that evening.  I now had a dilemma as my accommodation for the night included a full breakfast in the morning.  Should I rush out early to see the Bluetail and miss breakfast or enjoy breakfast and arrive in a more leisurely fashion, trusting that it would not leave?

Not being a real twitcher I chose the latter option, figuring that in the poor weather the bird was unlikely to up and leave and anyway, it takes far more than a bird to persuade me to skip breakfast!  I slept well and, the next day, after a fantastic breakfast headed out to Kynance Farm in search of my quarry.

The weather was 'moist' on 14th October in the way that it so often is in Cornwall with a fairly stiff breeze too.  I arrived at 'Jolly Town' - the apparently unofficial name given to a group of cottages at the top of the valley leading to Soapy Cove just north of the better-known Kynance Cove.  A few other birdwatchers were already searching but, as yet to no avail.  I joined them, circuiting the cottages before trying my luck down the valley towards the cove in case it had moved location.

Drawing a blank and finding the valley even more windy and wet I figured the best bet was to stake out the sheltered side of the cottages where I would go if I was a small migrant bird from the East.  Waiting patiently for quite some time the inevitable thoughts began to creep in that maybe it had gone after all.  Another group of birders arrived and, with fresh enthusiasm went off looking for the bird the other side of the house.  I remained alone standing near the sheltered stone wall surrounding the cottages' gardens weighing up my options.

And then it happened!  A pale little bird hopped down by my feet just like a Robin would and hopped around before flying up to the top of the wall again.  In that moment, binoculars weren't need for I had clearly seen the Red-flanked Bluetail up close and personal!  I immediately nipped around the other side of the cottages and alerted the other birders who all rushed back.  We lined up and before long the Bluetail appeared, shy at first but eventually giving all of us outstanding views.  The local Robin, however, was not so impressed and chased the Bluetail back and forth, letting the visitor know who was boss!

The Bluetail was a truly beautiful bird with its pale orangery flanks and subtle blue tail.  Like so many birds it twitched its tail constantly but unlike many birds just in a downwards movement.  It was quite something to think that this bird had come so far - possibly from Siberia and certainly far from its wintering quarters in SE Asia.  Thankfully the weather cleared enough to get some pleasing shots and Jolly Town felt just that little bit more, well, jolly!

I headed back to the car and back into the Lizard village where I finally caught up with the over-wintering Rose-coloured Starling on wires by The Green.  I say finally because it has eluded me for several years but actually, being a juvenile each year, it cannot be the same bird.  It was nevertheless pleasing to observe this pale bird with a yellow beak perched with its cousins on the telephone wires.

Rose-coloured Starling - Lizard Village on 14th Oct

My first evening and full day in Cornwall had certainly delivered and it made me wonder if the rest of the week would be a big anti-climax!  Or maybe there'd be more?  As if to point me in the right direction an evening seawatch off Porthoustock gave me good views of a pale-phase Pomarine Skua as it flew out and landed on the sea.  A pod of at least 8 Common Dolphins also went by to conclude an epic day.