Sunday...

I went to Staples in Truro to get some supplies for my membership work (where we had a quick look along the estuary), and with every intention of returning back home early to get on with said work! I took my bins and camera just in case, as you do! I did say to the Abbot this morning that I’d like to see a Yellowhammer again, on a hedge along the roadside maybe (as I’ve only ever seen one) and so I was determined to look out for them on the journey. Heading home I decided to stop and have a wander… found a lane for a stroll where we saw lots of Butterflies (which I am not good at ID‘ing). Headed towards home again, but ended up touring around Tregony and surrounding area, Polmassick and Portholland (where I saw 2 Kestrels together and near Potholland a YELLOWHAMMER, which made my day!), and Pentewan. We also tend to call at Churches as they are great places to spot birds - had a Spotted Flycatcher in a Churchyard today, if I‘ve ID‘d it correctly!
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I think this is a Ringlet...
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Ringlet?
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Meadow Brown?
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My day list for Sunday:-

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1. Fulmar
2. Gannet
3. Little Egret
4. Mute Swan
5. Mallard (flying over a field!)
6. Buzzard
7. Kestrel
8. Pheasant
9. Curlew
10. Black Headed Gull
11. Herring Gull
12. Greater Black Backed Gull
13. Woodpigeon
14. Collared Dove
15. Swift
16. Swallow
17. Skylark
18. Wren
19. Dunnock
20. Robin
21. Stonechat
22. Song thrush (heard)
23. Blackbird
24. Spotted Flycatcher
25. Chiffchaff (heard)
26. Great Tit
27. Blue Tit
28. Coal Tit
29. Magpie
30. Jackdaw
31. Rook (and lots of them)
32. Carrion Crow
33. Starling
34. House Sparrow
35. Chaffinch
36. Goldfinch
37. Greenfinch
38. Yellowhammer

Saturday

Went out last night with Derek, Sam, Ben & Poppy… and yes, I had another life tick! Thanks go to Derek again. There is no substitute for experience. It was a good night again. Amongst others we saw around 200 Kittiwake mingling with Fulmars, lots of Manx Shearwater (the life tick, which I must make a habit of looking for so that I can ID them in future), Rock Pipits in abundance, Nightjar (1 seen and 2 males heard) and heard Grasshopper Warbler x 3.


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I took this when we were listening to Nightjar... it was a lovely evening...

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My day list for my memorable Saturday:-
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1. Fulmar
2. Manx Shearwater
3. Gannet
4. Little Egret
5. Grey Heron
6. Mute Swan
7. Mallard
8. Buzzard
9. Sparrow Hawk
10. Kestrel
11. Pheasant (heard)
12. Curlew
13. Kittiwake
14. Black Headed Gull
15. Herring Gull
16. Greater Black Backed Gull
17. Stock Dove (only the second sighting of one for me)
18. Woodpigeon
19. Collared Dove
20. Tawny Owl (heard)
21. Nightjar
22. Swift
23. Swallow
24. Skylark
25. Rock Pipit
26. Wren (heard)
27. Dunnock
28. Robin
29. Song thrush (heard)
30. Blackbird
31. Grasshopper Warbler (heard)
32. Chiffchaff (heard)
33. Great Tit
34. Blue Tit
35. Coal Tit
36. Magpie
37. Jackdaw
38. Rook
39. Carrion Crow
40. Raven
41. Starling
42. House Sparrow
43. Chaffinch
44. Goldfinch
45. Greenfinch

Stolen moments..

Not had much time this week, but I managed to steal an hour in the garden this morning (and five minutes having a break from housework this afternoon) It was havoc this morning... three Woodpigeons and several Starlings all quarrelling for the best spot! There were TWO Coal Tits back and forth on the sunflower hearts, so I hope to see young ones soon.
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Off out this evening and feeling hopeful!
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I’ve not had much time over the last few days to write anything up. Nothing has changed though. I’m just back to basics – watching/observing - every morning and thoroughly enjoying it, and I’ve been reading (and learning), which I never get the time to do usually. The camera has taken a much deserved siesta! I did get a few grabbed shots today. The adults are looking fraught and still working hard. I admire them immensely.

We have been busy at work, but my boss asked me this afternoon how the rooftop H Gull chicks are progressing (as he’s been out of the office a lot and he was speaking to someone about them, in passing). I was impressed he had thought about them as no-one else at work does! Obviously, I have been watching them and they are all doing well.



I would not be impressed if someone took a shot of me looking rough, but I think this image depicts the impact the hard work has on them...



The result however is that we have 6 healthy chicks milling around our garden...

The day list comprises of the usual garden and work sightings:-

Herring Gull
Woodpigeon
Collared Dove
Swift (amusing me late at night with their shrills)
Swallow
Pied Wagtail
Wren (heard)
Dunnock
Robin
Blackbird
Chiffchaff (heard)
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Magpie
Jackdaw
Carrion Crow
Starling
House Sparrow
Chaffinch
Greenfinch
Goldfinch

Ashley's Sparrowhawk...

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A busy day so no out and about birding, unfortunately…

My day list:-

1. Herring Gull
2. Woodpigeon
3. Collared Dove
4. Swift
5. Swallow
6. Pied Wagtail
7. Wren (heard)
8. Dunnock
9. Robin
10. Song thrush (heard)
11. Blackbird
12. Chiffchaff (heard)
13. Great Tit
14. Blue Tit
15. Coal Tit
16. Magpie
17. Jackdaw
18. Carrion Crow
19. Starling
20. House Sparrow
21. Chaffinch
22. Goldfinch

Sunday...

I find it difficult to write up the posts when I am running behind, especially after being at work when the weekend is a distant memory, and I have work to do at home also! I have to look through my shots to remind myself :- )

A couple of hours spent at Walmsley on Sunday (when we met up with Ashley & Kay) did produce some excitement… a Grey Heron tussling with a meal. We never did decide what the meal was (maybe eel… maybe slow worm). We watched it for what seemed like about 10 minutes. It was obviously fighting back. The Heron was bothered by it, to say the least. It swallowed it and it wriggled back out. It swallowed it again, with water… it wriggled back out. This went on… and on! The Heron did not give up though and eventually… submission, and not by the Heron!

As I had decided to go for some shots of the previous day’s Spotted Flycatcher, Ashley & Kay decided to follow. We saw the SF, but again my shots were not good. We called at Colliford on the way back. The Black Duck avoided us again, but we did see a Cuckoo sitting with a very vocal Swallow on an electric line! We all called at Par for a short walk before heading home.
My neck on the line Ashley… It’s a Kestrel… I’m convinced!
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My day list for Sunday:-
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1. Little Grebe
2. Cormorant
3. Grey Heron
4. Mute Swan
5. Canada Goose
6. Mallard
7. Buzzard
8. Kestrel
9. Moorhen
10. Coot
11. Lapwing
12. Black Headed Gull
13. Herring Gull
14. Greater Black Backed Gull
15. Woodpigeon
16. Collared Dove
17. Cuckoo
18. Skylark
19. Swift
20. Swallow
21. House Martin
22. Pied Wagtail
23. Wren
24. Dunnock
25. Robin
26. Song thrush (heard)
27. Blackbird
28. Sedge Warbler
29. Willow Warbler (heard)
30. Chiffchaff (heard)
31. Reed Warbler
32. Spotted Flycatcher
33. Great Tit
34. Blue Tit
35. Coal Tit
36. Magpie
37. Jackdaw
38. Carrion Crow
39. Starling
40. House Sparrow
41. Chaffinch
42. Greenfinch
43. Goldfinch
44. Linnet

It has been a busy weekend. I did my garden watch yesterday and in the evening we went out for a wander with Derek, Sam & Poppy again. Needless to say we had three life ticks! I also gave blood - to the Midges! My pics were not good and I decided to go back looking for a good shot of the Spotted Flycatcher today, and although I saw it again, my photography was not up to scratch. It was a lovely evening - Thank you Derek & Sam - I won‘t forget the beers, I promise!

My day list for Saturday:-

1. Great Crested Grebe
2. Grey Heron
3. Buzzard
4. Herring Gull
5. Greater Black Backed Gull
6. Woodpigeon
7. Collared Dove
8. Tawny Owl (heard)
9. Nightjar (life tick) (Spotted first by the Abbot, not once, but twice!)
10. Swift
11. Swallow
12. Great Spotted Woodpecker
13. Meadow Pipit (heard)
14. Pied Wagtail
15. Wren (heard)
16. Dunnock + Juvs
17. Robin + Juvs
18. Songthrush
19. Blackbird
20. Willow Warbler (heard)
21. Chiffchaff (heard)
22. Goldcrest (heard)
23. Spotted Flycatcher (life tick)
24. Great Tit + Juvs 3
25. Blue Tit + Juvs 6
26. Coal Tit
27. Magpie
28. Jackdaw
29. Carrion Crow
30. Starling + Juvs
31. House Sparrow + Juvs
32. Chaffinch
33. Siskin (heard)
34. Goldfinch
35. Linnet
36. Redpoll (life tick)

Twenty minutes in the garden this morning and an hour and a quarter at Par this evening…
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(Neck on the line as I’m not good at ID’ing Pipits, but the legs are quite dark so I went for Rock Pipit after much deliberating... Collecting plenty of food for the young ones).
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My day list:-
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1. Cormorant
2. Grey Heron
3. Mute Swan
4. Canada Goose
5. Mallard
6. Buzzard
7. Kestrel
8. Moorhen
9. Oystercatcher
10. Black Headed Gull
11. Herring Gull
12. Lesser Black Backed Gull
13. Greater Black Backed Gull
14. Woodpigeon
15. Collared Dove
16. Swift
17. Swallow
18. Rock Pipit
19. Pied Wagtail
20. Wren
21. Dunnock
22. Robin
23. Stonechat
24. Songthrush
25. Blackbird
26. Reed Warbler (heard)
27. Chiffchaff (heard)
28. Great Tit
29. Blue Tit
30. Coal Tit
31. Magpie
32. Jackdaw
33. Carrion Crow
34. Starling
35. House Sparrow
36. Chaffinch
37. Goldfinch
38. Greenfinch
39. Linnet

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My day list:-
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1. Cormorant
2. Little Egret
3. Grey Heron
4. Mute Swan
5. Canada Goose
6. Mallard
7. Buzzard
8. Moorhen
9. Herring Gull
10. Greater Black Backed Gull
11. Woodpigeon
12. Collared Dove
13. Swift
14. Swallow
15. Pied Wagtail
16. Wren
17. Dunnock
18. Robin
19. Stonechat
20. Blackbird
21. Reed Warbler
22. Chiffchaff
23. Great Tit
24. Blue Tit
25. Coal Tit
26. Magpie
27. Jackdaw
28. Carrion Crow
29. Starling
30. House Sparrow
31. Chaffinch
32. Goldfinch
33. Greenfinch
34. Reed Bunting