A few more from last (long) weekend...
.

.

.

.

.

.

.

I spent a lot of time watching the Spoonbill at Marazion yesterday, so I couldn’t resist putting more up. I wish I had a video camera. It’s so much more enjoyable in real life. It slept most of the time, but occasionally had a stretch and took the opportunity to preen in the sunshine. An adorable bird to watch and it’s much nicer when you have the time to enjoy them for a while. The injury by the eye seems to be healing well.


.

.

.

.

.

.

Having slept for ages in the sun; Tired again...!

.

.
We have spent the last two days down West. My day list yesterday was 55 and today it was 59. I saw the Choughs both days, feeding on dung, and I’ve fallen in love with them. We also saw the Spoonbill at Marazion today and I’m embarrassed to say how many pictures I took! It was adorable to watch. I must have spent an hour sprawled out on the wet bank waiting for movement. It just wanted to sleep most of the time, and on one leg! I was going to try and get some pictures of the Choughs today, but ended up looking for Yellow Browed Warbler and Booted Warbler with no success after what seemed like about an hour and a half! I admire those who are dedicated and stick it out until they find them. It’s thanks to them that we know these birds are around and sometimes have the pleasure of a glimpse of them. I tried Drift for some pictures of the Whooper Swan, but it was too far away and had to be scoped. Pity I never got the hang of digiscoping! John mentioned that there were four Spoonbills at Copperhouse so I asked Trevor if we could call in there on the way home, but were met with Oystercatchers, Redshanks, Greenshanks, Little Egrets, Gulls, Curlew and too many more to mention all in flight having just been flushed by a man with two dogs, without leads on and walking briskly straight across the middle of Copperhouse! Needless to say we did not see four Spoonbill!
.
Marazion - Spoonbill
.

.

.
Marazion - Pintail (if I've ID'd correctly, so feel free to let me know if I haven't!)
.

.

.
Robin at Cot Valley for MA!

.

.

Marazion - Red Admiral
.

.
Fox - Nanquidno

.

.

A visit to Torpoint was the requirement for today and an opportunity to have a look around. Unable to lift the camera without pain I decided to leave it in the car. The weather was awful in the morning; not being able to see for the sea mist at Rame Head, but it brightened up in the afternoon, just in time for Wacker Quay – tide out and the highlight of my day. Trevor was out of sorts today having had 2 injections yesterday that can have that effect. When we arrived at Wacker Quay he got out of the car; scanned with his bins and said “nothing here” and went back to the car to read in the warm. Hopefully he’ll be better tomorrow. I wasn’t giving up that easily so I scanned with my bins and out came the scope! My head count at Wacker Quay was 25 species! The real highlight for me was counting 6 Great Crested Grebe – I love them and I’ve never seen that many in one place. My head count for the day was 44. I took a couple of shots today to test the camera and it’s working well – miraculously!

Test shots…The bad quality is down to the poor light and poor photography skills I hope and not down to the encounter with a couple of rocks! There must have been 100 + Goldfinch in this flock, but I only managed to capture these few!


.

.
Some from St Levan some time ago when we saw the Wryneck for the first time. I spotted this Chaffinch preening in the sunshine above me. I think it’s a juvenile.
.

.

.

.

.

My day at home doing chores… A bruised shoulder, pulled muscle in my arm, painful hip and back not too good either… The camera has more bruises!

.
Saturdays are usually set aside for a visit to the supermarket and then staying home cleaning the house, tidying the garden and cleaning the bird feeders. I finally made it to the lounge to vacuum and the end was in sight – I switched it off to go and empty the washing machine – VERY DULL I KNOW! My phone went – a text message from Derek… “6 Spoonbill on Camel showing well if you are in the area”… to which I replied “I wish I was in the area”. Then, it suddenly hit me A LIFE TICK – SPOONBILL – ALWAYS WANTED TO SEE THEM! I was hammering the stairs to get Trevor’s attention (as he’s deaf) within seconds. A message went back to Derek “on our way”! Now where’s Dinham Flats? Onto the computer – found it… and the spot where Derek said to park, but I’m not good with maps. Nevertheless I found it (Trevor was impressed – I could tell). I walked down this slipway… very slippery and Trevor said “be careful – I just slipped”! No sign of the Spoonbill so off we went heading towards Wadebridge. Text to Derek “well, we’re here… just have to find them”. Then the mobile rang and it was Sam “Derek says you’re in the wrong place – go back to the car and walk down the slipway – we’ll see you in a bit”. Back we turned and heading down the slipway again – Trevor “be careful” – bang! I hit the rocks. The camera hit the rock beside me and as the lens protector headed towards the estuary - the end of the lens headed back down, still in my hand and towards another rock! I pulled it up quickly and looked down the lens. Switched it on, aimed and took a couple of shots. Phew! I’m going to need a new camera and/or lens before this one is 12 months old at this rate. Then the pain hit me. Looking at my sad face, Trevor offered his hand to pull me up and his sweater to comfort me :-) Onwards and upwards with a smile. No sign of them – plenty of birds, but no sign of Spoonbill; Oh and a man walking aimlessly along the mud flats with no idea what was around him I don’t think. I decided they had gone – probably flushed. Every large white bird was a Little Egret. I turned around and saw Derek and Sam and my spirits lifted. Within a few minutes Derek had found them. FANTASTIC. We had great views through the scope and my camera put on a brave face and took a couple of rough shots for prosperity. We stayed for a while and also saw (in no particular order): Carrion Crows, Jackdaws, Rooks, Peregrine Falcon (being mobbed), Oystercatchers, Curlew, Blackwits, Barwits, L Egrets, Grey Herons, GBB Gulls, LBB Gulls, H Gulls, BH Gulls, Pied Wagtails, Wigeon, Lapwing, Redshank, Greenshank, Grey Plover, Snipe (3 in flight - only ever seen them on the ground and I would'nt know them in the air from that distance anyway), Sparrowhawk (being mobbed), Dunlin, Cormorants, Knot, Wren (earlier when walking). Not bad for a very pleasant unexpected hour’s bird watching!

Another big thank you to Derek and Sam :-)


.

.

Redshanks looking lovely as the sun was going down...

Autumn

Well, last night’s post seems to have disappeared. Fate maybe – it was a little boring. I did it late as I was busy with work! So, I shall try to re-create it, and to make it a little more interesting :-)

I was feeling in a reflective mood again yesterday. The Swallows have gone. It’s all change in the garden. It seems so long ago that the excitement of springtime was in the air. Over this last week or so the trees have probably shed half their leaves (and they all land on my garden). We sweep up a blanket three times a day usually. The birds are feeding more frantically in a bid to keep warm and healthy for the coming months. I have increased my order for food at the pet shop. We have it delivered as we would have to go every other day otherwise (and it’s cheaper if you buy in bulk). With the difficulties I’ve been having with my hands and feet and not being able to sit out in the garden in the mornings to do my head count (and still no appointment at Treliske has arrived – they lost the referral letter with no apology as "it’s to be expected sometimes because they have a lot of post" – great start eh!) I have been working on a hide for the garden. After all, my bird watching will soon be limited to one day a week and early mornings.

Things have changed at work too. Since we moved offices from an office block in the middle of town to an old house on the edge of town (which has a lot of character and I much prefer it) I have realized that I shall not be looking down on rooftops with nesting Herring Gulls next Spring. My day list has changed quite considerably. We have a small garden and we overlook houses and gardens. From my desk (even with the windows closed) I can hear Robins, Wrens, Blackbirds, Blue Tits, Long Tailed Tits, Great Tits, Sparrows, Herring Gulls and the Jackdaws perch on the telegraph wires which I can see whilst I work. It’s fabulous! I’ve even managed to educate the girls in the office and they now compete as to whether they can recognize the song of the bird – usually, “that’s a Robin isn’t it Ange”… “No, it’s a Wren isn’t it Ange”. I just have to convince the boss that we need bird feeders now :-) My day list today was 21.

So, some that I’ve put up before, but I like them. Hopefully the Thrushes will return to the garden soon...



I'd like to get a frosty Robin shot this winter...



Something to remind me of Springtime...

More from the weekend...

.
After my silly post last night I'm back to being serious :-) Some more shots from the weekend...
.
Grey Heron - Marazion Marsh
.

.

.
Skylark - Gwithian
.

.

.
Meadow Pipit - or Mippit as Steve Rogers refers to them :-) - Marazion Marsh
.

.

.
Dunnock - Marazion Marsh

.

.

.

Now to the culprits that put me under pressure...

Woodchat Shrike (better shot than the last one!) - Nanquidno

.

.
Snow Bunting - Nanquidno
.

.

Wryneck - St Levan Church (He returned to this area to feed "religiously")

.

.