Private Tour for Two – August 2022

A last minute booking a few days ago meant we got a full morning with Sennen and Mike in Cornwall. We headed for an early sea-watch at Pendeen as Sennen was keen to see Shearwaters. We didn’t bother with Porthgwarra as there were already a large crowd there and as a novice birder, this could be intimidating and somewhat overwhelming! Not so at Pendeen where we were the only visitors! Fortunately there was a constant flow of Manx Shearwaters, along with Fulmars, Gannets and Shags, enough to keep us entertained for an hour. Rain spoiled play, so we headed for Kenidjack Valley.

The rain came down a bit heavy at Kenidjack but we had great views of a juvenile Pied Flycatcher whilst we sheltered under the trees by the donkey paddock. When the rain stopped and the sun once again came out, the valley really came to life with Blackcaps, Willow Warblers, Whitethroats, Blue and Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Stonechats and 10 House Martins overhead. A Tree Pipit flew north calling overhead and the Pied Flycatcher showed again briefly. We found three Spotted Flycatchers opposite the allotments before we left.

Our final destination was Drift reservoir in search of waders. Despite another couple of birders flushing birds by straying off the main path, we still had great views of 4 Wood Sandpipers, at least 4 Green Sandpipers, 10+ Common Sandpipers, 4 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Greenshank, a Redshank and Common Snipe! It was great to show our clients the difference between the sandpipers, their calls and in flight.

We finished the morning having seen 60 species of bird, of which 4 were new to our clients.

LIST OF SPECIES SEEN

Canada Goose, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Shag, Cormorant, Fulmar, Grey Heron, Manx Shearwater, Gannet, Oystercatcher, Wood Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Dunlin, Redshank, Greenshank, Common Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit, Mallard, Teal, Black-headed Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Coot, Moorhen, Woodpigeon, Stock Dove, Collared Dove, Peregrine, Common Buzzard, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Meadow Pipit, Tree Pipit, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Pied Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, Raven, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Rook, Magpie, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, Stonechat, House Sparrow, Linnet, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Bullfinch, Chaffinch, Blackbird, House Martin, Swallow.