Two Valleys Tour – 28th September 2025

Best laid plans and all that!……we didn’t hit any Valleys until lunch time due to a mis-identification of a Grey Phalarope the previous day at St Gothian Sands NR. A single Grey Phalarope had been at the reserve for two days and it was reported to have been joined by another the previous evening. It was agreed that we would go ahead with our planned visit to Nanquidno and then possibly call back at St Gothian Sands if the Phalarope was still there late afternoon. However, we had got no further than St Erth when our guide, Paul, recieved a message complete with image, asking for confirmation that one of the Phalaropes was actually a RED-NECKED PHALAROPE and not a Grey! Red-Necked Phalaropes are very rare in Cornwall with less than 40 records, so we decided to head back to St Gothian.

After some fairly awful weather, the morning was beautiful with blue skies and sunshine and not a ripple on the lake at St Gothian, this made seeing the birds very easy and we soon picked up both the RED-NECKED PHALAROPE and the GREY PHALAROPE along with the usual Little Grebes, Tufted Ducks, Coots and Moorhens. A Snipe and a Water Rail were nice additions to our list and a Kingfisher gave tantalising views. Paul picked up two Green Sandpipers flying overhead and a nice adult Mediteranean Gull. A ‘bunting’ flew in near the dunes that was thought to be a Snow Bunting but due to the amount of dog walkers it could not be relocated. (one was there the following day though, which confirmed the sighting!) We also saw Cetti’s Warblers, Reed Buntings and Stonechats in the reedbeds. A great start to the day!

We went on to Copperhouse Creek next where we picked up more waders including Ringed Plover, Greenshanks, Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwits, Black-tailed Godwits, Dunlins, Grey Plover and lots of Redshank. There were over eighty Mediteranean Gulls here too and it was good to go through some of the different plumages. Our second Kingfisher of the day flew by at close range and perched up allowing some great views through the scopes. Next stop was the Hayle Estuary. We parked at Ryan’s Field but by-passed the hide as our target bird was on the main estuary. We did stop briefly though as our guide spotted the overwintering SPOONBILL out on the mud! Once safely over the road to the causeway bridge we quickly found the PECTORAL SANDPIPER feeding close by amongst a small group of Eurasian Teal. Another great bird to add to the list another lifer for some of the group. Wigeon have started to arrive on the reserve and about eighty birds were present in the creek along with fishing Cormorants and Little Egrets. We crossed back over to look at Ryan’s Field from the road and watched the Spoonbill feeding before it flew over our heads onto the main estuary. A nice RUFF gave good views close to the wall and five Lapwing and a Rock Pipit were also seen.

After an amazing morning we joked it would all be downhill from here on, but another rarity awaited us at Land’s End Airfield. Yesterdays ISABELLINE WHEATEAR was still present and was sat on the tail of a small aircraft on the airfield when we arrived. It remained a bit distant but we had good views through the telescopes and a Northern Wheatear close by was a nice comparison. This bird was only the 4th ever record for Cornwall, so yet another amazing rarity to add to our list! Leaving the Wheatears on the airfield we headed down into Nanquidno Valley where we sat in glorious sunshine for lunch. Whilst tucking in, three FIRECRESTS flicked across the path into the trees behind us, one giving close but brief good views. Once we had finished lunch we walked down Nanjulian Valley to the sea. It was very warm and very quiet for birds (other than Buzzards and four Stock Doves) but butterflies were everywhere, especially Red Admirals, with over twenty on a small patch of Ivy. We also picked up Painted Lady, Comma and Small Coppers here.

Last stop of the day was Land’s End where a Wryneck had been reported. Sadly, this is where our luck ran out as we couldn’t find one, but we were compensated with a smart WHINCHAT and the obligatory CHOUGHS! Another fantastic day tour in West Cornwall with some amazing rare and scarce birds. We finished the day on a grand total of 74 species! The weather and company was fantastic too!

BIRD LIST

Little Grebe, Cormorant, Shag, Little Egret, Grey Heron, SPOONBILL, Mute Swan, Canada Goose, Wigeon, Teal, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Buzzard, Kestrel, Water Rail, Moorhen, Coot, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Lapwing, PECTORAL SANDPIPER, Dunlin, Ruff, Snipe, Black-tailed Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Curlew, Redshank, Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, RED-NECKED PHALAROPE, GREY PHALAROPE, Mediteranean Gull, Black-headed Gull, Lesser BLackbacked Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Kingfisher, Skylark, Swallow, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Wren, Dunnock, Robin, WHINCHAT, Stonechat, ISABELLINE WHEATEAR, Norhern Wheatear, Blackbird, Cetti’s Warbler, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, FIRECREST, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Magpie, CHOUGH, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Raven, Starling, House Sparrow, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Reed Bunting.