Holiday Cornwall Pendeen

 For our 3rd day and with the wind still not playing ball we decided to head to Pendeen specifically the area below Geevor Tin Mine Museum to see if we could find the reported Wryneck and Red-backed Shrike! Predictably the Wryneck avoided us despite a concerted effort, it was during this search that Margie finally became a proper Birder! Up til now she has always said things like "I'm not a Birder, I like all Nature"  and "All birds are lovely" Well after an hour searching for the Wryneck, Margie staring into some scrub said excitedly  " I think  I've got it!" followed by "its a f@#king Dunnock" gone was the sweet "I love a Dunnock" no "it's a f@#king Dunnock"😁😁😁😁 welcome to birding!! 😃😃😃 With the help of a couple of excellent young Birders we found the Red-backed Shrike. Alright they found it! But I refound it when it disappeared! 😁

Still a bit of fog on the old industrial landscape which though bleak is quite spectacular

Meadow Pipit

After a quick look for the Wryneck, Birders already present reported no sign, we wandered down to the sea, not many birds but we did see a couple of Harbour Porpoises.

Gulls

Porpoise

Industrial run off, but it looks very pretty

Nice showy Kestrel

We headed up the path where the Shrike was reported, one of the young uns had found it! Where it was located was  quite tricky viewing wise, I ended up balanced on a wall but got some pics eventually!

Red-backed Shrike

We retired to the museum café for a very tasty lunch, while there the Young-uns came in, they had refound the Wryneck!! And had pics to prove it! We staked out the indicated area to no avail, Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Robins and the subject of Margie's ire Dunnocks appeared and disappeared but the Wryneck never appeared, I've lost count of the Wrynecks I've dipped this year!!

Chiffchaff

That F#@king Dunnock 😁

We gave up, and headed to the Lighthouse, well we couldn't come to Pendeen without having a Seawatch! Was one Birder already present and he managed to get me on an Arctic Skua, a few Gannets a flock of Scoter  and a pod of very distant Common Dolphins the best of it! 

A Grey Heron

Common Scoter

Gannet

Gannet

Pipit

Not a bad way to spend a few hours! 

Holiday Cornwall, The Lizard

 Typically on our arrival in Cornwall, the God of Seawatching decided that the previous weeks wind could do one and that Cornwall would look good covered in fog!!! This seems to happen whenever I venture into Cornwall in 3 visits yet to have a spectacular Seawatch that the area is famous for, either there is no wind or I'm in the wrong place when there is wind, which technically is my fault but I prefer to blame fate!

Despite the fog, we decided to head to The Lizard, stopping of at Kynance on the way to look for Wrynecks in the area where we have seen them before, not much about, a few Chiffchaffs, Stonechats and Meadow Pipits in the main. The Fog wasn't actually that bad here.

Chiffchaff

Herring Gull

Great Black-backed Gull

Stonechat

Meadow Pipit

On to The Lizard, The Fog was back!! An enjoyable walk, notable for 100s of Swallows feeding along the Cliffs, interesting to see the archaeological diggings right on the point! We found a few Wheatears, fair few Linnets and Greenfinch and plenty of Pipits, a couple of Choughs settled on the cliff for a couple of minutes. Nice to see several Seals as well! Margie captured the fogginess quite well!

Margie even captured a Swallow in flight which was more than I managed 

 

About the best I could do on the Seawatching front! A lone Gannet

I had literally said "I'm surprised that Foghorn isn't going off", when this happened was deafening! 

Robin

Stonechat

Greenfinch

Couple of Swallows having a rest, gave me a chance to get a pic!

Linnets

Greenfinch

Greenfinch

Meadow Pipit

White or Pied Wagtail, I'm leaning towards White!

Wheatear

Wheatear

Grey Seal

They always look chilled out

Possibly youngsters having a frolic

Meadow Pipit and some nice colourful Lichen

Fog seemed to roll in and out!

Chough, so evocative to hear them calling in the fog!

Rock Pipit in some colourful flora!

Swallow

Wheatear, showing the white arse for which they are named!

Stonechat

All in all a nice walk around, afterwards we stopped at Brenda's Beach Café in Coverack where I had a very nice Crab Salad and Margie had Squid, but best of all they had Gluten Free Scones so we had a cream tea, served warm it was delicious if you are Gluten Free and in the area I highly recommend it! Luckily I clarified the situation and applied Jam first to avoid any unpleasantness, they are pretty hot on that down here!! 

Afterwards we had a walk down to the beach at "The Loe" Wryneck reported the day before, couldn't find it!! Another nice area though!

There were a lot of Gulls flying off the Loe onto the beach

Still some lingering fog

Kin big Caterpillar

Stonechat

Wall Butterfly

Frisky Wall Butterflies lots of trembling wings

Big flock of Goldfinch near the car park

Not  a bad day considering the weather conditions!!!