Early this morning we commenced the long drive to Penzance in Cornwall, the first leg of our journey to visit one of our favourite places, the Isles of Scilly.
To break the journey up we walked for a couple of hours in Great Haldon Forest near Exeter (Devon), before pushing on towards the Penzance area.
Low cloud, mist and a little rain persisted over much of the south west today and Great Haldon was a touch drippy and dank! Nevertheless Goldcrests were calling from everywhere and a good number of shrill-sounding Chiffchaffs flicked up from the bracken or trailed tit flocks. Small numbers of Nuthatch, Siskin and redpoll sp were about and the usual Crossbills were just heard today. The raptor watch-point was redundant due to the weather!
Long Rock beach just east of Penzance is the local dog exercise beach, and that's where we were early this afternoon exercising the Collies! Dogs of all shapes and sizes bounded up and away but our two remained fixated on their games in the sea and on the sand. Birds included Rock Pipit, and several Wheatear and White Wagtail as well as a small flock of Bar-tailed Godwits and a Peregrine.
Less than a mile up the beach is Marazion. The small RSPB reserve there held Pied Flycatcher, Whinchat, Stonechat, Wheatear, Rock Pipit, Cetti's Warbler, 2 Grey Wagtails, a Little Egret, a Raven and two Peregrines screaming about. An evening scan at The Hayle was unproductive, the best birds being Little Egret, Green Sandpiper, Grey Wagtail and Kingfisher.
With luck we hope to bird some of the Cornish coves tomorrow before embarking on the Scillonian III on Saturday morning.
Regards
Eleanor and Neil
Bar-tailed Godwits in the mist!
A cameo shot of the Pied
Flycatcher when the sun
did come out! Unfortunately
the bird remained in thick
vegetation.
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