NORTH DOWNS & BEYOND

After eight consecutive days of warmth, calm and sun, it had to happen - a wet day. In fact, the rain could have been described as biblical this evening (although the sun was briefly winning above). Tomorrow looks as if there might be a low pressure system quickly moving through with resulting NW winds pushing onto the north coast - exactly where I am currently. Outside chance of a few seabirds? Being a stubborn birder I will not be heading to one of the ‘named’ headlands, but watching from Porth Island, very close to where I am staying. With Pentire Head to the west of me, and Trevose Head to the north, it really is a poor relation as far as birding goes, but... on two mornings last week I recorded over 2,000 Manx Shearwaters passing SW within a couple of hours, with good numbers of Gannets and Fulmars. These may well have been feeding movements, but the small groups of waders also involved (including Whimbrels and Black-tailed Godwits) were certainly on the move. Maybe Porth cou...

The photographs say it all. A beautiful land and seascape on a gorgeous summer afternoon. A time to hide from global catastrophe, Brexit, our political incompetences and whether or not Tottenham are going to actually buy Lo Celso...

Another flying visit to a site that was gleaned from the CBWPS website, this time the Gannel Estuary. It is long, narrow and as disturbed an estuary as I have come across - I visited at low tide and the ground, being firm underfoot, was invaded by many dog-walkers, horse-riders and hikers, strewn across the open mud as far as the eye could see. Even the wet channels were disturbed. My total of a single Whimbrel and Common Sandpiper spoke volumes... However, it is obvious that there can be birds here as previous reports prove. My success came from a good salt marsh flora that included Parsley Water-dropwort (above), a species that I rarely encounter. Maybe a higher tide will produce more birds.

It’s always a pleasure to visit a new site. I had heard of Porth Reservoir via the CBWPS website and was aware that it is frequently covered albeit by a small number of birders. I decided to walk there from Porth (which took an hour) and was impressed with what I found. It is a long, narrow body of water, flanked by woodland on its southern and eastern flank. At the western end, where I entered the reservoir, I flushed a group of four Common Sandpipers from the dam, but apart from a single Kingfisher the birding did not improve. No doubt regular visits would pay dividends here. Botanically I was pleased to find so much Common Valerian, although it was a clump of the alien Pickerelweed that stole the show. Also of note was the number of Odonata on show - surely there lurks a Lesser Emperor or two...

Breakfast was taken to the accompaniment of c2,400 Manx Shearwaters heading SSW, with, a few hours later, a juvenile Yellow-legged Gull through. The afternoon was spent on the cliff-tops between Porth and Bre-Pen, with the highlights being breeding Corn Buntings, more Corn Marigold in set-aside, both Wall Brown and Dark Green Fritillary, plus a dribble of Swifts and Swallows south, all set in spectacular scenery. I couldn’t resist taking the photo of this group of Wild Carrot, all flowering at different times and in subtle variations of colour.

It’s quite surprising what can be fitted into (and be seen) in a stolen couple of hours in the field. While the rest of the family did what normal people do on the beach, I headed up to the set-aside fields on the cliff-top at Whipsiderry. There is a good arable flora here, including a great deal of Corn Marigold (in the photograph above with Sowthistle). I also found Field Madder, Field Pansy, Sharp-leaved Fluellen and Musk Mallow in the briefest of searches. Overhead there was a steady southward trickle of Common Swift (175), Swallow (225) and House Martin (35). A couple of Hummingbird Hawk-moths were also buzzing about. Earlier in the day I was treated to the presence of a group of at least eight Common Dolphins off of Porth, several of which jumped fully out of the water, showing off their markings a treat. Not a species that I see from the south-east coast.

My view for the next fortnight or so - Porth in Cornwall. Laid-back birding and sedate botanising with the outside chance of some memorable natural history moments. I’ll report back...