It’s been an exceptional year for large ‘shears’ in the south-west approaches. We’d seen a few Cory’s from Pendeen so were in eager expectation when we boarded the Scillonian on Wednesday, for our day trip to the Scillies. We hadn’t got out of Mounts Bay before we started seeing more Cory’s Shearwater. There was a reasonable showing of Manx but we couldn’t find Balearic or Sooty. Half-way across – somewhere around Wolf Rock – we encountered a mixed raft of Manx, Cory’s and three Great ‘shears’. A little further on an adult Sabine’s drifted past us. During the out-bound trip we also had around 25 Storm Petrel and several species of cetacean: Common & Risso’s Dolphin, Harbour Porpoise and the ‘blow’ of a Fin Whale. The return trip gave us more of the same but perhaps in lesser numbers. Not one skua was the most notable record. Away from the Scillonian the only other sea-bird of special interest was a colour-ringed Mediterranean Gull at Hayle, which I managed to obtain details for – ringed as a chick in June last year, near Leipzig. Details below:

On our way back from Cornwall to home yesterday we took a slight diversion, via the Tees estuary – it only added 250 miles to our journey, and boy was it worth it! We arrived at the end of the road which passes the former Teeside steelworks, on the south bank of the river, in failing light and gentle drizzle. A quick enquiry of a local birder confirmed that we were in the right spot and that the bird had been there ten minutes ago – but had then flown out to sea! Luckily ten minutes later it flew back, did a circuit of the estuary before coming into roost on the pilot pier directly in front of us. A superb adult (female) Brown Booby – last seen in April on the Dry Tortugas, Florida – a distance of nearly 4,500 miles, as the Booby flies. Two Booby species added to my UK list in a week 😉 . It was late by the time we got home…

A couple more record shots of it in flight.

It was another quiet day in the valleys yesterday, to finish off our Cornish holiday. Very few birds of note. We did however manage to catch up with the Hoopoe in Nanquidno – the undoubted birding highlight of the day. Only topped by our best insect – a lovely Golden-ringed Dragonfly. Well distributed along the western side of the country, from Cornwall to the Scottish highlands, but completely absent from the east. We finish our Cornwall list on 120 – a pretty respectable total for a rather unpromising birding week. Birding highlights have included: Citrine Wagtail, Buff-breasted & Pectoral Sandpiper, Cory’s & Great Shearwater, Sabine’s Gull, Cirl Bunting (though not counted on the Cornish List), that elusive Hoopoe – oh and not forgetting the unforgettable Booby, of the Red-footed variety! We’ve really enjoyed re-visiting some old familiar spots, eating pasties, meeting up with birding friends from Norfolk and seeing some lovely birds – the whole experience made better in the company of Neil & Nicola. We’ve had unseasonably warm / dry weather for the whole week, but as I write this blog it’s pouring with rain – a good time to be leaving.

One of the main objectives for an autumn trip to Cornwall is the possibility of connecting with ‘yankees’ – North American birds caught up in the hurricane systems which track across the Atlantic, bringing these rare birds to our shores. That’s the theory – in practice it’s hardly ever worked! Over the 25 years I’ve been coming I’ve only ever seen one American land bird – Red-eyed Vireo – but we have had more success with waders and wildfowl. This trip began with a Buff-breasted Sandpiper and yesterday we bumped into another American shore bird. Fed up with flogging the valleys we were lured to Stithians Reservoir, a little further east up the Land’s end peninsular, by a reports of a couple of waders to add to our trip list. We’d just got in the hide (invited in by John doing his WeBS count) when the first of our target birds fell – a juvenile Little Stint was running around on the mud in front of us. The mixed flock, which contained Ringed & Little Ringed Plover, Curlew Sandpiper, Ruff, Spotted Redshank, and Dunlin was further scrutinised. A large ‘peep’ on the opposite bank with a breast-band and yellow legs was immediately recognised as Pectoral Sandpiper! We got reasonable views before it was flushed by the corvids and flew off strongly north. Still a nice yankee in the bag. Later we were looking for more target species – which we found from the Golden Lion causeway – including a smart Wood Sandpiper, when Neil noticed a close wader on the mud. It was the Pec again which gave even better views. We let local birders know before putting the news out on the bird information services. Our wader count for the trip has now reached 22, with the possibility of more to come?

Ever since the Red-footed Booby was first seen off the Isles of Scilly on 7th August – only Britain’s second record of this tropical oceans wanderer – I’ve been willing it to stay long enough so we might get a chance to see it during our pre-booked holiday to Cornwall. Fortunately the bird has remained and adopted a pattern of roosting on Bishop’s Rock lighthouse. When we arrived on Saturday I started making enquiries of the local boat-owners on Scillies about possible trips out to see the bird. Unfortunately the special birders excursions have stopped – the boats being used for more general wildlife and whale watching – and other than special charter, the options looked bleak. Day trips on the Scillonian only arrive at mid-day and give you around four hours on the St Mary’s before departing back to the mainland. The bigger charter boats don’t go very fast, so even if one became available during the time window available it would be tight to get out to the rock and back in time. The only options that seemed remotely viable were an overnight stay on St Mary’s during peak holiday season or, according to some, viewing Bishop’s Rock distantly from St Agnes with a scope! Then came the break-through we were hoping for, Dave McBride had a fast rib and a two hour break in his schedule. So yesterday we boarded the Scillonian in the hopes of finding more ‘tail-end Charlie’ birders who wanted to see the bird and would share the cost. Eventually – between some excellent sea-watching from the boat – we found four other takers and I confirmed our booking with Dave. The Scillonian docked in St Mary’s, we transferred to the rib and within twenty minutes we were circling Bishop’s Rock – and the Red-footed Booby roosting on the top! A whoop of relief (plenty of birders have required multiple trips to connect with the bird), a few record shots from the boat and it was back for a celebratory pint in Hugh Town. Thanks to Dave McBride for making it happen, Dave (incredibly a fellow NENBC member!) & Keith and their partners for sharing the hire but most of all to the Red-footed Booby for staying around!

Heading for Bishop’s Rock on the rib – with growing nervous anticipation

A couple more record shots taken from a ‘rubber-ring’ rib bouncing on the Atlantic Ocean!

We’ve spent the past two days working the valleys around Lands End. It’s been hard work with very little reward. We’ve neither found much ourselves or caught up with the better birds reported by others. The Hayle estuary, on the right tide, has produced a bit of interest with Curlew Sandpiper, Whimbrel and Mediterranean Gull being new for the list. We did manage a brief sea-watch from Pendeen yesterday afternoon when several close Cory’s Shearwater was the highlight. Today we’re on the Scillonian for a day trip to The Scillies – better luck there I hope.

Our first full day in West Cornwall got off to a good start with the 1st winter Citrine Wagtail on the beach at Marazion. We then spent the rest of the day searching the valleys for migrants. In the end we did see a few including: Pied & Spotted Flycatcher, Firecrest and Willow Warbler as well as Wheatear & Whinchat. The day concluded with reasonable views of Red-backed Shrike at Pendeen and Osprey over the Hayle estuary.

After the events of the past two weeks we’re taking a well-earned break in Cornwall. On Friday we drove as far as Bristol, completing our journey to Hayle yesterday- via a couple of birding spots. Cirl Bunting have, apparently, had a good breeding season and have been expanding their range. We found them in reasonable numbers around Budleigh Salterton. An update on the bird info. services included a report of the Buff-breasted Sandpiper at Davidstow airfield from Friday. We decided we’d give it a go. The old airfield is a vast tract of grass criss-crossed by disused runways. We drove around until I saw a couple of Ringed Plover at the edge of the main runway, with them was a very smart and approachable Buff-breasted Sandpiper. Nice to get the week off to a good start!