Five more foot its

After the weekend’s efforts and as the month nears its end, I realised I’m in with a pretty good chance of being very near the top in terms of total numbers of species seen. Weekday birding and a full-time job aren't that compatible, but I've managed to squeeze in a few hours birding here and there. A post-storm trip to Pendennis Point got me two totally unexpected species:

109. Balearic Shearwater

110. Bonxie

Even winter sea-watching in the most unlikely of places can occasionally turn up some goodies. Reviewing my list, I realised there were a couple of quite easy ones available near to Tremough Campus, so decided to do the walk to work and do a spot of birding in the day. Managed both the species I wanted and a bonus Brambling, so:

111. Dipper

112. Stock Dove

113. Brambling.

I’m currently three species behind Simon Chidwick’s phenomenal effort at the top the total tally leader board.  Can’t see myself getting any more, as there’s no easy ones left, and I've only got a couple of hours spare in the morning to go birding. However, I do intend to put in one last-gasp effort, so who knows....

More foot it - nearing the end

As the end of month approaches, I’ve had to go further afield to get new species in my Foot it attempt, but at least on occasion, my efforts have paid dividends, as I’ve now surpassed by target and have seen 108 species. 

 Top; Argal Reservoir at dusk. Goosander in the distance. Bottom: the long-haul walks often mean that the return birding is in the dark.

Another Med Gull. This time at Swanpool

Here’s another update on my efforts: 

17^th Jan

Walked into work today in the hope of getting one or two, and on my way home managed this:

79. Tawny Owl -

21^st Jan

Long-haul effort today via Mylor Harbour, Carnon Downs and Deveron (c. 18 miles) got me a few additions:

80. Red-breasted Merganser

81. Pheasant

82. Nuthatch

83. Shelduck

84. Peregrine

85. Dunlin

86. Black-tailed Godwit

87. Reed Bunting

22^nd Jan

A sunny day  tour of the coast down to Rosemullion Head got me a few seabirds and one or two other extras, but surprisingly – no Stonechat!

88. Purple Sandpiper

89. Greylag Goose

90. Fulmar

91. Gannet

92. Kittiwake

93. Guillemot

94. Razorbill

25^th Jan

Crazy busy week at work with no birding until Fri, when I managed a trip down to College Reservoir and caught up with one or two I missed on my last visit.

95. Gadwall

96. Pochard

97. Goosander

98. Common Gull

99. Skylark

26^th Jan

A short wonder down to Swanpool in the Spring weather. Target reached!

100. Stonechat

101. Red-throated Diver

26^th Jan

Longest walk of the month today – c. 25 miles to Gwennap Sewerage Farm and then Deveron!!! Definitely paid off:

102. Yellow-browed Warbler

103. Green Sandpiper

104. Shoveler

105. Ringed Plover

106. Bar-tailed Godwit

107. Sandwich Tern

108. Marsh Tit

Foot it

Perhaps foolishly, given my lack of free time I’ve decided to take part in the Foot it challenge. The aim: to see as many bird species as possible leaving and returning to the house entirely on foot. The real aim: to loose the beer gut. Another aim: to get in the top 5 of total species seen and get a few birds that nobody else manages. I’ve set myself a target of a 100 species, and have managed to get out a few times. 

Some of the routes I've covered so far

Here’s  a summary of my efforts so far:

First major effort of the year was last Sunday, when I meant for a stroll round Pendennis Point and on to Swanpool. Missed a few possibilities, such as Purple Sandpiper, but caught up with a the Red-necked Grebe at Castle Beach and found a Slavonian Grebe there as well, which was an unexpected bonus. They’re really hard to get down this way – actually the first I’ve seen in Cornwall. Total haul for the day: 50. Half way to the target.

Chiffchaff - a fairly common bird around Falmouth in winter. Managed to catch up with about 10 of them in Swanvale

Great spotted Woodpecker. No particular reason for showing this one other than the fact I failed to get any decent shots of scarcities

The next notable effort was a quick scoot round the Penryn River mid-week, before work. A wintering Common Sandpiper was an unexpected bonus. Total up to 61.

This weekend I decided to embark on my first lengthy walks. A 12 miler round past Flushing to Mylor on the Saturday, followed by a slightly shorter walk to College Reservoir on the Sunday. Highlights on the Saturday was a overwintering Whimbrel (there can’t be many foot it challengers who’ll manage this one), a Black Redstart and splendid views of Great Northern Divers and Black-necked Grebes. Sunday was a bit more disappointing, as I failed to see the Bittern and a few targets such s Marsh Tit. I did add a few though. Total now on 78. Here’s the complete breakdown

 Great Northern Diver. One of five giving their eerie calls.

 Bonus prize for guessing the species

Mylor Harbour - sailing home to Ben Ainslie. Always a pleasant place to go birding as well as Sailing. 

6^th January 2013

Falmouth:

1	Black-headed Gull
2	Lesser Black-backed Gull
3	Herring Gull
4	Great Black-backed Gull
5	Rock Dove / Feral Pigeon
6	Woodpigeon
7	Collared Dove
8	Pied Wagtail
9	Wren
10	Robin
11	Blackbird
12	Blue Tit
13	Jackdaw
14	Starling
15	House Sparrow

Pendennis Point:

16	Goldfinch
17	Cormorant
18	Shag
19	Buzzard
20	Med Gull
21	Meadow Pipit
22	Rock Pipit
23	Dunnock
24	Song Thrush
25	Long-tailed Tit
26	Great Tit
27	Magpie
28	Carrion Crow
29	Raven
30	Chaffinch

Castle Beach:

31	Red-necked Grebe
32	Slavonian Grebe

Swanpool:

33	Mute Swan
34	Canada Goose
35	Mallard
36	Tufted Duck
37	Little Grebe
38	Grey Heron
39	Moorhen
40	Coot
41	Kingfisher
42	Greenfinch

Swanvale:

43	Water Rail
44	Great Spotted Woodpecker
45	Grey Wagtail
46	Blackcap
47	Chiffchaff
48	Goldcrest
49	Jay
50	Siskin

8^th January 2013

Penryn River:

51	Teal
52	Little Egret
53	Sparrowhawk
54	Curlew
55	Common Sandpiper
56	Greenshank
57	Redshank
58	Green Woodpecker
59	Redwing
60	Firecrest
61	Coal Tit

Tremough:

62

Lapwing

10^th January 2013

63

Kestrel

12^th January 2013

Penryn River:

64

Fieldfare

Trefuses Point:

65	Oystercatcher
66	Whimbrel
67	Black Redstart
68	Linnet

Mylor Harbour:

69	Black-throated Diver
70	Great Northern Diver
71	Great Crested Grebe
72	Black-necked Grebe
73	Turnstone
74	Mistle Thrush

13^th January 2013

College Reservoir:

75	Wigeon
76	Goldeneye
77	Snipe
78	Bullfinch