The Lizard
Having not visited the Lizard last weekend I was keen to make the most of a scheduled fieldtrip to Kynance Cove yesterday morning. I drove down meaning I had time to have a quick look around the area before everyone arrived. Scanning from the car park, there was little to see apart from a Golden Plover that flew over east into the wind. The first valley at Kynance Cove was nice and sheltered with lots of common birds present and an adult Dartford Warbler that showed well in the gorse by the footpath. Later on, whilst sampling heather on the valley side as part of the fieldtrip a look at the other side of the valley revealed a smart immature Black Redstart on the footpath with a couple of Mipits. I watched it for five minutes as it gradually made its way up the valley and eventually out of view. After the sampling, we had a break at the café in the cove. Ilya Maclean (our lecturer) said he heard a Yellow-browed Warbler in the trees by the café. I walked over to take a look and was soon onto the little sprite; showing well in the late morning sun. Further up the second valley a Redstart gave good views.
I stayed down on the Lizard after the fieldtrip and had a look up to Soapy Cove. On the walk there I passed a Whinchat, flushed a Snipe and saw 5 Teal on a small pool. Soapy Cove itself was pretty quite, but on the coast path back 7 Wheatear were added. Down to the café at Kynance again, the Yellow-browed was still present and was joined by a Firecrest. Lizard Point etc. was very blown out due to the south easterly wind that picked up as the day went on, so despite trying, I could find anything of note.
Yellow-browed Warbler in Kynance Cove
Could resist another visit this morning and once again Kynance Cove seemed to be the place to be. I walked down to the café and saw that the Yellow-browed was still present in the tress but there was no sign of yesterday's Firecrest. Whilst in the valley I watched one bird fly in from the east and into the valley, shortly followed by a second. They soon came out of the cover and I was very pleased to see that they were 2 *Ring Ouzels*! Absolutely cracking birds. They stayed put for ten minutes or so but then became more mobile, doing circuits of the valley before dropping down again, I left with at least 1 still in the valley and saw a Wheatear on the walk back to the car. I attempted a look at Church Cove but it was clearly too blow out so I headed back to the village green. The bridleway from here to Kynance road looked a bit more sheltered so I had a look. A small bird called and flew into the hedge, it sounded like a Yellow-browed, it came out into the open and I quickly got on it to see it was one, my second of the day and my first self-found. It didn't stay in the hedge long and soon flew into the trees in someone's garden and was lost to view. The wind was starting to pick up so I thought I'd take a look in Caerthillian Cove before heading home. It was sheltered but quite apart from a immature Redstart that came out of the cover then flew west and out of the valley. Another fantastic morning in a truly amazing place!
Ring Ouzels
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