Firecrest.

Report. Lilahstewart

One found dead in a garden today in boscundel,tregrehan,st austell

We were lucky to have one visit the garden on Christmas Day along with a male and female Blackcap.

Great Northern Diver

Report and photograph. Nigel Climpson

Sadly not a Pacific Diver but a Great Northen inside Par Harbour this morning.

Nigel

Nice photograph Nigel.

Around the Bay

Report. Derek Julian

A quick look around St Austell today, highlights below;

Off Porthpean this afternoon, 7 Black-throated Diver, 1 Great Northern Diver, 4 Wigeon and a single Kittiwake.

No sign of the Little Gull at Par Beach Pool just after lunch, (but can be very elusive). Species included 153 Canada Goose, 17 Mute Swan, 34 Coot, 24 Moorhen, 5 Tufted Duck and a Common Gull.

At St Andrews Pool, Par 4 Siskin and a Chiffchaff were of note.

Best wishes and seasons greetings,

Thank you for the report Derek.

Hope you had a good Christmas. Happy New Year to you, Sam and Ben.

Porthpean

Report. Mark Whittaker


Porthpean 11am-12pm 

Went down to Porthpean after seeing Rob Davey's report of possible "Pacific Diver" from Charlestown. Couldn't get parking at Charlestown due to boxing day swim .. MAD !! Diver definatly showing characteristics of Pacific diver although distant. 9 Black throated Diver, 1 Great Northern Diver, 1 Med Gull and good numbers of Fulmar, Gannet & Shag. Also the Bittern was present at Par Beach Pool yesterday.

Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas .. sadly I didn't get Kelly Brook in my stocking !


Thank you for the report Mark.
Pity about Kelly.

Christmas Message

St Austell Baywatch would like to wish all friends, contributors and followers of the Blog ...
A very Happy Christmas and a Mega New Year.
Thank you all for your support.

Lapwing and Golden Plovers

Report. Richard Ford


I hope you are keeping well.  After a busy summer neglecting the local
wildlife I finally managed to go out with the camera (for the first time in
over 6 months locally) and here's a small report for you:

Par beach pool: 1 Shelduck, 2 Tufteds, 1 Little Gull
Penpillick Hill: 600-800 Golden Plover, 70-80 Lapwings, 2 Raven

That's about it.

No doubt see you about soon,

Have a good one,


Thank you for the report Richard.
I hope to see you around in the New Year.
Merry Christmas to you and the family

Turnstones

Report and photographs. Andy Cross


Took these photos on Tuesday afternoon of Turnstones out on the shoreline good job i had my wellies on        Not a lot about at the moment and the weather is not very good        Happy Christmas and a happy new year to you all.


Thank you for the report and photographs Andy. A Merry Christmas to you and the family.

Photographs. Nigel Climpson

Black Redstarts

Report and photographs.  Nigel Climpson

A couple of images on Christmas Eve. How different from last year. The first is a Grey Heron striking a dramatic pose on Par Beach against the sun. And then around at Spit on the rock pile by the harbour wall there were three, possibly four (they move so fast) female Black Redstarts. Also present was  a male Stonechat, a wren, and some Redwing.

You can follow my blog at http://parexcellent.blogspot.com.

Merry Christmas to you all

Thank you Nigel. A Happy Christmas to you and your family

Amended Post

O dear. The gremlins have struck again.


The previous post was of course from Andrew Thomas (of Shrewbury) and not Andy Cross as stated. 
I must apologise to both the Andy's and hope I have not caused any inconvenience.


The post has now been amended.

Gribben,Spit and Par

Report and photographs. Andrew Thomas


Hi, it's Andy from Shrewsbury. Popped down to visit family in Tywardreath for a few days. Up early this morning to go to the Gribben. I think the birds were having a lie-in. Very little there. More luck at Spit and Par Pool - arrived just in time for the "Little Gull Show". Had a nice chat with some fellow bird watchers - I don't know if they are contributors to your site, but they were very pleasant.

5088 - male Stonechat, Spit.

5114 - female Stonechat, Spit.

5122 - Purple Sandpipers, Spit.

5141 / 5146 - Little Gull, Par Pool. 

Thank you for the report and photographs Andy. I hope you had a nice break.

Quite probably you spoke to some Baywatch contributors as you state they are a friendly bunch.

Purple Sandpiper

Report Mark Whittaker. (Yesterday)

3 Purple Sandpiper, 2 Great Northern Diver & 1 Black Guillemot heading west towards Carylon Bay from Spit Beach

Little Gull & Med Gull still present at Par Beach Pool 

 
Thank you for the report Mark  Good luck with the Television Appeal..

Bittern

Report. Emma Watkins


Hello - Just to let you know the bittern was seen yesterday morning at the back of the pond by from the path which runs alongside the Imerys road. It was flying and landed fairly close to the path. So its still around!!


Thank you for the report Emma ...I am sure it will be of great interest to the Par regulars.

Danish Ringed Gull.

Report. Derek Julian

A Black-headed Gull at Par Beach Pool on Saturday 3rd December with a white darvic ring with the legend VPP was ringed in Copenhagen as an adult female on Mar 26th 2008. This is the first time it has been recorded outside of Denmark.

Thank you for the information Derek. Another first for Par.

Oystercatchers.

Report and photograph. Andrew Carey


Still no sign of the bittern reported to Roger, guess it must've been just passing through. Very little of any note showing today, but the flock of oystercatchers in the attached picture provided a brief flash of excitement.


Thank you for the report Andrew.

Patch Report.

Report. Mark Whittaker

Par Football Field - 42 Oystercatcher
St.Andrews Pool - 16 Teal & 2 Water Rail
Par Bay - 5 Great Crested Grebe, 7 Common Scoter & 1 Great Northern Diver
Par Beach Pool - 3 Tufted Duck (2f & 1m), 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Little Grebe, 1 Kingfisher, 1 Little Gull & Red Breasted Merganser on the river Imerys side .

Thank you Mark.

The previous post has a photograph of the Red-breasted Merganser.

 

Red-Breasted Merganser

Report and photograph. Andy Cross


Went back to get a better photo of the goosander and it was there again and realized it is a red breasted merganser what a stunning bird . Was a little to far away for a better shot. 


Well done Andy.

Goosander.

Report and photograph. Andy Cross

Went to take a photo of a goosander on Par beach river but got spooked by a dog with no owner insight yet again so the photo is poor andy cross.

Thank you Andy. 

 

Red Admirals

Report, Roger Lane

 Since the weather forecast suggests we may not get a lot of Dec. butterflies (if any), I will send in a report for Tues.2ndDec.2011. Initially, ambient temp. was c.9degsC, but there was 75% sunshine. Drew blanks at two coastal localities (strong N.wind), but slightly inland (Mt.Edgcombe Gdns) I was surprised to find a single Rd.Adm. nectaring on Mahonia. This encouraged me to drive on out to their over-wintering home, at Trenarren, inside the Baywatch area.

              By then it was about 11degsC and 90% sunshine. In their (private) garden I was pleased to see one Rd.Adm. fly up from the dry gravel, it's flight disturbed at least 4 more from the leaves of holly bushes !

At least one pair commenced a full courtship flight in the sunlight (time c.1pm). A total of SIX Red Admirals for 2nd Dec.2011 !

Thank you Roger. Butterflies must be few and far between this time of year.

Black-tailed Godwit

Report and photograph. Nigel Climpson.


Lots of water at Par Beach Pool this afternon, even the  causeway was underwater. No sign of any Bitterns but this Black-tailed Godwit was eminently photographable on the near edge of the pool.


Thank you Nigel.

Bittern

 Report. Roger Lane

 IT WASN'T ME ! And I don't know if it's widely known, but a little bird (whom I met in ASDA today, 2nd Dec.2011) told me that he saw the Bittern at Par Pool earlier. Someone quite familiar with last year's bird, I don't doubt his observations (standing and in flight) for a moment. Guess it'll be there for the winter now !  (A non-computer user presumably, he said "to tell Andy" !

Thank you Roger. Photographs will soon be on the way I reckon.