Report. Roger Lane

  A short visit to Par Pool on 15thMay,2012 revealed FOUR Cygnets, feeding on the bank with their parents. I could not see another pair.

             There were also up to one dozen Swifts (migrants, or Angie's?)

Well the Swifts are back  Roger. I have been banned from using the loft till October.

 

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help me to id this grebe that I saw in Holland last week. it doesn't seem to fit any of the ones in my books. Thanks, Ann graham.

Can someone help out Ann with the identification.

Report and photographs. Linda

Hi ,I often go to St Andrews Pond or Par beach pond .I wonder if you would like to add this photo of a Northern Shoveler at st Andrews Pond today

Hope it's of some use to your other birders

Thank you Linda. Nice photographs of the Shoveler.

Report Roger.Lane

After the rain, at 5pm this evening, I drove down the Pentewan Rd., stopping at the Manoa sewage works where there were numbers of Hirundines over the filter beds. As far as I could estimate, there were some 10+, Sand Martins; 30+, Swallows; 50+, House Martins and, feeding under adjacent tree branches were c.. 5 SWIFTS. My first this year.

 

Best Wishes, hope you found the locos !      

Thank you for the report Roger. Angie and myself saw similar numbers at the Sewage Depot last week..minus the Swifts.   

Yes! I caught up with Oliver and Tangmere at St Blazey.           

Report. Andrew Carey

If you go down to the beach today, be sure to take your cash!!

 

A brief communications to alert you part-timers to the outrage that is Pay & Display parking on Par Beach. The attached photo gives all the detail, but I wasn't consulted by the Council, was anybody?

I doubt anybody was consulted Andy. It is a body blow for birdwatchers who go on a daily basis. A sign of the times I suppose.

Report. Phil Ouless


This is probably slightly "out of area", but this afternoon I watched a flock of 85+ Whimbrel on the eastern side of the Gribben. They were feeding and bathing on the rocky shoreline just below the National Trust access gate.
Early Purple Orchids are now in flower just off the coastpath on the west of the tower.

Thank you for the report Phil.  Hope you kept dry.

Report. Roger Lane.

The following few birds were seen inshore at Carlyon Bay in just 15mins today:

                

 3+, BTDivers; 1 x GNDiver; 1 x Fulmar Petrel; 2+ Sandwich Terns & 12+, Whimbrel.

 

Thank you for the report Roger.. I hope you are keeping well.

Report and photograph. Andy Cross


Went down to Par beach pond late Friday afternoon and seen this long legged wader on the lodge side of the pond . Went around to get a better look but had flown back to where i was earlier but i caught up with him and took some nice close photos. I am glad that Andy Carey turned up and told me that it was a juvenile Black tailed Godwit coming out in summer plummage. I have been told that there were two here on Wednesday .


Thank you for the report Andy. Nice photograph.
Any sign of the Black Swans on your last visit?

Black Swans at Par Beach Pool

Report and photograph. Andy Cross


Took a quick look down at Par beach pool late this Sunday afternoon and a pair of Black swans have taken up residence . I am pretty sure that they are a couple . Due to one being slightly larger and a redder beak i take to be the male . The only time i have seen black swans is over the garden centre at Sladesbridge. Dont know where these have turned up from but theres  a good chance they may breed  


Nice one Andy. I am sure they will be of interest to the regulars.

Black Head

Report Nigel Climpson.

A trot around Black Head today

 

Birds seen were 2 Red-necked Grebes, 4 Gt. Northern Divers, 10 Black-throated Divers, 12 Common Scoter, a pair of Kestrels passing a rodent in flight, 2 Fulmars and at least 24 occupied Shag nests. Over land were Chiffchaff, Stonechat, 2 Swallows and Linnets.

 

Thank you Nigel. That was a lot more than I saw at the deserted PBP today.

Sand Martins

Report Phil Ouless


I watched about a dozen Sand Martins skimming above Par Pond this afternoon.
A couple of Sandwich Terns were also present just off the beach.


Thank you for the report Phil.
Things are very quiet at the moment. I had a look at the Pool on Monday evening and it was virtually empty. The low water levels are not helping at all.

Slavonian Grebe

Report. Roger Lane.

Just a small note. I was at Carlyon Bay this morning when several small diving birds became apparent just offshore, but no 'bins ! When companion came back and found me a small pair of binoculars hidden in car (!). These showed the 3 birds to be Slavonian Grebes largely in striking summer plumage. Probably a bonded pair (in summer plumage, preening together) and an immature bird, altogether a splendid sight. The species seems scarcer recently. My record for the Bay (c.25ys ago) was 41 birds ! I believe Steve (Madge) had 34 at Portwrinkle the SAME morning.

              The only butterflies this murky spring have been: 1 x Peacock, 18thMarch and 1 x Red Admiral today, 20thMarch. One of the worst springs I can recall, due to mist, cloud and low temperatures.

Thank you for the report Roger. I am sure the Butterflies will soon be out in large numbers.

Sparrowhawk

Report and photograph Andy Cross


Walking around the grass by Par beach pond the other day i came across  this bird which had been the target of a bird of prey but getting closer i could see  that the prey itself was a bird of prey i think it was a female sparrowhawk please correct me if i am wrong Its chest was ripped opened and all the organs were missing and the head was missing and can anyone tell me what other bird of prey would do this       Andy Cross

Thanks for the photograph and report. Does anybody have a suggestion as what could have been the culprit?

Male Shoveler

Report and Photographs. Andrew Carey

Popped into Par Beach this afternoon, caught a brief glimpse of the Bittern, up in the reeds behind the causeway, not seen again once I'd got the camera out. Also present were a couple of teal, a male shoveler, (a couple of photos attached) the ring necked duck and a number of tufties, and a little grebe, plus all the usual suspects.

 

Thank you for the report and photographs Andrew. I had a quick look at 1800hrs this evening. It was very quiet and misty with very few birds about. Nothing of note ...just a couple of Tufties diving.

Bittern

Report. Roger Lane.

A brief visit to Par Pool this morning, with only binoculars, showed 1 x resident Shelduck, some 6+ Tufted Duck, 4 x Goosander (1male). Did not see any more interesting ducks (but anything could have been behind the island !)

                 I did however see the Bittern (when it moved) standing motionless, within the yellow reeds at the back of the Pool !

Thank you for the report Roger. It is nice to see you have been out and about again,

Med Gull

Report and photographs.Phil Ouless.


I paid a brief visit to Par this morning and noticed a Mediterranean Gull on the pond. The attached photo shows the bird moulting from winter into summer plumage.
also managed a distant shot showing the difference between the Mediterranean Gull & one of the Black-headed Gulls.


Thank you for the report and photographs Phil.
I always seem to miss the Med Gulls at Par.

Bittern

Report and photograph. Phil Ouless.


The Ring Necked Duck was still present at Par this afternoon, though keeping well clear of all the commotion around the feeding area.
There was a Bar-Headed Goose sitting on the concrete "partition" at the eastern end of the pond. While watching this one, a Bittern flew up out of the reeds nearby & flew slowly over to the back of the pond.
A handsome drake Shoveler was also was also present today (photo attached)

Thank you for the report and photograph Phil.

Angie and myself were at the Pool around  1600 hrs today. I noticed someone taking photographs at the beginning of the Pool (reedbed end) possibly it was you.
Nice photograph of the Shoveler.

Goosander at St Andrews

Report and photograph. Nigel Climpson

Four Goosanders at St. Andrews Road Pool this morning including one drake. They flew in the direction of the sea at about 11.30. Also one Shelduck. Perhaps from Par Beach Pool?

I attach a rather animated picture of one of the redheads.

Thank you for the report and photograph Nigel.

Butterflies.

Photographs Andrew Thomas

I attach some butterfly photographs that I took at the Gribben in 2003. No idea what they are, but I thought you may be interested. I will be down next week with family and trusty Camera! The last "butterfly" is actually a Kestrel - not very clear but carrying his lunch!

Thank you for the photographs Andrew. I hope you have a good time at the Gribben next week.

Common Scoter

I was out at the Mussel Farm in the bay this morning (half a mile off Ropehaven) & noticed a flock of 31 Common Scoter. It was quite interesting to watch the entire flock dive simultaneously, which they did on several occasions.

Phil Ouless.


Thank you for the report Phil.