CETTI'S WARBLER at Porth Hellick

 Grayham wanted to come over from St Agnes to see the Siberian Chiffchaffs, as he thought he had one at home at Periglis. At 8.45 I Picked him up from the town hall, dropped Tean off at school and then our first stop was Porth Hellick. Here I noticed straight away that there was less numbers of Chiffchaffs but a lot of Goldcrests at the crossroads. We did get a Firecrest here and from the crossroads towards the hides, I was telling Gray that this is where I heard the CETTI'S WARBLER a few days ago. 'I've got it!' he said, and sure enough it was very briefly in the vegetation in front of us and then it flew low, gave a rattle and a few calls and then gone. We walked on and we heard our first SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF and very quickly we were on it. It showed very well and then we found our second bird around the loop trail. This bird performed for a while and we got very good views as it fed briefly with a Firecrest. Except for a Mistle Thrush at Carn Friars, a fem Wigeon on the pool and a flyover Skylark, there was not much else of note.

PORTH HELLICK
1 CETTI'S WARBLER, 2 F=SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFFS, 2 Firecrests, 1 Mistle Thrush, fem Wigeon, 1 Skylark, 2 imm Sparrowhawks, 3 Greenshanks, 5+Chiffchaffs, 6 Coots, 7 Teal, 10+Goldcrests, 10+Fieldfares, 14 Snipe, 20+Redwings, and 40+Lapwings  


 We saw Will at Tregs car park and he told us that he had a WAXWING come out of Tregs garden at about 11.00 and fly over the quay. After seeing the WATER PIPIT and Black Redstart over the quay wall on the beach, we went to my place for a cuppa and arrived at Lower Moors shortly after mid-day. We made our way into the wood and again, there were not many Chiffchaffs around. Gray commented on, that maybe they can sense the Arctic weather coming in the next few days and have moved on. However, when we made it to Shooters Pool, we discovered that there were maybe 10+in the area. There was also 2 SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFFS feeding with them and both birds were calling on and off and showed down to a few meters. We observed these two birds together, with a Firecrest, for a long time and thought we heard another bird nearby, but couldn't be too sure. Another 2 Firecrests were near the Rose Hill end and walking through a patch of boggy grass, we flushed, first a Woodcock, then a meter away from the Woodcock, a single Snipe, followed by a Jack Snipe.
 Gray had a good day and was very pleased with the 4 SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFFS that we observed. Except for one, they all called while they were in view. I dropped him off in town at 15.30 and when I returned home, Big Al called to say Paul, and before he could finish I buttered in and said, WAXWING! If Gray didn't call me to look for the Sibes Chiffs, then I was going to go to Trenowth to look for Waxwings. I even said to Gray, if we have time, we'll go and have a look for Waxwings at Trenowth! I am so pleased that Paul found it and it was a new bird for him. Well done Paul.


LOWER MOORS
2+SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFFS, 3 Firecrests, 1 Jack Snipe, 2 Teal, 5 Woodcocks, 9 Snipe, 10+Goldcrests and 15+Chiffchaffs 


 Renn called me to ask if I wanted to go to Tresco tomorrow? Oh yes. Lets hope it was like my last visit when I was there and I can also try out my new camcorder that arrived today and see how it performs.





2 SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFFS showing down to a few meters in front of Gray and I at Lower Moors. Both these birds were heard to give that Bullfinch 'type' call on and off.