An early taxi to the airport saw over 20 Lapwings and 14 Golden Plover on the airfield. At 8.30 I was at Porth Hellick and the first thing I noticed was there were lots of birds new in, flying in all directions. This included winter thrushes, Snipe and Skylarks. The only other birds of note were, a 1st winter drake Pochard that arrived overnight on the pool and the SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF at the crossroads. Most of the Chiffchaffs seemed to have departed from the area.
PORTH HELLICK
1 SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF, 1 drake Pochard, 1 male Blackcap, 1 Woodcock, 4 Chiffchaffs, 6 Goldcrests, 7 Skylarks, 5 Fieldfares, 5 Coot, 13 Snipe, 17 Teal and 30+Redwings.
A taxi from the airport to town saw 2 WAXWINGS flying low following the path to my right in front of the taxi on Church Road! The birds came out of nowhere and veered right into the drive way of Belmont House. After I dropped the putters off, I rushed back and ventured into peoples gardens, where I had just seen the birds. There was no sign of them, but 2 Skylarks flew over.
As it was still and the sun was shinning, I guessed that the Lower Moors SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFFS would be showing well. I was not disappointed and found them feeding together in the Sallows and reeds. I stood there for nearly two hours and as there were maybe 3 or 4 birds, there was always one in view. On a couple of occasions, three birds were in the same Sallow! Although they were showing at very close range, however, the bright light didn't help the situation while filming. Standing around in one spot for a very long time payed off. With in ten minutes of being there, a Redpoll sp flew S, followed nearly an hour later by a WOODLARK going NW! The latter species I first heard calling and then picked up flying low overhead. One or two Skylarks and thrushes were also going over, and a Stock Dove flew W. At the hides there was a single Jack Snipe and the fem Wigeon from Porth Hellick. I had a good walk around and just as I flushed a Jack Snipe in a boggy field with 25+Snipe, I heard the trill of a WAXWING! I looked above to my right and it torpedoed past me heading towards Penninis. I continued to watch it through my bins and it turned and headed towards town. It started to descend in the area where I had seen the other two Waxwings earlier at Belmont House.
Again I noticed the lack of Chiffchaffs, with only 5 birds compared to 15+ only a few days ago. Soon the Siberian Chiffchaffs will be out numbering the Chiffchaffs!
LOWER MOORS
1 WOODLARK, 1 WAXWING, 3+SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFFS, 1 Redpoll sp, 1 Stock Dove, 2 Jack Snipe, fem Wigeon, 3 male Blackcaps, 2 Woodcocks, 5 Chiffchaffs, 7 Skylarks, 8 Goldcrests, 10+Teal, 25+Redwings and 25+Snipe.
I called everyone about the Woodlark and when I told Martin, he was watching over 30 Skylarks at Salkee. He also had a Redpoll sp and a Reed Bunting at Porth Hellick. Paul also had 20 Skylarks in the fields at his farm and when I did me patch, I counted 15. In the same fields there was 30+each of Wood Pigeon and Lapwings and I flushed 29 Snipe. Nearby at Trewince, I found 2 Mistle Thrushes, 3 Fieldfares, 9 Meadow Pipits, 20+Redwings and a fem Merlin went through All in the pig field opposite Bay view. Robin told me that he thought he saw the Mistle Thrush at Carn Friars earlier on. Maybe that is 3 different birds on St Mary's?
One of the 3 or 4 SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFFS ashowed well at very close range. Immediately from the beginning of the footage you can hear a different Siberian Chiffchaff calling to the right of this bird. Just before the Water Rails squeal.
A different SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF to the bird in the above video feeding in the same area at Lower Moors.
This 1st winter drake Pochard arrived overnight at Porth Hellick Martin Goodey
Looking from the golf course towards Annet with Star Castle and The Garrison on the left
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