A fairly quiet day today with the winds swinging around to a SW direction and the rain eventually arriving at 1.00pm. First thing this morning I went to me usual stomping ground when spending autumn half term in Cornwall, the area around Lands End. The wind was quite brisk and the few Chiffchaffs ands Goldcrests that I did see were deep in cover. There was some visible migration that involved Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, Chaffinch and Bramblings. Another reason for coming here was to hopefully see some Choughs. It wasn’t long before a pair flew in and landed a short distance away. They are reasonably approachable so I managed to grab a few pictures before they dropped over the cliff edge.
The rest of the day was spent walking along the coastal path east from Lamorna, returning to the car just before the rain set in. We then drove around stopping at various locations and scanning either the sea or scrub. The last port of call was Sennen Cove Car Park. Out in the Cove were quite a few gull, these included a 100 plus Kittiwakes, 4 Mediterranean Gulls. There was one large black-backed gull slightly lighter than the Greater Black-backed gulls it was with. This gull struck immediately me as being something different. It had a huge white tertial cresent, large white mantle step and streaking on the head, neck and at least the upper part of its breast. Suddenly they all took to the air, an adult Pomarine Skua was causing havoc as it tried to get one of them to regurgitate some food. Once he had gone they settled back down on the sea. I however couldn’t relocate the gull again but picked out a 1st winter Great Northern Diver.
Lets hope tomorrow is a bit livelier.
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