Willow Warblers

Week ending 26/4/09



Monday

Swallows over Chygurno and Huers/ Pendulous Sedge and Ladys Mantle in flower the latter of these also known as Cuckoo flower as it usually coincides with the arrival of this bird, unfortunately I havent heard a Cuckoo here for some years.



Tuesday

The first Willow Warblers seen and heard this year, Swallows in the valley in the afternoon.



Wednesday

Jo found a newly emerged Angle Shades moth in the hall this morning a common species but always nice too see.

Thursday
Willow Warblers singing along the path to Carn Barges.
Offshore around 50 Manx Shearwaters heading SW, Birds Foot Trefoil and Purple Vetch in flower.

Friday.
A Fox at Boskenna today, ran along the path towards me then realised that was not a good move and ran off into the woods.

Sunday
Gt Northern Diver far out over the sea also Manx Shearwaters and Gannets all heading SW.
First Whitethroats I,ve seen this year towards Carn Barges and at that location a Rock Pippit carrying food items, feeding young ?.

Dawn,s wig.

Sunday 12th April

A pair of Mallard flying over Tregurnow cliff, Linnets along the coast path.
Beeflies in the cove!, these are flies that look a lot like bees but are also like small humming birds they resemble Humming bird hawk moths but their proboscis is permanently extended.
First sighting of Purple Orchids, should you come across any of these do not be tempted to pick them as having any part of these plants in your possesion carries very severe penalties under protection of wildlife legislation.

Tuesday 14th April.

Swallows are now appearing, several @ Treverven today, two @Boskenna on friday, three along the path from Huers to Carn Barges on saturday and Linnets along the coastpath.

Monday20th April.
Swallows over Chygurnow and Huers, a pair of Mallard over Tregurnow.

To finish a little humour!.

Our next door neighbour Dawn has recently been acting as an extra in a film being made locally ,she is playing the part of an old servant/ housekeeper and for this has to wear a grey wig.

As she had been wearing this a lot she figured it could do with freshening up, now these are made from a viscose material and as such cannot be washed.
The best thing she could think of doing was to hang it out in the fresh air which she duly did,
a little later she looked out to check it was ok and while she was doing this a large Rook swooped down and flew off with it. I now have a picture in my mind of young Rooks snuggling down in it or alternatively pulling it over themselves like a duvet.

But alls well , she managed to find another at a car boot sale.

Rooks & Goldfinches.

sunday 29/3/09.

at approximately 6.20 this morning a goose flew up the valley, probably a canada given that there have been a pair around recently. A fox laying in the sunny corner of a field at Castalack.

Young Rooks are now heard calling in their nests and I have been finding eggshells on the ground beneath the trees where they are nesting.

A flock of Goldfinches around 24 in number in the Newtown area, flocks like this are known as charms! a very apt name I always think

Cow Parsley, called Kek in some parts of the midlands, is coming into flower in some of the more sheltered roadside places, a much nicer name (I think ) for this plant is Queen Annes Lace.

Another member of the carrot family is also showing colour ,Alexanders is a tall leafy plant which has a large head of yellowish flowers and reputedly was introduced by the Romans as a culinary plant.

Wednesday 1/4/09.

As I walked up the hill by Chygurno this morning a Peregrine Falcon flew down the valley also 2 buzzards hanging on the wind nearby,Found a small group of Cowslips in bloom and took a photograph of them.

In the recent sunny spells I have had fleeting glimpses of Lizards sunning themselves on

prominent stones,along the coast path below Carn Barges a colony of miner bees are digging their tunnels in the vertical side of the path.

Sunday 5/4/09.

A Blackcap warbler was singing this morning in the Willow carr on the way to Carn Barges.

In the mid afternoon I saw a Comma butterfly, this is one of the species that overwinter as mature adults.

Tuesday 7/4/09

Today I went for a walk around Marazion marsh, there were a small number of Sand Martins flying over the marsh ,there are also some young Herons in a nest that can be seen from the road,1 Little Egret and a couple of Cetti,s warblers calling in the scrub around long rock pool.

Finally may I apologise for the delay in posting this blog, I have had no internet for the best part of a week.

Blackthorn & Pussy Willow.

Blackthorn is now coming into flower and as often happens at this time of year it has turned colder, the older country folk always used to call this Blackthorn winter.
The Pussy Willow is also starting to show and in one or two well sheltered places is already turning yellow.
Bladder campion & Sea Campion are also flowering on the cliffs along with Herb Robert& Kidney Vetch and the first Thrift.
On monday there was a male Blackcap on my bird table and on tuesday a Long Tailed Tit on a peanut feeder.
Wednesday down in the cove there was a Black Redstart on the rocks on the NE side .


A Cock Pheasant was along the path from Huers to Carn Barges on thursday & 2 Canada Geese & 3 Moorhen close by


Between Carn Barges & Lamorna Point 1 Shag, 1 Cormorant ,5 Oystercatchers Gannets in groups of 1to 5 flying SW.

Bull Seal between the stream and Lamorna Point.

garden & walk sightings.

Monday 23/3/09.

Blackcap Warbler in garden on bird table.

Tuesday, Long tailed Tit on feeder.

Wednesday, Black Redstart in the cove.

Thursday, Cock Pheasant on path to Carn Barges, Canada Geese (2) & Moorhen (2) close by.

Between Carn Barges & Lamorna Point, 1 Shag 1Cormorant 5 Oyster Catchers.

Gannets flying SW in groups of 1 to 5.

Seal just to the NE of the stream,bottling!.

Beetles & bluebells

Butterflies now starting to appear on sunny days, peacocks & red admirals these will be overwintering individuals.Sparrows still coming to the feeders, chiff chaffs are calling in the old quarries, goldcrests there as well.

Black redstart at treverven on tuesday,blackcap warbler in the garden on wednesday and 4 ravens flew over the valley, a male wheatear on the cliffs between tremelyn and the stream.

A violet ground beetle emerging from its burrow on wednesday,I think! not to hot on insects and it seems difficult to get a really good guide book.

First bluebell on sunday on the path over the downs.

Bird updates & new flower pictures

Further to the item about the House Sparrows,the original bird is still around and on saturday appeared with another cock bird and also a hen,so there was a lot of posing and posturing to impress her so with luck there may be some young ones in time

I counted the rooks nests at the begining of the week and came up with a total of 90,there may be more to come yet!

Walking up through the woods on saturday afternoon I put up a moorhen along the river bank. The Canada Geese are still around and could possibly be looking to nest.Sand Martins have been reported from several locations and Swallows have been seen on Scilly.Spring Squill is coming in to flower below Carn Barges and the first Stitchwort flowers have appeared. Four Ravens flew down the valley this morning.