Walmsley Sanctuary and Middle Chapel Amble, Cornwall, Britain.

Birding on the North coast of the county.

 

Walmsley from the tower hide.

We were off up to the North off the county today to visit two areas of wetlands I like very much, we parked and Steve met up with a guy he knew Dave Thomas and we all made our way out onto the reserve seeing Fieldfare (Zorzal Real / Turdus pilaris), Pied Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla yarrellii), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo), European Herring (Gaviota Argéntea Europea / Larus argentatus) and Black-headed Gull (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus) before we reached the first hide.

Common Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago).

From the hide we had Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Eurasian Wigeon (Sibón Europeo / Mareca penelope), Northern Shoveler (Cuchara Común / Spatula clypeata), Canada (Barnacla Canadiense / Branta canadensis) and Greylag Geese (Ansar Común / Anser anser),  Great Cormorant (Cormorán Grande / Phalacrocroax carbo) and Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus).

Eurasian Wigeon (Sibón Europeo / Mareca penelope), Northern Pintail (Ánade Rabudo / Anas acuta), Tufted Duck (Porrón Moñudo / Aythya fuligula) and Gadwall (Anade Friso / Mareca strepera).

After a while we walked around to the tower hide, on the way I heard a squealing Water Rail (Rascón Europeo / Rallus aquaticus) and from the hide added Mute Swan (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor), Northern Pintail (Ánade Rabudo / Anas acuta), Tufted Duck (Porrón Moñudo / Aythya fuligula), Gadwall (Anade Friso / Mareca strepera), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus), Eurasian Curlew (Zarapito Real / Numenius arquata), Common Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis) and as we walked back to the car European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone) and 4x Stock Doves (Paloma Zurita / Columba oenas).

Before we left the area Dave suggested we had a look at another hide on the other side of the road so we set off along some wet field edges before reaching the spot which gave us a nice view out over the River Camel, it was low tide so the mud was exposed and we found Common Redshank (Archibebe Común / Tringa totanus), Common Greenshank (Archibebe Claro / Tringa nebularia), more Eurasian Curlew, a single Little Egret (Garceta Común / Egretta garzetta) but best of all was a large flock of around 600 European Golden Plover (Chorlito Dorado Europeo / Pluvialis apricaia) which something had flushed up.

Mute Swans (Cisne Vulgar / Cygnus olor) and Eurasian Wigeon (Sibón Europeo / Mareca penelope).

On the walk back to the cars we saw a couple of Lesser Black-backed Gulls (Gaviota Sombria / Larus fuscus) before we drove around to Middle Chapel Amble and walked out onto the marshes there where there was a very muddy path out to another hide.

From the hide we didn't add any new bird species but I was very pleased to see my first Cornish Otter (Nutria / Lutra lutra) but it unfortunately played hard to get and as soon as it appeared it went back into cover. 

The view from the Middle Chapel Amble Hide.

As we walked back to the cars we saw a Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), Common Gorse (Ulex europaeus) and Butterbur (Petasites hybridus).

We were back at the house before dark and spent some time checking the feeders adding Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Coal Tit  (Carbonero Garrapinos / Periparus ater) and Rook (Graja / Corvus frugilegus).

Later we settled down with a few drinks and watched some movies before welcoming in 2025 saving ourselves for a big day in the Pub tomorrow 😀😀😀😀.