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Friday, 3 January 2025

Bell Lake Marsh in the Red River Valley, Hell's Mouth, South Wheal Frances and Stithians Reservoir, Cornwall, Britain.

A cold morning walk a along the Red River Valley and further afield.

Frost on the Alders.
We started the morning as usual watching the garden feeders seeing Rook (Graja / Corvus frugilegus), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), European Herring Gull (Gaviota Argéntea Europea / Larus argentatus), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Pico Picapinos / Dendrocopos major), Dunnock (Acentor Común / Prunella modularis), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Common Blackbird (Mirlo Común / Turdus merula) and Song Thrush (Zorzal Común / Turdus philomelos), Pied Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla yarrellii), Eurasian Blackcap (Curruca Capirotada / Curruca capirotada) ♂♀, Long-tailed (Mito Común / Aegithalos caudatus), Eurasian Blue (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus), Great (Carbonera Común / Parus major) and Coal Tit  (Carbonero Garrapinos / Periparus ater), House Sparrow (Gorrión Común / Passer domesticus), European Goldfinch (Jilguero Europeo / Carduelis carduelis), European Greenfinch (Verderón Común / Chloris chloris) and Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs).
A nice frosty start to the day.
Lynn and Steve heading towards Bell Lake Marsh.
On our way to the start of the walk we saw a
Common Buzzard (Busardo Ratonero / Buteo buteo) and right at the start of the walk a very nice Eurasian Bullfinch (Camachuelo Común / Pyrrhula pyrrhula).
Frost on Brambles.
An Oak Leaf on Ice.
As we followed the main track in towards the Marsh we added
Common Blackbird, Song ThrushRedwing (Zorzal Alirrojo / Turdus illacus), Common Chaffinch (Pinzón Vulgar / Fringilla coelebs), Western Jackdaw (Grajilla occidental / Corvus monedula), European Robin (Petirrojo Europeo / Erithacus rubecula), Common Woodpigeon (Paloma Torcaz / Columba palumbus) and Common Moorhen (Gallineta Común / Gallinulas chloropus).
On our way into Bell Lake Marsh.
Steve checking out the Marsh.
The marsh it's self was amazing, it was totally covered in frost and ice and looked magical, Lynn and Steve where really pleased to see it like this, as was I but for them to see it looking so nice was great due to all the hard work they put in there along with other volunteers from the Red River Rescuers.
Lynn dodging the boggy bits.
Steve in front of one of the Dragonfly pools the Red River Rescuers have hand dug in the Marsh.
Out on the marsh we added Eurasian Blue, Great and Coal Tit, Common Chaffinch, Dunnock, Eurasian Jay (Arrendajo Euroasiático / Garrulus glandarius), Carrion Crow (Corneja Negra / Corvus corone), Eurasian Collared Dove (Tórtola Turca / Streptopelia decaocto) and Stock Dove (Paloma Zurita / Columba oenas) before we walked back to the car after a very enjoyable visit.
Hell's Mouth cliffs.
Our next stop was at a spot on the North coast called Hell's Mouth where Steve said Fulmar's (Fulmar Boreal / Fulmarus glacialis) breed on the cliffs in the summer but as it was January I didn't expect to see any, however as we looked down to the crags below us I was very pleased to see 3 birds resting up on one of the ledges.
Fulmar (Fulmar Boreal / Fulmarus glacialis).
Fulmar's (Fulmar Boreal / Fulmarus glacialis).
At the same spot we also heard a Red-billed Chough (Chova Piquirroja / Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax) but couldn't locate it and saw Great Black-backed Gull (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus), European Shag (Cormorán Moñudo / Phalacrocorax aristotelis), Eurasian Wren (Chochin paleártico / Troglodytes troglodytes), European Stonechat (Tarabilla Europea / Saxicola rubicola), Pied Wagtail (Lavandera Blanca / Montacilla yarrellii), Eurasian Oystercatcher (Ostrero Euroasiático / Haematopus ostralegus) and around 40 or so Atlantic Grey Seals (Halichoerus grypus) hauled out on one of the beaches.
South Wheal Frances.
We made our way to the southeast of Camborne next to the South Wheal Frances complex, where we had a walk around the remaining buildings and with loads of info from Lynn and Steve I came away understanding a lot more about the Cornish Tin Mining Industry.
South Wheal Frances, Pascoe's Shaft on the right.
Carn Brea.
Carn Brea.
As we walked around we saw Wood Mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) and Common Kestrel (Cernicalo Vulgar / Falco tinnunculus).
Stithians Reservoir from the Stuart Hutchings hide.
Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Ardea alba).
Our final birding spot of the day was at Stithians Reservoir where we spent a while in the Stuart Hutchings hide where we had a distant 
Great Egret (Garceta Grande / Ardea alba) which was a new bird for me in Cornwall along with Grey Heron (Garza Real / Ardea cinerea), Eurasian Teal (Cerceta Común / Anas crecca), Eurasian Wigeon (Sibón Europeo / Mareca penelope), Mallard (Anade Azulón / Anas platyrhynchos), Little Grebe (Zampullín Común / Tachybaptus ruficollis), Black-headed (Gaviota Reidora / Chroicocephalus ridibundus), Mediterranean (Gaviota Cabecinegra / Larus melanocephalus), Common (Gaviota Cana / Larus canus), European Herring and Great Black-backed Gull (Gavión Atlántico / Larus marinus), Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus), Common Snipe (Agachadiza Común / Gallinago gallinago), Eurasian Magpie (Urraca Común / Pica pica), Meadow Pipit (Bisbita Pratense / Anthus pratensis) and Roe Deer (Corzo / Capreolus capreolus).
Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus).
Northern Lapwing (Avefria Europea / Vanellus vanellus).
We popped down to the feeder hide which was quiet so we only added Rabbit (Conejo / Oryctolagus cuniculus) before heading back to the house.
Eurasian Blue Tit (Herrerillo Común / Cyanistes caeruleus).
Later we went to the Halfway House Pub near Rame where we had a very nice meal and a couple of drinks.
Lynn and Steve.

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