Nanjizal 2017

This year's "team" comprised Ron, Peter, Andy and Jerry, who arrived on the late afternoon of Saturday 7th October.  With little traffic on the M4, and roadworks completed on Bodmin Moor, it was a much quicker drive (4 hours) than last year.  On Sunday morning there was some rain in the early hours, but it had cleared by dawn and all the nets were opened from 7 - 12.30, giving a decent start of 47 + (34).  The best of which were 5 + (1) Firecrest, a Grasshopper Warbler, 12 + (3) Blackcap and (2) Yellow-browed Warbler.  Mark Grantham (+2 helpers) were also on site, trying for Meadow Pipit and caught 78.

Firecrest

More overnight rain had cleared, and there was an improved catch, on Monday, of 78 + (35), including 37 + (9) Goldcrest, 9 Firecrest, 11 + (1) Blackcap and (1) Yellow-browed Warbler.  The team was joined by John (one of Kester's trainees). On Tuesday, two C licences who are in University in Falmouth (Robbie and Jake) were taking full biometrics of Chiffchaff and Yellow-browed Warblers (to determine origin), and fitting radio tags to Yellow-browed Warblers (and other vagrants) to determine their onward orientation.  No overnight rain to suppress night migration resulted in a catch of 147 + (23), which included 72 + (7) Goldcrest, 23 Firecrest (a new day record for the site), 3 Yellow-browed Warbler, 9 Chiffchaff (the biggest catch of the week), 10 + (1) Blackcap, a blythi Lesser Whitethroat  and 23 Meadow Pipit.

blythi Lesser Whitethroat

Strong winds were forecast for Wednesday, so it was a trip to Portgwarra for a sea watch.  Amongst the steady passage of Gannet and Auks were 2 Arctic Skua, 5 Manx Shearwater and 2 Sooty Shearwater. Along the tideline were several stranded Portuguese Man o War jellyfish.  In the early afternoon, a brief visit to the Hayle Estuary (birdwatching) was not particularly productive, but there were close views of Bar-tailed Godwit. Although closer to home they would no doubt all be delighted with the variety of Waders and Wildfowl on show. Later in the afternoon another belt of rain passed through.

Portuguese man o' war

A clear sky overnight resulted in the biggest catch of the week on Thursday.  Robbie and Jake were back, to help with the catch of 180 + (31), which included 87 + (12) Goldcrest, 17 Firecrest, 3 Yellow-browed Warbler, 20 + (2) Blackcap and 30 Meadow Pipit.  A brief scan of the rocks at Sennon Cove, gave the best count (five) of Mediterranean Gulls for the week.  In the afternoon it was back to Porthgwarra to look for a reported Red-eyed Vireo, finally tracked down after about three hours.

Yellow-browed Warbler

Another windy forecast for Friday, and it was back to Portgwarra for a 2 hour seawatch.  Passage was much the same as on Wednesday, but with an earlier start, the highlights were 5 Arctic Skua, 2 (probable) Pomarine Skuas, a Great Skua, c50 Balaeric Shearwater and c50 Kittiwake.

Saturday was the last day, and they were joined by three ringers from Manchester (who would be running the site for the coming week), and had a decent catch of 68 + (35), including 26 + (13) Goldcrest, 8 + (2) Firecrest, (2) Yellow-browed Warbler and 16 + (2) Blackcap.  The total for the week was 600 + (158), and included many fewer Chiffchaff and Blackcap than in previous years.  The trip back was almost as uneventful as the trip down (arriving home at about 5/5.30), though Kester phoned to say he had just seen a Red-eyed Vireo in the trees near the ringing table - always need to have an incentive for next year.

Idyllic

Totals: