England Autumn migration in Cornwall is located in the extreme south-west of the British Isles and is ideally located to receive migrants from North America, Asia and Europe. The majority of sites are situated in the west of the county and are easily accessed from our base in . Over the years West Cornwall has regularly attracted rare species during mid-October. Please note it is advisable to arrive in Penzance on the evening of October 8th. ■ The following itinerary is subject to change due to weather conditions and wind direction, particularly when visiting Porthgwarra and Pendeen.

Day 1: Surrounded by farmland and scrub, is our first destination today. Dates On the reservoir resident species include Saturday October 9th – Saturday Little Grebe, Common Pochard, Tufted October 16th 2021 Duck and Common Kingfisher. If the water Leader: Phil Beraet levels are low the muddy edges attract Group Size: 8 Common Greenshank and Green Birds: 90-110 Sandpiper. In recent years Drift has attract- ed rarities in the form of Ring-necked Duck and Lesser Scaup. For the remainder of the attract unusual pipits, which may include day we explore the West Cornwall valleys Richard’s and Red-throated, plus a chance of Nanquidno, Cot and Kenidjack, which of Greater Short-toed Lark. If conditions are close to St Just. In the upper part of the are good we will revisit the three valleys valleys it is possible to locate several and explore the fields and cliff-tops near species which use sycamore and oak trees the coast. Our main objective is to locate in search of food. Among the flocks we the increasing numbers of Red-billed should locate Spotted and European Pied Choughs which use the area on a regular Flycatchers whilst Firecrest and Yellow- basis. If the winds are onshore there is the browed Warblers occur on an almost annu- possibility of migrant Merlin, Peregrine al basis. Careful searching of the scrub Falcon and Short-eared Owl. In the second may reveal a migrant Eurasian Wryneck or week of October there is a good chance of perhaps something scarcer in the form of a Black Redstart, Ring Ouzel and Lapland Barred or Melodious Warbler. All three val- and Snow Buntings using the coastal fields leys have small streams running through and rocky outcrops. them which attract Common Snipe, Eurasian Woodcock and if we are fortunate Day 3: Marsh is close to our the uncommon and cryptically plumaged base in Penzance and is in part-managed Jack Snipe. by the RSPB. The marsh is a reliable spot for the commoner herons and wildfowl and Day 2: First port of call today is Land’s End gives us a chance of locating Eurasian airport, which usually has no air traffic on Bittern in the reedbeds. In the reeds Cetti’s Sundays. A check of the grassy fields Warbler, Common Chiffchaff, European should reveal European Golden Plovers, Stonechat and Common Reed Bunting are and perhaps an American Golden Plover resident. A scan into the bay from Marazion among them – the species occurs almost may reveal returning winter birds, notably annually here. In the right conditions this is Great Northern and Black-throated Divers also a favoured area for Buff-breasted and in recent years Pacific Diver. Careful Sandpiper. The grasslands sometimes scanning of the sea may also reveal Black-

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Eurasian Bittern Photo: Simon Papps necked and Slavonian Grebes, Common Warbler and Red-backed Shrike in October Scoter and the ever-present Northern while rarer species in recent years have Gannet, Razorbill and Common Guillemot. included Western Bonelli’s, Pallas’s, and Penzance and both have extensive Black-and-white Warblers and Red-eyed fishing ports and a visit to these could pro- Vireo, the latter being almost annual in duce Mediterranean, Iceland and Glaucous occurrence. On exiting the village a check Gulls. Waders using the area include the of the heathland often produces sightings declining Purple Sandpiper, Ruddy of the shy Dartford Warbler and Hen and Tur nstone, Sanderling and Dunlin. Rarities Western Marsh Harriers, whilst Peregrine observed in recent years have included Falcon and Eurasian Kestrel often hunt Surf Scoter, Grey Phalarope and North over the heath. American gulls, notably Ring-billed, Laughing and Bonaparte’s. Day 5: Our main interest today is spending time around the Estuary, which is Day 4: A change of direction today as the one of the most important birding areas in group heads to The Lizard – a long Cornwall. Areas of interest include Ryan’s promontory jutting into the English Channel Field, Carnsew Pool and the old railway and the most southerly point of mainland station at Lelant. Anne’s Wood holds the Britain. Our first stop at Kynance Cove may common woodland species and localised have migrating flycatchers, warblers and Great Spotted Woodpecker and Eurasian thrushes. At Church Cove, on the eastern Nuthatch. The estuary often has large num- side of the peninsula, our interest is in the bers of gulls including reasonable numbers sycamore trees around the churchyard. of Lesser Black-backed, Mediterranean This site often produces records of Icterine and on occasions Little. Muddy sectors of

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Eurasian Spoonbill Photo: Simon Papps the estuary attract waders in the migration ed Flycatcher and Ring Ouzel. If the west season and we have a chance of Red Knot, winds have been present for a long period Common Greenshank and Bar-tailed there is an excellent chance of a North Godwit. Scarcer species which occur in American passerine. Reservoir is autumn include Wood and Curlew close to The Lizard and a reliable site for Sandpipers, Little Stint and Ruff. The Hayle Green and Wood Sandpipers and maybe Estuary also has a long track record of an American ’peep’ such as White-rumped attracting rarities and scarcities from North or Baird’s Sandpiper. On the reservoir wild- America, Europe and Asia with recent fowl such as Northern Shoveler, Eurasian records including Eurasian Spoonbill, Teal and Eurasian Wigeon are sometimes Great Egret, Pectoral and Baird’s joined by rarer ducks in the form of Sandpipers, Lesser Yellowlegs, Garganey, Lesser Scaup and Green- Bonaparte’s and Ring-billed Gulls and winged Teal. Depending on news of unusu- White-winged Tern. al or rare birds these last two days are flex- ible to meet our needs. Days 6-7: On one of these two days we will pay a visit to Porthgwarra or Pendeen Day 8: The tour concludes after breakfast for seabird passage. For best results these with ample time for journeys back home by sites are reliant on south-westerly or west- either rail or road. erly winds. Gwennap Head is probably the best area for sightings of shearwaters, Prices skuas, terns and storm petrels with good passage numbers of Great and Arctic Tour Price: £1,495 Skuas, Balearic, Manx and possibly late Single Room: No charge Sooty Shearwaters along with steady flows Deposit: £150 of Northern Gannet, Northern Fulmar, Common Guillemot and Razorbill. The val- This holiday is fully inclusive of leys at Porthgwarra often harbour migrants accommodation, meals and and passage birds of prey. Recent visits complimentary transport. have produced sightings of Merlin, Short- eared Owl, Black Redstart, Richard’s Pipit, Not included: Drinks, insurance and Lapland and Little Buntings. Other possibil- items of a personal nature. ities include Eurasian Hoopoe, Red-breast-

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