Cornwall extends 86 miles from the North Devon border to Land’s End. In the East it is at its widest at 46 miles across and then it narrows steadily in the West, averaging about 20 miles across.
Throughout the county, a series of granite outcrops can be seen surrounded by moorland areas. One of the largest is Bodmin moor to the east. Due to the short distance from coast to coast, the rivers rage fast through the majestic scenery attracting an array of interesting creatures.
Wintertime is the best time for bird watching in Cornwall, when severe weather up north pushes huge numbers of thrushes, wildfowl and waders to the Southwest of England for milder conditions.
Migration of the birds in the autumn though is a time not to be missed. It is an exciting time for birders when easterly winds have the possibility of bringing in anything from well-known species torarities.
The Hayle Estuary is a favourite in the bird watching community. It’s a great place to see gulls, migrant waders and terns. It is an area owned by the RSPB and is a designated site of special scientific interest (SSSI). The bird watching hide on the site overlooks an area called Ryan’s Field which is a tidal lagoon and saltmarsh. To view the main estuary, it is a short walk over the road to Hayle. This is best visited two hours before or after high tide to see waders.
The Carrick Roads area comprises of the North-East of Falmouth and Penryn. It is a deep estuary which attracts sea going birds in the winter. Here you will find one of the largest flocks of wintering Black-necked Grebes in the UK. It is not the easiest site to navigate for the enthusiastic birdwatcher but if you make the effort you will be greatly rewarded. The best points of entry are Loe Beach near Foeck then Turnaware Point where you can get really close to the Grebes feeding.
The Camel Estuary is another fantastic place to spot many interesting bird species. It has been designated an area of outstanding natural beauty and provides an excellent natural habitat for birds. The area has large areas of salt marsh, which sees a variety of winter waders and at low tide on the mudflats you will get to seecolony’s of Little Egrets.
Swanpool Lake is an area just south of Falmouth with a good reputation of attracting rare gulls. The lake itself used to open up to the sea but became silted up. It has now turned into a huge lagoon which gets flooded now and again at high tide. Around this lake you can spot many breeding birds like the Coot and the Mallard. If you want to see birds of the rarer kind, then winter is the time to go there.
Penance Point is an area south of Swanpool. It gives way to some of the best sea watching in the area if you are the robust type. Autumn here is the best time to spot birds migrating southwards when you are likely to see 100s of Kittiwakes and Gannets. If you are really lucky you might get to see birds like the Arctic Skuas, the Little Gull or the Sabine’s gull. Sea watching can be tough but can really pay dividends if you are patient.
The birdlife in Cornwall is constantly changing and always exciting for the avid bird lover. The resident bird population is huge and varied and sightings of rare birds happen frequently. From the Waders to magnificent birds of prey, the birdlife in Cornwall will fulfill every bird lover’s hopes and dreams.
These are just some of the many places you can enjoy bird watching, if this is something you would like to know more about when staying in a kate and toms property please get in touch or head over to our main property page for short breaks.
