Saturday 10 August 2002

10th August 2002 Pendeen Lighthouse 5.30am - 11.30am and 1.00pm - 2.00pm. Cot Valley 2.30pm - 4.00pm. Hayle Estuary 4.30pm - 5.30pm. Marazion 6.00pm - 6.30pm. Moderate WNW sunny

Fulmar c.50
Manx Shearwater c.1,000 west
Mediterranean Shearwater 2 west. One closely resembling yelkouan appearing just slightly browner than Manx on the upperparts but with some dusky markings on the armpits but no obvious brown to the undertail coverts. The other individual very close to what the Collins Guide classes as ‘dark’ showing the hint of a pale belly and typical pot-bellied appearance.
Sooty Shearwater 2 west. Both appeared noticeably larger and longer-winged than Manx alongside appearing largely dark brownish-grey with slightly darker contrasting primaries. Hand held swept-back with noticeable curvature to the leading edge. Underwings silvery-grey often catching the light as they banked and turned into troughs.
Gannet c.200 west
Shag c.10 Pendeen
Grey Heron 1 Hayle, c.2 Marazion
Shelduck c.5 Hayle
Scoter 1 west Pendeen
Buzzard c.5
Sparrowhawk 1
Peregrine 1 female Pendeen
Curlew 1 west Pendeen, c.150 Hayle
Whimbrel 1 Hayle
Great Skua 2 west Pendeen
Arctic Skua 3 west Pendeen 1 pale phase adult, 1 intermediate phase (appearing with many rufous fringes across upperwing coverts) juv. and 1 dark juv. Latter showed white restricted to just c.2 upper primaries forming an obvious white streak with more extensive patch formed on underside of primaries. Pale base to bill quite obvious. Otherwise uniformly very dark.
Kittiwake c.15 west Pendeen
Kingfisher 1 Hayle
Stonechat c.4 Cot
Willow Warbler c.3 Cot
Chiffchaff 2 ad. feeding juv. (which appeared larger) Cot
Raven 5 Pendeen