Saturday 21st to Saturday 28th of September 2024 - Marazion, Cornwall

 

Last week was my birthday and Mary and myself Golden Wedding so to celebrate we booked a week in Marazion, Cornwall. As I don’t drive any distance we travelled by train to Penzance and taxi to Marazion. The accommodation was good with great views over Penzance Bay right across to Mousehole and St Michael’s Mount over adjoining rooftops.

View across to Mousehole (Bath Birdwatcher)

St Michael's Mount illuminated
(Bath Birdwatcher)

Sunday 20^th October from the window I recorded Jackdaw, House Sparrow, Starling, Collared Dove, Cormorant and Black Headed Gull. We had to go to the shops but 1^st we visited the local café for coffee and after waited for a bus which I had found on the bus app but it did not arrive and the next was another hour away, so we started walking for a few stops and eventually got to Morrisons. The return bus arrived on time, so we got back in time for lunch. After lunch we strolled to one on the local beaches just to the east of the town centre and here on the rocky shore were lots of Oystercatchers, we also found Little Egret, Great Black Back Gull, Carrion Crow, Mediterranean Gull and Herring Gull. Out in the bay I spotted a Gannet, and as I was scanning the rocks a Ringed Plover flew in and while looking at it a Shag popped up in the sea behind.

Monday 23^rd was my birthday so I was able to do exactly as I wanted so it was to be a birding day. From the flat the day started with a large flock of Starlings flying from the rooftops onto the beach and back, so I carefully checked them all hoping for a Rosy Starling but no luck there. House Sparrow, Carrion Crow, Feral Pigeon and Cormorant were also seen before we made our way to Marazion Marsh spotting Collared Dove on the way. At the Marsh a large flock of House Sparrows were at the entrance eating seed that had been spread on the ground, also seen here was a Wren. Walking on I could hear the distinctive call of a Stonechat 2 then flew onto a bush in front of us. A Magpie flew up from on the ground and a Robin uttered its winter song from the top of another bush. Mary spotted a bird I had missed a Reed Bunting, and as we approached an area of open water a Dunnock flew past and into the reeds. On the open water was a Little Egret that flew off as we approached, and I was attracted to movement in the reeds and found a Chiffchaff. Not much else seemed to be around so we decided to move to look over the beach and, on the way, found a Blue Tit and a flyover flock of Goldfinch. Walking by the shore I spotted in the distance a few waders and so we moved closer to get a better view as my small telescope was not powerful enough at distance to identify them. As we got closer I could make out Ringed Plover, Sanderling and Dunlin and further up the beach some Turnstones, But in the flock were a couple of small waders that looked slightly different from the rest and Curlew Sandpiper came to mind, but we were still to far away to identify so we moved closer, but as we did some people walking from the opposite direction frightened them away never to be seen again, so that was the end of that. As we were looking it started to rain, not for the 1^st or last time in the week. But we were almost at a café so we headed there for coffee and cake. After coffee the rain had stopped so we popped over the road to an area of open water and here was Teal, 10 Moorhens, 5 Little Grebe and a Grey Heron. A Great Black Back Gull was on the sea and a Woodpigeon was in the car park. For lunch we had a Cornish pasty that we ate overlooking St Michael's Mount and the causeway to the island. 

Exposed causeway at low tide (Bath Birdwatcher)

From here I found Oystercatcher, Curlew, Mediterranean Gull, Herring Gull, Black Headed Gull, Rock Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Shag and the highlight of the day a White Wagtail, as we were about to leave 3 larger waders flew in and landed in one of the many rock pools Black Tailed Godwits. Back at the flat while sat admiring the view Swallow and a Peregrine flew past.

Tuesday 24^th We planned to visit a sculpture garden that we had been to before and this meant a bus to Sainsburys where we had to get another to the gardens. The day was very windy, so we sheltered by the Godolphin Hotel until the bus came. We arrived at Sainsbury’s with plenty of time to spare but it was raining AGAIN so to pass the time we wandered around the store until the bus was due but when I checked the bus app, I could see that the bus was not running and it was an hour before the next, everything seemed to be hourly. So we caught a bus into Penzance had a coffee and went back to Marazion. After lunch we decided to visit the Mount, but the tide was still covering the causeway so to pass the time we walked along the beach returning later when we could cross to the mount for a well-deserved cream tea. A male Chaffinch was going around the tables looking for crumbs.  Back at the flat and after something to eat I decided to walk to the Marsh as I hoped early evening night prove better than yesterday. Setting off Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow and Wood Pigeon were soon found. At the marsh was another flock of Starlings and again not a Rosy amongst them. I also found a Cattle Egret on an open area of water and a Little Egret that flew past, a Moorhen was on a pool of open water and a Great Spotted Woodpecker called from the top of a fir tree. Chiffchaff and Robin were the only other species I could find.

Didn’t do any birding Wednesday or Thursday but still added Mute Swan, Meadow Pipit and Buzzard to the week’s list.

Friday 27^th our last full day and our Golden Wedding Day. From the window the day started with Starling, House Sparrow an Oystercatcher on the beach, and both Shag and Cormorant flying over the sea, and Jackdaws on a nearby roof. Walking past the marsh we noted Moorhen, Little and Cattle Egret. We stopped at the same café as we visited on my birthday as the coffee served here was lovely. Walking back to the flat we added the week with Magpie, Black Headed Gull, Herring Gull and a Gannet. We had lunch in the local Hotel but when we had finished it was raining so back to the flat to tidy it and pack.

Saturday the journey home was a disaster the 10.50 from Penzance didn’t leave until 11.15 due to trespassers on the line at Redruth and a late arriving member of the crew and we lost time all the way back so much so that we were due to change train at Weston Super Mare but that station was bypassed so we were forced to change at Bristol Temple Meads a horrible station, we arrived on platform 5 at 15.08 missing the 15.00 train to Bath so we had to wait for the 16.00 on platform 15. As we waited the arrival platform was changed to no12, not a problem as it was only the other side of the same platform but believe it or not at a few minutes before it was due to depart another platform change this time no8, part of the same platform we arrived on. In the end we arrived home well over an hour late.

Our accommodation top floor flat
(Bath Birdwatcher)

view over Penzance Bay with the boat leaving
for the Isles of Scilly (Bath Birdwatcher)