GODREVY POINT - PORTHCURNO (MINNACK) - RSPB RYAN FIELDS, HAYLE
WEATHER: light winds, obvercast sky with some sunshine - rain later.
It was a relief not to wake up with rain lashing against our bedroom window and to see a nice peach-coloured sunrise. We decide to drive the 4 miles to the National Trust car park at Gwithian and then walk up to Godrevy Point to look for the well known Seal roost.
looking out toward Godrevy Point and the Lighthouse Island
It was quite windy out in the open as we walked towards the point but the scenery and the hope of seeing some wildlife outweighed the discomfort of the wind. We saw a pair of Ravens, also Stonechats, Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, Rock Pipits, Jackdaws and a pair of Chough.
At the designated viewing point we looked down upon the roosting Seals, over 200 of them spread out in a sandy cove as the tide came in. All colours and all ages wallowed on the sand it was quite a spectacle.
there are 210 seals in this picture
We then walked to Godrevy Point which overlooks Godrevy Lighthouse which perches on a small island just offshore. The island was covered in Cormorants, Shags and a few Herring Gulls, Gannets dashed by and a string of Kittiwakes could be seen in the distance heading towards St Ives.
taken through my binoculars
After the walk we sat at the outside tables at the NT cafe in the car park where very tame Magpies and a Robin came onto our table for tidbits.
a cheeky Robin
Celia was leaving for home this morning and she choose that moment to say goodbye, Rachel and Ian wanted to contiue walking in the area, Dawn and I went our separte ways and headed to Porthcurno.
At Porthcurno we had a speight of sunshine, it is a tiny, but beautiful Cove the colours of the beach, the sea and the cliffs were amazing a really, beautiful place. We walked on the beach and then decided to take the coastal path which is a step climb (mainly steps) up to the entrance to the Minnack open-air theatre. I clocked a pair of Stonechats, a Robin, Dunnock and another Black Redstart as I walked up the steps.The theatre was closed, as expected, so we walked back to the car via the lanes.
Dawn's panoramic photo of Porthcurno
looking down at Porthcurno after a climb up to the Minnack Theatre
Dawn's view of the cliffs looking north from the Minnack
the crashing waves at Porthcurno taken by Dawn
It was now 2pm and I wanted to visit RSPB Ryan's Fields before calling it a day so we drove back to Hayle and parked near the main hide at Ryan's Field. The tide was still high so many birds were roosting on the field. We saw 9 Little Egrets, dozens of waders which were mainly Redshank, Curlew, Lapwing, Bar-tailed Godwits, Greenshank, Dunlin and I saw two Ruff.
Ryan's Field during high tide
Ryan's Field with Lapwing, Curlew, Redshank and a Crow
A few Wigeon and Teal had ventured into the flooded meadow and I got onto a Water Pipit which walked out of sight before I could get my phone-camera up to the scope, bird of the day!
a Ruff and a Redshank
two Ruff and a Redshank
four of the nine Little Egrets on Ryan's Field
Common & Med Gulls (left), both 1st Winter birds and four Black-headed Gulls seen on Ryan's Field
We sat on a bench further up the estuary after we had driven into Hayle and parked in Philp's Car-park. You know what is coming next.........the best Cornish Pastie in the world, yum, yum my big fat tum!! And so ended another wet and windy day (no so wet) in Cornwall.