Birdwatch UK October 2017

http://www.birdguides.com/birdwatch Birdwatch•October 2017 25

i VISITOR INFORMATIONVISITOR INFORMATION

❯ Sites and access

There is free open access to all sites, but car parking charges

may apply. Parking is limited in the valleys and it may be easier

to stop in St Just and walk to Kenidjack and Cot. For the  t and

adventurous, all three valleys can be reached on foot along the

coastal path. To a certain extent, all are accessible to some

degree by wheelchair. Buses run regularly to St Just from

Penzance, where there is a train station.

❯ Maps

• Ordnance Survey Explorer 102 and Landranger 203.


• See bit.ly/bw304CornishValleys for an annotated Google map
  which can be viewed in a smartphone or tablet browser.

❯ Web resources

• http://www.cornwall-birding.co.uk for sightings, site guides, a
  county list and more.


• http://www.cbwps.org.uk for the Cornwall Bird Watching and
  Preservation Society.


• Follow on Twitter: @cwlbirds, @CBWPS1 and @BirdGuides.

Barred and Melodious Warblers

and Woodchat and Red-backed

Shrikes. The fi elds to the north of

the valley can hold more pipits and

fl ocks of fi nches, with rocky outcrops

supporting Ring Ouzel and Black

Redstart.

Cot and Kenidjack Valleys

are very similar to Nanquidno in both

habitat and species variety – check

both to mop up any species not seen

at Nanquidno. The cli -top fi elds

are worth searching for Snow and

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Lapland Buntings, while raptors such

as Hen Harrier, Merlin and Short-

eared Owl are all seen annually.

All the valleys have some degree

of running water in them and

Water Rail is resident. Woodcock,

Common and possibly Jack Snipe

could be fl ushed from footpaths. The

resident Choughs will be in larger

fl ocks, often containing more than 20

individuals, and can be heard and seen

as they pass over the valleys or alight in

cli -top fi elds to feed. ■

Opposite page, main photo: Cornish coastal

valleys like Kenidjack are often the fi rst landfall

for tired migrants, and birds can linger to rest

and feed up, making these sheltered hot-spots

ideal for birders wanting to get the most from

October.

Opposite page, inset: fi nding your own

American Golden Plover is a real possibility at

Land’s End Airport, which can be viewed from

roadside passing areas, or on arable land in the

surrounding area.

Above left: the scrub at Nanquidno Valley is a

good place to look for Wryneck.

Above right: scan the cliff-top fi elds of all three

valleys for migrant and wintering raptors such

as Merlin.

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© CROWN COPYRIGHT 2017 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 059/17

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READS

Where to Watch

Birds in Devon

and Cornwall by

David Norman

and Vic Tucker

( fth edition,

Christopher Helm,

£18.99) – order

from £16.99 on

page 61.

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WHERE TO WATCH BIRDS

ROBIN CHITTENDEN (WWW.ROBINCHITTENDEN.CO.UK) OLIVER SMART (WWW.SMARTIMAGES.CO.UK)

Where

to watch

birds

to watch

birds

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