With the ongoing saga of the Brown Booby(s) continuing in Cornwall, we decided to get a team together and see if we could manage to see it. So at 11-30pm with Kevin C driving, myself, Andy M, Dave W & Tony W (a Lancashire & Yorkshire team) we headed south. We planned to get there at first light around 6-30am but with a few road closures, firstly through the never sleeping town of Smethwick, then through the quaint English town of Dursley we pressed on. Calling for a comfort break near Bristol and finally leaving our lovely motorway system at Exeter. Traffic had been fairly light up to now and the A30 was practically abandoned as Kevin C pressed on and we finally arrived at 6-30am, excellent effort Kevin.
I have only visited The Lizard once before to connect with a Little Bustard in 1996 and it was a very misty day, this time it was clear with a nice coastal breeze. My comment There wont be many here today was soon laughed at as the National trust car park was quite busy, luckily we had a couple of members so the £8 parking fee didnt apply. Grab our gear and off along a twisty, rocky path into the cove and then climbing (literally) up to view the magnificent rock formations of Kynance Cove, one birder fell but we helped him up, he seemed okay. We joined the other expectant birders and enjoyed an hours seawatch with Gannet, Manx Shearwater being the main sightings. At 8am myself and a couple of other birders picked the Brown Booby up as it flew in and perched on its favoured rock, then disappeared out of view. Another climb up the coastal path to get a better sighting of the bird, which was difficult to pick up at first but once you knew where it was became easy! We all enjoyed over an hour watching the Booby as it preened and generally digested its food until it flew. The bird was easy to pick up in flight, not at all like it is bigger cousin the Gannet in appearance. It headed east back to its favoured fishing bay and out of sight for us. We had all managed to see a first for Britain (Kent, St Ives, and Kynance etc) and any feelings of tiredness had evaporated, the mandatory team photo was taken and a return to the car park for sustenance. The journey down the cliffs into the cove was just as hazardous being made worse by a little downpour. Successfully making it back to the car and within 10 minutes lots of birders descended onto the cliffs near the car park. The Brown Booby could be seen from down the cliffs fishing in the shallower surf area, still distant but eventually coming much closer down to about 60 yards and finally landing on its favourite rock. Great views!
A decision on what to do next was soon made with a trip to see Cirl Buntings at Labrador Bay near Shaldon, Devon. We had to drive through lots of heavy showers on the 127 mile drive but as we reached Shaldon the sun came out. Around 10 or so Cirl Buntings were seen with a couple of moulting males being the highlight. The journey home was quite good as we seemed to have got our timing right (for a change) reaching Andy M`s drop off point near Warrington around 8-45pm. I got home at 10pm just 24 hours after I had set off. What an excellent trip!
