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Porthgwarra

Cornwall  >  United Kingdom

Porthgwarra is famous for rare birds, scarce migrants and amazing sea watching!

Added* by Paul Freestone
Most recent update 13 January 2024

Description

Porthgwarra has a bit of everything, habitat wise and a full day here can turn up a surprising amount of birds.

The car park has a small wooded copse to its north and this is often a good place to start your day. Britains first American Redstart was found here years ago and more recent rarirites include Hermit Thrush! During Autumn migration the wood is good for Pied Flycatcher and Spotted Flycatcher, Yellow-browed Warbler, Firecrest and possibly something rarer such as Red-breasted Flycatcher or Greenish Warbler.

From here walk up the valley and after the wooden five bar gate take the path to the left and down into the wooded valley known as 60 Foot Cover. On a calm sunny morning take time here to stand/sit and observe the copse. A Yellow-billed Cuckoo was found by a visiting birder in October 2014. This area is also good for warblers which can include Blackcap, Greater Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Common Chiffchaff and Garden Warbler.

Go back out of the valley and take the footpath right again onto the moorland. Just before the wall that cuts across the moor is the 'Dried up Pool'. Despite its name its not always dried up, but this is a good place to look for Eurasian Wryneck in the Autumn. The moor is a good spot for European Golden Plover in the winter and Pipits and Buntings during the Autumn. Lapland Bunting is a regular Autumn migrant here and Northern Wheatear and Whinchat can be found amongst the heather. European Stonechat are very common too. Keep a look out for birds of prey. Peregrine Falcon, Hen Harrier, Western Marsh Harrier, Eurasian Hobby, Merlin, Eurasian Kestrel, Barn Owl and Short-eared Owl have all been seen here.

A walk further towards Lands' End will find you at Trevean Pool. The pool itself is pretty much inaccesible but the surounding woodland is great for spring and autumn scarce migrants and overshoots like Icterine Warbler, Melodious Warbler, Red-backed Shrike and Woodchat Shrike, Subalpine Warbler, Eurasian Hoopoe and Red-rumped Swallow. Keep a listen out for flyover European Serin in Spring too! Anything can turn up here.

Resident birds include Red-billed Chough, Common Raven, Eurasian Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Wren, Dunnock, European Robin and Rock Pipit.

From July through to late September, Porthgwarra becomes one of the UK's top seawatching hotspots. Some of the country's rarest seabirds have been seen from the cliffs at Gwennap Head including Black-browed Albatross, Fea's Petrel, Trindade Petrel (yet to be accepted) and Wilson's Storm Petrel. When conditions are right (South-westerly gales are best!) there can be thousands of Cory's Shearwater, Great Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater, Balearic Shearwater and Manx Shearwater with a supporting cast of European Storm Petrel Northern Fulmar, Northern Gannet, Arctic Skua, Long-tailed Skua, Great Skua, Pomarine Skua, Sabine's Gull, Red Phalarope, Leach's Storm Petrel and all manor of divers, ducks, auks, terns, gulls and waders flying past!

Details

Access

From the A30 near Land's End take the B3315 to Polgigga, just after the duck pond take the road signposted to Porthgwarra. This is a very narrow road and can be busy during the summer and weekends. Get there early to avoid the crowds! There is a pay and display car park, toilets and a nice cafe that does great coffee, cakes and pasties!

Terrain and Habitat

Canyon/cliff , Scattered trees and bushes , Moors/heathland , Sea , Valley

Conditions

Hilly , Rocky , Open landscape

Circular trail

Yes

Is a telescope useful?

Yes

Good birding season

All year round

Best time to visit

Spring migration , Autumn migration , Summer

Route

Unpaved road , Narrow trail , Paved road

Difficulty walking trail

Average walk

Accessible by

Foot , Car , Bicycle

Birdwatching hide / platform

No

Links

View other birding spots in the area that are published on Birdingplaces

Map

Top 5 birds

Other birds you can see here

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