b

St John's Lake

Cornwall  >  United Kingdom

St John's Lake is part of the tidal estuary of the River Tamar. This wide estuary near Torpoint is excellent for spotting ducks, waders, divers and grebes.

Added* by Baz Willmott
Most recent update 2 noiembrie 2020

Description

St John's Lake is part of the tidal estuary of the River Tamar. It is an outstanding wintering spot for waders and wildfowl as well as being a stopover for migrating gulls and terns. Virtually anything can turn up here, including nationally rare birds. The mudflats exposed at low tide are rich in bivalves and other invertebrates and therefore provide important feeding habitat for wintering wildfowl and waders. Check local tide times, for birding it is really good here 3 hours either side of high tide. Be aware that low winter sun can be a bit of a problem and that a telescope is needed. Birds for which the area is important are Culic mare, Gâscă neagră, the wintering population of Sitar de mal and Fluierar cu picioare verzi. Also notable for good numbers of Rață mică, Rață fluierătoare, Corcodel mic and Culic mic. Other birds include Călifar alb, Fluierar cu picioare roșii, Cufundar mare, Rață de ghețuri and Fugaci de țărm.

Details

Access

On the northern side in the town of Torpoint there is easy access. It's possible to sit in car and watch on a road with many stopping places. This estuary is close to the English Channel so expect species sheltering from extreme weather.

Terrain and Habitat

Wetland , Mud flats , City/village , River

Conditions

Flat , Open landscape , High water possible

Circular trail

No

Is a telescope useful?

Yes

Good birding season

All year round

Best time to visit

Winter , Spring migration , Autumn migration

Route

Paved road

Difficulty walking trail

Easy

Accessible by

Foot , Bicycle , Car

Birdwatching hide / platform

No

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

Map

Top 5 birds

Other birds you can see here

Show more birds Show less birds
Show more images Show less images

Comments & Tips

Give feedback
Rate this area