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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 Codroș american was found here years ago and more recent rarirites include Sturz pitic pătat! During Autumn migration the wood is good for Muscar negru and Muscar sur, Pitulice cu sprânceană galbenă, Aușel sprâncenat and possibly something rarer such as Muscar mic or Pitulice verzuie.
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 Cuc cu cioc galben was found by a visiting birder in October 2014. This area is also good for warblers which can include Silvie cu cap negru, Silvie de câmp, Silvie mică, Pitulice fluierătoare, Pitulice mică and Silvie de zăvoi.
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 Capîntortură in the Autumn. The moor is a good spot for Ploier auriu in the winter and Pipits and Buntings during the Autumn. Presură de tundră is a regular Autumn migrant here and Pietrar sur and Mărăcinar mare can be found amongst the heather. Mărăcinar negru are very common too. Keep a look out for birds of prey. Șoim călător, Erete vânăt, Erete de stuf, Șoimul rândunelelor, Șoim de iarnă, Vânturel roșu, Strigă and Ciuf de câmp 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 Frunzăriță galbenă, Frunzăriță melodioasă, Sfrâncioc roșiatic and Sfrâncioc cu cap roșu, Silvie roșcată estică, Pupăză and Rândunică roșcată. Keep a listen out for flyover Cănăraș in Spring too! Anything can turn up here.
Resident birds include Stăncuță de munte, Corb, Ciocârlie, Fâsă de luncă, Ochiuboului, Brumăriță de pădure, Măcăleandru and Fâsă de stâncă.
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 Albatros cu sprânceană neagră, Petrel de Cap Verde, Trindade Petrel (yet to be accepted) and Furtunar atlantic. When conditions are right (South-westerly gales are best!) there can be thousands of Cory's Shearwater, Ielcovan mare, Ielcovan brun, Ielcovan balearic and Ielcovan atlantic mic with a supporting cast of Furtunar comun Fulmar, Corb de mare, Lup de mare mic, Lup de mare codat, Lup de mare atlantic, Lup de mare, Pescăruș cu coadă scobită, Notatiță cu cioc lat, 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!