The mild weather continues here in Falmouth, Cornwall and over the last few days bumblebees have been active in the garden whenever the sun has managed to find a gap in the rain clouds. This Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) was … Read More
The last few mornings have seen large flocks of Shags and Cormorants feeding at first light on shoals of fish close to the shore. In excess of 500 were seen following the fish shoals in a westerly direction across the … Read More
These glossy orange-red seeds of Stinking Iris are plentiful along the sea cliffs around Falmouth, adding a festive bit of colour. Insight into Stinking Iris (Iris foetidissima): the fruit will remain on the seed pods through the winter, being ignored … Read More
During recent strolls around the shoreline of Falmouth Bay we have regularly been asked “what are we photographing?” and “what is that bird?”. Yesterday a Guillemot was feeding very close to Gyllyngvase Beach and so many people expressed an interest … Read More
This Green Shieldbug was sunning itself on the bright yellow leaf of the Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) in the garden. Insight into Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina): very common and widespread in southern and central UK, it is usually green though … Read More
This Holly tree was a real picture last weekend, covered with bright red berries in lovely sunshine against a blue sky. Does this mean it will be another hard winter, even in the far south west of Britain? Insight into … Read More
During the last few days there have been as many as 6 Blackcaps in the garden. Throughout the summer there had been a single pair but overnight several appeared feeding ravenously on the berries of a variety of shrubs but … Read More
The extremely volatile weather systems have continued with some very strong warm southerly winds coming up from the continent. These winds have continued to bring with them migrant moth species although not in the numbers experienced at the start of … Read More
This Snow Bunting has been feeding on the sea paths around the car park at Marazion for a few days. The bird is amazingly confiding and reluctant to fly even when walkers and cyclists pass within a few feet. Insight … Read More
Red Admirals have been seen in good numbers in the south west of Cornwall in recent weeks and six were in the garden yesterday feeding on heather. The weather has been very unsettled of late with wind directions fluctuating wildly … Read More
There may have been lots of rare Cornish migrant birds about at the moment but we have failed miserably to get any decent photographs of any – so had to make do with a Great Tit in the lounge! Once … Read More
Walking across the heath above Kynance Cove on The Lizard in Cornwall last weekend it was obvious that autumn is here. The Cornish Heath (Erica vagans) was no longer colouring the landscape pink, as it has since July, and patches … Read More