Mount's Bay and Marazion Marsh (Cornwall)
Mount's Bay lies on the south coast of Cornwall with the fishing towns of Newlyn and Penzance on the eastern side and the small rocky island of St Michael's Mount to the west. The bay is large and sandy with several streams crossing the beaches. Although only 35ha in extent, Marazion Marsh is Cornwall's largest reedbed and there is also open water, willow scrub and a small stand of pine trees. It is now a reserve of the RSPB.
Breeding birds are few; Reed and Sedge Warblers nest in the marsh along with a few pairs of Cetti's Warbler and Yellow Wagtail. However, there is much more to see outside the breeding season. Great Northern and Black-throated Divers are both regular in winter as well grebes including Slavonian, Black-necked and Red-necked in small numbers. Common Scoter, sometimes Velvet, and Common Eider also occur with occasionally other species of seaduck. The bay is well-known as a gull haunt and as well as the commoner species, Little and Mediterranean, Glaucous and Iceland are regularly seen. Ring-billed Gull is now regular with long-staying individuals and other transatlantic gulls recorded here have included Bonaparte's, Laughing and Franklin's as well Ross's from the Arctic. Waders include wintering Turnstone and Purple Sandpiper on the rocks and Sanderling, Bar-tailed Godwit, and Grey and Ringed Plovers on the sandy shores. Ducks in the marsh include small numbers of the commoner dabbling ducks, Tufted Duck and Common Pochard. Great Bittern and Bearded Tit are occasional winter visitors to the reedbed. Although skuas are rare, terns pass through the bay on passage and Black Tern may be seen over the marsh. Hirundines occur in good numbers during passage periods and often attract NorthernHobby in autumn. Scarcer migrants such as Hoopoe, Water Pipit and White Wagtail are regularly seen and this is also one of the best sites in the country for the rare Aquatic Warbler from early August to mid-September. Little Egret and Spotted Crake are more rarities that occur with some regularity. Migrant waders usually include Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper and Spotted Redshank and there is a good chance of Nearctic vagrants during autumn, particularly Pectoral Sandpiper.
Other rarities that have been recorded in this area include Long-billed Dowitcher, Gull-billed and White-winged Black Terns and Citrine Wagtail and autumn is generally the best time to visit for a chance of vagrants. Penzance is the major town on Mount's Bay and can provide a range of accommodation, as can the smaller Newlyn. The A30 follows the coast around much of this bay, there are numerous car-parks and free access to most of the beach areas. Of particular interest for gull-watchers are where freshwater streams cross the beach and the two harbours when fishing boats return. Marazion Marsh can be reached by turning off the A30 at Longrock and heading east. Much can be seen from the road but there is a path opposite the car-park at the eastern end.
Birds
Birds you can see here include:
Great Northern Diver, Black-throated Diver, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Slavonian Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, Great Cormorant, Shag, Great Bittern, Grey Heron, Gadwall, Common Teal, Mallard, Garganey, Northern Shoveler, Common Pochard, Tufted Duck, Common Eider, Long-tailed Duck, Common Scoter, Velvet Scoter, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Common Buzzard, Northern Hobby, Peregrine Falcon, Water Rail, Spotted Crake, Moorhen, Eurasian Coot, Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Grey Plover, Sanderling, Little Stint, Pectoral Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, Purple Sandpiper, Dunlin, Ruff, Jack Snipe, Common Snipe, Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Eurasian Curlew, Spotted Redshank, Common Redshank, Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Turnstone, Mediterranean Gull, Little Gull, Black-headed Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Iceland Gull, Glaucous Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Kittwake, Sandwich Tern, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Black Tern, Common Swift, Hoopoe, Sand Martin, Barn Swallow, House Martin, Water Pipit, Blue-headed Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail, White Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Cetti's Warbler, Aquatic Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Bearded Tit, Common Starling, House Sparrow, Reed Bunting
Content and images originally posted by Steve
