The Cornwall Blog

Cornwall is a county famed for its coasts, on its highest points you can see the waters stretch from both north and south, as far as the eye can see. But I thought this month I would consider a different kind of water, as well as the salty waves that crash our shores, Cornwall is also home to some beautiful lakes. Still, serene but if you want it, fabulous active fun. One I often frequent, mainly because of the very tasty cafe on site, is Siblyback lake on Bodmin Moor. As you drive down the little road to enter this tranquil spot you are treated with a great view of the lake, actually a man-made reservoir. The sun hits the waters and shines silver bright, often in the fields surrounding you can find those fabulous hairy cows I am so fond of.  Truth be told this is a popular spot, at least at the entrance, so you are sure to find plenty of families making the most of the fresh air, play park and those afore mentioned fabulous cafe treats.  Olive & Co have a refreshing menu...

We are coming into Autumn, a season I truly love, and in which Cornwall shines - woodland walks to stunning sunsets, everything is aglow. From October through to December is also the best time to catch starling murmurations, the name given to the strange phenomena of flocks of starlings creating undulating shapes as they move through the sky. There is another reason why birds are on my mind, I have been working on our latest poster calendar at work as a graphic designer which has a bit of an ornithological theme. I have always found these strange clouds of black somewhat fascinating, experts are still not sure why the birds chose to do this. Is it to exchange information, to keep warm, to ward off predators - or perhaps just for the shear joy of it! Starlings are actually on the British birds at risk list, with numbers 80% down on what we had in the 1970s. In Cornwall though, we did see an increase last year, with areas such as Marazion Marsh seeing thousands of the birds returning....

Grey Heron at Marazion, Cornwall - 20/10/09 Looking out to sea at Marazion you observe plenty of turmoil in the restless waters, sometimes a bit like life. Take a 180 degree turn and you face the opposite in the tranquil waters of the marshes. Look at the water the heron is standing in in the photo above - not a ripple! Bird watching can be so peaceful calming & relaxing. All you need is a modest pair of binns, a pocket bird book for ID and a little patience. Don't worry if you can't ID a particular bird...just ENJOY the bird. The whole ambiance of the experience can be rewarding and there are plenty of places in Cornwall to visit. This month the fabulous starlings are putting on a full roosting display at Roughtor car park Nr. Camelford. My wife Steph & I were there last Sunday, there were 100s of thousands of them, what a spectacle! You need to get there at about 4pm. Don't miss it. Norman Greaves

If you are fortunate enough to live near the Camel Trail in Cornwall, no doubt you have had a stroll or bike ride somewhere between Padstow and Bodmin, maybe even ventured the full length. Whatever the case I am sure you would have delighted in the bird life found all along this trail. I wrote previously regarding bird watching on the Camel Estuary, and recently I took the plunge and purchased a scope to enhance my birding. It took me hours of research, visits to optic demonstrations in the field, and advice from other users before I finally made up my mind on which scope to go for. My decision?…Swarovski ATS 80HD with a 20 - 60 Zoom lens (pictured above). No, it was not cheap, but I had been saving for some time and reasoned that I only want to buy once, and so in my research decided to get one of the best on the market. It hasn't let me down. In my opinion the optimum Zoom for clarity is around 35 - 40 times. I am not a Swarovski salesman, nor am I suggesting you go out and buy o...

Visitors from far and wide winter in and around the estuary that stretches from Wadebridge to Padstow. They can be seen all along the well known Camel Trail, and if you want a close, clear, colourful view of these valued visitors, the best time is at low tide with the mid-afternoon sun at your back. They of course are waders, wildfowl, gulls and an array of other exotic species that we are privileged to have an acquaintance with at this time of year. Above you can see a shot of a Little Egret that I took on a journey to the waterside last Winter. My last visit was rewarded with a spectacular view of a kingfisher. It flew diagonally across the estuary, straight towards me and my wife, and suddenly stopped mid-air and hovered, like a Kestrel at the side of a motorway. We've often seen this little wonder but usually as it flashed by. This time with the sun behind us and in a hovering position he/she lit up like a rainbow. What a wonderful moment! There are many rewarding moments along...