Stithians Southern Cut Off and Lands End

Well my first blog post for 2020, at last a sunny day which was most enjoyable. Unfortunately most of the images here were in poor light or at a distance. However they are still fine for web use. Firstly I spent a couple of hours at Stithians Southern Cut off, highlight here was a little grebe thrashing around a stickle back for about ten minutes, backlit by the low winter sunrise.  A few more of the local birds feature in the images. Then it was on to the countryside near Lands End for Short Eared Owls again they did not disappoint but were distant.

Great Spotted Woodpecker in the frosty grass

Little Grebe with stickleback

Chiff Chaff (I think)

Magpie

Jay

Long Tailed Tit

Short Eared Owl

Shorties squabbling over hunting grounds

Short Eared Owl

Short Eared Owl stands his ground protecting his prey from thieving corvids

Pictures from Tropical Storm Ophelia (ex-Hurricane) in Cornwall

Well storm Ophelia provided quite a spectacle in Cornwall. I manged a visit to Lands End and Porthleven. Lands End was really being hit by the gales and the sea was beginning to get whipped up around the Longships lighthouse around 1130 am. However needed to be at Porthleven around 1:30pm to beat the crowds (failed on that one) and get there for high tide. I decided to stay in one spot this time to avoid the waves and keep me and the camera's dry. Well despite being at the top of the hill above the Ship Inn I was still hit by one rouge wave!!!!!! Still no damage done.  Here are some images from the day.

Starling takes shelter from the gale force winds at Lands End

The sea beginning to build around Longships Lighthouse

Some storm watches get soaked and others risk it near the sea wall

Raging sea at Porthleven

This is the beginning of the wave that soaked me somewhat!!!

Full sea power at high tide