SEPTEMBER 15TH, 1999

Cornwall, UK

This evening, whilst visiting my family in Cornwall, UK, I went out to do a grocery run to Safeway in Penzance. This unusual enthusiasm for shopping was due to a juvenile Citrine Wagtail that had been recently discovered at Marazion, a small marsh right next to Safeway.

Fortunately, there were a couple of other birders looking at the wagtail when I arrived. It was quite skulking at first but soon it fed in the open at the edge of the pool catching insects and clambering up the reeds in the last of the evening sunshine.

There had been good numbers of Cory's Shearwaters passing S.W. Cornwall this autumn so I walked out to Carn Gloose after dropping the shopping off and found five birds loafing about offshore near the Brisons. I watched them for about 1/2 hour as they played over the calm sea before finally settling down on the sea.

Huntington Central Park, Southern California

It had been quite a good autumn for Eastern rarities in California, as I had managed to see Canada Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, Northern Parula and American Redstart in October. November continued the theme with the discovery of a Yellow throated Warbler at that rarity mecca Huntington Central Park.

This superb warbler was very active clambering around the eucalyptus trees with the many Yellow-rumpeds also present.

Bolsa Chica, Southern California

A juvenile Sharp tailed Sandpiper had been reported here at the beginning of the week and then went missing for several days. Giving up hope that it would get re-found before the weekend, I was pleasantly surprised when it was relocated on Friday afternoon.

Early Saturday morning, found myself and two other birders watching this shy Asian vagrant maneuvering its way through the salt marsh grass. At one point, it fed in the open on a pool. A very bright bird with a nice rusty cap and buffy breast.

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