HE NORTH CORNISH
Tcoastline is spectacular. High, rugged cliffs plummet to the sea, providing excellent roosting sites for birds. Weather here can be fierce – but, with due caution, this can lead to even better birding. Gannets appear in great quantity after storms. Very occasionally a Chough, the pinnacle of any Cornish bird list, may call by. Rock Pipits are plentiful and delightfully confiding. The area around St Agnes is rich in minerals and its mining history OTHER WILDLIFE Be prepared for fast-changing weather conditions on this very exposed coast has earned it the status of a World Heritage Site. The magnificent ruins of lofty engine houses add to the drama of the scenery. Entrances to old mine shafts are covered by conical ‘Clwyd caps’ which provide a safety barrier for unwary walkers while allowing access to roosts for Greater and Lesser Horseshoe Bats. Grey seals are sometimes seen from the coast path. The heathland above Chapel Porth is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), like much of the coastline around St Agnes, and is also a Special Area of Conservation, of European importance. The residues of mining render the land toxic and unsuitable for agriculture, which means the heathland that once covered a huge area still survives here in its natural state. It is home to some rare plant species and a range of invertebrates. cragginess of Bawden Rocks, just offshore, as well as the cliffs. Raven ‘cronk ’ overhead. Stonechat find good vantage points on gorse bushes.
3In the area of Trevaunance Cove and the village there are Jackdaw, Chiffchaff (in season) Feral Pigeon, House Sparrow, Blackbird, Robin, Wren and Starling.
Climbing over St Agnes Beacon, listen for Sky Lark and flocks of Linnet are possible, too.
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