CORNWALL 2014

Cornwall is one of my favourite places….ever. 

I have been going camping there since I was young, and my grandparents even went there when they were little. The last summer I spent just over 2 weeks there, going swimming everyday and taking evening walks along the beach! The field where we camp is literally a 5 minute stroll to the beach, and a 10 minute walk to the beach shop which make very nice pasties! 

The wildlife around the campsite and coast is incredible. I think this is because of the huge range of habitats, including wildflower meadows, rock pools and lagoons. 

Whilst on a walk with Pippin, I noticed this lady meditating. I don't know why but it made me so relaxed. I love the photograph above as it is so simple, but can tell 1000 words.

I am working on making a short episode on the wildlife in Cornwall. I got footage of sea anemones to corn buntings. I wanted the episode to look professional… let me know what you think.

Here are a few of the photos I took over the 2 weeks :)

We had to make an enclosure out of wind breakers so that Pippin couldn't escape! She managed to get out a few times which she found really exciting, thankfully she didn't cause too much mischief. The beach we visit is called Porthcothan beach, and is often completely empty. We often see grey seals swimming around the rocks, and have even swam with them once! Unfortunately I didn't have my underwater GoPro so couldn't get any shots.

As you can see in the photo below, our caravan has an amazing view of the wildflower fields and the ocean. The hedgerows are alive with butterflies and bees in the summer, and I use a net to catch them and count the different species.

I spotted this bird perched on a branch whist taking photos of butterflies. I think it may be a corn bunting which would be very exciting and they are quite rare. It's a shame about there dramatic decline over the past few years. However, wildflower meadows like those around the campsite are excellent to improve the biodiversity of the area as the more insects, the more birds, the more mammals!

I went on a wildlife boat trip in Padstow in which I spotted Grey seals (as above), razorbills, oyster catchers and so many more bird species! We also spotted a HUGE jellyfish.

I use a net and bucket to go rock pooling and investigate the species which are around the coast. As the tide rises and connects the rock pools to the open ocean you never quite know what your going to find! Some of the species I recorded where snake-locks anemones, strawberry anemones and shrimps.

In the shallow waters around the coast there are literally hundreds of common blue jellyfish. I collected a few of them in a bucket to take some photos of to study.

I especially liked doing the time-lapse of the tide rising into the rock pools. When I visit next I'm going to try and do an underwater time-lapse of the rock pools, maybe seeing the movement of snails and jellyfish!

I look forward to next year already!