Birding
When you head West from The Helford, you meet Lizard Head, a point that Sticks out into the Channel and the Southernmost point in mainland UK. The Lizard creates a bottleneck for birds heading up or down the channel and consequently it is as good a spot to see as wide a variety of seabirds as you could hope to find.
In 2011 we did a couple of specialist Private Charters for keen Birders, looking for the rarer offshore seabirds. Both trips went extremely well and we saw numerous storm petrels, Great Skuas, Shearwaters (Manx, Ballearic and a Great Shearwater), Kittiwakes, Gannets, Gillemots and numerous other more common species. Because we attract the birds in, using the same sorts of ground baits as when we go sharking, not only do we get to see the birds, we get to see them close-up. We have had Storm Petrels hovering 5 metres from the boat and Fulmars and Shearwaters that you could virtually hand-feed. Even the more common species are fantastic to see at close range and the photographs come out beautifully.
Dan has become pretty keen on his bird-spotting of late so you can expect a lot of enthusiasm on the subject as well as a keen pair or eyes.
For birding trips specifically for the rarer petrels it seems that you want to be going a long way off-shore so expect a long day with a lot of driving. The late summer months seem to be best for the visiting species and August/September seem to be thought of as the best, although we get plenty of nice sightings of visiting birds from late June onwards. Give Dan a call to talk about your particular interests we will work out a plan and a price that is agreeable.
Whilst Birding, we will often see Dolphins and Porpoises and even the odd pod of Pilot Whales. We often also run a couple of Shark-baits out just for the hell of it so you get a bit of a three for one if things go well!