Saturday 25th June (Gannets and a Big Basking Shark)


Mr. Kite looked out of The Joint window to see dark clouds, palm trees and a Goldcrest. The air was cool, damp and misty.

However in the late afternoon Mr. Kite set out to walk from Lamorna to Porthcurno. To cut a long story short Mr. Kite spotted a family of Northern Gannets fishing off the Cornish Coast. These giant birds were diving head first into the sea to feed; a good sight to watch. The youngsters in the family had not yet developed the stunning black and white plumage of the adults; they had greyish/brown/black mottled feathers.

Now as Mr. Kite watched the 'Gannet feeding spectacle' he noticed a black triangular fin in the water. Looking more closely Mr. Kite could see a smaller tail fin and occasionally the head of the twenty foot long Basking Shark. The shark was feeding on plankton and swimming in circles moving closer to the coast. Mr. Kite was in a good position perched on top of a cliff where he watched the Basking Shark for fifteen minutes.

During his walk Mr. Kite spotted the usual gulls, Fulmars, Carrion Crows and Common Whitethroats. Mr. Kite returned to The Joint and enjoyed a tipple of Chimay Brun. Cheers from cool Cornwall where Basking Sharks bask and Gannets dive.