In May, the ancient oak trees begin to sprout and their new green leaves are blooming! It’s an exciting month on the Helford River and there’s some lovely wildlife to look out for.
little egret
little egret
The Little Egrets on the Helford River and its creeks are a truly stunning sight. It was amazing to see a flock of birds huddled in the treetops of the Polvelar creek in Geroni. It’s nesting season and some of them are likely just returning from the mild winters of Africa and southern Europe.
heron
Herons and little egrets
Herons can also be seen perching in their nests. Although we didn’t see that many birds flying around the river, they were clearly busy protecting their nests. When they actually fly, their massive wingspan makes them look like pterodactyls. Their wingspan can reach 150-195 cm, which is 59.1 inches – 76.8 inches wide!
Sheldon Duck
Sherdak
Shelduck is a relatively recent sighting on the Helford River and creeks. We see them regularly on Frenchman Creek but only started seeing them two years ago. Both males and females have green heads, red beaks and chestnut brown breasts. They belong to the duck, swan and goose families, are larger than mallards and smaller than geese, and breed in rabbit holes! Various specifications are available around the world. Many breed in temperate European Siberia and migrate to subtropical areas in winter, but the species prefers the north coast of Germany and British coasts and estuaries. The service life is 5-15 years.
Mallard
wild duck
Not to forget the adorable mallards we saw on Frenchman Creek with their ducklings behind them. The male has a green head and the female has a mottled brown body. Its lifespan is only 5-10 years, and its wingspan is much smaller than Shelduck’s, reaching 98 cm. The arrival of ducklings heralds the coming of spring.
atlantic gray seal
atlantic gray seal
Perhaps the highlight of last month was spotting this Atlantic gray seal enjoying a delicious mullet for dinner. We don’t see large mammals very often in Helford, but due to the tides we can see some lovely Atlantic gray seals and dolphins around the estuary when the water comes in from Falmouth Bay. They don’t live here, but often follow fish or fishing boats into the river, so keep your eyes peeled!
Join us Helford River Cruisecontact us to book. Cruise time is May and June Then for future date Please contact us.
Private charters and champagne cruises available! Cameras and binoculars are welcome.
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