Wildlife Watch on the Helford in Summer

Summer on the Helford, the ancient oak trees that line the banks are the river are in full bloom! The river is lined with a lovely rich dark green, the oak tree branches covered in green lichins, mosses and ferns all soaking up the moisture laden air and carbon emissions. The Helford is home to rare North Atlantic Temperate Rainforests that thrive on the Ocean in Cornwall with our mild winters and cool summers. These trees, some left to fall and biodegrade on the creeks, are alive with birdsong at this time of year.

Here’s some of the wildlife you might see on our Helford Koru Kayak Adventures: .

Here’s what you might see this Summer on the Helford River and creeks:

The Herons have been nesting in May high up in the Herony on Polwehveral Creek, but now the fledglings have flown the nest can be see proudly perched on branches on Frenchman’s Creek and Polwheveral Creek. They are beautiful bird, with predominantly grey feathers and touches of white and black, with a mix of yellow, pink an brown on their beaks and legs.  Although you might hear them before you see them with their load squark they often make when taking flight, you can’t miss them flying with a wing span of up to 195cm!

Herons live off small mammals and fish, Although herons do like an easy meal and most are spotted by the Pond House, the original oyster and by the smoke house on Frenchman’s Creek where the fishermen would smoke fish or perhaps they enjoy the quietness of these remote creeks.

The Little Egret fledglings have now come down from their nests too and can be seen on the branches of the ancient oak trees on the creeks. Their bright white feathers and bright yellow wader feet. Often spotted in Africa on the back of Elephants, but our Little Egrets migrate to the Helford in the summer months. They enjoy farmland and marine areas and the Helford is a perfect spot for them and whilst some migrate, some will stay here all year round. With manificent white plumage, there’s a few varieties of egret that can be found on the Helford clustering together in the ancient oak trees that line the Helford River and creeks.

Kingfishers – we rarely see these in the Spring time. They are about, but are a much more common sighting in the Autumn? Perhaps too busy nesting in the river banks to be flying up and down the creeks showing off their bright blue and russet wings.

Cormorants – Is it a Cormorant or a shag? Both black birds who like to swoop down and swim under water to catch fish. Both have long necks but shags are smaller and have a steep forehead. both can be spotted on the Helford hanging out on the buoys with wings spread drying them out before their next fishing dive. They can dive up to 45 metres!

Curlews – you’ll hear their haunting cry before you see them as their brown speckled feathered keep them well camouflaged. They have amazing long curved beaks too.

Then there’s seals – whilst not resident in the Helford those cheeky, curious grey seals can often be found following a fish or fishing boat up or even following us so keep your eyes peeled!

Dolphins 

Dolphins have been spotted frolicking just off Trebah Gardens beach on a couple of occasions in the last few years and once a customers pointed out a fin just before Frenchman’s Creek. ‘A shark’ she said. I smiled, no sharks here, but then it was a dolphin! Such beautiful aquatic mammals that belong to the infraorder Cetacea. Highly intelligent, social, and charismatic animals and a joy to see when we encounter them on our boat trips, so keep your eyes peeled!

Fish

There are over 80 species of fish in the Helford River, including mackerel, sea bass, bream, sardines, and pilchards, to name just a few. On calm days—especially if you’re wearing polarised sunglasses—you might be lucky enough to spot them more easily, particularly along the creeks.

Smaller fish are often seen leaping from the water, chased by something larger beneath the surface. It’s also bluefin tuna season, which is a

relatively new and exciting development for Cornwall. These impressive fish are enormous—larger than common dolphins—and we had a fantastic sighting off Trebah Beach last autumn.

Sponges, Oysters, Mussels, Kelp and Seaweed

What lies beneath, on the low tide the Devonian slate on the banks are the Helford is exposed. With oysters, both native and pacific, mussels, seaweed, kelp and bread crumb sponges to be seen.

The mussels grow fat on the Helford, you can only officially pick them on Good Friday. Oysters cling to the slate too. Remnants of the pacific oysters and the smooth shelled native Helford Oysters. But standing out a bright orange sponge. It’s a growing plant than can be used as a sponge!

So keep your eyes and ears peeled—you never know what you might spot. One lady even thought she’d seen a shark when a fin appeared gliding through the water near the creeks. It turned out to be a dolphin!

We have trips available 6 days a week Monday- Saturday so come and see what’s about this Summer – Kayak Adventure times available