The Newsletter of Birds (CBWPS) No 30 - Winter 2009 Maer Lake extension approaches final stage of acquisition process As Graham Sutton, warden at Maer and vice-chair of Cornwall Birds, reports on page 7, we are close to completing the purchase of new land adjoining our existing reserve at Maer Lake, . Graham makes an impassioned case for the purchase, acknowledging the diffi- culty in raising money at this uncertain time, whilst stating the clear benefits to birds. More details of the proposed acquisition, to be completed in partnership with the , the reserve’s co-owner with Cornwall Birds, can be found on our special Appeal pages (8 and 9) in the middle of this issue of Palores. CBWPS chair Peter Crispin says: “I hope you will support this as gener- ously as you can.” Graham Sutton has worked hard at securing as much money from appropriate grant schemes to offset the amount of money the society will have to put towards the pur- chase. This endeavour will continue even after the whole negotiation is complete, hopefully Barn Owl, alert and active, photographed at Maer Lake - one of the new fields some time in January 2009. in October 08 by Brian McGeough We have a new Secretary... The call for a new Secretary in the last issue of Palores has borne fruit and Tony Berten- shaw has agreed to take on the role. Tony moved to Cornwall recently from but he is already involved in the BTO atlas and looks forward to exploring his new patch around Moor. His favour- ite bird is the Redstart so what better place to be, he says. Tony’s interest in birds goes back 50 years and he has visited South America Mediterranean Gull, photographed at several times to look at the birdlife there. He Stithians, by Steve Rogers 30.10.08 is engaged on making his Cornish garden as Bird Conservation Target- wildlife friendly as possible. Welcome, Tony! ing Project is launched CONTENTS The first Bird Conservation Targeting Pro- Chairman’s ...and conservation officer ject (BCTP) has been launched. Chat - p 3 Tony Blunden, whose excellent photos fre- Find out about how the BCTP is quently appear in Palores, has taken on the targeting conservation action for birds Bird Report: role of Conservation officer for the society. across the UK in its newsletter available at Autumn www.rspb.org.uk/targeting. Tony has been interested in wildlife - p 4 and 5 from childhood and birds in particular from The newsletter includes an article visits to his grandparents in . His about a farm in Lincolnshire where agri- interest has taken him around the world (now environment scheme resources are being Small but perfectly- Reserve news with wife and family in tow). targeted towards the birds present on the formed - Long-tailed Tit - p 6 and 7 Tony has a BSc in Conservation farm. Hear from Cumbria Bird Club, how on the Camel Trail Biology and now has over 15 years’ experi- the club’s records are helping farmland above by Andy and Maer Appeal ence working with a variety of organisations birds in the area. Shirley Park - as is the - p 8 and 9 as an ecologist. He is a member of the Insti- Your own bird records are useful to Ruff in November... tute in Ecology and likes to keep up to date the BCTP whether you are a birdwatcher or Field meet- on related issues. Welcome, Tony! a county recorder. Individual birdwatchers ings: Autumn can contribute to the BCTP by supplying - p 14 and 15 records to their local bird club, or alterna-

...but need a web manager tively, by logging onto www.birdtrack.net - Andy Pay has relinquished his role running an easy-to-use online recording package Kingfisher our website. Anyone interested in taking over developed by the British Trust for Ornithol- story should contact the Secretary. See page 15. ogy, the RSPB and BirdWatch Ireland. - p 16

Committee and Officers Palores - January 2009 President: Steve Madge he credit crunch and the recession have forced everyone to cut back, tighten Seawinds, Lower Trerive, Downderry, , T belts, economise and make do. All the predictions, without exception, for 2009 PL11 3LZ (01503-250432) are gloomy. Not the best of times to be asking for charitable donations then! And yet the chance to add three strategically-sited fields to our Maer Lake Chairman: Peter Crispin reserve was simply too good to miss. Literally, a one-off. So the society has part- 5 Church Lea, Launceston PL15 8QZ nered the Cornwall Wildlife Trust and gone for it. Tough though it is on our meagre (01566-773455) [email protected] financial reserves, we feel it has to be done. As Graham Sutton reports, Maer Lake has been a great investment - paid Vice Chairman: Graham Sutton for itself several times over. Just look at the pictures of the reserve in this issue - Harcombe, West Park Road, Bude, EX23 8PB that watery, weedy, flower-rich, biodiverse mini- (01288-356605) wilderness that birds love. The plain fact is we need our members to dig deep and support the Appeal on our Honorary Secretary: Tony Bertenshaw centre pages to pay for this important acquisition. When Hantergantick, St. Breward, PL30 4NH times are better - as they surely will be - we’ll be glad (01208 850419) we did it. Hon Treasurer: Gary Lewis Elsewhere is this issue, as ever, some fantastic Manager ERCCISS, Cornwall Wildlife Trust pictures, provided for us by our brilliant and generous Maer Lake (01872 273939 - 247) [email protected] photographers. I haven’t managed to credit each and every one by name for lack of space. I hope they will Membership Secretary: Sara McMahon forgive that and take pleasure from the fact their wonderful images are reaching a 72 Underwood Road, Plympton, PL7 1SZ wider and highly appreciative audience. (01752-242823) [email protected] We’re having a cold winter - a least so far, and the birds in Cornwall are responding accordingly. Isn’t it remarkable how nature clings on tenaciously what- County Recorder: Darrell Clegg ever the circumstances? Simon Marquis (Editor) 55 Lower Fore Street, , PL12 6JQ (01752-844775) [email protected]

Editor, Birds in Cornwall: Derek Julian Cornwall Birds 12, Dunveth Road, , The Cornwall Bird Watching and Preservation Society PL27 7XD. (01208 816779)

Website administrator: vacant

Editor, Palores: Simon Marquis St Breock Place, Wadebridge, PL27 7JS (07711 883876) [email protected]

Registered Charity No 255899 Field Meetings Officer: Colin Selway

Cornwall Birds (as the CBWPS) was founded in 1931 to encourage the study Conservation Officer: Tony Blunden and preservation of birds in Cornwall. The Society has over 750 members. It owns 3 reserves and manages jointly several others. The Society organises Committee members: weekly bird-watching field trips (some jointly with the RSPB local members Bruce Taggart group). Palores (its colour newsletter for members) is published quarterly. Paul Freestone Every year the Society also publishes its authoritative annual record - Birds Rosemary Parslow in Cornwall - sent to all members. Public Relations Officer: vacant

2009 Subscriptions: Adult £14

Family £18 Senior Citizen £11 Reserve Wardens: Senior Family £13 Walmsley: Adrian Langdon Life member £200 Maer Lake: Graham Sutton Windmill Farm: Andy Pay Subscriptions for 2009 are due by 1st January 2009 . Loveny: Dave Conway Drift: Dave Parker Gift Aid saves the Society £1,500 a year. Please pay - if you can - by Gift Aid. Stithians: Simon Taylor

Membership: to join Cornwall Birds, please call, email or write to Sara McMahon, Membership Secretary, 72 Underwood Road, Plympton, PL7 1SZ, Honorary Solicitor: Greg Adams (01752-242823), e-mail: [email protected]. 2 Street, TR13 8PS

Palores is published four times a year - January, April, July and October. Independent Examiner: Mrs J E Cox FCA Advertising rates: Full colour page £100, Half page £50. Whitakers (Chartered Accountants) Small ads and notices are free to members: contact the Editor. Bryndon House, 5 Berry Road, TR7 1AD Design and typesetting by the Editor. (01637-873838) Printed by R. Booth Ltd, The Praze, Commercial Road, Penryn, TR10 8AA Distribution by Envelope Supplies, Holsworthy, .

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advert for someone to take on this rewarding and creative role. Chairman’s Chat Andy has developed our website over recent years into an excellent interface with members - and potential members - with a great hope you all had a good Christmas with your archive of bird photographs and we owe him a debt of gratitude for I hints for bird-related presents turning into his commitment to maintaining it. While we wait for someone to reality. Also, that you have a wonderful birding offer their services in this role, we are indebted to Paul Freestone year in 2009. Some of what I mention here is the for incorporating urgent society news on his Cornwall Birding focus of separate articles in the magazine – but it website. gives you an indication of the pace of change, We will also be seeking a Treasurer from the end of this and some exciting developments for our society financial year, as Gary Lewis has announced his intention to re- – which will also provide us with challenges Peter Crispin sign. Gary has maintained our accounts scrupulously and has al- ahead. 2009 promises to be an exciting year! ways given the committee prudent advice when we have been con- We have a number of personnel changes. We are sidering spending plans. Gary’s forthright views delighted to welcome Tony Bertenshaw as our new are always based on strong principles and we will

Secretary – none more delighted than Darrell Many challenges miss his sage advice as treasurer. We will be seek- Clegg, who for several months has continued to ing a replacement for this key position from April. cope with that role as well as being County Re- ahead - 2009 I am delighted to confirm that our joint bid corder. Any general issues should now be referred promises to be with Cornwall Wildlife Trust to purchase additional to Tony. Darrell’s knowledge of Cornish birds and land at Maer Lake reserve is coming to fruition. the birding community is deep and expert, and an exciting year! This is a very significant commitment for the soci- because of his long involvement with the society, ety, and the decision to proceed was not easy, as we he has been able to bring clear, reliable information are conscious that it will eat into our financial re- to our meetings. He has been a most efficient secretary, with noth- serves. However the chance to secure the site was a once in a life- ing too much trouble for him despite his very busy professional time opportunity, with the prospect of significant financial support life. When I joined the committee over three years ago – and im- for phase 2 of the purchase if we find additional funding in the next mediately found myself in the chair – I literally could not have six months. On pages 8/9 you will read the appeal to raise funds managed to get to grips with the job without his ready, willing yet specifically to support this project. I hope you will support this as unassuming support. Another Tony – Tony Blunden – has volun- generously as you can – and also encourage others to get involved. teered to be our Conservation Officer. This is really good news, as Finally, the long-awaited 2006 Report should be with you the post has been vacant for a while. As a professional ecologist, very soon. I apologise for the long delay, which I have explained Tony is very well qualified for the role. on previous occasions. I would like to warmly thank Derek Julian Andy Pay has stood down as our website manager to focus for taking up the challenge of taking over the Editor’s role, and to on his role as warden of Windmill Farm reserve. Those of you who the (small) team who supported him with data collection and sec- access the website will be aware of this and will have seen the tion writing. Titbits...

ur friends at the Cornwall Wildlife Trust have re- O vived their wonderful calendars. OK, it’s a bit late in that we are in January now, but you should buy one even now just for the pictures - all fantastic shots of beautiful Cornwall. The calendar has 13 months - a particularly Cornish bit of added value! Go on - buy one. We need to support one other in help- ing protect Cornwall’s amazing wildlife heritage, and we are great partners with CWT at Windmill Farm and Maer.

imon Taylor, our warden at Stithians reservoir, has started his own Blog all about Stithians and S the latest sightings there. See it at stithians-birding.blogspot.com.

ruce Taggart will be leading five more Tamar Birdwatching Cruises this winter - 11th and B 24th January, 8th and 24th February and 8th March. Tickets are £10 for adults, £6 for chil- dren. To book call Bruce on 01752 829163 or email him at [email protected]. Members who fancy an Oyster- catcher with their Here’s a good late Christmas tea may like to present for the bird enthusiast. take a look at A thorough and compelling guide Jethro Jackson’s to the general wonderfulness of pictures and birds and their habits by re- pottery depicting nowned natural history writer Cornish land and seascapes. Colin Tudge. This great photograph of a Spar- See his inter- Available from all good book- row in flight was taken by Gilbert estinmg website shops and online from Amazon Rimes. His pictures can be found at: and others. in the gallery section of the RSPB www.jethrojacks Highly recommended. Cornwall local group website on.co.uk

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St John’s Ford; Purple Sandpipers began appearing in November, reaching a maximum of 20 at during December. It was a poor season for Mediterranean Gulls at Torpoint bird with only small numbers being noted; the best site was the Camel Estuary where up to 25 birds were counted during November. A Ring-billed Gull appeared at Helston boating lake dur- report ing November and stayed put into December, while other birds were noted during November at Wadebridge and . The presumed Azorean Atlantic Gull remained present around Sennen (Martin Elliott has an excellent article about the bird in the 2008 December issue of Birding World) and Yellow- legged Gulls were reported in small numbers from various sites as April-June 2008 Bird bird report Report October-December were Little Gulls. Sabine’s Gulls were noted around the coast, with three being seen off Hawker’s Cove in November. (April-June 2008 2008)

Sara McMahon reports on Cornwall’s bird re- cords and sightings for the last quarter of 2008

Wildfowl – Game Birds Whooper Swans visited Stithians during October before settling at Drift later in the month and staying put until November. Odd White-fronted Geese were seen during November on and at Drift as were Pink-footed Geese that had arrived in October. A further couple of Pink-foots visited Siblyback during December with a Barnacle and a Lesser White-fronted Goose of unknown origin. Pale-bellied Brent Geese and a smattering of the more usual Dark-bellied birds were seen at several locations around the county, including nine which took up residence in Mount’s Bay. An American Wigeon visited Hayle for a few days in Oc- tober as did a couple of Garganey; a Long-tailed Duck appeared on Loe Pool in November and was still present well into Decem- ber along with a Lesser Scaup, and a Surf Scoter was noted in Gerran’s Bay during October and at Pendower for a day in early November.

Divers – Coots Divers and grebes returned to winter off the coast in small num- bers from late October, with a Pacific Diver being found in Mount’s Bay during November and then seen intermittently during December. Odd shearwaters, petrels, skuas and auks passed by throughout the period; with the highlights being a Little Shear- water off the Rumps in October; the same month Fea’s Petrels were noted off Pendeen and St Ives. Raptors of interest included a Honey Buzzard at Drift in October; a brief sighting of a Rough-legged Buzzard near Helston in December, the same month as a Red Kite drifted through Walmsley. Small numbers of migrating Ospreys were reported mainly from the Tamar Estuary area during October; a late Hobby was at Waterpit Down in November; Merlins returned to the usual wintering sites on and West moors and good numbers of Hen Harriers performed throughout the period at Trewey, Tregonetha, Crowdy and Sennen. A Corncrake was flushed from Downs in Early November – a rare sight in Cornwall.

Waders – Auks It was a relatively quiet time for waders this year but sightings included a Great White Egret at Maer in October along with Spoonbills at Gwithian and the Tamar Estuary and the odd couple of wandering Cattle Egrets. A Bittern appeared at Loe Pool in November, presumably to winter. For smaller waders October was the best month for the variety of species with American Golden Plover at Nanquidno; From top: Whooper Swans, Stithians 17.10.08 (Steve Rogers); Pectoral Sandpipers at Davidstow and Porthgwarra; but December Merlin at Predannack 5.10.08 (Tony Blunden); and Pale-bellied provided the most unexpected bird, a White-rumped Sandpiper at Brent Goose, Camel Estuary 16.10.08 (Andy and Shirley Park)

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Doves – Buntings Both Long and Short-eared Owls were reported at several sites around the county as were Wrynecks, Hoopoes, Black Redstarts and Firecrests from October onwards; a Common Nighthawk was found on the Lizard at Church Cove during October but didn’t stay long; a Bluethroat at Land’s End put on a better show being pre- sent for almost a week in late October. Swallows were being re- ported from several sites in small numbers well into December this year; a late Ring Ouzel was seen at Kenidjack during November and a Shore Lark was on beach. In the pipit line Richard’s, Tawnys and Red-throateds all appeared in the county as did Water Pipits, many people comment- ing that it was a good year for the species in Cornwall, so check the flooded meadows and shores for these birds. The bird of the year has to be the Alder Flycatcher that was trapped and ringed at Nanjizal in early October, a first for Britain this stunning bird put on a brilliant display for the birders that went to see it. Warblers present over the period included a Marsh War- bler and a Subalpine at Nanquidno in October the same month as Melodious Warbler was at Porthgwarra. More than 40 Yellow- browed Warblers were present during October from Saltash to Land’s End, several of them lingering into December; only a sin- gle Pallas’s Warbler was reported and this at Nanjizal in early November. Six Red-breasted Flycatchers were seen around the county in October and through into November mainly in the far west. Two Rosy Starlings were seen around Pendeen in October and a further bird took up residence in Newquay and was still present well into December. A Great Grey Shrike appeared at Smallacombe but ranged as far as Siblyback in November but couldn’t be found the following month. October also produced Red-eyed Vireos at Sen- nen and Nanquidno and a Bobolink at Porth Joke.

Brambling: seen at various places in Cornwall during the autumn

As for finches and buntings, small numbers of Bramblings re- turned to the county being noted at various sites including Saltash and Sancreed; a Little Bunting was at Polgigga in November; the same month Hawfinches were noted at Duck Pool and Brew Pool. A Red/Black-headed Bunting was seen on and off at Nanquidno during November and Lapland and Snow Buntings were present at several sites throughout the period.

Birds to look out for: Wildfowl, divers and grebes are some of the best birds of winter, so if the weather turns cold up the country look out for grey geese as they move in search of food. It is always worth looking for Slavonian and Red-necked Grebes as after Christmas is often the best time to see these species off our coast. Why not try watching stubble fields too - they often From top: Bluethroat at Land’s End 26.10.08 (Steve Rogers); hold Wood Lark, Sky Lark, pipits and finches in good numbers at Red-breasted Flycatcher at Lizard Church Cove 7.10.08 (Tony this time of year. Blunden); Alder Flycatcher; Hawfinch 5

Windmill Farm Andy Pay reports that reserve news Windmill Farm has been quiet in the last quarter, with nothing spectacular on the bird front and just routine maintenance work being done. He sends the October-December 2008 Kingfisher photograph in lieu of a written report. And why not? Can there ctober started with a bird possibly be a more dra- Stithians O that no-one really bothers matic British bird? with but strangely enough is By Simon Taylor hardly ever seen at Stithians – with 60+ being recorded on both days. Also on the 16th 4 Pochard Pheasant - courtesy of Henry appeared on the reservoir and 2 Chiffchaff were found in bushes Cook on the 2nd near Chapel Lane. The 5th saw another addition to next to the Northern Cut Off Hide. the year list in the form of an extremely popular Barn Owl. Many The bird of the month and probably making the top 3 for Med Gull were seen throughout the month including two colour the year was a Great Northern Diver seen by Molly Burnley in ringed examples. A Cattle Egret was seen from the Southern close proximity to the Main Hide. This was only the 8th record for Causeway on the 10th, showing well until it was flushed by a low this species at Stithians in over 40 years and the first one since flying helicopter from Culdrose. Two Whooper Swan flew in on 1997. Many species were seen throughout the month including the 17th staying for 3 days. When they left they took the only Mute Kingfisher from all 3 hides, Marsh Tit that could be anywhere Swan on the reserve with them, leaving the place swan-less for the from the S Cut Off to the bottom of Chapel Lane with the Tit first time in 2008. flocks, Redwing and Fieldfare can show in good numbers for those The first Firecrest was found by Terry and Margaret Has- who walk the paths and Goldcrest can be seen in many areas. dell whilst walking from the causeway to the dam on the 19th. The Common Gull are seen quite frequently and Bullfinch are 22nd saw a terrific record in the shape of a 1w Black Redstart on now showing in good numbers for those who time their visits right the dam, found by Mike Anders. The first decent number of Win- and Gadwall have been present throughout. December was a great ter thrushes came on the 31st when Matt Sallis recorded 20+ Red- month for the year list with 3 new additions. On the 10th Terry and wing around the dam area. Although November wasn’t as produc- Margaret Hasdell added Woodcock, on the 12th John Rowe added tive as October with migration having finished, there were still a Water Rail and on the 14th Steve Rogers added a superbly showing few interesting birds around. Wader interest started and finished Slavonian Grebe, possibly the first one since January ’98. Another on the 2nd when 2 Redshank appeared briefly in front of the Main find of note was that of Chris Spence who recorded the first Goos- Hide for 30-45 minutes just at the right time for Steve Rogers to anders of the season (a pair) on the 13th. photograph them. The day also produced a Med Gull and 5 Com- On the maintenance side of things SW Lakes have in- mon Gull. The next day produced a rarely seen oddity – an albino spected the path to the S Cut Off hide and quotes to replace the Pheasant recorded by Dave Bray. mud with stone should be in by the time you read this. The year Canada Geese numbers had stabilised around 60. On the list for the reserve is now standing at 124 thanks to a huge team 6th was the first of many sightings of Pintail and Goldeneye on the effort inc B McGeough, J Rowe, T+M Hasdell, S Rogers, D Eva, reservoir. The last Med Gull of the season was then recorded on D Jeggo, H Cooke, C+L Spence, M Sallis, L Hadley, M Curtis, M the 9th by S Rogers some 3 weeks earlier than last year. The last Burnley, R Menari, D Bray and many more. one to be recorded in 2007 was the 2nd December. An extraordi- For the most up to date information on Stithians with top quality narily large number of Snipe were present along the water’s edge photos visit www.stithians-birding.blogspot.com/ which is updated in front of the Southern Cut Off hide on the weekend of 15th/16th daily.

Tufted Ducks started to appear on 19th Sept and peaked at Drift 40 whilst only 1 Pochard was seen in the period. Other wildfowl noted included a female type Common Scoter, up to 3 Scaup in- By Dave Parker cluding a particularly small individual, 5 Goldeneye, 2 Goosander, Wigeon, Teal, Gadwall, Shoveler and Mallard. ollowing the wet autumn the water levels were way too high A juvenile Osprey was reported on 26th September al- F for any waders, the only birds noted were Dunlin, Redshank though a particularly pale Buzzard caused quite a few false alarms and a few Curlew all of which were flyovers only. at the time. A Honey Buzzard was reported on 15th October. The resident flock of Mute Swans fluctuated between 36 A few Mediterranean Gulls lingered from the late summer and 51 suggesting some local movements at least. They were influx with 4 first winters and an adult bird present on the 19th joined by 6 Whooper Swans on the 29th October and increased to 7 November. on the 31st remaining until 7th. Amazingly they reappeared on the Passerines as usual were poorly represented with a Wheat- 27th having escaped detection during the intervening 20 days. It ear and the last report of Swallows on the reserve on 25th Septem- rather begs the question that if we can overlook 7 large, white, ber. A possible Siberian Chiffchaff was reported on 7th November conspicuous, noisy birds what else are we missing? and Firecrests have been seen fairly regularly from 8th November. The now resident flock of Canada Geese managed to at- Pride of place however goes to a Yellow-browed Warbler heard tract a Greenland White-fronted Goose on 1st November and this calling from the boardwalk and eventually seen well on the 24th was joined by a Eurasian White-fronted Goose on 5th giving a nice October. comparison of the two races. 2 Pink-footed Geese also joined the Extensive cutting back of gorse, bramble and emergent flock on 29th November, no doubt wandering birds from the Hayle willows around the hide has been the major activity so far this estuary. winter, and the paths need continual cutting to keep clear.

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bill with the rest of the body being creamy white with odd dark Loveny flecks. It was one of the most unusual and striking birds that I had seen for some years. By Dave Conway Butterflies had another poor year but some were around in July and August with reduced numbers of Meadow Brown, Ring- he water continued to rise through June and July and reached let, Gatekeeper, Small Tortoiseshell, Small Skipper, Small White T overflow level by August remaining brimful throughout Sep- and Large White. Dragonflies made brief appearances with Brad- tember, October and November. bodied Chaser, Black-tailed Skimmer and Common Damselfly in The breeding species were quite successful with most rear- July and Common Hawker and Common Darter in September. ing young. The Black-headed Gulls fledged around two young per Rabbit numbers were unusually high this summer. I rarely nest, the Buzzard chick flew in June, three juvenile Great-crested see more than five on my three hour WeBS count but this year Grebes were well grown by July, at least three pairs of Wheatear their numbers increased from April reaching over 100 in June and raised young and from the six pairs of Reed Bunting at least three July and then dropping back to their usual number by October. broods were raised successfully. A pair of Curlew attempted to Interestingly, there were significant numbers of ‘black’ rabbits in breed but, by late June there was no evidence of young. The June. moulting Canada Geese flock topped 1660 by late June, dropped The proposed hide has moved several steps closer with a to 962 by late July and could only reach double figures through to site meeting on 7th August attended by Mark Green (SWLT), my- November. self and Roy Walker, the resident of Lower Minzies Down Farm, The high water level reduced the number and variety of who was objecting to our proposed siting of the hide close to the passage waders with the odd Common Sandpiper, Common Snipe bottom of the concrete track, as the hide would overlook his prop- and Lapwing. Duck numbers began to increase from August with a erty. Mr Walker was enthusiastic about a hide but suggested we few Widgeon appearing in September and Pochard in November. move its position around 400m south of the bottom of the concrete A few Golden Plover returned in October to reach a magnificent track to SX 186750. On this basis planning permission was applied flock of 3000 by late November. Good sized flocks of Fieldfare for on 16th September and granted in October. and Redwing frequented the Dozmary area in November. CWT workers will construct the hide which will be very There were two notable sightings – the first was an adult similar to those at Windmill Farm and the financing has yet to be Hobby with a Swallow in its talons landing on a fence post to eat negotiated between SWLT, CWT and CBWPS. The hide will face its meal only to be harassed by a Magpie that progressively moved north which gives optimum viewing conditions at all times of the the Hobby on to ever more distant fence posts. The second was day over the northern part of the reserve. Access will be from the what at first sight appeared to be an extra large eastern Black-eared road at SX 191754 down the concrete track, through the gate and Wheatear in a flock of Starlings. On careful examination it became then southwards along the inside of the eastern perimeter fence for a leucistic Common Starling with dark brown wings, tail, lores and 400m to the hide.

he Environment Agency will very brief rest and feed flew back north. It is always interesting to Maer Lake T now be completing all work speculate if these birds were originally heading for Slimbridge, or on the Flood Prevention Scheme wintering grounds in Ireland or Wales. Over 2000 Golden Plover By Graham Sutton by December 20th 2008, and then, are now wintering on the Reserve and providing a spectacular hopefully, 2009 will prove to be a sight, especially in flight. Snipe numbers are down at the moment more peaceful and settled year for Maer. Work has been ongoing and the most I have seen in flight, when flushed by a Spar- since May, and I would have to report that not many weeks have rowhawk, would be around 190 birds. The wintering Dunlin flock passed without some issue or other occurring which needed to be were joined by an exceptionally pale Knot on December 8th. discussed and resolved, usually by a site meeting. With regard to the proposed purchase of extra land at The dreaded health and safety issues which irritate many Maer, this is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity to extend, pro- of us meant that I was required to wear a helmet to attend these tect and improve the Reserve, and I am very grateful for the strong meetings! In general we have all worked very well together and I support the proposal received from committee members through- am pleased with the sensitivity and thought that the E.A. and their out Cornwall. At the moment viewing and parking are not ideal contractor Halcrow have put into the scheme. It will be very inter- and so the extra land will bring the Reserve up to a whole new esting to see how successful the seeding of the new flood bank has level. We would also have the possibility of establishing a superb been, a wonderful mix of seeds (very expensive) was used which reed bed, which is something very favourable to securing grant included many of my favourites, including Lady’s Smock. There is aid. At the moment we have, jointly with Cornwall Wildlife Trust, nothing nicer on a warm May morning than to see Orange Tip agreed to purchase 7.48 acres, and then have a six month option to butterflies flying through a field full of Lady’s Smock, a sight that purchase a further 13.78 acres. We have an offer of a £50000 was so common in the past, and is now unfortunately becoming donation towards the purchase of both parcels of land, and are increasingly rare. The E.A. will also be erecting some nest boxes, currently pursuing other avenues of funding. A local appeal will be although there are few suitable locations at Maer, and a bat box launched in Bude similar to the successful one that we ran when will be erected on a four metre pole. Screening will be planted, we bought the original reserve in 1992 with a leaflet drop to every which will be predominantly Blackthorn and Hawthorn because of house and business in the town. the exposed situation. These are difficult financial times, but this is an opportu- The highlight of the autumn bird watching was undoubt- nity that the Society cannot let pass by. The Walmsley Sanctuary edly a ringed Juvenile Great White Egret on the 11th October was purchased on the 16th November 1939 during the country’s which was a new species for Maer. The bird was ringed in the nest darkest of days. This, the first nature reserve in Cornwall, is in at Lac de Grand – Lieu (Loire Atlantique, France) on the 21/05/08. magnificent condition and the Tower Hide has added considerably This was the first sighting since then! Two Cattle Egrets were to our enjoyment of the Reserve. The Walmsley purchase was present on the 5th October, probably the same birds that were re- nearly seventy years ago and it has stood the test of time. Life is corded on the Plym the following day. Also in early October a late ever changing and people come and go from our lives, it will be Black Tern was present, followed by an Arctic Tern on the 8th. good to think that we can pass a superb Reserve at Maer on to the Three Whooper Swans arrived on the 7th December and after a next generation. I do hope you will feel able to support the Appeal.

7 Once in a Cornwall Birds, jointly with the Cornwall Wildlife Trust, is adjoining our Maer Lake reserve at Bude. Owning these fi better access for birdwatchers to the reserve. It is a costly

Maer Lake additional field What we’re buying Three fields comprising 7.5. acres are being acquired. The fields lie between Maer Lane (running north/south in the Google Earth picture, left) and the lake itself. This new land will be used to provide cover for existing reserve birds and access to the lake shore. We hope to build a hide for birdwatchers (somewhere in the centre field of 3 new fields the three) and construct a small car park to alleviate the problem of limited parking in the lane. The fields have belonged to the Prideaux family. Final terms are being discussed as this issue of Pa- lores goes to press. £24,000 has come from the compensation money received for the Flexbury flood prevention scheme which now protects the houses at the bottom of the picture. The remaining sum will be paid in equal halves by the Cornwall Wildlife Trust and Cornwall Birds.

Why we’re buying it Quite apart from the site’s current environmental value, the pur- chase will guarantee that the land is never used for any other pur- pose that may turn out to be bad for birds. In other words, this will help safeguard and enhance what has already been achieved for birds at Maer Lake. A bigger and better reserve - especially if a hide is constructed - will become not only another jewel in the CBWPS crown, but a great local fa- cility for the Bude area and educational opportunity for schools in the neighbourhood. The large field to the north of the lake (see above) may well become available for purchase too. We are very hopeful that a substantial grant may be forthcoming to fund this extra extension.

Graham Sutton, left, is Cornwall Birds warden at Maer Lake. Graham About Maer Lake is extremely enthusi- Maer Lake was bought by the CWT and astic about the expan- Cornwall Birds for £25,000 in 1992. It was sion of the reserve as first mentioned in an Assize Roll of 1284 he feels it will en- and was almost certainly, even then, an hance the place for area of wet grazing for farmers. birds and for human The site was recorded in a manage- visitors. ment plan of a few years ago as Much of the negotia- ‘internationally important for Spotted Crake tion to acquire the fields was undertaken and Golden Plover.’ It is now an increas- by Graham on behalf ingly rare example of this once common of the society. habitat in north Cornwall.

8 lifetime... seizing the one-off opportunity to buy the land ields will give us improved habitat for birds and - at last - y undertaking but one not to be missed...

“Please help fund Cornwall Birds’ purchase of this important extension

to Maer Lake reserve” Peter Crispin, Chairman eing a small county bird society our finances have never been exactly B strong. However, through prudent management we do make ends meet, us- ing your subscriptions and generous support to maintain our reserves and hides, produce Palores and Birds in Cornwall and maintain our website. But the £20,000 we are putting into the purchase of the new land at Maer makes a substantial dent in our limited savings and we have set ourselves the tar- get of replacing it in three years. We haven’t appealed to our members for extra help in quite some time and though mindful that there is never a good time to be asking for money, we hope many of you will want to make a donation, however modest, towards improving our Society’s reserves with this once in a lifetime opportunity at Maer. Maer Lake is a wonderful spot and attracts many species of birds. If you have never been there I do urge you to visit when you can. I feel very proud that Just some of the wildlife Cornwall Birds together with our partners the Cornwall Wildlife Trust will be that has been observed helping to safeguard this great habitat . at Maer Lake. Detailed below is how you can make a donation. I do hope you will con- From the top: Golden sider doing so. On behalf of CBWPS and the birdlife of Cornwall I very much Plover - Maer hosts huge appreciate your continuing support. flocks every winter; Otter; With best wishes, Kingfisher; Jack Snipe. Apart from the rich Peter birdlife there is also a wide variety of plants and insects to be found How to make a donation around the reserve. To reach our £20,000 target we will need on average £30 per member. However, any amount you can donate - however small - will be very welcome and much appreciated. We will chart the progress of the appeal in future issues of Palores.

Please make out your Cheque to CBWPS and send it to Gary Lewis, Hon Treasurer, CBWPS Maer Appeal, c/o Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Five Acres, Allett, , Cornwall TR4 9DJ.

The names of all donors of £20 or more will be recorded at the hide to be erected at Maer Lake in the future.

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How to become a better birdwatcher A frustrated Simon Marquis goes in search of expert advice... have a confession. Although I have been interested in As you become familiar with new species you will get I birds since childhood, have decent binoculars and a to know their "jizz". Think about your Uncle Fred coming scope, have been a member of Cornwall Birds (and now edit down the road. You know its Uncle Fred before you can see this newsletter) and the RSPB for years, I remain a frustrat- his face because there's something distinctive about the way ingly bad birdwatcher. he walks, his size and shape and his little mannerisms. It's By that I don’t mean I can’t tell a Sparrow from a the same with birds. Swan but I still struggle with waders and gulls and LBJs gen- A key factor in locating and identifying birds is being erally. What’s more I can go for a good walk in a good bird- able to hear and distinguish calls and songs. Listening to ing spot and see nothing but crows and woodpigeons. And CDs might help, but there's just no substitute for learning why is it that an expert can hear a Lesser Whitethroat quite them in the field, i.e. hearing a call, getting a visual on the clearly when I have already ignored it as a Dunnock? Is it bird that's calling, identifying it and - the hardest bit - remem- bad luck, am I jinxed or am I just...a bad birdwatcher? bering it!. If one is only going to get out two or three times in My sense is that I may not be alone and that there a season, there's not much chance of retaining this kind of are other members of Cornwall Birds who’d quite like to be information. better birdwatchers. What I do know is that our Society also has a great number of very accomplished birdwatchers who When? see all manner of things that I don’t and in quantities and If you want to build up your species list, get out throughout varieties I can only dream of. I decided to ask one of them the year. The most productive periods for species variety for some tips on how to up my game. He has modestly are spring and autumn migration. Spring arrivals begin in asked to remain anonymous so I shall just call him, er - late March, building through April and continuing to late ‘Robin’. This is what he told me... May. Autumn migrants are on the move from late July and passage goes on until early November. How? Weather plays a major role, and although what turns I think there are a number of reasons why some people see up can of course never be predicted, trends do occur which a lot more birds than others. There's a lot to be gained can be recognised with experience. Warm air moving up by knowing where and when to go, what to look out and lis- from the Continent brings influxes of migrants in the Spring, ten out for - and concentrating. This last point cannot be whilst winds from the easterly half of the compass can mean over-stated. Birding isn't a walk in the park! You need to scarce or rare species at any time of year. Seabird-watching sharpen up your senses, look for movement and listen out is best during unsettled weather in the autumn. carefully. Wildfowl, divers and grebes are to be looked for in If you have the means, be prepared to spend a few the winter, as are gulls - get rid of any preconceived notion hundred pounds, or possibly more if you're really keen, on that gulls are boring! Spells of hard winter weather some- decent equipment. Use good identification times bring masses of birds into the mild South-west, al- books. The Collins Bird Guide is excellent - study it from though such episodes are becoming a thing of the past. cover to cover, especially the Introduction, which contains an invaluable tutorial. Try not to be put off by the terminol- Where? ogy. If you want to hone your i.d. skills it really helps to get Visit a wide diversity of habitats at different times of year, to grips with supercilia, wing-coverts and tertials. A very e.g. woodlands (deciduous and coniferous), farmland useful back-up book is the MacMillan Field Guide to Bird (especially arable), scrubby areas, the coast (estuaries, cliffs Identification, out of print but usually available via e.g. overlooking open sea), moorland, reservoirs, reed- www.AbeBooks.co.uk beds. Some species are generalists and can be found virtu- There are several key points to consider when look- ally anywhere, but others have specialist require- ing at an unfamiliar bird and they can all play a significant ments. Coastal valleys and headlands are your best bet for role in reaching a conclusion as to its identity. Make sure concentrations of migrants, but be there early morning at the you take everything into account, including: right times of year. - how big is it? Assess its size against a species you know Many birds can usually be found only at certain well. places, e.g. Red-breasted Mergansers in Carrick Roads or - what and where are the main colours? Choughs on the Lizard and far west. Buying one of the - what kind of bill does it have? This is often overlooked by guide-books to birding sites in Cornwall and looking back beginners but is really useful because it can narrow it through past 'Birds in Cornwall' annual reports will give you down considerably, e.g. finch, thrush, warbler, heron, duck, plenty of tips. If you want to keep abreast of current informa- etc. tion about individual scarce and rare birds, there are lots of - what are its proportions? Does it have a long bill/neck/ birding websites for twitchers. Be warned though - birding legs? If it's a bird of prey does it have blunt or pointed wing- can become an addiction which can have harmful conse- tips? quences for your mental state, social and domestic life and - what is it doing? bank balance! - what's the habitat? - what time of year is it? It's highly unlikely to be a Cuckoo Thanks ‘Robin’ - I’ll bear all that in mind. More tips in future in January or a Redwing in July (not in Cornwall anyway). issues of Palores...Here’s to better birdwatching!

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and a few threads of water weed but they became reservoirs of life. Up the Wildlife Garden path... On summer evenings there are hundreds of midges shimmering over the water. They don’t bite, but who wants midges in the gar- Can gardening and wildlife really go together? den? Guests might think they are mosquitoes, carrying malaria or A light-hearted assessment by Roy Phillips dengi fever or something. Glad to say that two species of damsel fly and one fearsome dragonfly moved in to eat them up. aving been brought up in down’long St Ives where there There are pond-skaters, black leeches (ugh, horrible), and H were hardly any gardens, it’s surprising that I became so water-boatmen (are there other kinds of boatmen?). Dozens of keen on them in later life. newt larvae lurk in the depths, feeding on innocent creatures too Wherever I’ve lived I have tried to make a garden. My last small to defend themselves, while toads unashamedly perform attempt in St Ives was a few pots in a back yard that became their reproductive procedures in full view of all and sundry, lead- drenched in salt spray every time there was a northerly gale, but ing to a proliferation of black tadpoles that I have to feed on pow- my house list included such things as House Sparrow, Leach’s dered cuttlefish bone to provide them with calcium in our acid Petrel and Sabines Gull. Nowadays, having emigrated to the more water. balmy climate of Penzance, gardening is somewhat easier. With n dry land it’s just as bad, hedgehogs come in at every gardening magazine and television programme exhorting us O night, knocking over my pots of pelargoniums as if to create a wildlife garden, together with adverts for bird boxes, they were skittles. Maybe one lives in the box there among the bat boxes, bee houses, wildflower seeds and every kind of food hydrangeas, I must check that out. They are supposed to eat slugs, capable of being digested by some wild thing or other, we could but we have enough slugs to sustain all the hedgehogs this side of expect our garden list to be as long as a drawtube telescope. For Ludgvan Church Town. You’d think that birds, with their beautiful me, however, wildlife gardening is a contradiction in terms. Wild- plumage would keep away from all this degradation, but no, they life is one thing, gardening another. don’t seem to notice. Every October a Grey Wagtail comes to the Although our garden is in the middle of town there is, pond, and many birds bathe in it. For drinking, they prefer the unfortunately, plenty of wildlife, to be seen - or not seen, as the granite trough, even though Wood Pigeons insist on bathing in case may be. There are rats, cats, thieving grey squirrels, green that, leaving a floating film of powder-down and a large dollop of fly, black fly, thrips, capsid bugs, snails, voracious caterpillars, slimy poo to foul the water. and slugs like anacondas. The lawn and borders are invaded by Nevertheless, despite doing my best to keep wildlife out, dandelions, daisies, self-heal, clover and seedling ash trees that the garden bird list, including Herring Gulls whose poo is aimed need a JCB to grub out. Encourage wildlife into your garden? Do precisely at the washing line, has reached sixty six. Not much I me a favour! Takes me all my time keeping it out. Part of the prob- can do about flyovers but perhaps I should grub out the berry- lem is the pond. All I ever put in it were a couple of water lilies bearing myrtle and cornus and stop feeding the pesky things.

Autumn parade Cornwall’s birdlife readies itself for winter

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SW Optics ad here

Great Shearwater, Gannet, Storm Petrel and Arctic Skua, pictured by Steve Rogers in August 2008, on the Scillonian III pelagic cruise.

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Bird people Rex approached the RSPCA for help as the financial bur- den of all this voluntary animal care was beginning to tell. There was no RSPCA animal centre in Cornwall at the time so Rex’s Rex Harper work was vital. Having moved to their current home outside Per- ranporth in 1976, he sold the RSPCA some of his land on which the first centre in Cornwall was MBE built. Rex ran the centre for 20 years taking in ex Harper, retired RSPCA warden and author (see his latest all sorts of animals, wild and domestic, including R story for Palores on the back page), was born in Bath in on average around 1,000 birds a year, including 1935. He started to take an interest in wildlife around the rich those oiled by various spillages around the coast. habitats created by World War II bomb sites in Bath and Bristol. When he retired as RSPCA warden in 1998, the Rex admits to a less than distinguished school record pre- centre moved to where it is ferring to spend as much time as possible at Bristol Zoo and the today. various museums where he learnt all he could about wildlife and Not content to retire quietly, Rex has birds in particular. written, illustrated and had published two ac- Moving to Cornwall at 15, he learnt more about birds from claimed books: ‘An Otter on the Aga’ and ‘An the local bird ‘fanciers’ and from working part-time in a pet shop. Eagle in the Airing Cupboard’, about his experi- Rex joined the RAF for five years in the 1950’s when he also met ences with birds and animals. his wife Julie (pictured with Rex above) and moved to Perran- In 2003 Rex was awarded an MBE for porth. He worked as a postman for the next 26 years and he and services to animal welfare. He says he and Julie Julie raised their family of four children all the time accumulating have given up keeping cattle, just a few sheep to keep the grass more and more animals and birds of various shapes and sizes, down, plus some goats, poultry and four dogs. The odd waifs and including injured ones. strays still turn up too, so life is never dull. Old habits die hard! Red-eyed Vireo Previous records of this rare visitor to Corn- wall are mostly in the far west, by Derek Julian Photograph (left) of the October ‘08 bird at Trevilley by Andy Pay

he first Red-eyed Vireo for Cornwall was a single, moribund T individual, at Sennen on September 27th 1982. (The skin of this bird now resides in the Bolton Museum). Surprisingly, this bird turned up almost 20 years after the first on Scilly. Since then a total of 25 have visited our county. As you can see from the map it is very westerly-biased, as you would expect from a transatlantic vagrant, with the only east- ern county sighting being a single bird that visited on October 10th 1983. Porthgwarra is the top site for this species with no fewer than 8 individuals being recorded, including one which landed on the MV Scillonian III off Gwennap Head on Sep- tember 30th 1995. Apart from Cot valley, with four, and Nan- quidno, with three, no other site has held more than a single bird. Extreme dates are September 21st 1990, one at Cot Valley and November 3rd 1998, one at Loe Pool. Pool bird is the second latest ever, in Britain, beaten only by a bird at Dawlish Warren, Devon on November 4th 1996.

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Folly’s Field car park – first on the right when approaching Mara- zion from Penzance (overlooking the sea). field meetings Map ref: SW513 309

Sunday 8th February 9.00am Leader Simon Taylor January- March 2009 (01209 614857) Stithians Reservoir. Weather permitting, an all day circular walk th around the reservoir looking for resident and over-wintering birds Sunday 4 January 9.00am Leader Simon Taylor and waterfowl. Bring packed lunch and suitable clothing for win- (01209 ter walking. Meet at the eastern car park (not the Golden Lion). 614857) Take the only turning between Goonglaze and Hendra, this takes Stithians Reservoir. A two-part all day walk. Spend the morning you to the car park. on the creeks and boardwalk and along the roadside river, with the Map ref: SW715 364 afternoon in the hides. Meet on the common land by Chapel Lane on the road around the southern end of the reservoir. Sunday 8th February 9.00am Leader Viv Stratton Map ref: SW706 354 (01736 796487)

Hayle Estuary. A morning walk around the estuary looking for Friday 9th January 7.30pm Contact Gordon Mills wintering wildfowl, waders and gulls. Meet at Ryan’s Field car (01209 718144 evenings) park. “ Chacewater Village Hall. A RSPB evening meeting Onward Map ref: SW549 326 and Upward for Cornish Choughs” with Mike Lord. Dealing with the coming breeding season. All welcome. Members and Sunday 8th February 2.00pm Leader SWLT non-members: Admission £1 (01566 771930) Siblyback Reservoir. A 3 mile 2 hour walk by South West Sunday 11th January 9.00pm Leader Steve Rogers Lakes Trust Conservation Officer around the lake. Meet at Sibly- (01872 263444) back Lake car park, St Neot, near . Carne, Pendower, Carrick Roads A morning walk along Carne Map ref: SW863 620 and Pendower beaches toward Portscatho looking for divers, grebes and sea birds. Meet in the Pendower car park near the Nare Sunday 22nd February 9.30am Leader Mike Garland Hotel. (01326 377192) Map ref: SW905 383 Swanpool, Falmouth. A morning walk around the pool and sur- rounding area (water rails). Meet in the Swanpool car park oppo- Saturday 17th January 9.00am Leader Viv Stratton site Swanpool beach. (01736 796487) Map ref: SW801 312 and Beach. A morning walk looking for gulls, waders and wintering birds. Meet at Folly’s Field car park – first Friday 27th February 7.30pm Contact Gordon Mills on right when approaching Marazion from Penzance (overlooking (01209 718144 evenings) the sea). Chacewater Village Hall. A RSPB evening meeting. An illus- Map ref: SW513 309 trated talk by Andy Pay covering “Birds of Africa”. All welcome. Members and non-members Admission £1 Saturday 24th January 9.30am Leader Roy Phillips (01736 351793) Sunday 1st March 9.30am Leader Sid Cole Hayle Estuary. A morning walk around the estuary looking for (01726 815313 Matt Ward) wintering wildfowl, waders, divers and gulls (not suitable for Bird Watching on the Camel Estuary. A walk along the water, dogs). Meet Ryan’s Field car park. organised by Cornwall Wildlife Trust, with bird expert, Sid Cole, Map ref: SW549 326 suitable for beginners and experienced birders. Meet in the Wade-

th bridge pay and display car park behind Lidl. Sunday 25 January 10.00am Leader SWLT+CBWPS Map ref: SW987 726 (01566 771930) Sunday 8th March 9.30am Leader Gordon Mills Stithians Reservoir. A 5 mile nature walk around the dam organ- (01209 718144evenings) ised by South West Lakes Trust and CBWPS. Bring packed Marazion Marsh and Beach A morning walk around reserve and lunch, finish around 3.00pm. Meet dam car park. beach looking for gulls, waders and wintering birds. Meet in Map ref: SW719 364 Folly’s Field car park – first on the right when approaching Mara-

st zion from Penzance (overlooking the sea). Saturday 31 January 9.45 Leader Andy Pay Map ref: SW513 309 (01326 565371) Gillan Creek. A morning walk (finish 2pm) around the creek Sunday 8th March 9.00am Leader Simon Taylor looking at divers, waders, egrets, gulls (Mediterranean guaranteed) (01209 and woodland species (plus the good chance of a mystery surprise 614857) scarcity on the way home!). Meet at St Anthony Church car park. Stithians Reservoir. Weather permitting, an all day walk around Parking is limited so please car share if at all possible. the reservoir, taking in the hides, looking for resident birds and Map ref: SW783 257 (OS Explorer Map Sheet 103) waterfowl along with any early migrants. Bring packed lunch and suitable clothing for March. Meet at the eastern car park (not the st Sunday 1 February 9.30am Leader Gordon Mills Golden Lion). Take the only turning between Goonglaze and (01209 718144evenings) Hendra, this takes you to the car park. Marazion Marsh and Beach A morning walk around reserve and Map ref: SW715 364 beach looking for gulls, waders and wintering birds. Meet in Saturday 14th March 9.30am Leader Terry Hasdell

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(01209 710683) Carbis Bay. A morning walk around the bay to St Ives looking for Position vacant divers, grebes and seabirds. Meet in the Carbis Bay car park be- low the railway station. Map ref: SW528 388

Sunday 15th March 2.30pm Leader Steve Madge (01503 250432) Hannafore, West . A meeting to establish differences be- Website Manager tween British and Scandinavian Rock Pipits (hopefully in spring plumage) and to check for early migrants. Meet by the Coastguard lookout. for Map ref: SX256 523 Cornwall Birds Sunday 22nd March 9.00am Leader Viv Stratton (01736 796487) Tehidy Country Park and Woods. A walk around the woods (CBWPS) looking for early migrants, late winter visitors and resident birds. Meet at the Café car park off the main drive on the side. Map ref: SW650 432

th The Society is looking for a volunteer to Saturday 28 March 9.00am Leader Steve Rowe run our website www.cbwps.org.uk. (01637 875788) Porth Joke. A morning walk around the area looking for migrant You will need to be IT literate and prefera- and resident birds. Turn off A3075 (Newquay road) to . bly have run or created a website before. Take first left between Crantock and West Pentire past Treago Farm and meet in NT car park. Map ref: SW776 599 The role of the website is to provide mem- bers with easy to access, up to date news Saturday 28th March 9.30am Leader Mike Lord on birds in the county and the society’s (01326 290981) activities. It therefore needs regular atten- The Lizard. A morning walk around the Lizard to include heath- land, valleys and cliffs looking for resident and possible early tion - though not necessarily a large migrant birds including, hopefully, the choughs. Meet at Lizard amount of time. Green car park (voluntary contribution). Map ref: SW703 125 Anyone who is interested in the role Sunday 29th March 9.30am Leader CWT should speak to Andy Pay (who has done it (01726 815313 Matt Ward) for several years and is stepping down in Par Beach. A morning walk organised by Cornwall Wildlife order to concentrate on his wardening of Trust by the beach discovering the birdlife in the diverse habitats. Windmill Farm). [email protected] Suitable for beginners and experienced birders. Meet at the car park opposite Par Beach pool. Map ref: SX085 532 Or please contact our new Secretary Tony Bertenshaw for more details: PLEASE NOTE: [email protected] (and p 2) For the latest information on the Field Meetings please check the RSPB Local Group website www.rspbcornwall.org.uk or the Cornwall Bird Watching and Preservation Society website www.cbwps.org.uk Below: homepage of the Society’s website

Stithians Reservoir. For an up to date programme of additional walks around the reservoir log on to Simon Taylor’s Stithians Blog on the CBWPS web site www.cbwps.org.uk

Camel Trail Walks. Duration approximately 4hours. The walks, which will cover wild flowers, butterflies and animals as well as birds, will take place every Wednesday through to April 2009, starting at 10.00am and will be led by Bernard Ide and Martin Cutland. Meet outside Countrywise, Eddystone Road, Wadebridge. Phone Country Wise on 01208 812423 to Field meeting safety advice see if walk is on. Map ref: SW989 725. A donation of £2 is re- Please: always take stout footwear, appropriate clothing quested towards the purchase and erection of a hide at a location and protection against sun, rain, thorns, insects etc. Ask to be agreed at a later date. permission before bringing a dog - and keep it on a lead. Beware of rabbit holes and low branches. Take water to drink. Observe the Countryside Code at all times and lis- ten to instructions given by the Leader. Let the Leader know if you wish to leave early. 15

Hooked: one Kingfisher

Another true story from the long and varied career of RSPCA warden Rex Harper MBE

hen an angler arrived at the RSPCA centre one spring line and to pull it back through the bird’s beak, but would I be able W morning and handed me a Kingfisher, I thought that the to do the same thing with the tiny hook in the neck of a King- bird was dead, so lifeless did it appear. But on closer examination fisher? it proved to be alive, just! Surprisingly, things went very well once I had determined The angler had been fishing on one of the tributaries of the which end of the hook was which, (it’s quite easy to find the sharp , when he had noticed a flash of blue amongst the new end in one’s finger), and in a short time the Kingfisher was back in green foliage of a willow tree some distance upstream from where its hospital cage seeming pretty well unfazed by its experience. he had cast his line. At first he had dismissed the sighting, but Adult Kingfishers are not easy birds to keep in captivity, later, curiosity got the better of him and he walked along the mostly on account of the fact that they normally only take live, stream bank to investigate. To his amazement and horror he dis- moving prey, and are therefore difficult to feed. In this particular covered that the blue object was in fact a Kingfisher, dangling case the bird’s general condition was good so I decided to release from a branch of the willow, suspended by a thin nylon fishing it as soon as it had had a night’s rest at the centre. line which had become tangled around the branch. Consequently, early the following morning found me on The fish hook he realised must have been caught some- the banks of the Fal river, with the Kingfisher in a carrying box where in the bird’s throat. How long the bird had been hanging beside me, looking out across the river at the heronry in the Scots there he had no idea, but from its weak fluttering it was obvious pines on the far bank. Herons were flying over the treetops, some that the Kingfisher was exhausted and had more or less given up carrying nesting material, others standing like grey sentinels by its efforts to get free. their nests, whilst around the outskirts of the heronry several Little Wading out into the stream the angler was able to reach up Egrets perched, their plumage gleaming, snowy white in the morn- with a long stick and bring the branch down to a level where he ing sun. Other egrets were taking advantage of the low tide to could capture the Kingfisher and cut the nylon line. There was no patrol the muddy edge of the river, wading in to the water, and obvious sign of where the fish hook had lodged in the bird’s throat every so often, darting forward with their beaks to snatch up small so the bird was carefully placed in the fisherman’s creel and fish. brought to the centre. Taking the Kingfisher out of its box I held it in my hand As the bird was so weak I did not examine it right away, and, as always when handling one of these birds, was struck by its but placed it on a towel in a heated hospital cage and left it to rest great beauty. Seeing a Kingfisher at such close quarters is like for a couple of hours. When I checked on its progress later in the looking at a living jewel, its colours are so intense, sharply defined morning I fully expected to find the kingfisher dead, but the blues and chestnut, the dagger-like beak and the bright, inquisitive warmth and the rest had worked and the patient was sitting up and eye. looking around. Handling the bird I was delighted to find that its When I opened my hand the bird was away, flying straight body weight was good and its plumage immaculate, but what as an arrow across the rippling surface of the Fal, to eventually about that hook, where had it lodged? perch in the low trees growing on the far bank. Hopefully he Judging from the fineness of the fishing line I suspected would soon be catching his breakfast and returning to his normal that the hook would be pretty small, possibly used by a boy fishing routine, as I would to mine, but I sat a while watching the river and for minnows. Maybe the line had broken and the minnow made its wildlife, one of the many perks of my job! good its escape, with the hook and a length of line still attached to it, only to have fallen prey to the Kingfisher. ery carefully I moved my finger down the feathers of Rex Harper MBE spent twenty years as the RSPCA warden in V the bird’s neck, feeling for any slight bulge which Cornwall. Now retired, Rex has captured many of his experiences could be the hook, and sure enough there it was, about half way of dealing with birds and animals in his two published books - down. I could feel the shape of a tiny hook through the skin. ‘An Otter on the Aga’ and ‘An Eagle in the Airing Cupboard’. Swans and Gulls quite often swallow hooks, and I had had plenty of experience removing the much larger hooks from their See the profile of Rex on page 13 of this issue of Palores. throats, first of all finding the back of the hook and then angling it around so that the point could be pushed out through the birds Kingfisher, photographed at Altarnun, courtesy of Adrian Davey skin. Once the hook is out it is a simple matter to cut the fishing 16