The Newsletter of Birds (CBWPS) No 23 - Spring 2007 Bird population changes in the South West mirror rest of UK The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has recently issued its wild bird indicators for the period 1994-2005, based on data compiled by the RSPB and BTO. The report shows that UK-wide there was little change overall in the farmland and woodland birds monitored, although the north showed some increase and the south-east a decrease. The index for all native species populations grew by 6%. The South West fared in line with the rest of the country, although the trends dis- guise individual declines. Nine of the 29 woodland species showed declines of 10% or more, the Willow Tit being the worst affected, while the 16 farmland birds monitored de- clined by 5% overall - Lapwings being particularly badly hit. Mid-March also saw the publication of the Marine Bill White Paper - something that will affect Cornwall disproportionately. Natural , the government’s independ- ent advisor on conservation, has welcomed the consultation which should lead to a bill that sets up a network of marine conservation zones. It is hoped that the lessons learned from the Lundy ‘No Take Zone’ will be applied to other marine and coastal areas. Peter Kent

RSPB’s Claire Mucklow to Peter Kent takes over as address the 2007 AGM our Conservation Officer Claire Mucklow of the RSPB has kindly Chris Mason has had to resign as the soci- agreed to give a talk at the Cornwall Birds ety’s Conservation Officer due to other AGM in April. commitments and his role has been gener- Claire will tell members about pro- ously taken up by Peter Kent. gress being made locally with three species Peter joined the Cornwall Birds initiatives: Chough, Cirl Bunting and Corn committee last year and is enthusiastic about Bunting. taking on the responsibility. He works for This year’s AGM will be held in the Cornwall Wildlife Trust as a reserves Town Hall at 7.30pm on Fri- officer responsible for north and east Corn- day 27th April. All members are welcome wall. to attend. Please come and have your say. Peter is planning to write an article A formal notice of the AGM can be on climate change and its effects for the found on the back page of this issue. summer edition of Palores. It is worth noting once again that Darrell Clegg steps down as Secretary and CONTENTS Bob Bridges as Treasurer at the AGM. The Bird Report: society urgently needs replacements for A Gyr Falcon frequented and Winter in for several both. weeks in February and March 2007. This Please have a think about whether - p 4 magnificent bird was photographed at Step- you could help Cornwall Birds by agreeing per Point on 26th February by Colin Selway. to take up one of these important (but not Reserve news See Bird Report page 4. - p 6

Member numbers growing Our Chough The drive for new members is gathering Dusky Warbler (16.3.07) - p 8 pace. Around 20 new members have signed photo Andy Pay up as a result of the first wave of leafleting SW Lakes (in the last issue of Palores), with more expected as a result of its insertion in the Trust - p 9 March issue of Wild Cornwall, the magazine of the Cornwall Wildlife Trust. Birds of the You will find a further copy of the Rockies recruitment leaflet in this Palores - please - p 10 White-billed Diver, one of the exciting winter pass it on to anyone interested in birds. If visitors to Cornwall, photographed by Paul you can help by placing some leaflets in a Field meet- Freestone. Other pictures and a write-up by local library, doctor’s waiting room etc Dartford Warbler (16.3.) ings: Spring Derek Julian on page 5. please contact the editor - details on page 2 photo Paul Freestone - p 14 or at [email protected].

Committee and Officers Palores - April 2007 President: Steve Madge The arrival of spring is always a wonder. Although winter in Cornwall never fails to Seawinds, Lower Trerive, , , produce great birding moments, those first green shoots and that first Chiffchaff PL11 3LZ (01503-250432) always get the senses buzzing. This spring started quite exceptionally early - though we’ve had a few set- Chairman: Peter Crispin backs too. Blackcaps seem to have been carolling away for weeks and many of the 5 Church Lea, Launceston PL15 8QZ daffodils are already sneaking back to earth. Whatever the causes, there can be little (01566-773455) peter.crispin@.gov.uk doubt that our climate is changing. This critical topic will be covered in the summer issue by our new conser- Vice Chairman: Graham Sutton vation officer, Peter Kent, who has kindly agreed to Harcombe, West Park Road, , EX23 8PB step into this important role. (01288-356605) About a year ago, the committee had a day- long meeting about what the society should be concen- Honorary Secretary: Darrell Clegg trating on - for the benefit of Cornwall’s birdlife and, 55 Lower Fore Street, , PL12 6JQ of course for you, its members. The main thing we all agreed upon was that our (01752-844775) [email protected] reserves must be at the heart of what we are and what we do. It is particularly pleas- Hon Treasurer: Bob Bridges ing, therefore, to be able to bring you reports from almost all our reserves in this 21 Parc Peneglos, Bells Hill, Mylor, TR11 5SL issue - those we own, part-own and manage. We are very grateful to each dedicated (01326-373830) warden for their time on the reserves and in writing about their beloved patch for Palores. Conservation Officer: Peter Kent Birds depend on many human organisations for help, so it is also great to 2 Morwellham Cottages, Morwellham Quay, have a glimpse into the life of Steve Cordel, a ranger for the South West Lakes Tavistock, PL19 8JL Trust, responsible for Stithians, College, Porth and other lakes. All these places are rightly Cornwall Birds’ greatest insurance policy for the welfare of birds and our Membership Secretary: Sara McMahon best defence against the endless encroachments of mankind and his polluting habits. 72 Underwood Road, Plympton, PL7 1SZ (01752-242823) [email protected]

County Recorder: Darrell Clegg Cornwall Birds 55 Lower Fore Street, Saltash, PL12 6JQ The Cornwall Bird Watching and Preservation Society (01752-844775) [email protected]

Editor, Birds in Cornwall: Derek Julian 12, Dunveth Road, Wadebridge, PL27 7XD. (01208 816779)

Website administrator: Andy Pay Salena Cottage, Wendron TR13 0EA Registered Charity No 255899 e-mail: [email protected]

Cornwall Birds (as the CBWPS) was founded in 1931 to encourage the study Editor, Palores: Simon Marquis and preservation of birds in Cornwall. The Society has over 750 members. It Place, Wadebridge, PL27 7JS owns 3 reserves and manages jointly several others. The Society organises (07711 883876) [email protected] weekly bird-watching field trips (some jointly with the RSPB local members group). Palores (its free, colour newsletter for members) is published quar- Committee member: Rosemary Parslow terly. Every year the Society also publishes its authoritative annual record - 17 St Michael’s Road, Ponsanooth, TR3 7ED Birds in Cornwall - sent free to all members. (01872-865013)

Committee member: Bruce Taggart 2007 Subscriptions: Adult £14 Family £18 Field Meetings Officer: Vacant Senior Citizen £11 Public Relations Officer: Vacant Senior Family £13 Life member £200 Reserve Wardens: Walmsley: Adrian Langdon Subscriptions for 2007 are due by 1st January . Maer Lake: Graham Sutton Windmill Farm: Andy Pay Gift Aid saves the Society £1,500 a year. Please pay - if you can - by Gift Aid. Loveny: Dave Conway Drift: Dave Parker Membership: to join Cornwall Birds, please call, email or write to Sara Stithians: Vacant McMahon, Membership Secretary, 72 Underwood Road, Plympton, PL7 1SZ, (01752-242823), e-mail: [email protected]. Honorary Solicitor: Greg Adams 2 Wendron 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. Bryndon House, 5 Berry Road, TR7 1AD Design and typesetting by the Editor. (01637-873838) Printed by R. Booth Ltd, Mabe, Penryn, Cornwall. Distribution by Envelope Supplies, Holsworthy, Devon.

2

rather overlooked – perhaps as we don’t yet have a hide there. I Chairman’s Chat recently spent a very blustery Sunday morning up there with Dave Conway, who has been wardening the reserve for twenty years and hat a terrific winter period we’ve had in has collected meticulous records throughout that period. W Cornwall, with the Pacific Diver at Pen- The reserve covers the eastern inlet of Colliford Reservoir, zance, the White-billed Diver at and the and if you like windswept moorland and huge skies (and I do) it’s a Gyr Falcon at Stepper/Pentire, to name but a few. great spot. I must confess that although I don’t live a million miles Not that I’ve managed to see them – away, the uncertainty about how to access the reserve has previ- regrettably, New Year resolutions soon get swept ously been off-putting. It hasn’t helped that the grid reference that to one side by work commitments, I find. For we’ve published for the turn-off is incorrect! We’re putting that those of us restricted to weekends the weather right, see below in Titbits, and also correcting the information pack Peter Crispin has been pretty grim too. However, it’s not just for new members. You might like to note it. Last year Dave held about chasing after rarities (well, not for all of us!) and the garden discussions with CWT and SW Lakes Trust about the possibility of has held its own charms. It’s always interesting putting a hide in there, and we await the find- to see how numbers change from year to year. ings of a feasibility report. We will keep you This winter our feeders have been inundated informed of any developments through the with long-tailed tits, yet not a siskin to be seen, usual channels. compared to the previous winter, when siskins I must apologise to members who will were second only to the ubiquitous green- be wondering when the 2005 Birds in Cornwall finches. report will be available. You will recall in my I hope you have all taken the opportu- piece in the last Palores that personnel difficul- nity to pass the recruitment leaflet inside the ties had led to a delay. My latest information is last Palores on to a friend, preferably standing that it will be later in the year before we will be over them while they filled it in. If it’s still able to publish it. However, to sweeten the pill, lurking inside the magazine – shame on you. there is the prospect of the 2006 BIC report There should be another one enclosed with this coming out promptly – you may even get two issue, so please pass this one on if you can. Pacific Diver at Pen- BICs in one year! So far I know of 20 new members – a Lastly, you will find details of the good start, but we need to keep distributing the zance - one of the AGM arrangements in this edition. I do hope as leaflets as widely as possible. The Cornwall many of you as possible will be able to attend. Wildlife Trust have kindly agreed to include birding highlights of You, our members, are the society, and the them in the March mailing to members. There AGM is your opportunity to have your say, and should also by now be a supply in each of our the winter just past influence our future. reserve hides. Unsurprisingly there are posts that we 17th February 2007 photo Lee Fuller If you visit and find there are none still need to fill if we are to fulfil our aims - please let a committee member know. And if most significantly those of Secretary and Treas- anyone knows of any local libraries or information centres that do urer, but also Field Meetings Officer, Public Relations Officer and not yet have a supply, please contact the editor. warden of Stithians. Please, if you feel you could undertake any of I’m delighted that we have an article about Loveny reserve these roles, do put yourself forward. I did two years ago – and look in this edition of Palores, as I’m conscious that it may have been what happened! Titbits...

almsley is to host an Open Day on August xxx. Members oveny Reserve (Colliford Lake): members please note that the W and the public are welcome. Expert advice will be on site to L correct grid reference for the turn-off from the A30 to the answer questions and help with identification of birds. It is hoped reserve near Bolventor is SX173752 - not the one mentioned in the to publicise the day in the local and regional media. new member’s pack. See page 5 of this issue for a report on this Cornwall Birds/CWT reserve by warden Dave Conway. tephen Jackson has been the BTO representative for our area S for just over a year. He has been involved with a number of his is a repeat of last quarter’s message: if any member can important bird surveys (eg Winter Gull Roost, Dartford Warblers) T think of any businesses that might like to advertise in Palores of which perhaps the most topical is the Ringed and Little Ringed would they please let the editor know. Contact details page 2. Plover Survey of 2007. Anyone interested in BTO activities and these surveys, please contact Stephen on 01326 313533 or via ou’ll see this issue of Palores has yet more great articles and [email protected]. Y photos from members. You have responded brilliantly to the plea for more contributions - please keep them coming. Don’t be shy - editor’s details on page 2! he RSPB would like to fill the gaps in their archive of Birds in T Cornwall reports. If anyone has, and can spare, any of the Spotted Sandpiper seen following yearly reports, please contact Claire Mucklow on 01392 on the Hayle estuary on 453775 or [email protected]: 1941; 1951-59; 1961-65; 11th March 2007 1973-77; 2001-04. Photographed by Paul aul Freestone’s appeal for back copies worked - he was inun- Freestone P dated with replies and wishes to thank members that helped, particularly those in and Saltash who provided him with Thanks to all those so many. Paul has kindly pledged to make the society a donation. who allow their photos to be used in Palores

3

Bird Report (January-March 07) Sara McMahon chronicles the past season’s bird records around Cornwall. They include some great sightings - not least two very un- usual Divers... Wildfowl – Game Birds Wildfowl highlights included a Pink-footed, a Barnacle and a Tundra Bean Goose at Drift until mid-February with a further three Barnacle Geese at Siblyback Reservoir during January. The American Wigeon on Clapper Marshes was joined briefly by a second bird during January; although present until Mid-March it could prove difficult to locate as it took to visiting both Walmsley Sanctuary and the Camel Estuary much to the frustration of visiting birders. A Green-winged Teal was seen at Sand Martin at Rock photo Adrian Langdon Walmsley during January and lingered into March while a second bird was seen intermittently on Hayle. Ring-necked Ducks were noted at Porth and College Res- ervoirs as well as Loe Pool where a Ruddy Duck was noted during January. The mobile Surf Scoter first seen off Falmouth in Octo- ber moved to but was unfortunately picked up dead in Harbour in February.

Divers – Coots If accepted, Britain’s second Pacific Diver was in Mount’s Bay from mid-February until early March but the bird proved hard to find some days, whereas the stunning White-billed Diver on Hayle during February and March couldn’t have been more obliging giving tremendous, close views for everyone. A Great White Egret was noted at Walmsley during March and at least three Spoonbills were present in the county until mid- March; two on the Lynher and a single on the Camel Estuary and Walmsley Sanctuary. The only raptors of note were a Gyr Falcon that roosted in the quarry at Stepper Point and was seen over at Pentire through- out the period and an early Osprey seen over Hayle on 26th Febru- ary.

Waders – Auks An American Golden Plover was noted at Maer Lake during Janu- ary; while Purple Sandpipers reached 21 at Penzance during Feb- Hoopoe ruary and the Spotted Sandpiper on Hayle was still present at the site in March. Warbler that was difficult to see was found in Newquay during Mediterranean Gulls were noted throughout the county March while the Lesser Whitethroat thought to be of the Asian race with 22 being present on Men-Aver Beach in early February; was in Lelant until mid-March. A Willow Warbler reported from small numbers of Little Gulls were reported from various sites Chasewater in January was also an unusual find. while a Franklin’s on Hayle in March was a stunner! Lapland Buntings were present around Nanjizal during Ring-billed Gulls were noted at several sites in January January but seemed to move off around mid-month and a lone and February while Iceland Gulls were seen at many places from Hawfinch was a good find at Polgigga during March. mid-Cornwall down as far as Polgigga where two were present for much of the time. Glaucous Gulls were reported in the Far West Birds to look out for: during January and February from a few sites; while an American Last time I recommended looking for Divers and, with a Pacific Herring Gull at Mousehole was present for a while during March. and a White-billed turning Wintering Sandwich Terns were noted at both Porthpean and up, someone was certainly Swanpool during January; the only Black Guillemot was at Fal- listening! mouth during January and the only Little Auk at Carbis Bay dur- Now it’s spring ing January and February. watch the weather forecast and look out for Alpine Doves – Buntings Swifts. They come in By mid-March Sand Martins were beginning to return with the earlier than the Common first reported at Maer Lake on 10th March. A Swallow was seen in Swifts and Night Herons January at Charlestown the same day as a House Martin was re- and Hoopoes are also ported in the same area and the only notable pipit was a Richard’s regulars in the county at during January. during the spring. An early Hoopoe was found at St Buryan in February Look out for Ring while in the warbler line Yellow-browed’s were present at Pen- Ouzels and Wheatears as Wheatear zance, Loe Pool and Swanpool throughout the period. A Dusky well... 4

Rare birds in Cornwall White-billed Diver Derek Julian reports on one of Cornwall’s February when three of the birds were first recorded. (Two were on the same day). rarer visitors, which has recently turned up References: British Birds once again in Hayle harbour... Volume 61 to 98; Cornwall Birds 1967 to 2004; Snow he rarest of the diver family to appear in British waters, the and Perrins, The Birds of the T White-billed Diver, (Gavia adamsii), breeds in Arctic Russia Western Palearctic Concise right across Siberia and in Arctic Canada. Wintering birds are Edition. encountered at sea in the eastern Atlantic Ocean as far south as I hope this will be the southern Norway, but their distribution is poorly known. first of a number articles on Of the 263 sightings of this species around the British the scarce and rare birds that coast up to the end of 2004, only four have come from Cornwall. th have appeared on the Cornish The first was noted off St Michael’s Mount on April 11 Mainland. If you would like 1967 and was then seen daily until the 19th. Interestingly, this was st to know more about the oc- the first ever record south of Yorkshire and only the 21 British currence of a species please record. th let me know. February 19 1985 saw the arrival of the county’s second The next in this series Map showing the sightings of bird at Sennen Cove, which was picked up in poor condition and White-billed Diver round the coast st will be the Pied-billed Grebe was taken to Mousehole Bird Hospital were it died on 1 March. and I would like a photo of of Cornwall - St Michael’s Mount, (An excellent photograph of this bird can be seen in British Birds one of the Cornish birds if Sennen Cove, St Ives Bay and St Vol. 78 page 257). you have a one. Please email Austell Bay One in St Ives Bay on February 28th 1988 became the third nd me, Derek Julian, on camel- for the county. It stayed until at least 22 March. (A photograph of [email protected] or telephone 01208816779. the bird appeared in British Birds Vol. 81, plate 161). Since writing this article, an adult White-billed Diver was Ten years elapsed before the next bird which resided in St th th nd discovered in Hayle Harbour on 25 February 2007 and was still Austell Bay from February 19 1998 to possibly June 2 present on 10th March 2007. The bird is pictured below courtesy of (although only the sightings in February and early April were ac- Andy Pay, John Lee and Len Hadley. cepted by BBRC). The best time to look for this species appears to be late

photo by Andy Pay photo by John Lee

photo by Len Hadley 5

Reserve News Walmsley Windmill Farm A brief update from warden Adrian Langdon Latest news from Andy Pay

first winter American Wigeon was still at the reserve on he new boardwalk is finished! Thanks to volunteers from A New Year’s Day and was thought to have been commuting T RNAS Culdrose helping out the Cornwall Wildlife Trust between Walmsley, Clapper Pools and the Dinham Flats on the team, the 842 metre walkway along the western boundary was estuary. ceremoniously opened by Stuart Hutchings’ widow, Cait, on 26th Two female Pintail and a Green-winged Teal, along with a January, Stuart’s birthday pair of Gadwall and over 30 Shoveler have been present. (see picture). The Navy On 6th March Colin Selway recorded a Ruff, a 3rd winter guys also repaired the hide Iceland Gull and an adult Spoonbill. The 11th March saw the return roof for us and we are most of the hirundines with up to eight Sand Martins at Walmsley. A grateful for all their help. Willow Warbler was also seen. We hope to do a bit more Water levels are very high at present and I've raised the boardwalking to make the height of the sluice by five inches to keep even more water in the worst of the boggy parts of bunded area dur- the trail easier to negotiate. ing the winter. With all the winter I aim to rains, Ruan Pool has be- lower this level come a significantly larger body of water. It has attracted about 30 during the spring, each of Wigeon and Shoveler and up to five Pintail, but strangely but hope to bal- hardly any Teal. One slight problem is that the presence of these ance it out against wary wildfowl has rendered the hide out of bounds during the another possible winter as you cannot get near it without flushing them. The an- long, hot and dry swer, of course, is to build another hide in a more approachable summer. position and that is what we will be hoping to do this summer. Some- An Iceland Gull dropped on to the pool on 6th january , times I wonder if bringing the reserve’s bird list to 139. There have been no Hen it wouldn’t Harriers around this winter, but a Marsh Harrier paid a visit in be better to just early March. As spring approaches we wonder what new species Redwing photo Adrian Langdon let Mother Nature for the farm will turn up - Garganey is overdue and I’m betting on sort it out! a rare heron sooner or later.

Loveny (Colliford Lake) The first of what will be regular reports on this Access to the reserve is difficult with a public path on the south west shore and distant viewing from the minor road on the beautiful reserve by warden Dave Conway eastern side, south of Bolventor. Proposals are underway to im- oveny Reserve was made possible by the creation of Colliford prove this situation by erecting a hide on the eastern side about L Lake and the first warden, Tony d’E Miller, recorded the first 500 metres north of . wildfowl count in November 1983. The area supports a good bird population both in summer I succeeded Tony in December 1987 and have recorded the and winter, Black-headed Gulls have bred since 1990, raising over monthly Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS) counts to the present. The 100 young in good years. This is the only colony west of Dorset. A reserve is managed jointly by Cornwall Birds and the Cornwall good selection of grebes, waders and passerines breed and the Wildlife Trust. spring and autumn passage can turn up some interesting species. Colliford Lake, in the middle of Moor, occupies Winter can be good for raptors, Yellow-legged Gulls, Golden an area of 366 hectares making it the largest body of fresh water in Plover and ducks. The moulting flock of around 2000 Canada Cornwall (over three times larger than Stithians Reservoir). Geese in June and July is a regular feature. Loveny is situated in the north of the eastern arm of the lake with This long overdue introduction to a unique reserve will be an area of 162 hectares and an average water depth of less than 7 followed by up to date information in future issues of Palores. metres. The main reservoir reaches a maximum depth of 23 metres by the dam at the southern end. The reserve has highly acidic soils with significant accumulations of peat and is sur- rounded by semi-improved pasture and open moorland that support sheep and cattle. There are several distinct habitats within the reserve - origi- nal moorland, abandoned semi-improved pasture, marshy inlets with feeder streams lined with wil- low carr, an island meadow bordered by an exca- vated moat, islets of floating peat and a variable shoreline. Little active management has ever been done apart from a grazing regime for neighbouring farmers from April to October that began in 1990 and was withdrawn by Southwest Water in 1995 due to the threat of cryptosporidium. Loveny, looking west across the eastern arm of Colliford Lake 6

Up to five Scaup have been seen on and off throughout the Drift Reservoir winter as have White-winged Gulls with 1w, 2w and adult Medi- terranean Gulls and two 1w Iceland Gulls. Waders have just about Our new warden at Drift gone now the water levels were back up again with the only bird Dave Parker reports of note being a Jack Snipe seen in January. A Dipper has also been seen intermittently on the stream below the dam. By the time you read this, the first Sand Martins and other early migrants should he splendid male Ring-necked Duck remained until the 19th of have arrived. T December and the first winter Pink-footed Goose (a first for The reserve is generally low maintenance with minimal the reserve) found in October is still present as I write. intervention required except for path clearance. However, this A second first for the reserve was an early Christmas pre- year, there is a major challenge as the footpath just beyond the sent for some in the form of a Barnacle Goose, first seen on 22nd boathouse is being eroded making it quite dangerous when wet. December, although it was probably the same bird that had been We will shortly be in negotiations with Bolitho Estates and South frequenting the Tolroy area. Amazingly a third new bird for the West Lakes Trust to try and tackle the problem. reserve turned up in late January and was yet another goose, this In the meantime has anyone got any spare nest boxes that time a 1w Tundra Bean Goose that appeared on 26th January, could be used around the reserve? Please contact me, Dave Con- ahead of a cold spell. All three geese departed on 19th February. way, on [email protected]. Thank you. Maer Lake Graham Sutton reports n 2004 the Environ- I ment Agency devel- from our north east outpost oped a flood prevention scheme for the Flexbury area of Bude with a proposed start date of 2007/08 (as reported in Palores April 2005). The scheme would have involved consider- able work on the reserve, including the removal and replacement of the existing flood bank, and included some environmental en- hancements for the reserve. The Society has given a good deal of time and information to the E.A. and their contractors, and so it is very disappointing to learn that the scheme will not now go ahead because of lack of funds. At the time of writing, there is no indica- tion yet of a possible start date. One bonus of the dry summer and early autumn of 2006 was that we were able to get tracked heavy machinery on site at Maer to do some much needed management work. The original channels that we cut in 1994 had narrowed considerably over the years, so the dry conditions presented an excellent opportunity to widen them and improve viewing from the road. The few remain- ing pools of water were teeming with Migrant Hawker dragonflies, Golden Plover one of the few non-territorial dragonflies. Clouded Yellow butter- flies were also present in very high numbers A Monarch butterfly eler on the same day, not a combination you would automatically was reported in late August on the same day as a Grey Phalarope put together. If you then add in to the bird watching mix the com- appeared on a nearby beach, actually photographed among holi- plete surprise of finding something different or unusual, this is daymakers swimming! This was an interesting combination of what makes bird watching so fascinating and at times exciting for sightings on the same day which, perhaps, a few members in West me. Ruff is certainly not a rare bird, but a January adult female Cornwall may have also seen, but later in the autumn. with beautiful checked back pattern and bright orange legs at Maer he winter of 2006/07 has been very mild with periods Lake was a good record and very pleasing. T of heavy rain. Over five inches of rain fell at Maer in each of the months of October, November and December. Over Some things you may not know about Maer Lake: four inches fell in January, and over six inches in February. Golden Plover numbers have been excellent and built up to over • It is believed that the 300 soldiers killed in the Civil War 4000 birds present in December with one American Golden Plover battle at Stratton in 1643 were buried in a mass grave on amongst them. This is the third record for the reserve. I often won- Maer Down. der which sites have lost wintering Golden Plover numbers to • The 2nd company US Rangers famously depicted in the Maer Lake. Certainly the conditions we have created since pur- film Saving Private Ryan trained at Maer Cliff prior to chasing the site are much to their liking. Duck and Snipe numbers their D-Day assault on the Pointe du Hoc Normandy have been disappointingly low, probably a combination of the 1944. dryness of the site well into the autumn, and the exceptionally mild • Finally, from the Cornish and Devon Post newspaper – winter. I have, however, regularly flushed up to six Jack Snipe 16th May 1874: “The parts of some ancient animal have when adjusting the sluice. Small parties of Brent and Barnacle been found in the Maer Lake at Bude, and measuring 26 Geese put in their annual brief appearance. inches from the nose to the brow of the head. The entire There is a predictable nature about bird watching which I mass weighs two hundredweight, and may be seen at the really enjoy. Dates in which your experience tells you migrants Falcon Hotel”. like Sand Martins will arrive, combined with the knowledge of how weather patterns influence bird movements in your area, give I like to think that these are the remains of an ancient you the basis of successful local birding. For instance, at Maer ‘twitcher’ whose ghostly image can, according to local rumour, be Lake I nearly always see Sand Martins and freshly arrived Shov- occasionally glimpsed appearing out of the mist from Flexbury.

7

Chough - Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax Cornwall’s emblematic bird is breeding again in the county. But how well do we know our famous corvid? Simon Marquis investigates

he Cornish Chough is a reality once more. In 2001 several T birds returned to Cornwall and a pair bred the next year, sig- nalling the welcome return of a species that last raised young in the county in 1947. If you haven’t made the pilgrimage to Lizard Point to see our very own Choughs cavorting around the cliffs, you should - it’s a treat. In the nineteenth century, Choughs were not the rarities they are today. They bred all the way along the south coast to the cliffs of Dover, pretty well everywhere on the western side of the British Isles and on the North Sea coast between Edinburgh and Newcastle. Famous naturalist Gilbert White noted that they bred on near Eastbourne in the late 18th century. The Chough photo by Andy Pay (March 2007) causes of the decline in numbers are not certain although human predation and interference are considered most likely. Certainly from the kitchen range and, then dropping them, inadvertently they were reported as being trapped in baited steel traps on Perran caused fires. It is a curious thought but one in keeping with the Sands for sale in Falmouth as late as 1866 and they were challeng- crow family’s well-known propensity for theft. ing targets for egg collectors. By the 1920’s Cornwall was the only Dr William Borlase, rector of Ludgvan for 50 years from English county with breeding Choughs. Today the Chough is con- 1722 and a leading naturalist, kept a Chough and wrote of it in a fined to a few sites in Cornwall, the western extremities of Wales, letter of 1763: “Our Chough is now in its fourteenth year. It is South West Scotland and Ireland. Now there are thought to be sometimes sick. Mrs Borlase is the doctor, and when its appetite around 1,200 breeding pairs in our islands, of which 75% are in appeared to be disordered she grated rhubarb with a little meal into Ireland. a paste with success. As he has free egress and ingress, he appears The Chough is undeniably a crow, but it is a sleek and generally at dinner, knocking at the door if it be shut with his bill handsome crow. Its cheerful cry is gentler than the Jackdaw’s, its till ‘tis opened. His place is to perch behind my chair. His favour- flight more buoyant and dashing. It is hard to misidentify the ite dish is the yolk of a boiled egg which he will take off my plate Chough. As the founder of Cornwall Birds - B.H.Ryves - put it in without leave.” his book Bird Life in Cornwall: “ Its long curved red bill and red egend has it that King Arthur never passed away en- legs, its comely figure, its lively gait, its glossy blue-black plum- L tirely, that his spirit lived on in the form of a Chough. age, tinged with green as it flashes through the sunlight, all these Certainly, the bird’s association with myth and legend is deep- pronounce it a thoroughbred.” rooted. Many ancient Cornish families have coats of arms that The Chough is predominantly coastal in its habits, rarely incorporate the Chough, as of course does the badge of Cornwall straying inland and happiest swooping in and out of sea caves and itself. So deep in the soul of Cornwall is the bird that it inspired around the cliff-edges. John Harris, the poet son of a tin-miner, born near Camborne in The Cornish Chough It feeds on the close- 1820 to write a piece entitled The Cornish Chough. Two of its cropped turf which so verses are enough to reveal Harris’ affection for the bird: takes pride of place often characterises coastal regions. Indeed Though harsh thy earnest cry. on the county’s coat it is its feeding habit of On crag, or shooting high probing and digging Above the tumult of this dusty sphere, of arms, alongside with that curved red Thou tellest of the steep Where Peace and Quiet sleep, bill, that gives the the fisherman and And noisy man but rarely visits here. Chough its Cornish the tin miner. This name Palores - liter- ally, ‘digger’. For this I love thee, bird. particular example The Chough And feel my pulses stirr'd To see thee grandly on the high air ride, can be found on the was often kept as a pet Or float along the land, in times gone by. Its Or drop upon the sand, Tamar Bridge. sociable habits and Or perch within the gully's frowning side. longevity (it was re- corded as old as 26) This was good observation as well as verse - Choughs are known made it a good com- to ‘shoot extremely high’, often spiralling upwards until they are panion and may have invisible to the naked eye. The closely-related Alpine Chough has led to its bizarre reputa- been recorded as high as 20,000 feet up. Ryves also notes their tion as a starter of fires, endurance, being the only birds still aloft during appalling an allegation reflected weather. in the Chough’s Latin It is clear that the Chough has had a bittersweet relation- name Phyrrocorax - ship with the people of Cornwall, who hounded it almost to extinc- literally, ‘fire raven’. tion and yet have retained a great affection - even reverence - for The Chough, it it. How gratifying then that the Chough has returned to Cornwall, is said, may have and how worthwhile the effort and patience lavished on ensuring picked glowing embers its foothold here is secure. 8

Scarce and rare birds on our reserves - how best to report them

s you will of course be aware, scarce and rare birds can turn A up anywhere and any time within Cornwall and the society’s reserves have had their fair share of these occurrences. It was felt by the committee that a system should be in place for reporting and assimilating the information gathered about rare species to the membership and general public, so that the re- serves could be managed properly and disturbance kept to a mini- mum, while at the same time allowing everyone to see rare birds when they do turn up. With this in mind, anyone finding a scarce or rare species on a society reserve should contact the warden in the first instance and/or Derek Julian, (all contact details listed below), so that any specific management requirements can swiftly be put in place. Trewornan Bridge from Walmsley Sanctuary If anyone is willing to help steward a reserve during a visit of a rarity please would you contact Derek Julian, (ideally you will • Windmill Farm – Andy Pay: be able to give a few hours of your time on site and be able to react • Walmsley Sanctuary – Adrian Langdon: 01208813440 at very short notice), so that an effective list can be kept of all or 07702527603 interested people. • Maer Lake – Graham Sutton: 01288356605 This will help avoid disappointment at the same time as • Derek Julian – 01208816779 or 07725557331 helping keep some sort of order when rarities do appear.

The Countryside Ranger Service of the South West Lakes Trust Steve Cordel is the West Cornwall Area usually runs for a minimum of 5 years after which it is reviewed and revised. For many years, grazing was the traditional manage- Ranger for our friends at the South West ment tool on many sites. Grazing around reservoirs stopped in Lakes Trust. He explains what the job entails 2000 leading to habitat changes such as scrubbing over and the spread of bracken. I am involved with updating the management he South West Lakes Trust was set up in 2000 to manage plans based on recent surveys and recommendations carried out by T conservation and recreation on inland lakes and reservoirs in an ecologist. I also work with Cornwall Wildlife Trust looking at Cornwall, Devon and West Somerset. Recreation includes wa- how we can manage the sites to comply with local Biodiversity tersports, angling, cycling, walking and of course bird watching. Action Plans. Wet grassland and woodland are important local Our conservation activities include practical habitat management, BAP habitats which are prevalent on our sites. education, reserve creation and working with other conservation My activities on site follow a predictable seasonal pattern. bodies on improving biodiversity. spring and summer are dominated by recreation management. The Countryside Ranger Service is divided into four geo- Paths and amenity areas need to be cut and visitor facilities need graphic areas: West Cornwall, Central (North Cornwall & North regular cleaning and maintenance. Public events are run to encour- Devon), Dartmoor and Exmoor. Each area has at least one major age more people to get into the countryside or try a new activity. lake within it. In the winter months, major works are usually completed to add to I have been Ranger for West Cornwall since September or improve the existing infrastructure. This is also the time for 2005, having worked previously as a warden for a reserve on the practical conservation work such as coppicing, scrub management Norfolk Broads. As Ranger I am responsible for the day-to-day and reed cutting. maintenance of the land around the lakes within my area. These manage teams of volunteers who assist with the work are Argal, College, Drift, Porth & Stithians. I also manage two I on sites. This can include practical management, bail- small fishing lakes (Boscathnoe & Bussow) in . iffing the fisheries, surveying and assisting with events. By regu- Each has a management plan that sets out the management larly visiting the sites, the volunteers are able to keep me updated of the site for recreation and conservation. A management plan on issues that arise. They are also able to assist visitors with en- quiries. Depending on the time of year, birdwatchers can make up a sizeable proportion of our visitors. During the migration periods, Cornwall’s lakes & reservoirs become important stopping over points. They also attract the interesting vagrant. A large influx of birdwatchers was attracted to Boscathnoe last year by a pair of Night Heron. I was contacted by local anglers who were being disturbed by the birdwatchers and had to visit the site to calm the situation. These events are fortunately brief and infrequent and I believe that all visitors to our lakes need to be aware that they share the site with other users and they must consider their impact on small isolated areas. I would like to thank Peter Crispin and Simon Marquis for giving me the opportunity to contribute to Palores. This article is a brief overview of my work. More information about the South West Lakes Trust is at www.swlakestrust.org.uk or from Steve Stithians Reservoir Cordel on 01209 860301. 9

NightTouring out in the Rocky Mountains

DawnAdrian Balmer, Langdon Birdtrack manages organiser to avoid theat the Grizzly BTO, was in fact a simple crossing, it’s just that we Cornish aren’t used explainsBears long how enough to make to takeyour some bird fantasticrecords count shots to the close attentions of people like the US Homeland Security officers. The only true downside was that they confiscated our of the wildlife in the Canadian and US Rockies pack of frozen beefburgers from the RV fridge. Unusually, I man- aged to keep my mouth shut and resisted the urge to offer the anada and the USA must rank amongst the easiest countries Ketchup to go with them. The sight of all their armaments worked C to travel around due to the vast amount of space they allocate well in keeping me quiet! for roads. This visit was our first touring North America without In Montana we skirted through Glacier National Park on the children so the motor-home we had booked was slightly its eastern side which proved to be much more dramatic than the smaller than on previous occasions. The all-singing and dancing western entrance. We would have liked to have taken the famous RV (recreational vehicle) is a great way to see the area and we “run to the sun highway” through the park but our vehicle was love the freedom to spend as long as we like in any place we over 21ft long and thus prohibited, and the road was closed due to choose. a major landslip at one of its infamous ‘pinchpoints’. We flew into Calgary in Alberta, Canada in early June, a One of the campsites near the US/Canada border was on a good time to visit as the weather is usually fine, tourist numbers fast-flowing trout stream amongst a copse of Cottonwoods. Fortu- low and roads and campsites open. We chose Calgary because of nately we don’t suffer from hay fever but if you did it would be a its proximity to the Rockies; one can be in Banff inside two hours, problem because the “cotton” seed carriers were covering the area in the heart of the mountains. This was to be a family holiday, like a heavy snowfall. The trees however were a magnet for birds albeit reduced, with the awesome landscapes, mammals and birds and I found nesting Downy Woodpecker, Red-naped Sapsucker, all on the list of ‘things to photograph’. Baltimore Oriole and Western Kingbird. I also got some fine shots As you head north along the Icefields Parkway Banff Na- of Yellow Warbler and good views of Cedar Waxwing. tional Park runs into Jasper National Park. This road is said to be Further south we camped on the shores of the Flathead one of the top 10 scenic highways in the world and it certainly Lake, a mere 35 miles long, and a place where the Ospreys hadn’t lives up to its reputation with high peaks on both sides of the road read the text books and thus didn’t know the standard size of their and glaciers dropping into crystal clear lakes wherever one looks. territories. There are over 100 pairs nesting in the area, with up to Add to this the thought that there may be a Grizzly or a Black Bear six occupied nesting platforms on one stretch of highway. We behind any of the millions of trees and the photographer’s mind could see each nest from the next along the road. I managed to goes into an overload of imaging possibilities. park our camper near a nest and got some great photos as the pair At any lay-by or picnic spot the favoured bird is the Grey went about the day to day business of caring for their two chicks. Jay or as it’s known locally ‘Whisky Jack’. Along with Clark’s arlier on in the trip we’d met a couple of birders who Nutcrackers they have taken advan- E were kayaking on a lake with their binoculars and tage of human leftovers. At some they had told us about a great birding spot some 60 miles south of sites it’s the Steller’s Jay which Calgary. This proved an ideal base for us to spend the last couple turns up but in the high peaks the of days before flying back to the UK. It is a wetland site called Grey seems to have cornered the Frank Lake and is owned by Ducks Unlimited who I think use market. Of course all the birds must funds from their hunting activities to buy and maintain wetland take a back seat to the Ground reserves. Squirrels which inhabit most areas There was a super hide that was accessed via a flooded of grass in and around campsites, Freedom of the road: the boardwalk from the parking area. Along this boardwalk were nest- whistling to warn each other of your all-singing and dancing RV ing Franklin Gulls and also a couple of large rodents which I soon presence as they dive down their discovered were Musk Rats. The site has one of the largest breed- burrows and then pop up again to suss out if there’s any food go- ing populations of Franklin Gulls in the world with about 55,000 ing. It is against the law to feed any wildlife as a stop-off at a pairs. In fact the whole history of this lake in the middle of the picnic site a few years ago vividly reminded us. We drove in to prairies is very much a success story as they use wastewater from find a rather bedraggled looking black bear on the top of a garbage the nearby town of High River and from a large beef processing container with its head inside pulling out all and sundry in search plant to keep the lake supplied. of food. These habituated animals are often the most dangerous as Eared Grebes fed their young right in front of the hide they come to rely totally on human waste. whilst the Franklin Gulls kept the noise levels up to equal any gull The Bow river on the outskirts of Banff proved to be a colony that I’d ever visited. The exquisite Yellow-headed Black- great site to see and photograph the Common Loon, or as we know birds were all about, often in the company of their Red-winged it, the Great Northern Diver. I came across three birds floating cousins, while I also got good photographs of the charming Le downstream just behind our campsite, in fact I heard their evoca- Contes’ Sparrows as they fed on grass seed heads. tive call as we sat in the camper eating breakfast. A quick dash The only downside was that the high water levels had through the riverside vegetation and I had my lens trained on them flooded the boardwalk and paths requiring me to ditch my hiking as they dived and displayed in the beautiful early morning light. boots and wade barefooted though the tepid waters. Feeling itchy Certainly one of the highlights for me. on my return to the car park I soon discovered two huge black Another thing that never ceases to surprise me is finding leeches had taken up residence between my toes. Fortunately, our Hummingbirds up in the high meadows of the Rockies. At Mount vehicle was well-equipped with lots of hot water so I was able to Robson, which is the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, I saw get myself scrubbed up quickly. I’m not sure going barefoot was both the Rufous and the Calliope Hummingbirds. Many locals and quite such a good idea. especially the National Park staff put out feeders with a special Three weeks travelling in the Rockies had soon passed and sugary solution and they take to them as readily as the tits do to the long haul home was soon underway. On switching on my mo- our peanut feeders. bile phone back in Heathrow I was delighted to get two text mes- In the second week of our trip we headed south through sages about the Gull-winged Tern at Walmsley and even more Kannanaskis Country and over the Alberta border at Chief Moun- pleased that it was still around and photographable when I got tain into Montana USA. I could write a whole chapter about what home!

10

Osprey

Baltimore Oriole

Common Loon (Great Northern Diver)

Franklin’s Gull

Yellow Warbler Osprey Yellow-headed Blackbird

Downy Woodpecker Black Bear Ground Squirrels Clark’s Nutcracker 11

Anis, Bananaquits and Todies...

Derek Spooner gets to grips with the weird ily, Todidae. On my second visit, more than a year later, I returned and wonderful birdlife of Puerto Rico to the same bush, and lo and behold, the Tody was waiting for me. Was it the same bird? I will never know! Helen’s garden also had plenty of Greater Antillean Grackles, UERTO RICO, My heart’s devotion – Let it sink back in Gray Kingbirds, several types of dove ‘P the ocean. Always the hurricanes blowing, always the popu- and an occasional visiting humming- lation growing...’ bird (Antillean Mango), and lots of Despite a lifetime teaching geography, I have to admit that Bananaquits – little lively black, yel- my knowledge of Puerto Rico was largely derived from a fifty- low and white birds with curved bills. year old musical, West Side Story. So when my daughter an- It has been calculated that two-thirds nounced two years ago that she and her husband were going to live of the birds in Puerto Rico’s forests there, I embarked on a steep learning curve. I have now been there are Bananaquits. twice (most recently in January-February 2007), and although the The Kingbirds were particu- visits were primarily for the purpose of family reunion, I have larly bossy – big flycatchers which been given the opportunity to learn something about the birdlife of Bananaquit perched on prominent vantage points a Caribbean island. Of course the hurricanes aren’t always blow- and harried intruders. An American ing, and both our visits were undertaken in the cooler winter Kestrel often sat on the woodpeckers’ months outside the hurricane season. Coolness is relative though; pole, and one morning we were treated this is still the tropics, with the average monthly temperature never to a visit from a wintering Merlin, falling below 24 C. which perched in a tree overlooking Puerto Rico is not much bigger than Cornwall, about 100 the garden for a couple of hours, mak- miles long and 35 miles across, and has a population of nearly four ing the occasional sortie. Cattle Egrets million. It is an unincorporated US territory, but treated as a US sometimes flew over, and a Red-tailed state for many purposes. It is the smallest of the Greater Antilles, Hawk circled. In the early evening with an Atlantic-facing north coast, a mountainous interior cov- raucous flocks of Smooth-billed Anis ered in lush vegetation, and a drier southern side - containing what perched on the wood-pile, on their is claimed to be the world’s best example of a tropical dry coastal way to roost. The Ani is a strange forest at Guanica (a World Biosphere Reserve). Puerto Rico is Brown Pelican black bird, which looks like a cross largely rural, with one major city, San Juan, dwarfing the rest. We between a crow and a parrot. They are stayed near the north coast at Arecibo – my son-in-law works at one of relatively few birds to build the world’s largest radio telescope (scene of a boisterous finale to communal nests. one of the Bond movies!) – but took short trips to other parts of the n many ways these doorstep island. I experiences were the most As a Caribbean novice I discovered that the most intrigu- delightful part of birdwatching during ing feature of the region’s birdlife was the presence of endemic our trips, but there were other treats in species, found only on particular islands. Sixteen of Puerto Rico’s store. Visits to the south-west, Carib- 120-odd nesting species come into this category (with two more of bean, coast of the island, with its salt- debatable status). These by definition are rare birds, found only on pans, lagoons and mangroves were Puerto Rico, and some of them are potentially vulnerable to extir- particularly fruitful. Wintering Brown pation from natural catastrophe or human interference. The most Pelicans were fun to watch, and there precarious is the Puerto Rican Parrot, which numbered a million or Peurto Rican Tody was always a chance of a Magnificent more when the first Europeans arrived in the fifteenth century. By Frigate Bird overhead. 1989 there were less than fifty birds left in the wild, and half of Here were plenty of waders, these disappeared that year as a result of Hurricane Hugo. With the often remarkably tame, and sometimes aid of a captive breeding programme, numbers are probably now tricky to identify. Graceful Black- over a hundred. Sadly I failed to see the Puerto Rican Parrot, but it necked Stilts, Lesser Yellowlegs and is hardly surprising! Ruddy Turnstones were especially y introduction to the Puerto Rican avifauna took numerous. In the pools and mangroves M place in the garden of my daughter’s house in a various herons and egrets were com- small suburban community near Arecibo. Imagine my delight mon, and a spectacular black and or- when some of the endemic species presented themselves for my ange oriole, the Troupial, flitted inspection. A pair of noisy Puerto Rican Woodpeckers lived in the through the bushes. Three more en- large trees in nearby gardens, and on my recent visit spent a lot of demics were ticked off the list. From time excavating a hole in the telegraph pole just outside our front Gray Kingbird our beach hotel I watched a flock of door. A more outlandish species, the Puerto Rican Lizard-Cuckoo, the extremely rare Yellow-shouldered sometimes visited the garden, clearly attracted by the abundant Blackbird flying from offshore man- lizards. Lizard-Cuckoos are only found in the Caribbean – the grove roosts (there are only a few Puerto Rican version is one of four found on different islands. hundred of these birds). The Puerto A third endemic, the Puerto Rican Screech-Owl, also lived Rican Emerald (hummingbird) ap- in the neighbourhood, and several nights I lay awake listening to peared in the hotel garden, and the its strange purring song, punctuated occasionally by mad cackling, Puerto Rican Flycatcher was on the and usually against the background of relentless chirping by the telegraph wires. ubiquitous coqui frogs. But I never managed to see it (or the The dry forest of Guanica, frogs!). In the grounds of the Arecibo Observatory, I located the with its tall cacti and prickly pear, is Puerto Rican Tody – a gorgeous tiny green bird with a red throat. noted for a rich diversity of birds, but This is one of only five members of the unique West Indian fam- Antillean Mango the scrub is dense and I found it hard 12

to get clear sightings. Certainly there were plenty of Turkey Vul- tures overhead. I ticked off another endemic, Adelaide’s Warbler, The Scillonian Pelagic trips but failed to see the Puerto Rican Nightjar. Puerto Rico also contains the only tropical rain-forest in Derek Julian reviews this fter 13 years of sail- the United States forest system, preserved as the Caribbean Na- must-have DVD by Peter A ing beyond the Isles tional Forest. The Luquillo Highlands are popularly known as ‘El of Scilly to find seabirds, Yunque’ (after its highest peak); our visit was brief and didn’t Walsh on these sadly the Scillonian Pelagic trips allow enough time to explore the dwarf cloud forest above 3000 defunct but much-missed ended in 2005. In this feet. So I failed to find the rare en- seabird excursions DVD Peter Walsh tries, demic Elfin Woods Warbler, the last successfully, to show the bird to be discovered in the West excitements and disappointments of these fabulous birding trips. Indies (in 1971). Birds were generally For anyone who wishes to identify the species from hard to spot in the dense foliage of around our coast this DVD is for you. The unique way each spe- the lower montane forest, except from cies of seabird flies is well-illustrated here with truly magnificent the canopy walkway at the Visitor footage of Wilson’s, Fea’s and Storm Petrels as well as Great, Centre – a good place to see flycatch- Cory’s and Sooty Shearwaters. The commentary by Peter helps ers, orioles and woodpeckers. pick out the features you need to secure the identity and, in some Overall, my two trips to cases, even the age of the bird you are watching. There is also Puerto Rico have proved a fascinating footage of Basking Sharks, dolphins and an Ocean Sunfish. Smooth-billed Ani experience, and a wonderful introduc- This DVD is not just an identification tool but a snapshot tion to the biogeographical consequences of island isolation. Some into the pelagic birding scene and also the characters of the time. absences were odd. Coming from Cornwall, I found it strange not Just watch to see how many Cornish birders you see. to see any gulls or crows. Their place as villains of the avian The emotions of these trips are also captured with the world seemed to be taken by the sinister Pearly-eyed Thrasher, great joy of the Fea’s Petrel and sadness of everyone who missed which preys on other birds’ nests, including the endangered parrot. the Black-browed Albatross. I was surprised too not to see more wintering North Although the Scillonian Pelagic trips are at an end this American birds, apart from the waders, pelicans, and a few raptors DVD has saved for posterity what it was like to be on board. At like Osprey and Merlin. Puerto Rico doesn’t have a large number only £21.00 including p&p, this film deserves to be in everyone’s of species (I’ve seen less than 70), but it does have some extraor- collection. dinary birds. I have now seen or heard 11 of the 16 endemics. It seems I will have to return to find the other five. Shame! Copies available from Peter Walsh at 16 Atlantic Crescent, Sennen, Penzance, Cornwall, TR19 7AS. (tel: 01736 871123). Photos by Christine and Derek Spooner + library shots

SW Optics ad here

13

Field Meetings - all welcome April - June 2007

1. Saturday 7th April 9 am Leader Terry Hasdell 6. Saturday 28th April 10am. Leader Peter Kent (01290710683) (07866 430086) Carbis Bay. A morning walk around the bay to St Ives Churchtown Farm Nature Reserve, Saltash. A circular looking for divers, grebes and seabirds. Meet at Carbis Bay car walk looking at how traditional farming methods and agri- park (near railway station). Map Ref: sw 528 388. environment schemes are used to support wildlife. Meet outside the Wearde Road entrance to the reserve (SX421581). 2. Thursday 12th April 1 pm Leader Eric James (01326 513225) 7. Sunday 29th April 9 am Leader Gordon Mills Tresillion River. An afternoon walk along the riverbank (01209 718144) looking for waders, waterfowl and gulls. Meet at St Clements car . A morning walk looking for resident and migrant park. Map Ref: sw 852 439 birds. Meet at St Erth Church car park. Map Ref: sw 549 351

3. Sunday 15th April 9.30 am Leader Paul Prowse 8. Saturday 5th May 9am Leader Andy Pay (01736 786138) (01326 565371) Trevail and Wicca. A morning walk looking for resident Windmill Farm. A morning walk around the farm to see resi- and migrant birds. Meet at Farm car park (fee payable) Map Ref. dent and visiting birds and other wild life. Stout footwear recom- mended. Meet at the car park. Map Ref: sw 693 152 4. Sunday 22nd April 9 am Leader Colin Moor (01736 788787) 9. Sunday 6th May 9 am Leader Paul Prowse Nanquidno. A morning walk looking for migrant and resi- (01736 786138) dent birds. Actual walk may vary according to latest information. Nanquidno. A morning walk down the valley looking for Meet at the large lay-by on the east side of the B3306 opposite migrating and resident birds. Meet at the large lay-by opposite Lands End Aerodrome map ref: sw 377 292. Lands End Aerodrome on the B3306 map ref: sw 377 292

5. Thursday 26th April 6.15 pm Leader Gordon Mills 10. Saturday 12th May 9.30 am Leader Mike Lord (01209 718144) (01326 290981) Headland. An evening walk around the headland Goonhilley Downs. A morning walk on the downs looking looking for resident and migrant birds. Meet at the first National formoorland birds. Meet at the Earth station car park. Map Ref: Trust car park (fee payable) Map Ref: sw 584 422. sw 736 206

For your safety and enjoyment, please: take stout footwear, appropriate clothing and protection against sun, rain, thorns, insects, nettles etc. Ask permission before bringing a dog - and keep it on a lead. Beware of rabbit holes and whip-lashing branches. Take water to drink. Observe the Countryside Code at all times and listen to instructions given by the Leader. Let the Leader know if you wish to leave early.

The Camel Estuary from the Burniere hide 14

Purple Sandpiper photo by Adrian Langdon Jackdaw photo by Adrian Langdon

11. Sunday 13th May 9.30 am Leader Gordon Mills (SX436491). (01209 718144) Bude Marshes and Maer Lake. An all day walk, the marshes in 14. Sunday 20th May 10 am Leaders Pete and Brenda King the morning and the lake in the afternoon. Meet at the main town (01579 320549) car park. Map Ref: sw 852 439. Bring lunch. Upper Valley. A morning walk covering woods, river and moor. Meet on old A30 east of Bolventor. Map Ref: sw 12. Wednesday 16th May 6.15 pm Leader Gordon Mills 190 773 (01209 718144) Godrevy Headland. An evening walk around the headland 15. Sunday 3rd June 10am. Leader Peter Kent looking for resident and migrant birds. Meet at the first National (07866 430086). Trust car park (fee payable) Map Ref: sw 584 422. Greena Moor, Week St. Mary. A circular walk round Cornwall’s finest culm grassland site. Meet in the car park of the 13. Saturday 19th May 8.30 am Leaders Bruce Taggart Green Inn Pub at (SX 237 972). and Peter Kent (07866 430086) Penlee and Rame. A circular walk taking in Penlee Bat- tery reserve and . Meet at the Penlee Battery car park

photo by Simon Marquis 15

Cornwall Birds The Cornwall Bird Watching and Preservation Society

Annual General Meeting 2007

Wadebridge Town Hall Friday 27th April at 7.30pm

Agenda

1. Apologies

2. Confirmation of the Annual General Meeting minutes from 5th May 2006, and matters arising.

3. Chairman’s report.

4. Treasurer’s report.

5. Conservation Officer’s report.

6. Election of officers and committee.

7. Consider changes to the rules.

8. Any other business.

The business part of the meeting will be followed by a presentation by Claire Mucklow, RSPB Cornwall officer, entitled “Bird Projects in Cornwall” which looks particularly at the exciting work on species such as Chough, Cirl Bunting and Corn Bunting.

Nomination form for election of officers and committee members in accordance with society rules:

I nominate…………………………………………………………………………………………….

Of (address)…………………………………………………………………………………………..

Proposed by (name and address)……………………………………………………………………

Seconded by (name and address)…………………………………………………………………...

………………………………………………………………………..has agreed to serve if elected

Nominations must be in writing and reach the general secretary, Darrell Clegg, 55 Lower Fore St, Saltash PL12 6JQ [email protected] by 13th April at the latest please

16