No 53 - Winter 2015 funding for contractors to carry out this BTO volunteers Simon Taylor steps work. Another of Simon’s initiatives was ‘A Day for Nature’. He got CBWPS committee BTO volunteers and sci- down at Stithians and SWLT approval to host an Open Day at entists have contributed Stithians for the County’s top conservation to four high level Biodi- The CBWPS is sorry to report that Simon groups to promote awareness and generate versity Indicators; time Taylor has stepped down as Stithians war- further interest in conservation. spent in conservation by den, a role he held since 2007. Simon cites a Simon instigated the feeders near volunteers, pressure from invasive non- number of reasons for his decision, including the hide which have proved such an attrac- native species, the status of threatened spe- vandalism at the hides. tion for several Winters, and brought in cies, and the status of birds of the wider We are very grateful to Simon for his sightings of Marsh Tits, Bramblings, Water countryside and at sea. dedication and commitment to the Stithians Rail and large numbers of commoner spe- Published in December 2014 these Reserve. He worked tirelessly to manage and cies. He funded the materials from his own are part of a suite of 25 indicators of con- promote the site. As well as collating infor- pocket to set up and concrete in the feeder servation engagement, pressures and the mation about sight- frames, supplied the feeders themselves (the state of nature updated annually by the ings at Stithians and seed and nuts were funded by the Society) Government. Read more about the Biodi- writing the quarterly and kept them filled through successive versity Indicators for 2014 at reports for Palores, Winters. The feeders need filling every www.bto.org/science/monitoring/ he did a great deal of other day in Winter, and daily during spells developing-bird-indicators. hands-on manage- of hard weather. A team of 5 are currently ment, including regu- sharing this role which Simon covered sin- Plastic menace larly clearing the area gle-handed. in front of the Stuart The Society was approached by A minimum of 5.25 trillion particles of Hutchings hide, and Simon in 2009 to sponsor him for £100 to plastic, weighing nearly 269,000 tonnes, are the value of the start a nest box scheme at Stithians. The estimated to be floating in the world’s Southern cut-off hide in particular has been CBWPS gave him the money, the first oceans. New research concludes that pieces transformed by his efforts. Each Autumn he boxes were put up (with Simon funding of plastic primarily from food and drink cleared the growth of willow from in front of once again out of his own pocket any re- packaging amass an equivalent weight of the hide and around the feeders. If left un- placement boxes needed through Wood- 1,415 Blue Whales put together, yet is checked, this would have cut off views of pecker damage). This further led Simon to open water almost completely. He also pro- pay for the construction of another 90 boxes mainly made up of ‘micro-plastics’ measur- moted a scheme to dig out channels, scrapes nearer to home. Simon’s departure is a great ing less than 5mm. 95% of dead Fulmars and pools to retain open water in front of the loss to the Society. He has left a valuable analysed from the North Sea have been Southern cut-off hide. This has not yet been legacy and example for his successor, Dan found to have an average of 44 pieces of implemented, but South West Lakes Trust Chaney, to follow and we welcome Dan and plastic contents in their stomachs, with one (SWLT) has recently agreed to revisit the thank him for taking on this important role. bird having 1,603 pieces. (Source: BTO) Top bird photographs Ornithology history Adrian Langdon, warden of Walmsley Sanc- Colin Rees, right, an old friend of renowned tuary, showcases some of his favourite bird Cornish ornithologist Roger Penhallurick, is photos in a new Palores feature ‘Picture writing a history of Perfect’ on page 10. Thanks to Adrian for Cornish ornithol- sharing his wonderful shots. Future editions ogy. Roger had of Palores will feature the work of other bird conceived the pro- photographers in Cornwall. Adrian’s most ject but died before recent travels have included a very chilly he could begin it. Norway—see below. Colin has taken on the challenge, see Black Guillemot in Padstow harbour, 14th page 3. Colin is December 2014, photo by Brian Mellow the co-author with Derek Thomas of Breeding season success Birds of a Feather. Thanks to the benign weather in the spring Subs time! CONTENTS and summer of 2014, birds in the UK en- Chairman’s Chat p3 joyed a bumper breeding season. Not all our If you haven’t Bird report p4 migrant birds returned however, according paid your 2015 to the BTO, although those that did also Reserves report p8 subscription yet, Picture Perfect p10 benefitted from the good breeding condi- please contact our Looe Island p14 tions this year. Membership Sec For more details see www.bto.org/volunteer asap to do so. Swans p16 -surveys/nrs/results/nrs-preliminary-results- Many thanks and Field Meetings p18 2014. Happy New Year. Get to know p 20 CBWPS Directors and Officers Palores – January 2015 f you haven’t had a chance to look at the RSPB’s latest ‘State of the UK’s birds President: Steve Madge I 2014’ report (available on their website), I urge you to do so - but have a stiff Seawinds, Lower Trerive, Downderry, Torpoint, drink to hand, or something soft nearby to collapse on to. It makes for very depress- PL11 3LZ (01503 250432) ing reading. Here are some of the facts: since 1970, these are the percentage de- clines in the following species: Turtle Dove 96%; Grey Partridge 91%; Cuckoo Chairman: Mark Grantham 64%; Lesser Spotted Woodpecker 82%; even the Little Grebe is down by 53%. 17 Croft Parc, The Lizard, Helston, TR12 7PN Of course there are some good news stories too. Thanks to the herculean (01326 291133) efforts of the RSPB and others, Bitterns are on the increase, as are Ospreys, Marsh [email protected] Harriers and so on. But these successes are entirely overshadowed by the long-term trend which is one of calamitous decline in what were once Honorary Secretary: Cait Hutchings common species. 24 Kernick Road, Penryn, TR10 8NT Behind the collapse in bird populations, lies the even (01326 375593 Mob: 07896353601) bigger problem, namely the destruction of the natural habitat, our landscapes and our countryside. Much of this destruction Honorary Treasurer: John Stanlake is dressed up as progress. The need for new housing, better 12 Deacon Drive, Saltash PL12 4SL. transport, renewable energy and so on. But the price that is (01752 848541) being paid for all these things is a terrifyingly high one. The curious thing is how little politicians—local and national, and Conservation Officer: Tony Blunden of all political persuasions - seem to care about our natural Pencairn, Penmenner Road, The Lizard, Helston, environment. And this despite the fact that RSPB member- TR12 7NR. (01326 291064) ship, for example, dwarfs the memberships of all the political [email protected] parties put together. Can anything be done about this or are we and the next few generations doomed to live in a concrete, overcrowded waste- County Recorder: Dave Parker land in which the only creatures accorded any living space are human? 2 Boslevan, Green Lane, Marazion Well, some important voices are beginning to be heard. The Prince of Cornwall TR17 0HQ Wales (also Duke of Cornwall of course) wrote an impassioned plea for our coun- (07932 354711) [email protected] tryside in a November issue of Country Life, as did Simon Jenkins, the outgoing Assistant County Recorders: chairman of the National Trust. The great majority of people in this country, urban Tony Mills, Mike Spicer dwellers as well as rural, want our countryside to be protected—for everyone’s sake. But it will need this mass voice to be heard too, and heard loud and clear by Honorary Solicitor: Greg Adams all our politicians if anything is to be done to halt and perhaps reverse the desecra- 2 Wendron Street, Helston TR13 8PS tion of what may not be for very much longer, our green and pleasant land. Simon Marquis Minutes Secretary: Phil McVey Bruce Taggart, The Cornwall Bird Watching & Preservation Society Peter Kent Membership Secretary: Angela Tonry 20 The Copse, Boscoppa, St Austell PL25 3EU (07944 988599) [email protected] Editor, Palores: Simon Marquis Registered Charity No 1144724 St Breock Place, Wadebridge, PL27 7JS The CBWPS was founded in 1931 to encourage the study and pres- (07711 883876) [email protected] ervation of birds in Cornwall. The Society has over 1000 members in total. It owns 4 reserves and manages jointly several others. The Website administrator: Nigel Climpson Society organises weekly bird watching field trips (some jointly with [email protected] the RSPB local members group). Palores (its colour newsletter for members) is published quarterly. Field Meetings Officer: Gordon Mills 11 Commercial Street, Cambourne, TR14 8JZ (01209 718144) [email protected] 2015 Subscriptions: Adult £17 Family £21 Senior Citizen £14 Senior Family £16 Reserve Wardens: [email protected] Adrian Langdon Subscriptions are due by 31st January 2015. Cheques made out to ‘CBWPS’ please. Please pay by Gift Aid if you can - it saves the Soci- [email protected] Graham Sutton ety £1900 a year.