CORNWALL BIRD-WATCHING AND PRESERVATION SOCIETY Fifty-Fifth Annual Report 1985 Officers 1986-87 President: Dr. C. J. F. Coombs, Greenwith Place, Perranwell, Truro Chairman: Mrs M. P. Visick, Trendain, Perranwell Station, Truro Vice Chairman: L. A. Smith, 21 Vicarage Meadows, Fowey General Secretary: Mrs D. F. Inch, 9 Compass West, Tregadillett, Launceston Minutes Secretary: B. T. Inch, 9 Compass West, Tregadillett, Launceston Treasurer and Registrar: A. F. Reynolds, 33 Treworder Road, Higher Redannick, Truro Field Meetings Officer: D. L. Thomas, Mirador, Whitecross, Nr. Newquay Conservation Officer: Vacant Assistant Conservation Officer: N. R. Phillips, 8 The Warren, St. Ives Newsletter Editor: F. M. Couch, 29 Roman Drive, Bodmin Public Relations Officer: E. Grace, Gwyngala, Meres Valley, Mullion, Helston Officer for Youth and Education: Vacant Recorder and Editor "Birds in Cornwall": S. M. Christophers, "Emberiza", 5 Newquay Rd., St. Columb Major Assistant Editor: R. Smaldon, 46 Briar Road, Hartley, Plymouth Secretary, Recorder and Editor for the Isles of Scilly M. J. Rogers, 4 Pentland Flats, St. Mary's, Isles of Scilly Committee Members: Mr. G. Gill (Penzance) retires 1987, D. S. Flumm (Hayle), J. A. d'E. Miller (Liskeard) and R. E. Wake (St Mawgan) retires 1988, S. C. Madge (Torpoint) and B. Wilson (Lostwithiel) retires 1989, and the officers ex-officio. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT 1986 Last year in my report I went in to considerable detail of the work which we as a Committee encompass in our endeavours to cover all aspects of importance as well as of interest to the Society. Inevitably a lot of the work is repetitive and "matters arising" take up a great deal of time at every meeting; there must be continuity and even persistence to reach successful conclusions and it is all amazingly time consuming. Very much the same team has been working away as last year but it does give me particular pleasure to have filled at last the vacant spot of Vice-Chairman. I welcome the appointment of Mr Leslie Smith of Fowey. His many years association with English China Clay as Personnel Manager gives me a good reserve whose advice, good sense and good humour I find invaluable. Our Conservation Officer, Mr Stuart Hutchings, resigned but our link with Cornwall Trust for Nature Conservation remains unbroken with the addition of Mr David Flumm to the Committee as he is also on the Scientific Committee of C.T.N.C. Our Vice Chairman and Assistant Conservation Officer, Mr Graham Sutton of Bude also had to resign, when moving his farm and family to new pastures made spare time a rare commodity. We hope that his intentions of settling in Mid- Cornwall will be successful and he will then find time to rejoin us. Mr Roy Phillips of St Ives, well known to many of you, is now assisting in Conservation matters. The Barn Owl Nest Box Scheme is now in operation. We have had many enquiries, mostly from farmers from all over the County. To date over 40. Mr Vic Simpson, with some, but by no means enough help, has been modifying the tea- chests which so far we have managed to stockpile, but there are several points to make over this worthwhile scheme. First of all we would like it to be a steady ongoing feature of our work. We can supply standard leaflets describing how to erect and fasten boxes and hope that we can ask members to assist us if requested by visiting sites and helping to advise on the ideal spot. i.e. A position with Owl appeal.. Would you indicate to the Secretary your willingness to give us a hand in this. We have not as yet got a list of active members who would be willing to shin up ladders and fasten boxes, but we bless Mr Gilbert Thomas for already doing so. Would all members, try actively to find tea-chests. They lurk in unexpected places; or something similar even if needing some repair. Your local kindly house removal company could well help, and, finally, who is willing to wield a saw and hammer to help modify the boxes? This work need not be limited to Barn Owls. For Tawny Owls the long sleeve boxes are most successful. B.T.O. has now a new and improved booklet on Nestboxes. I have copies here now priced £3 and full of information. We are now represented on the Pelyn Wood Management Committee which comes under Restormel Council, and representatives attend the Camel Estuary Users Association meetings. We are represented at the Hayle Estuary protracted enquiry and continue as we have over the years to be anxious for the future of this important "wetland" area. We also have a watching brief over Bolingey Marsh and two local resident members have undertaken to do this for us which is so helpful. Resulting from an anxious enquiry from a member concerning the immediate clearing of an interesting naturalised old mining area at Carland Shaft near Helston with heavy machinery, we wrote to protest to Cornwall County Council. It transpired that they had not known the nature of the work for which Planning permission should have been sought. We have asked to be informed of any future development. When Dr Clark's Private Members Bill was presented to the House of Commons in the early summer 1985 in an attempt to strengthen the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and give greater protection, we were not particularly happy about comments on conservation emanating from some Members of Parliament so wrote to all of our Cornish Members asking them to support the Bill. Regarding the Walmesley Sanctuary near Wadebridge, an area of more than sixty acres which we own, we have decided to apply for consideration for a grant to help restore this to an attractive Wetland area under a scheme being promoted by World Wildlife U.K. The Sanctuary suffered from the effects of the River Amble's twisting course being completely straightened by the River Board many years ago and the consequent lowering of the water level and change in vegetation. If we are successful in getting support and can restore areas of standing water we would hope to attract great numbers of wintering wildfowl and waders on passage. It is important and unusual ornithological ground for Cornwall and worth every effort to achieve it's gretest potential. A sinister development which came to our notice a year ago and about which we were attempting to find evidence has now come in to the open. This is the effect that the use by the fishing industry of monofilament nets is having on our diving seabirds. Recently thirtyfive corpses of Razorbills and Guillemots were floating in St Ives harbour then a few days later another fifteen, with similar scenes at a south coast harbour. In another instance a fishing boat returning to harbour and clearing nets threw overboard in the region of 200 dead birds. I have seen underwater film showing drowned birds caught by the neck in a wall of fine fine net, their limp bodies swaying in the current. I was told on the Isles of Scilly that there is now considered to be enough monofilament net to go twice around the islands. News is that there is a more efficient net in the making. Efficient for what? Perhaps the total destruction of not just our divers. These nets cannot be seen and are lethal to everything. R.S.P.B. is asking for evidence to support an enquiry in to yet one more aspect of the decimation of our wildlife. Fishermen have stated that they realise they have the means to destroy everything that swims in the sea. The horrifying figure has been published of 2,000,000 Brunnichs Guillemots caught in nets during the salmon netting season in the waters between Greenland and Canada. Irresponsible shooting gives cause for great concern. Shooting and trespassing even more so. The recent discovery of a shot Peregrine near Truro, a Schedule 1 bird gives emphasis to this statement. An offender now faces a fine of up to £2000 per bird. Please be vigilant. The two surveys which were undertaken during 1985 organised by Mr Roger Smaldon will be reported in detail in the Annual Report. Mr Smaldon was encouraged by the response of members and the interest it created. The Seabird Survey covered about 80% of the coastline, an unfortunate gap occurring in West Penwith. The Woodlark Survey was not helped by the appallingly wet summer but it pretty well confirmed the fears that this charming bird is barely holding its own and seems now to have receded to the Tamar Valley. Our Editors, Mr Stan Christophers and Mr Roger Smaldon, and Mr Mike Rogers on the Isles of Scilly, continue their good work in producing excellent Reports. Enquiries for these publications come steadily from far afield and it is very gratifying to learn that so far they have been despatched to Russia, Czechoslovakia, W. Germany, Holland, France, Spain, Portugal, Canada, United States and Iceland and yet the list may not be complete. The British Museum has asked us to supply them with a lot of back copies. Do support the work of Mr Francis Couch who needs a steady stream of news, information, enquiry, or any observation which will make the Newsletter a lively link between Society Members. Mr David Thomas puts considerable time and effort into getting together such an interesting and varied list of Field Days, and the Social 4 Events Sub-Committee has been most successful in arranging well-supported evenings often in conjunction with R.S.P.B.