Final Report Cawsand Bay Bioblitz 2012 The Cawsand Bay Bioblitz had over 300 keen participants taking part and 133 volunteers and staff signed in at the base camp despite the severe weather warnings and local flooding. Over the course of the weekend more than 14 timetabled, public-participation activities took place including scientific surveys and guided walks. The total number of species found within the 24 hours stands at 1068 species, surpassing our 1,000 species target set before the event. Introduction A Bioblitz is a 24 hour multidisciplinary survey of biodiversity in a set place at a set time. The main goals of the events are to collect a snapshot of which species are present and to raise public awareness of biodiversity in the marine and coastal environment. This year’s Bioblitz was the fourth marine/coastal Bioblitz to be organised by the MBA and partners in the Southwest. Base camp for the 2012 Cawsand Bay Bioblitz was situated at the Maker with Rame Institute in Kingsand and surveys took place over 24 hours from 13.00 Saturday 7th July to 13.00 Sunday 8th July. The event was led by the Marine Biological Association and supported by over 25 organisations who ran surveys and public participation activities, including Cornwall Wildlife trust, the Shark Trust, Ispot, Plymouth University, Butterfly Conservation, Seasearch and many more. Plymouth boat trips and Maker junction also provided valuable in-kind support to the event. A full list of all the supporting organisations is listed in the appendix. Many of the activities were kindly hosted by Mount Edgcumbe house and country park. The event was funded by European Interreg funding through the Marinexus project and the Big Lottery and Natural England as part of the Blue Sound Project. An additional grant was kindly provided by Ideas Tap. Due to severe weather warnings many activity leaders and volunteers were unable to travel to the event. It is thought that warnings also led to lower than anticipated visitor numbers to the area. Despite these problems more than 300 keen participants did take part with 133 volunteers and staff signing in at base camp. The Survey area Cawsand Bay incorporates the twin villages Kingsand and Cawsand, situated on the Rame Peninsula, overlooking Plymouth Sound. Both of the bays have East facing sandy and shingle beaches and both of the villages are within the Mount Edgcumbe estate. The Rame Peninsula is an area of outstanding natural beauty and the Plymouth Sound and estuaries waters are a designated European marine site which is both Special areas of conservation and special protected areas. The marine habitats protected include the estuaries, sandbanks, shallow inlets and bays. The Bioblitz survey site extended from Inner Penlee point to Sandway point .The survey area from Sandway point to Kingsand is a SSSI area (site of special scientific interest). And special care was taken to avoid any impact on these important features. The survey area incorporated several different habitat types including rocky shore, coastal heath, gorse bush, meadows, sandy shore and sea bed and the pond in the local doctor’s surgery. Surveys Base camp was well equipped with microscopes, reference materials and trays with specimens for the public to look at and for the experts to examine and talk through their finds. The Institute was equipped with internet connection so the Data team from the MBA were able to upload new records, totals and photos live onto Twitter and on to a database over the course of the weekend. The MBA Common Room staff provided hot food and refreshments from the institute kitchen throughout the event, which were gratefully received by all staff and volunteers. Many activities took place over the course of the weekend including scientific surveys, guided walks and self-guided activities run by scientists and experts from participating organisations and attending as individuals. Activities took place throughout the day and Base camp at the Maker with Rame Institute (image MBA) night exploring the local beaches, rockpools, woodland, coast paths and surrounding areas. A Big bug hunt lead by Alison Smith (OPAL), Richard Comont (CEH), Tony Barber (BMIG) was held on the first day. Experts guided members of the public on a hunt for terrestrial invertebrates identifying and surveying the different species found. Jo Corke studying and identifying seaweed specimens in the Bioblitz Basecamp The big shore survey session (image MBA) was led by Jack Sewell (MBA) and volunteers from a range of other organisations. The activity included a walk along the shore and a rockpool ramble. Many local families enjoyed this activity and were very keen to explore the rockpools. Nick Butcher from Mount Edgcumbe Park and Jacky Pearce guided the general public on a walk to explore the woodlands next to Cawsand village, looking at the different species of trees found and the fungi found growing in these woods. Emily Cannon from the Blue sound project (MBA) and Richard Comont (CEH) ran two sessions for the Mammal and invertebrate trapping activity. In the first session they and the public lay pitfall traps for invertebrates and mammal traps along the coastal path areas. In the second session the public were invited to join them in collecting and identifying the contents of the traps set from the previous night. Several fishing demonstrations lead by Matt McHugh (MBA), Doug Herdson (Marine Fish Information Services) and Richard Ticehurst (Plymouth University) took place on the foreshore at Kingsand throughout the event. Participants were keen to watch the experts use a seine net to collect many species and A young participant taking part in the help sort through and identify the catch. Species found big shore survey activity (image MBA) included a ballan wrasse and sand smelt. The Bats and badgers session was held late in the evening and was lead by Nick Butcher (Mount Edgcumbe) and the Cornwall bat group. Although a later session we had a couple of very keen families who came along and had a go at using a bat detector. Many bats were recorded including the Barbastelle and the Common Pipistrelle. In the evening Richard Comont (CEH) and experts from the Butterfly Conservation prepared moth traps along the coast path. A late session was held to carry out a torch light survey on the terrestrial invertebrates found in the traps previously set up in the day. The Night time rockpooling lead by Jack Sewell (MBA) was very popular despite the unsocial time of 2.30am. Many A fishing demonstration activity on the foreshore at Kingsand volunteers including the SHARC (image MBA) members and experts from other organisations joined in the search for creatures at Kingsand’s rockpools. Species found included Cup corals, a Topknot, a Giant Goby, several species of crabs and a Candystripe flatworm. The Dawn bird walk lead by John Randall had five keen members from the public taking part in bird identification and song with expert advice from John. A team led by Rob Camp (SAHFOS) ran plankton surveys. The activity was carried out on the foreshore and plankton was then taken back to the lab to be examined and recorded. A butterfly, ladybird and wildflower walk was led by Richard Comont (CEH) through the woodland next to Cawsand. The Fungus, Lichen and Primitive plants walk was led by Jacky Pearce and Jo Corke. Jacky Pearce gave a guided walk through the woodlands at Cawsand and gave an informative talk on the different fungi species found and how to identify them. Jacky also provided Participants taking part in the Fungus, Lichen information on edible hedgerow plants. Jo Corke then and plant walk through the woodland nr Cawsand Bay (image MBA) gave a guided walk and an informative talk on Lichen and mosses found in the woodland. Dives took place over the weekend and were organised by Seasearch, Discovery Divers, East Cornwall Divers and Aquanauts. The dive teams were able to offer an insight into life found under the water. The team’s recorded a range of invertebrate and fish species in a range of habitats including open sand, rocky outcrops and seagrass beds. An Ocean Vigil was organised by Cornwall wildlife trust and due to unfavourable weather conditions, was based on the balcony of the Institute. The aim of the activity was to record any marine megafauna sighted from the balcony in the daylight hours. There were no marine mammals recorded during this activity however Seabird species were sighted. A team of divers preparing for a dive survey off the foreshore at The Blue Sound project team lead Kingsand (image MBA) snorkel surveys and guided angling sessions for participants, based on the foreshore at Cawsand Village. The activities attracted a large number of participants and provided additional records of fish and subtidal species. Results The team began with a target total of 1000 species. This number was successfully made and the total found was 1068 of animal and plant species recorded during the 24 hours. 383 of the species recorded were new records for the area. The species list also included a number of non- native species, not previously recorded at the site. The data has been processed and checked and will be archived in DASSH (The Data Archive for Seabed Species and Habitats). It will also be passed to local record centres and the NBN (National Biodiversity Network). Some highlights are given below. Species highlights The great green bush-cricket (Tettigonia viridissima) is a native species to the British Isles. The Bordered shieldbug (Legnotus limbosus) was sighted and this is the first record Southwest of Bristol and the first for the County. Solar powered sea slug (Elysia viridis).