Harshest Winter in Years Takes Its Toll in Cornwall
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The Newsletter of The Cornwall Bird Watching and Preservation Society No 35 - Spring 2010 Harshest winter in years takes its toll in Cornwall The scene at Walmsley Sanctuary (below, photo by Adrian Langdon) was typical of the county during the coldest prolonged spell for many decades. At Walmsley, ice covered the reserve for weeks while at Stithians both cut- off areas and part of the lake itself stayed frozen for long periods. See reports on birds on our reserves in this issue. Returning Wheatear, photographed by Steve Rogers on 13.3.10 at St Gothians NR 2010 AGM returns to the Lizard and Windmill Farm Make a note of Saturday 15th May - the Daily bird sightings update 2010 Society Annual General Meeting. It on the CBWPS website will be held again at the Lizard after the For the first time our society’s website - success of the event in 2008. A visit to www.cbwps.org.uk - now features a daily Windmill Farm to see resident and migrant update of bird sightings throughout the birds is scheduled for 10am with the AGM county. This is already proving to be a popu- starting at 2pm in the Landewednack School lar attraction for members wanting to keep hall in Lizard, followed by a talk on Cirl up to date with what’s around in Cornwall. Buntings by Stuart Croft. See back page... The update can be found on the home page. Great black-backed Gull CBWPS social evening at project to involve CBWPS Stithians - Wed 12th May A BTO plan to ring around 100 young ‘Birds and Birding in Cornwall’ will be held Great black-backed Gulls on St George’s at the Watersports Centre, Stithians reservoir. Island at Looe will involve members of Doors open at 7pm. Guests speakers are CBWPS. Jenny Parker of the RSPB, Steve Rogers and The project is to investigate disper- Roy Phillips. Booking essential, £2 a head: sal patterns, survival rates and longevity of contact Simon Taylor on 01209 614857. this amber listed species - the world’s largest gull. The oldest recorded GBB Gull Photographic competition was 25. Yellowhammer, Rame, 27.3.10 (Tony Jones) The ringing will be conducted by a - correction and apology small, experienced team in order not to CONTENTS Steve Rogers’ wonderful Goldfinch photo disturb the colony which accounts for Chair’s chat - p3 has had to be disqualified as it was taken in about 20% of the Cornish population. Bird Report - p4 2008 rather than 2009. The competition was- Further updates on the project will Lesser Scaup - p5 n’t meant to be too serious but to be fair to be provided in future issues of Palores so Reserves - p6 all concerned, Adrian Davey’s Nuthatch is members can follow the whole scheme and L-eared Owls - p8 now named the outright winner. contribute by identifying ringed birds and My Patch - p11 This was an oversight on all our be- submitting their sightings. Cirl Bunting - p12 halves for which apologies - Steve has kindly The BTO website has more detail Hoopoe, Tregiffian, Meetings - p14 donated his prize back to the society. about the project. 27.3.10 (B Lawrence) AGM notice - 16 Committee and Officers Palores - April 2010 pring - every year without fail - inspires. Steve Rogers’ great Wheatear picture President: Steve Madge Seawinds, Lower Trerive, Downderry, Torpoint, on the front page evokes that thrill of finding the first returning migrants. I S PL11 3LZ (01503 250432) heard a Chiffchaff in my garden last weekend for the first time this year; then the Swallows and that first, unexpected blast of Blackcap song. The weather may have Chairman: Derek Julian momentarily forgotten what season it is, but the birds, fortunately, have not. 12, Dunveth Road, Wadebridge, As usual, the RSPB, CWT and CBWPS have assembled a great programme PL27 7XD. (01208 816779) of spring field meetings (see page 14), so there’s no excuse not to get out there and [email protected] make the most of your society’s offerings at this great time of year. Our reserves are some of the very best places to watch birds in Cornwall (in Vice Chairman: Bruce Taggart any season) and we are very lucky to have them. Most county bird-watching socie- Primrose Bank, Radford Lane, Millbrook, PL10 1AH ties cannot boast such wonderful assets. But like all properties, our reserves need (01752 829163) [email protected] maintenance and attention and that means money. On the page opposite you will find Tony Jones’ summary of our financial position. While it is currently alright, Honorary Secretary: Tony Bertenshaw the plain fact is our outgoings outstrip our income and ultimately that means the Hantergantick, St. Breward, PL30 4NH society will need to review its subscriptions. Compared with many other conserva- (01208 850419) [email protected] tion organisations in the UK, the cost of membership of the CBWPS remains low and thanks to all our members for continuing to support the society and its work. Hon Treasurer: Tony Jones Elsewhere in this issue, you will see how this work is progressing, not just “Lansdowne”, Southdown Road, Millbrook in terms of developing our existing reserves but in the help our people provide for Torpoint PL10 1EJ (01752 822694) example to the Cirl Bunting project, the Long-eared Owl survey written up and [email protected] illustrated by Chris Sperring on page 8, and the Great black-backed Gull project mentioned on page 1. The CBWPS is a hands-on organisation, making a real differ- Membership Secretary: Angela Tonry ence to the welfare and understanding of birds in Cornwall. 20 The Copse, Boscoppa, St Austell PL25 3EU Simon Marquis (Editor) [email protected] County Recorder: Darrell Clegg The Cornwall Bird Watching and Preservation Society 55 Lower Fore Street, Saltash, PL12 6JQ (01752 844775) [email protected] Editor, Birds in Cornwall: Derek Julian 12, Dunveth Road, Wadebridge, PL27 7XD. (01208 816779) [email protected] Website administrator: Nigel Climpson [email protected] Registered Charity No 255899 Editor, Palores: Simon Marquis St Breock Place, Wadebridge, PL27 7JS The CBWPS was founded in 1931 to encourage the study and preservation of (07711 883876) [email protected] birds in Cornwall. The Society has over 750 members. It owns 3 reserves and manages jointly several others. The Society organises weekly bird watching Field Meetings Officer: Gordon Mills field trips (some jointly with the RSPB local members group). Palores (its colour newsletter for members) is published quarterly. Every year the Society Conservation Officer: Tony Blunden also publishes its authoritative annual record - Birds in Cornwall - sent to all [email protected] members. Committee members: 2010 Subscriptions: Adult £14 Rosemary Parslow, Colin Selway Family £18 Kester Wilson Senior Citizen £11 Senior Family £13 Life member £200 Reserve Wardens: [email protected] Adrian Langdon Subscriptions for 2010 are due by 1st January 2010 . Cheques made out to [email protected] Graham Sutton [email protected] Andy Pay “CBWPS”. For all subscription payments, membership applications and en- [email protected] Dave Conway quiries please contact: [email protected] Dave Parker Angela Tonry, Membership Secretary CBWPS, 20 The Copse, Boscoppa, St [email protected] Simon Taylor Austell PL25 3EU or email: [email protected] Gift Aid saves the Society £1,500 a year. Please pay - if you can - by Gift Aid. Honorary Solicitor: Greg Adams 2 Wendron Street, Helston TR13 8PS Palores is published four times a year - January, April, July and October. Advertising rates: Full colour page £100, Half page £50. Independent Examiner: Mr S.G. Hawkey ACA Small ads and notices are free to members: contact the Editor. Whitakers (Chartered Accountants) Design and typesetting by the Editor. Bryndon House, 5 Berry Road, Newquay TR7 1AD Printed by R. Booth Ltd, The Praze, Commercial Road, Penryn, TR10 8AA (01637-873838) Distribution by Envelope Supplies, Holsworthy, Devon. 2 During February the Society was invited, by the Forestry Commis- Chairman’s Chat sion, to help out with a Long-eared Owl Survey. Five members attended, on some bitterly cold and snowy evenings, and were s I write this, it is almost impossible to rewarded with a total of four Long-eared Owls, (three males), all in A think that just over six weeks ago, snow lay prime breeding habitat. Also located were a good number of on the ground and some of us could not even get Tawny Owls and a Little Owl. Thanks to Chris Mason of the For- out of our drives. Now we have Sand Martins estry Commission and Chris Sperring of the Hawk and Owl Trust and Swallows swooping over heads and Wheat- (see p 8). The survey will be repeated in the summer, trying to ears chasing insects on the ground. The volume prove breeding by locating young. This sort of co-operation is what of bird song has also increased from a single the executive committee highlighted as the way forward in the Derek Julian Robin, singing its sweet melody to a concert of Development Plan in November last year. Hopefully we can build many species welcoming in the new season. on this and work more closely with other organisations for a better Spring has arrived. future for the county’s birdlife and the environment in general. Our reserves, during the winter months, have once again For many years the society has had books on deposit at the yielded some of the best birding around the county, with a plethora Courtney Library, at the Truro Museum, but because of their lack of commoner species joined by the odd rarity.