West Penwith Virtual Garden Bioblitz today: The Penwith Landscape Partnership is organising a ‘virtual garden BioBlitz’ across West Penwith, from St Ives to Marazion westwards. This is running from noon today (Friday 15th) to noon Saturday. They want to generate lots of biological records which will feed in to all the Cornwall recording schemes, and also celebrate the wildlife that we can all enjoy close to home whilst staying within the current CV-19 restrictions. Of course, the BioBlitz needs bird records (and they will all go to CBWPS), but PLP are urging everyone to look at everything, from ‘weeds’ and wildflowers, to insects, lichens and mammals. With the help of Derek & Sally of local environmental education and natural history training organisation ‘Budding Nature’, and other local experts and enthusiasts, they will be trying to offer identifications to anything posted on instagram, twitter or facebook with the #penwithbioblitz hashtag. They’ll be generating an overall species list of everything recorded in West Penwith over the 24 hours, and making sure that this opportunity is taken to promote and celebrate the huge diversity of wildlife which this part of Cornwall is blessed with.
PLP has created a facebook event, and there will be regular updates there, and on twitter and Instagram, but you can also get involved by email – or post! They hope lots of people will get involved. To find out more about the event, you can visit: https://www.penwithlandscape.com/events/2020-05-15/virtual-garden-bioblitz—join-us
Swift Survey Update – 11th May 2020:
This update is based on guidance from the BTO issued this afternoon. We’re sure that many of you will have watched the Prime Minister’s statement of 10 May and are now waiting to hear how this will impact on the restrictions around the Swift survey that was planned for this summer.
The full Government guidance, giving the detail underpinning last night’s statement was published at 14.00 today; this adds a lot of detail to last night’s statement, which the CBWPS board will need to digest and discuss with our partners, the BTO, CWT, RSPB, NT and others
At present there will be no change to our current position, which was outlined on 26/4 on the CBWPS website, restricting survey work to gardens or equivalent private areas, until the review is completed; we will update those who have volunteered for the Swift survey directly.
We do understand that this is a very difficult time for all of our members and we are grateful for the feedback and support received. We must ensure that we continue to look after the welfare of the wider public in the most appropriate manner, so please bear with us while we carry out this review, and thank you for your patience.
Coronavirus/COVID-19 and CBWPS Sanctions
The board have considered the constantly updated directions and recommendations to counter the spread of Covid 19/Coronavirus. In order to ensure full compliance with the restrictions outlined by the UK Government, the Board and wider Bird News Team have corresponded at great length about whether, and to what extent, various aspects of the Society requires some temporary alterations and change whilst the lock down is enforced. This has been a very difficult decision and the consensus that we have reached is outlined below:
Publication of the daily sightings page will continue, but we will only publish news of garden birds or birds seen on local dog or exercise walks. We won’t publish any news from excursions which are likely outside of these very tight but very necessary restrictions.
The Bird News Team will continue to accept your sightings (and we really do encourage you to send them in), but some records may not be published on the website as outlined above. The record of daily sightings is a fundamental part of the Society’s recording process, and even if your records do not immediately see the light of day on the website, they will form part of this very valuable resource. Note also that the selected reports in Palores are compiled from this and particularly notable sightings will continue to be reported at a later date.
It has been decided that the only compliant and safe decision is to close the Society’s hides. This will include Windmill Farm car park and access road. This will remain in effect until such time that any lock down and social distancing restrictions implemented by the UK Government are lifted.
Naturally, the Society walks programme has also been suspended. This will remain in effect until such time that any lock down and social distancing restrictions implemented by the British Government are lifted.
We hope that you’ll understand and agree with these measures and we’ll have some better news in the near future and promote ways that we can all contribute and share our garden birds with each other.
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