BTO Blackcap colour-ringed survey: The winter Blackcap project is studying migration and movements of our wintering Blackcaps. Please look out for colour-ringed Blackcaps in Cornwall this winter, especially in the Falmouth/Penryn area. If you see one or can help with ringing sites in the area please contact Robbie Phillips at [email protected]
Palores Magazine: The next edition of Palores will be out in the New Year. If you have any contributions, news or ideas for articles please contact the Palores Editor Simon Marquis at [email protected]
Website update: New content on the website includes listings of rarer birds seen in the county in 2015 and 2016 (click to view) please read and contact us if you can help with a description or provide further details for publication in BiC and the county record. It would be a great shame to lose these records – some great birds in there. One obvious change to the website is the header change to include ‘Cornwall Birds’ – as a society we’ve decided to simplify and use this as a working title, following on from a similar decision made by the Devon Bird Watching and Preservation Society (Devon Birds), please see the Autumn Palores magazine for more details.
RSPB conservationist Katharine Lowrie is talking about her new book, ‘Running South America with my Husband and other animals‘ which chronicles their world first 6,504 mile run up the continent for wildlife and wildernesses. Speaking @ The Poly, Falmouth on Thurs 7th Dec 19:30 (tickets- http://bit.ly/2zjVFOE) & Passmore Edwards Institute, Hayle Fri 8th Dec at 20:00. With the chance to buy a signed copy of the book. For more info/ buy the book- http://www. 5000mileproject.org/about/ speaking/ Katharine was in BBC Wildlife Magazine’s (Sept)- http://bit.ly/2k1M1gS & is due to be on Radio 5 Live & Radio 4 in the coming weeks.
Exclusive extract from her book:-
Chilean flamingos flew in long skeins along the coastline and Magellanic oystercatchers screeched on the cobbled beach, their flame-red beaks flashing in perpetual chatter. Even a willow tree shuddered with life under the weight of over 100 black-chinned siskins.
We also did a megatransect recording the birds along our running route- we recorded 453 species and 6,154 individual birds and taught to schools about wildlife and running. Attached is a pic of a Crimson-crested Woodpecker – lots of these beauties along the way!
Cornwall AONB and Plantlife are looking to conserve the unique Atlantic woodland habitat and its rich but declining population of rare lichens, moss and liverworts in the south west. See their website for details of a short survey they would like residents in the area concerned to fill in – Plantlife – South West Woodlands
Autumn Palores: The society’s quarterly members magazine is now out – this autumns bumper issue contains reserve reports, news, photos, articles and more.
WeBS Counters wanted: The BTO in Cornwall are looking to recruit new counters for a number of sites for the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS), the long-running national waterbird survey, especially around the Helford complex and at a number of other smaller sites around the county. It would be great to get these areas covered for the coming winter months when information from the Helford in particular is of especial importance. Please see WeBS 2017 for more information or to take part.
Access at Davidstow Airfield: Davidstow Airfield is an active airfield and we have been reminded that there is NO right to roam here and that cars must NOT drive onto the airfield at all. We have been advised that we can WALK onto the grassy areas, but not the runways. Cars should be parked alongside the road. Failure to comply, could lead to access being withdrawn altogether.
Help requested: Please look out for this collection box missing from Mousehole Wild Bird Hospital, carved for them in 1958, more important than contents:
Tawny Owl Study: a BSc Zoology student conducting research into regional dialects in Tawny Owls has requested our help with recordings taken in Cornwall. If you have any, or can help with making recordings please see futher details Here
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