Wild Penwith A major new project in West - Cornwall Wildlife Trust

Tamar
I recently had a very close view of a fine pale-coloured stag.
On reporting this to Tim Dingle, he said that he had seen a
similar stag (probably the same one) about seven miles away
cross country. Tim called the stag white, but I thought it
was beige. On both occasions the stag was accompanied by
females. Tim defined this deer as a red deer.
Swallows came back to my area on April 1st this year
(no, really), a good three weeks earlier than last year.
They are setting up their nests, as usual, in my garage,
an old barn, and in a small cob store in my yard. As they
were here long before me, I welcome them and park my
car outside until September.
Friends of Kilminorth Woods
The Friends of Kilminorth Woods welcomed Karen
Varnham as guest speaker at their AGM. Karen formerly
lived in Looe. She is an expert on rat eradication on
islands, and described entertainingly her experiences in a
variety of locations, including Canna, Tristan da Cunha,
and the Trust’s St George’s Island. We learned that one
of the problems on offshore islands is that rats are strong
swimmers and can soon recolonise after a successful
eradication programme, as the Trust has found out.
In April we were visited by David Chapman, who
conducted photographic workshops and shared his
experience with us. He also judged a photographic
competition, awarding first prize to Matt Nott’s
atmospheric photograph of a wading heron. In the junior
section the winner was Leia McMurdie’s picture of a
nuthatch on the bird table at the entrance to Kilminorth
Woods.
Other spring events have included the annual Dawn
Chorus walk, which again totted up over 30 species. We
were joined briefly by a surprised badger, which clearly
was not expecting to meet 13 people on the bridle path
at 6am! We also had great views of a roe deer, and of a
raven family at its nest.
Those of you who have been members of The Tamar
Group branch for some years, will be sorry to hear
of the unexpected death of Maurice Rayner in April.
Maurice was our chairman for a number of years
and a most enthusiastic member. Maurice retired as
chairman when his wife, Caroline was diagnosed with
multiple sclerosis and looked after her until recently;
he also worked very hard fund raising for MS and the
Merlin Project. Our sympathies go out to Caroline,
who is now settled at a care home, Burdon House, in
Highampton.
Gill Ruddock
Volunteer
The Group now has its own website (www.
friendsofkilminorthwoods.co.uk). Plans are afoot for
an environmental film evening later in the summer, in
partnership with Cornwall Wildlife Trust and Looe Film
Society, to show ‘The Age of Stupid’ (about climate
change), plus ‘Cornwall – the Wild Peninsula’ by Peter
McMurdie, some of which was shot in Kilminorth
Woods.
Derek Spooner
Volunteer
Nuthatch. Photo: Leia McMurdie
Heron in the West Looe River. Photo: Matt Nott
Kilminorth fox. Photo: Peter McMurdie
Page 22 Issue 109 Summer 2009