news...
Cirl
Buntings in Cornwall
Cirl buntings are breeding
again in Cornwall thanks to the RSPB’s cirl
bunting reintroduction project in partnership
with Paignton Zoo, Natural England and the
National Trust. Cirl buntings are small farmland
birds that used to be found throughout the
county, and right across England’s south coast,
but now they are restricted to a narrow strip of
coastal farmland in south Devon. Despite a
revival in numbers over the last 15 years, this
population is still vulnerable, so it was
decided to establish another population within
its’ former range.
Last summer saw the first
releases at a ‘secret’ site in south Cornwall.
Young chicks were taken from Devon nests under
licence from Natural England, then transported
to the site and reared by aviculturalists from
Paignton Zoo. When the chicks were old enough,
they were moved outside to aviaries, and
released into the wild a week later. By the end
of August last year 72 cirl buntings had been
released. They were all ringed with a unique
colour combination so each bird could be
identified. During March, pairs began to form
territories and showed signs of breeding
activity, with the first chicks hatching out in
June.
Though this represents a
great success for the species, more birds will
be needed for the population to be able to
sustain itself. More young birds have been
brought down from Devon and released this year,
and will be for the following two years, and we
are working with local farmers, landowners and
Natural England to provide suitable habitat for
cirl buntings under the government’s
Environmental Stewardship schemes. If anyone has
any sightings, would like to commit to regular
voluntary work (*see below), or simply wants
more information, please feel free to contact me
on 07702 779345 or by
e-mail.
Nick Tomalin
RSPB Cirl Bunting
Reintroduction Project Field Officer
*
In
the RSPB volunteers are a major resource and
make a vital contribution to the RSPB’s aim to
take action for the conservation of wild birds
and the environment. On a project like this we
would need someone with good field
identification skills and reasonable fitness who
could commit to at least one day each fortnight,
since it requires regular work to become
familiar with the ring identification and the
monitoring area. Sadly the RSPB can not cover
travel expenses. For more information please
contact Nick Tomalin – details above.
_____________________________
The SeaWatch SW Project
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Balearic Shearwater (Tom Brereton)
SeaWatch SW is an exciting
new project designed to collect important
information about migratory seabirds and other
top predators in Cornish waters, including the
critically endangered Balearic Shearwater. For
full details on project background and latest
results please visit the website at:
http://www.seawatch-sw.org
CBWPS members can get
involved in two ways:
1) Please send us any UK
sightings of Balearic Shearwaters made from
January 1st 2007 onwards, so they can be added
to the project database and included in monthly
summary reports on the website. This species is
of international conservation concern, and the
project results will be used by RSPB and
Birdlife International to help better understand
post-breeding distribution. The input of
Cornish-based sea-watchers this year has already
revealed some important results, as shown in the
results section of the website.
2) Come and assist us during
the project survey phase at Gwennap Head,
Porthgwarra between July 15th-Oct 15th 2007. It
doesn’t matter if you can spare a few hours or a
few days, are an experienced sea-watcher or a
keen beginner, your input will be welcomed. We
have already allocated core seabird observer
slots (and the associated free accommodation) to
those travelling from outside Cornwall, for
obvious reasons. However, we would really like
to have input from all local observers and are
already liaising with several of the Porthgwarra
regulars.
The project is being
supported (financially and logistically) by the
National Oceanography Centre (Southampton), RSPB,
Marine Conservation Society, Royal Naval
Bird-watching Society, SAHFOS, Cornwall Wildlife
Trust and Birdguides. CBWPS are thanked for
providing previous copies of the Cornwall Bird
Report to assist in data analysis.
If you have any questions
after looking at the website, please don’t
hesitate to contact the project co-ordinator.
Details below:
Dr Russell B Wynn, National
Oceanography Centre, UK
Email: rbw1@noc.soton.ac.uk
Tel: 02380 596553
Web: http://www.seawatch-sw.org
_______________________________
The
Wildlife Veterinary Investigation Centre:
Disease News: Autumn 2006
GARDEN BIRD HEALTH initiative
In 2005 the Wildlife VI Centre joined forces with three other
laboratories to study mortality in
garden birds under the Garden Bird Health
initiative (GBHi). This project is being
supported by Universities Federation for Animal
Welfare (UFAW) and BTO and funded by various
organisations, principally companies supplying
bird seed and animal welfare charities. It is
co-ordinated by Becki Lawson, wildlife
veterinarian at the Zoological Society of
London. Some of you may remember her working
with us at the WVIC in 2003/4. The other
laboratories are at the Department of Veterinary
Pathology, Liverpool University, and the SAC
Veterinary Investigation Centre, Auchincruive.
TRICHOMONIASIS
Last year we discovered that finches in many parts of Britain were dying
from trichomoniasis (pronounced
try-co-mon-eye-a-sis).
This disease is caused by a single-celled
parasite called Trichomonas. It is a
well-known condition of pigeons (‘canker’) and
captive falcons (‘frounce’) but had not been
seen before in finches.
The disease reappeared in June this year and over the last three months
has become increasingly common. We now have a
nationwide epidemic, with the south west
particularly badly hit. In Cornwall, the major
hotspot currently extends from north of Camborne
to Praze an Beeble.
Greenfinches are the species most commonly affected but at the Wildlife
VIC we have also seen cases in chaffinches,
house sparrows, bullfinches, goldfinches,
siskins and a dunnock. The parasite causes
inflammation and ulceration of the bird’s throat
and crop. This makes it almost impossible for
the bird to swallow and food becomes lodged in
the throat and upper oesophagus. Affected birds
sit around feeders with their feathers fluffed
up and appear sleepy. In their weakened state
they are easy prey for predators.
Chaffinch and Greenfinch dying of
trichomoniasis (Photos: Pamela Pearce)
It is believed that the infection is transmitted by two main routes,
beak-to beak feeding and via contaminated water.
The parasite prefers a wet environment and has
little hair-like processes with which it swims.
Sick birds contaminate water bowls and baths
with their droppings and also by simply drinking
from them.
There is no effective way of treating outbreaks of infectious disease in
wild birds and therefore action has to be taken
to try to break the cycle of infection. As
outbreaks of trichomoniasis seem to be confined
to gardens where large congregations of birds
are being fed supplementary feed, especially
sunflower, it is sensible to discontinue feeding
and stop attracting birds into a contaminated
area. Water bowls, bird tables and feeders
should be thoroughly washed, disinfected and
dried until outbreaks have ceased. It is
unlikely that birds such as finches are going to
die of starvation in a rural county like
Cornwall at this time of the year.
Although a diagnosis of trichomoniasis may be suspected from the
appearance of sick birds, a post mortem
examination is essential to distinguish it from
other conditions, such as salmonellosis,
yersiniosis and tick toxaemia. It cannot be
diagnosed accurately in the live bird. Our
standard advice to anyone finding a sick bird is
to telephone us and make arrangements for
submitting it for post mortem examination.
However, we now have a major problem.
The exceptional number of birds dying this year has meant that the funds
provided by those companies supporting GBHi
are almost exhausted and outbreaks shows no sign
of decreasing. In the near future therefore,
unless there is a significant additional
financial support for GBHi, the labs may
no longer be able to accept birds for
examination. DEFRA are not accepting these cases
in their laboratories.
Anyone wishing to support the GBHi project can see further details on
www.ufaw.org.uk/gbhi.php
Vic Simpson
Fieke Molenaar
21 September 2006
THE
WILDLIFE VIC
is dedicated to studying diseases of free-living
wildlife and is the only laboratory of its kind
in Britain. It is run on a not-for -profit basis
and, although it works in close cooperation with
conservation bodies such as CBWPS, RSPB and
Cornwall Wildlife Trust, it is entirely
independent. In the five years that the Wildlife
VIC has been operating we have examined more
than 1300 wildlife casualties, many of which
were birds.
___________________________________________________________________
Farm Environmental Recorders Network
The
Cornwall branch of the Farming and
Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) has
prepared a list of farms in Cornwall
where the owners have expressed an
interest in knowing what is living on
their land and will allow access for
environmental or biological recorders.
This is a good opportunity to get to
farms that may not have had any
recording in the past, make new, updated
records and make the owners aware of
what they have. There is no guarantee
that anything rare or interesting will
be found, but even records of common
species will go towards the ongoing
recording of wildlife in the county.
It forms part of the 'Farm Environmental
Recorders Network' which has been set up
by FWAG, ERCCIS and the Environment
Agency to link farm owners with
recorders. Farms are being added to the
list all the time and the current number
is 30. It is up to the recorder what or
how much is recorded, but if any records
are made these should be made available
to the farmer as well as to relevant
recording groups or the local Records
Centre.
If you would like further information
please contact Ian Bennallick:
Ian Bennallick
Recorder Support Officer
Environmental Records Centre for
Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
(ERCCIS)
Five Acres
Allet
Truro
Cornwall
TR4 9DJ
Tel: 01872 240777 ext.244
email: ian@cornwt.demon.co.uk
_____________________________________________
Site Guide to Birds in Cornwall reviewed by
Simon Marquis
Anyone in
Cornwall with the slightest interest in birds
should have a copy of this invaluable directory
to the best places to watch birds in the county.
Compiled and written by Ian Wilson and published
by the CBWPS, this is 67 pages stuffed with
information obviously written by someone who
knows the county inside out.
There are no less than 53 different sites
recorded, from Tamar Lakes in the far north east
to Lands End and Sennen Cove in the west. There
is also a useful section on where to watch birds
in the Isles of Scilly.
Each entry contains a graphic description of the
site, a hand-drawn but crystal clear map of the
area around the site, a list of species likely
to be seen and straightforward directions to the
site.
At the end of the guide is a comprehensive list
of birds recorded in Cornwall since 1950.
This is a must for the experienced birder and
novice alike (or perhaps even a great Christmas
present for a birding partner or friend) and no
doubt will find a permanent home in many glove
compartments of members’ cars.
Price £9.50 including post and packing.
Available to members at the introductory price
of £6.50 (including post and packing). Send
cheques (payable to CBWPS) to Darrell Clegg, 55
Lower Fore Street, Saltash PL12 6JQ.
OR.....they are obtainable at
field meetings
for just £5 (members) or £8 (non-members).
