Towans Partnership Blog

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FRIENDS OF THE TOWANS 2017-18

SLASH & BURN SEASON 2017-18

(AUTUMN-WINTER NEWSLETTER & EVENTS)

Well, I trust you’ve all enjoyed another Cornish summer. Can you remember that we actually DID get some hot days – even a ‘heatwave’? Seems a long time ago now. I was doing a bird survey on a Welsh hilltop in late June and was sweating just standing still! The car thermo said 36°! Wow. But then we entered the usual August climate and September has been really disappointing hasn’t it? But we can take heart from the thought of days just round the corner with fresh air, exercise, good company and bonfires, doing some useful conservation work on the Towans.

I hope you also enjoyed taking part in some of the wildlife recording this summer. Starting with a bird-watch at Gwithian-Hell’s Mouth in April, we’ve also been out looking at butterflies, moths and plants. Grateful thanks to Sally, Dick, Ian and George for leading these and sharing their knowledge – it’s much appreciated and helps to give us all a more ‘in the round’ knowledge as to why we do the work we do. We had an amazing turn-out of 27 people on the botany walk, and it was gratifying to see a range of ‘dune plants’ coming up in many of the areas we’ve cleared of scrub in recent years.

Many thanks also to Peter and Margaret and Save our Sand, for running a successful series of beach cleans again through the summer. I think the litter situation is better than it has been at times in the past, but it’s on ongoing requirement. I know that a number of local people pick up litter – even dog mess – while on their daily walks, which really helps keep things under control – ‘thanks’ to you all.

As well as some of our old friends (sites), I’ve put in some new ones this winter, on both sides of the Bay. So, we’ll be able to enjoy views across the towans from either side – stretching our domain ever wider!

I’m especially pleased that we will be working at Godrevy Warren – next to the NT car park – where Sally Foster has advised that if we can help open out some of the scrub there, it will help grazing cattle to move around the site, thereby benefiting the nationally-important colony of silver-studded blue butterflies up there. Thanks to the Thomas family for letting us get involved here – believe me, it will be worth it for the view alone.

We’ve managed to renew some of the landowner agreements for a year, and still hope to hear a positive response from the Lottery, but in the meantime there’s plenty for us still to do. I’ve also heard from several new people hoping to get involved, so that’s great – hope to meet you soon and bring you into our merry gang.               

 Martin ‘the Ranger’             

AUTUMN-WINTER EVENTS – Oct 2017-April 2018

All events start at 10am and run until about 2pm. I will bring tools, gloves, tea, coffee and biscuits (always plenty, esp for Dickie & Pete..), but please make sure you bring appropriate clothing and footwear suitable for working in the exposed Towans’ environment.

It would be useful if you could let me know via text, phone or email if you plan to attend - thanks. [email protected]; mobile - 07854 123 877

Thurs  Oct 5th Gwithian Green Nature Reserve

Various work – willow and elm coppicing, pond and stream ‘weeding’ and raking up and burning bramble cuttings. Come and enjoy the late show of flowers too.

Meet in car park just north of Gwithian Church at SW587/413.

Thur Oct 19th St Ives Bay Holiday Park

Cutting back sea buckthorn from the grassland in the roadside field. Meet in lay-by next to Loggans Moor, just north of entrance to St Ives Bay Holiday Park on B3011. SW 576/389.

Thurs Nov 2nd Gwithian Towans, near the Jam Pot

Working with volunteers from Cornwall Butterfly Conservation, we’ll be helping to enlarge an area of short turf being used by the silver-studded blue, by removing scrub and montbretia bulbs. This is an important narrow corridor that links the two main dune areas.

If we get this done, we’ll move on to St Gothian Reserve, to have a gorse blaze.

Meet in the large council car park at Gwithian. SW 565/384.

Weds Nov15th Steeple Woods Reserve, St Ives – please note this is Weds, not Thurs

This woodland and heathland reserve was designated in 2002, at the same time as our own Gwithian Green. We’ll be helping the local volunteers to cut back some of the overgrown heathland on the hilltop, to create some habitat diversity. We hope that some of ‘their’ volunteers might like to come and help us on the Towans at times in the future.

Access and parking is tricky. Let me know if you plan to go and we can liaise on details.

Thurs Nov 30th Godrevy Warren

Another new site for us, this is the large dune system we look across at when working at Gwithian Green. It’s been grazed for quite a few years, but scrub has been encroaching. We will cut areas back, to enable cattle to move around and to restore some short turf areas.

I will try to organise parking in the NT car park, but please check with me before.

Thurs Dec 7th As above – this time, with help from Cornwall Butterfly Conservation vols.

Thurs Dec 21st Gwithian Green Nature Reserve

Come and have a pre-Christmas work-out, raking up cuttings and having some bonfires. I’ll bring some jacket potatoes and perhaps we could have mulled wine and mince pies too..

Meet in car park just north of Gwithian Church at SW587/413.

Thurs Jan 4th Mexico Towans

A post-Christmas work-out now, this time clearing scrub from around the Beachside edge of Mexico Towans and Lethlean.

Meet on private road to Beachside Leisure SW 566/388

Thurs Jan 18th Steeple Woods, St Ives

Back at Steeple Woods again, for more heathland work. See Nov 15th details.

Thurs Feb 1st and Thurs Feb 15th details to follow, but will probably be on Upton Towans CWT reserve

Thurs March 1st Gwithian Green reserve

More raking and burning, but also stream ‘weeding’ in advance of the summer growth…

Thurs March 15th and 29th – details to follow, depending where we can be most useful!

Sorry to be so vague, but I’ll let you know as the scrub clearing season progresses. At least you can get these dates in your diaries.

I look forward to seeing you soon

Martin Rule, Towans Ranger 07854 123 877 [email protected]

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Friends of the Towans Activities

HAPPY SPRING 2016!

So, the wet stuff finally ended and now we have cold northerlies. It’s dried my firewood out nicely at last, but means that I’m still burning more of it than I’d wish to in late April. Most of our migrant birds have returned around their normal dates, but some plants seem to have been held back a bit. There’s a big panic brewing in Helston that the Lily of the Valley won’t be ready in time for Flora Day on 7th May. Maybe a floral substitute will be needed this year.

Talking of fires….as I often do…we’ve had some great ones since Christmas. The volunteers have got through a huge amount of work clearing scrub from a range of sites across the Towans. To give you the dry facts, we’ve had 9 outings, with an average of 8.5 people on each, and worked just over 300 hours.

Sites benefitting from this attention were Lethlean, Mexico and Gwithian Towans and Gwithian Green. We also carried out a successful beach clean on a beautiful February day, when we cleared probably over 30 bags worth of litter from the beach between Mexico and Gwithian.

The less dry facts are that we’ve shared some good company, fresh air, tea, biscuits, even cakes at times, and seen some wildlife too. It’s lovely to hear the skylarks overhead again as we have on our last few outings on Mexico.

I also co-ordinated a group of 33 Hayle and Camborne cubs, scouts and leaders in February, clearing and burning scrub in Lethlean and Mexico. Hopefully we can develop this contact through lighter evenings in the summer……which leads me on to the Summer Programme.

This is the season when we do no ‘slash and burning’, instead spending more time trying to observe and learn about the precious wildlife inhabiting the Towans. The programme includes trips to observe plants, birds, butterflies and moths.

We started this yesterday with a birdwatching walk through Gwithian Green, St Gothian LNR and on around Godrevy to Hell’s Mouth. Twelve people enjoyed watching and learning a bit about the 52 species we observed. That’s a great total in a few hours in a fairly small area, which just underlines how rich and diverse the area in and around the Towans is. A full species list appears on the next page.

We also plan to embark on a vegetation survey over the summer in order to produce a more accurate map of the various vegetation communities present across the Towans, which will inform its ongoing management. It will be great to involve the volunteer group in this, as it will really give everyone an insight into why we keep cutting so much scrub….and when and why we need to stop!

We are also continuing our close relationship with Save Our Sand, by including their list of beach cleans in our programme. At their first beach clean last Sunday, they attracted over 40 people, which is excellent news. So, why not enjoy the beach this summer, but pick up some litter too, to give you a warm glow on the way home?

So, I hope you all enjoy the summer to come and we look forward to your company as and when you are able. As before, unless stated otherwise next to the specific events’ details, we start at 10am and work on until 2-2.30.

 Bird species recorded on 28th April 2016, Gwithian to Hell’s Mouth

(Birds are listed where they were first observed, although many were seen in numerous locations. Those in Red are summer visitors – great to see that many had returned already!)

 Gwithian Green LNR

Wren                           Chiffchaff                    Blue Tit

Robin                           Blackcap                      Great Tit

Dunnock                      Sedge Warbler            Long-tailed Tit

Blackbird                     Willow Warbler          Woodpigeon

Pied Wagtail               Reed Warbler

Sparrowhawk              Chaffinch                     Swallow

Buzzard                       Goldfinch                     Sand Martin

Rook                            House Sparrow

Jackdaw                       Linnet                          Mallard

Carrion Crow               Magpie

(Many of these birds were detected by song, indicating that they are breeding within the LNR. The noise from the churchyard rookery indicated many well-grown nestlings there)

 St Gothian LNR

Herring Gull                            Canada Goose             Whimbrel

Great Black-backed Gull         Mute Swan                  Common Sandpiper

Tufted Duck                             Moorhen

Pochard                                   Raven                          Skylark

Shelduck                                  

Meadow Pipit                          Stonechat                    Wheatear

(The pochard may be a late-staying winter visitor, while the whimbrel dropped in, probably on a pit-stop from wintering in Africa to heading north to the Arctic Circle to breed. One mallard duckling was seen, while many sand martins were skimming across the water. Some of these nest on the sand cliff within the Sanctuary area)

 Godrevy to Hell’s Mouth

Cormorant                              Oystercatcher

Shag                                        Gannet

Fulmar                                     Rock Pipit

Lesser Black-backed Gull                                Dicky counted 99 seals on the beach at

Guillemot                                                        Fishing Cove, a very wide range of colours

Razorbill                                  Swift                and sizes – definitely worth a look!

(Around Hell’s Mouth in particular, especially on the offshore stack, many seabirds were on active nests. Let’s hope they avoid late spring storms…great to see swifts: these are one of the last summer birds to return, meaning that (surely?) summer is now here…)

 SUMMER PROGRAMME - May to September 2016

Thurs  May 12th - Mexico Towans  

This will be our last outing this ‘winter’ to clearing up cut privet, brambles and clematis in the western area of Mexico Towans. Meet on the road to Beachside Leisure Pk SW 565/388.

SUNDAY May 15th – Beach Clean at St Ives Bay Holiday Pk.

Meet at 10am by the pool – more info at www.sos-hayle.org.uk. Led by Save Our Sand

Thurs May 26th – Upton Towans

Likely to be a combination of vegetation mapping and litter picking. Meet at 10am at main CWT reserve entrance, near the tall chimney.

Thurs June 9th – Upton Towans

Same details as previous outing.

Thurs June 16th – Mexico & Riviere Towans BOTANY walk

Following last year’s successful walk at Gwithian, ace Cornish Botanist Ian Bennallick will lead us on another walk, this time in an area he hasn’t visited before – there aren’t many of those! Meet at 0930 for a 10am start in the car park at the western end of Copperhouse Creek, by Hayle swimming pool and cafe SW 558/377. Please bring a packed lunch.

SUNDAY June 25th – Beach clean at Haven Leisure

WEDS June 29th and Thurs June 30th – Moth trapping

Come and observe some of the amazing moths that inhabit the Towans, under the expert guidance of moth enthusiast George Davis. On weds evening at dusk we will attract moths using a white sheet and light. We’ll then set up a lamp over night and open up the trap early on Thursday morning to see what’s come in. So, two separate events are available. Location has yet to be fixed, so contact Martin closer to the time if you wish to come.

SUNDAY July 3rd – Beach clean at Beachside Leisure

Meet at Reception at 10am – more info at www.sos-hayle.org.uk. Led by Save our Sand.  

TUESDAY July 5th – Butterfly transect walk at Upton Towans

Come and see which butterflies inhabit the Towans, and how all your winter scrub clearance benefits them. If the weather is good, we should observe the beautiful Silver studded-blue, which has one of its UK strongholds here. Meet at main CWT reserve entrance by the tall chimney, at 11am. Led by Dick Goodere.

Thurs July 14th – Gwithian Green

We’ll carry out various tasks including cutting back dense growth from the stream and probably doing some summer hay-making using the new scythes. SW 587/413

Thurs July 28th – Summer BBQ at Martin and Sarah’s near Helston

This is a genuine ‘rest’ event! Come over to our wetland nature reserve near Helston to observe dragonflies, butterflies and other wildlife while enjoying a BBQ next to the pond.

Please let me know if you plan to come and I will give you detailed directions. 10am-2pm

SUNDAY August 7th – Beach clean at North Quay, Hayle Harbour

Meet at 2pm by the gate to the beach – see www.sos-hayle.org.uk. Led by Save our Sand.

Thurs August 11th – Gwithian Green

More hay-making, along with ragwort control if the cinnabar moth caterpillars are having an ‘off’ year and not eating enough of it….  Lay-by just north of Gwithian Church SW 587/413

Thurs August 25th , Thurs Sept 8th & Thurs Sept 22nd – locations unknown at present

In advance of the ponies returning to graze from October, we may need to reduce ragwort in some areas. These tasks may be varied (a little…) by weeding out other invasive species from some of our scrub-cleared areas, along with litter picking. Details and locations will be decided upon nearer the time.

I will bring tools and gloves, tea/coffee and biscuits to all events but please bring your own suitable outdoor clothing, especially boots.

I will run through a risk assessment before each task, but you should be aware that the Towans is an open, exposed environment. We may have to contend with sun from above and adders from below on a good day, and with rain and wind when it’s not so good….

It would be useful but not essential if you could indicate to me via text, phone or email if you do plan to attend, just to give me an idea of numbers of tools, tea bags etc.

I look forward to seeing you soon

Martin Rule, Towans Ranger 07854 123 877 [email protected]

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Friends of the Towans

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2016! Outings from January to April

I hope you are all really well and enjoying the journey between Christmas and the New Year. Have you all enjoyed lots of festive fare, not cooked this time in foil in a bonfire?? We had a 5 bird roast for the first time – it was great! Maybe not doing my bit for bird conservation, but certainly laying down some calories for the scrub-bashing to come…

New Year is also often a time for looking back, as well as forward, and I’d like to take the opportunity to ‘thank you’ all very much for your great efforts on the Towans in 2015. This time last year our group didn’t even exist, so it’s pretty amazing to think back on both the number of people who’ve got involved as well as all the work we’ve got through. Around 25 different people have worked on about 7 different sites, if you include our Towans-wide litter pick in September. Well in excess of 500 hours of labour all given to help make the Towans an even more wildlife-rich, attractive place for everybody to enjoy – thanks again!

Our group may be only at the fledgling stage compared to some others we know, but just take a minute to reflect on the links we each have with other ‘hats’ we each wear. These include: Cornwall Butterfly Conservation, Cornwall Wildlife Trust Penwith members, South West Coast Path Assoc., Tehidy Conservation Volunteer Red River Rescuers, Save Our Sand and Duchy College. That’s pretty impressive! Let’s try to promote ourselves within these groups to recruit more volunteers. I will improve the website and e-communications this year, but success often comes down to making personal contacts anyway – so go for it!

 A note on weather, times and logistics

Always fun trying to plan outdoor events months ahead….I’m going to suggest that this coming year we go ahead with our planned Thursday meetings if at all possible, leaving the NEXT DAY as a reserve in case Thursday forecast is terrible. Trying to scrabble around at the last minute finding another day that suits most people, then letting them all know, is quite tricky. I know you’re all tough, but it’s not much fun out there in torrential rain, plus it gets a bit more ‘slip-hazardy’ and unsafe.

I’m also planning to clump outings in the same area a few times running, as it’s easier for directions and maybe gives more of a sense of completion to each job.

As before, we start at 10am and work on until 2-2.30, depending if the rain has stopped…

Outings from January to end of April 2016

 Thurs  Jan 7th – Lethlean Towans  

We’ll be clearing up cut privet, brambles and clematis in the area east of Mexico Towans. Meet on the private road to Beachside Holiday Park SW 565/388.

FRIDAY Jan 22nd – Lethlean Towans  

As previous task. Meet on the private road to Beachside Holiday Park SW 565/388.

Thurs Feb 4th – Gwithian Towans

Clearing away brambles, clematis etc cut by CORAMC contractors.

Meet in the small car park off the sharp bend on the B3011 south of Gwithian SW 582/406.

Thurs Feb 11th – Gwithian Towans and beach

We’ll leave our rakes and cutting tools behind and instead carry out a pre-half term BEACH and DUNES clean. Depending upon numbers of helpers, we’ll clean the areas around Gwithian beach and towans as well as Upton. Meet at same car park as on 4th Feb.

Thurs Feb 25th and Thurs March 3rd– Gwithian Towans

Same details and task as 4th Feb.

Thurs March 17th , 31st and April 14th - Gwithian Green

We will be undertaking various tasks here, including stream clearance, willow clearance and  scrub removal. Meet in the lay-by just north of Gwithian Church SW 587/413.

Thurs April 28th – Gwithian and St Gothian Sands BIRDWATCH

Let’s give ourselves a break and go for a walk to observe spring migrants, listen to birdsong and enjoy the first flush of dune flowers in some of the places we sweat over all winter!

Meet in lay-by north of Gwithian Church again.

I will bring tools and gloves, tea/coffee and biscuits to all events but please bring your own suitable outdoor clothing, especially boots.

I will run through a risk assessment before each task, but you should be aware that the Towans is an open, exposed environment. We may have to contend with sun from above and adders from below on a good day, and with rain and wind when it’s not so good….

It would be useful but not essential if you could indicate to me via text, phone or email if you do plan to attend, just to give me an idea of numbers of tools, tea bags etc.

I look forward to seeing you soon!

Martin Rule, Towans Ranger 07854 123 877 [email protected]

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