Camel

The AGM at the Town Hall,

Wadebridge, was very well attended, solely because our guest speaker was Kate Stokes who gave us a superb illustrated talk on otters and other river life. It was a good insight into the habitat which is so familiar to us in the Wadebridge area as we live in a river valley and most of our daily lives are spent never far from this habitat.

Kate also told us about the quest to find any remaining water vole colonies in the

county. Her request for information on another popular water creature, the water shrew, was quickly acted upon that weekend when I was called to collect and deliver a dead specimen to Vie Simpson for post-mortem research. Thanks to all members concerned for the co-ordination of that process.

On the River Camel there has been a solitary spoonbill for several weeks, and four whooper swans have been keeping birders on their toes and testing their powers of identification. A merlin has also spent much of the winter in the Egloshayle area, being seen along the

A39 Wadebridge bypass on two occasions.

Frog spawn was first spotted at Boscastle on New Year's Day.

I would be more than happy to use information from members in other areas of the Camel branch as we seem to receive very little to use in my quarterly reports. Any interesting items can be e-mailed to me at Adrian.Langdon@images-naturally.co.uk

Adrian Langdon

Caradon

Do you have some spare time and a desire to become more actively involved in wildlife issues in the Caradon area?

If yes, then do read on ... the Caradon branch, what little of it remains, is going into hibernation. Gail and I are expecting our second child and we have decided that we cannot continue to 'maintain' the

Caradon branch.

We must say a huge thank you to the other members - Jenny Llewellyn our treasurer and Dave Gibbon. Dave's enthusiasm for wildlife has kept the branch's activity of walks, forays and mothings going for the past few years.

I must also say a thank you to all who have supported and contributed to the

branch - you know who you are! Thanks.

So do you want the branch to continue or to go into hibernation?

If you want it to continue Gail and I would be very happy to speak to you: tel. (01579)347445.

David and Gail Cory

Penwith

2003 started well with a highly successful branch party at Liz Tregenza's home. Several new members came, which was lovely, and we wish more of you would join us for this annual entertaining and mouth-watering event. Hope to see you there next year!

It is now five years since members of Penwith helped to plant trees in

'Seafields' Meadow. At the time of writing (early March) spring is really in the air - there are carpets of celandines, the daffodils are coming into flower and there are signs of life on the trees. The catkins on the alder trees are full of pollen, the larch has what looks like little green shaving brushes along its branches and leaves are appearing on the elders and some of the willows. In other words, the wood is progressing well.

The wild flower meadow is another story.

We do have yellow rattle, ox-eye daisies, self-heal, hard head and yarrow that are doing well, but the fine meadow grass we planted is being pushed out by white and red clover, hop trefoil, common vetch, plantain and masses of moss.

We get the feeling that in spite of our efforts. Nature will win in the end!

Sylvia Gartside