Nature

Martin Lenney – West Cornwall GC Greenkeeper sends out the occasional excellent Wild Life Reports. 

Here are a couple of them:

Spring 2020 Bird Sightings Summary

Being out on the course daily allows the team and myself to be able to see many different types of Flora & Fauna whilst we carry out our Greenkeeping duties here at West Cornwall Golf Club. I am aware that many members of the club have a great interest in the wildlife found on the course and some who would maybe just be interested to learn more. 

I thought it a shame to not share information on these subjects to the wider community of the club as I am happy to write about it. Likewise, I totally respect and understand that this topic will not be for everyone so please feel free to turn off at any time. 

In this article I will summarise some of the notable avian visitors spotted on the course during the busy spring migration period.

Red Kites have made many appearances over the course this spring starting with one on the 14th of April flying over the triangle and subsequently four on 11th of May, singles on the 22nd, 27th & 28th then 5 together flying low over the 15th green on the 29th of May plus two more the same day subsequently. 

Kites are not resident anywhere near Cornwall the closest areas being the home counties following a very successful reintroduction programme. The birds spotted over the course are widely thought to be birds which are not nesting this year and ride the high-pressure currents down to the West for a short staycation. Large numbers have been seen each year at this time of year the last few years, for example well over 500 birds spotted over West Cornwall on the 10th of May, so it’s well worth keeping an eye out for these majestic raptors next spring.

 A Red Kite cruising over the 4th tee.

It can be hard to avoid Wheatears on the course sometimes with their bold as brass attitude! These are the little birds which stand up tall on the fairways and have an orange flush chest. They use the course as a refuelling stop on their way back to their nesting areas from central Africa. Early March delivered the first sightings with maximums of up to 7 individuals on the 19th Apr, by the 13th of May the passage of the Wheatears through the course looks to have finished.

An easy to misidentify species comes next which is the Whimbrel. These are the brown birds which look very similar to Curlews with long beaks that you may have been seeing on the fairways recently. These wading birds are stopping off to feed on their way through from West Africa to Iceland and Scandinavia to nest. Whimbrels were recorded on the course from the 27th of April to the 18th of May with maximums of up to 30 in one group. 

The quintessential summer bird that is the Cuckoo flew west along the 18th fairway on the 18th of May.

Whilst filling up the green’s mower with diesel on the 15th of April I heard the distinctive “cheeow” call of a Chough, as I looked up a pair cruised past before spotting them on the 14th Fairway. Brilliant to have the county bird of Cornwall visit the course albeit briefly. 

The wilder areas behind the 11th green & footpath held a Grasshopper Warbler for around a week from the 19th of April. Rarely seen this species song consists of a high frequency insect like “reeling” which can go on for occasionally hours at dawn & dusk. It is this unique song which alerted me to its presence. Dramatic population declines have made this a UK high conservation concern red list species.

Four Crossbills flying east over the triangle on the 8th of June was not something I expected to see as this species is at home in coniferous woodlands. They are specialists at feeding on pine cone seeds by way of their extraordinary twisted beak.

Skylarks and their uplifting song are present in what appears to be healthy numbers around the 17th tee and top fields area. After an absence Skylarks are back nesting on the golf course grounds in recent years which can only be a positive thing.

I really hope you enjoyed reading this article, I am always very interested to hear if anyone has any sightings or if you have any nature related questions please do contact me.

Martin Lenney – West Cornwall GC Greenkeeper

Winter Wildlife Report 2020/21

Winter on the course can be a challenge for both golfers and wildlife with the wet and windswept conditions often dominating, but we do attract a few extra visitors from time to time. 

Kingfishers enjoy the estuary with its rich feeding opportunities but surprisingly one was lured into the vicinity of the irrigation pond on the 28^th of October. Given away by its sharp call at dawn, I would expect this individual was using the security of the surrounding bushes to roost overnight. Kingfishers travel from their inland residencies to the coast during the winter for ice free fishing.  

A hurried bustle of hedge reveals a visitor; Barn Owl? No too bouncy in flight and with dark mottled plumage… Wow! Short Eared Owl. The vivid yellow stare fixed on mine as the Owl wheels above to the crow and gull ensemble. The top fields area above the 12th tee gave me a fantastic surprise during the morning of the 22nd of October. This species of Owl is one which enjoys hunting in the daytime unlike many other of its close relations. Scandinavian and Russian Short Eared Owls travel over to the UK during the winter months to the clement conditions here in comparison.

Keen observers walking down on the 4th fairway may have noticed a Barn Owl box placed in the trees behind the churchyard. Designed and manufactured by Lawrie himself, resident Barn Owls enjoyed living on his former course at Lewes and it is hoped that in time a pair may decide to take up residence here at West Cornwall GC. When on the 4^th it is worth keeping an ear and an eye out for one of the UK’s smallest birds the Firecrest. Weighing in at 6 grams, this bird of the Kinglet family likes to feed in the shrubs behind the greenside bunkers.  I have found it to be quite a reliable place to hear their high-pitched call during the winter months with the very occasional sighting.

Shuffling wings and short upright hops between stones alerted my eye to the presence of a pair of Black Redstarts on a short visit to the St Uny Churchyard on the 20^th of November. A bird which embraces the urban environment it is often found in rocky and stony areas. The birds were enjoying feeding around the church yard, no doubt enjoying the rich pickings thanks to the church’s carefully planned vegetation management. 

On those perfect winter days when there is no; wind, rain, or mizzle and all you can see is blue skies it’s amazing how well sound travels. The 12^th of November was one such day and I was able to hear the soft chirping of a small group of Crossbills flying over the 2nd tee path. Crossbills are a pinecone feeding specialists which when not flying over Golf Courses are solely found in pine woodlands.      

The first “spring” migrant I have spotted arrived on the 26^th of Feb in the form of a Painted Lady Butterfly resting by the 8^th tee and latterly feeding on early flowering dandelions. This delicate insect would have flown all the way up from the desert fringes of North Africa, no doubt helped by the welcome warm winds from the south during this period.                                              

Soul warming sunny bursts which reveal the glint of a pod of Dolphins in the bay and Skylarks singing up above the 12th tee, there is at last hope that Spring may be not too far away. Until next time, take care.

 Spring & Summer Wildlife Report 2021 

Warmth and sunshine at last and with it some extra visitors to the course… 

Wading birds put on quite a show this spring with exceptional numbers of Whimbrels, with up to 80 individuals gathering on the course to feed and rest before continuing their journey north. As well as seeing large numbers of Whimbrels Steve Turner also saw another passage wading bird, the Ruff during the springtime on the course. The 19th – 20st of April saw a Bar Tailed Godwit in its superb rusty red summer plumage around the course often mixed in with the Whimbrel flock. 

 Whimbrels having some R & R on the course during their long migration north. 

As has been the case for the last few years the Red Kite influx once again happened with Cornwall experiencing some large numbers moving through as soon as we had the switch in the warm air. Steve spotted 7 individuals on his mornings work during the late May bank holiday weekend including a bird which landed on the 12th plateau. It would seem the bulk of this years kites did not stay as long as in previous years, being only present for only a handful of days but Lawrie also spotted one later on in the season on the 15th of June. This year was the first for 170 years that a pair of Red Kites have been confirmed to nest in (mid) Cornwall so we may be seeing more Kites in the future, not just during the spring. 

We are blessed with the ability to watch so many birds of prey on the course such as; Buzzards, Kestrels & Peregrine falcons with regularity, long may it continue. 

Wheatears always signal that spring is in the air. A late start to the year, the 16th of April was my first sighting of the season with maximums of five on the 11th fairway the following day, these were spotted by Steven Elliott. 

Having just spun around on the 11th tee keeping the grass trim on the 3rd of June my ears pricked up when I heard Gulls harassing something in the distance high above the 2nd Fairway. A huge bird with deep wings was the subject of attention, I watched it climb high on the thermal air as it circled above from view. A Black Stork had been reported in the St Ives area for a few days over the early June period and I would say with confidence that it was this very rare visitor to Britain from mainland Europe. 

Cuckoo’s more often than not offer fleeting glimpses when in flight and this was the case for both Steven Elliott and myself on different occasions this springtime. I have not heard the classic call at the course but nearby on Rosewall and Buttermilk hills you can find to be a reliable spot. 

Slow worms are numerous across the course; this one was hiding under a grass pile we were moving. Slow worms have a misleading name, they are not worms at all. Evolution has enabled these reptiles to discard their legs as they are infact legless lizards. 

Caroline Hardman spotted an Adder on the path from the 8th green on the 6th of April. I have not heard of any snakes on or near the course although I hear they were once seen more often in the past, so this sighting was a great spot. Thank you Caroline. 

The second year in a row now I have heard a Grasshopper warbler behind the 11th green during the spring, this is obviously a favourite spot for this migrant bird with its tell-tale insectivorous reeling song 

The typical shocking pink colouration was lacking in this unusually pale/white Pyramidal Orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis. A first for me. 

Tony Liddicoat described to me a bird which he saw close to the 11th green which from his description I believe to be a Ring Ouzel also known as the Mountain Blackbird. Ring Ouzel’s stop off to feed at suitable spots on their way to upland regions to nest from their wintering grounds in the Mediterranean. A very fine sighting indeed, well done Tony. 

The large handsome black and white ducks which you may have seen on the course during the spring time are Shelduck’s. They are particularly active at dawn when they look for potential nesting sites utilising old rabbit holes to lay and incubate their eggs in whilst the male stands tall, on the lookout for trouble. They were very keen on hanging around a number of spots in and around the course but as to whether they successfully reared young I am not sure. 

Dawn 

 Autumn & winter wildlife report 2021/22 

A single golden plover dropped in on the practice range for an afternoon in the early autumn which is a rare sight on the course although many hundred spend the winter on the estuary nearby. In Iceland the first returning golden plover heralds the start of spring and is widely covered by the media in the country such is its significance. 

As was the case last autumn a couple of yellow wagtails joined the pied wagtail flock, this time they looked to be juvenile birds on the 8th of September actively feeding on the 16th fairway. 

A familiar bird in the countryside but my first sighting of a pheasant on the course was a hen which hung around our compost pile area for a few days during September. 

Our passage migrants the whimbrels and wheatears passing through the course were last spotted on the 8th and 30th of October on their way heading back down south to Africa spend the winter. Bar tailed godwit maximums were up around the 14 mark the month before. 

Jonty from the greenkeeping team spotted a barn owl early one winters morning, glowing through the gloom near to the entrance to the club. During the morning of the 29th of October Jonty and myself were also lucky enough to see a short-eared owl being chased by corvids across the top fields then fly majestically high across the course before heading across the channel to the Hayle towans area. A real treat to witness. 

A species which really takes on the “plant more trees” message to the next level, the jay takes some beating. I witnessed an impressive flock of 8 in the trees behind the 4th green on the 4th of October. It is though that they can cache around 5000 acorns in a season with many being forgotten about and eventually turning into Oaks. 

A surprising report of a water rail near to the 16th green was reported to me by a kind member of the club in November. A close relation to moorhens this bird of marshland and reedbeds is a little off-piste on the golf course and would be one of the last places I would expect to see this species but it may well have just arrived from the continent as numbers in the UK are known to swell in the winter due to the search of warmer and richer feeding grounds. 

Finally the big yellow ball is in the sky once more as winter drifts into the spring. 

Until next time, take care. 

Martin Lenney – Greenkeeper at West Cornwall Golf Club 

 Spring & Summer Wildlife Report 2022 

A wonderful sound and sight of spring, skylarks were quite visible at the start of spring this year with a pair regularly being seen around the back nine from around the middle of March onwards, whether they nested anywhere on the course I am not sure. 

After having some very low number years, greenfinches were back in what seemed abundance this year singing away across the course. Steve and myself watched the pair of pristine bullfinches looking like they were checking out of potential nest site in the blackthorn scrub close to the 12th tee during the early spring. I know that many birds have been badly affected by a disease (chaffinches in particular) which is concentrated around bird feeders in recent years but these sightings give hope that these familiar species are back on the up. 

Our resident song thrush which can often be seen near the 7th green had a near miss this spring when a peregrine falcon swooped in to try and have it for its dinner but it was alert to the threat and managed to narrowly escape the deadly talons. 

A red legged partridge on the 13th of April was the first I’ve ever seen on the course probably from a nearby shoot, this bird was on the 18th tee. Whimbrels which pass through each year in the springtime arrived around and the 23rd of April this year in not such large numbers as in previous years with maximums of around 15. Wheatear numbers were also lower with maximums of 4, this may be purely down to weather conditions with fewer birds taking the far western route or even good migration conditions allowing less stop offs on their mission north. 

Matt, Jonty and Steve from the greenkeeping team all reported seeing roe deer on the course this spring. 

A number of clouded yellow & painted lady butterflies were spotted this year on the links, certainly the most for a few years. Hummingbird hawk moths were also spotted this year, all three of these species travel up from southern Europe and African borders. 

A swarm of honey bees took up residence in the divot bin on the practice range this summer for a few days but was able to be successfully collected by a local beekeeper. 

The deep scrub behind the 11th green again lured in a grasshopper warbler during May, plus many Mediterranean gull sightings throughout the summer, thank you Steve Turner for these records. 

As is now increasingly the trend there have been many sightings of red kites over the course this spring with the highlight being an incredible 50 + individuals drifting over West during the 15th of June. Thanks go to Matt Jones & Steven Elliott for these sightings. 

 Winter can be a quiet time on the course in regards to nature but you never know when you might spot something of interest. 

Birds 

The osprey is one of the most widely distributed of all birds, it has colonised all the continental land masses of the world, never straying far from coast, river or lake where it catches its favourite food of fish in dramatic style. Only New Zealand is absent of the Osprey as well as the frozen lands but elsewhere the species is divided into 5 different subspecies that differ very slightly in colour and size. Matt Jones from the greenkeeping team spotted an osprey flying over the 7th green last year grappling with a fish, it would have shortly before been hovering above the estuary before plunging feet first into the water to grab its prey, most likely a mullet. 

During one of the cold snaps close to Christmas we had a number of golden plovers on the course no doubt searching new areas of land for food in the harsh conditions. A ringed plover on the 3rd fairway is also a sighting of note, spotted during a pre-dawn mowing trip. 

A snipe spotted by Lawrie close to the turf nursery is a clear indicator where our natural water sources are, as this is a species which loves wet marshy ground. Snipe often keep very well hidden in vegetation before suddenly taking flight accompanied by its rasping call. 

The row of trees behind the bunkers are a reliable spot for firecrests in winter. Their telltale call gives them away and if lucky enough for a good view it is a real treat for the eye. The firecrest which is a member of the kinglet family vies with the goldcrest for the UK’s smallest bird and has been described as a “jewel”. It is clear to see why. 

Marine mammals 

Dolphins have been spotted with regularity in recent months with large pods at times being seen. Humpback whales have also been spotted in the bay. The whales would have almost certainly have been visible from the 12th or 13th tees with reports of one being seen for many hours close to the Hayle river mouth. 

Amphibians 

A couple of firsts for me on the links this winter, the first being a newt which had taken residence in the irrigation box at the 3rd green. The second being a toad which was found in the vicinity of the irrigation lagoon. Toads are declining at an alarming rate in the UK with the latest figure at 68% over the last 30 years. 

 Birds 

Early spring was a quiet time for sightings this year but from around mid April we started to have the first wheatears passing through the course with a maximum of around 20 birds on the 20th & 21st of April, the 10th fairway seemingly alive with these energetic birds on their way from south of the Saharan desert from countries such as Zimbabwe and Kenya. 

Steven Turner spotted 24 Whimbrels and 1 bar tailed godwit on the 10th fairway on the 21st of April but on the whole “passage” (migratory) wading bird numbers on the course were far lower than in previous years, this is almost certainly due to the fact that there were very few leatherjacket (cranefly) grubs in the soil for the birds to feed on this season and therefore they did not spend time foraging on the course. These grubs have a big impact on the health of the turf on the course as they feed on the roots of grass decimating the plants ability to take up nutrients. Birds such as; whimbrels and starlings do an excellent job of predating on these larvae reducing their numbers without damaging the turf. Curlews and oystercatchers can often be seen probing for prey but these are more likely after worms. 

The scrub behind the 11th green was a stop off point for a grasshopper warbler during late April. It appears that this is a regular spot for this scarce summer migrant to rest and feed for a handful of days before moving on to somewhere to nest. “Groppers” are almost impossible to see due to their skulking behaviour but the reeling song is unmistakeable. Many other warblers make the course their home to nest in the spring such as whitethroats and blackcaps. 

May saw the seemingly annual movement of Red Kites appear in the skies with sightings all month, these were mostly single individuals, but Steven Elliott did see 5 together on the 13th of May. 

A young green woodpecker was spotted feeding on the 18th tee which was a nice sight, this woodpecker uses its 10cm long and sticky tongue to extract its favourite food from the soil, namely ants. The largest of the three native woodpecker species it is a locally scarce species in the area. Great spotted woodpeckers can also be seen occasionally but the lesser spotted woodpecker is now very rare only reliably being found in ancient woodlands such as that around Dartmoor. 

A lone yellow wagtail flew over the greenkeepers compound on the 24th of August which is a classic farmland bird, only being spotted in rural areas and never in the urban apposed to grey and pied wagtails. 

Britain’s smallest raptor the Merlin was spotted flying across the course by Steven Turner on the 27th of August. This year saw the return of an Osprey for a couple of weeks during September with good views possible from the 6th green / 7th tee area before it would have carried on its journey south the Senegal to spend the winter. A juvenile Osprey with leg rings which was seen a few years ago in the Hayle estuary area was confirmed to have been born in Sweden earlier in the year, unfortunately we can only wonder where this bird originated from. Resident Peregrine falcons and Kestrels can still be seen with regularity over West Cornwall Golf Club also. 

November saw the arrival of a Short Eared Owl which was originally spotted by Lawrie Tremlett and Matt Jones after it flew up from the long grass close to the 11th fairway before making its way over the railway line. The Owl was seen again above the 10th tee before drifting towards Gwithian and also at the very end of the month on the slopes above the 12th tee. A shortage of food in Scandinavia 

is thought to have brought larger numbers of these birds to UK shores this winter. This species of owl is one of the few which can often be seen flying and hunting in broad daylight, a real treat to see. 

Snipe can sometimes be accidently flushed from tussocky patches of grass but this November saw a Jack Snipe, which is a far scarcer and smaller Snipe species which Lawrie spotted in the rough behind the 15th green. Spending its summer in the bogs of Sweden and Russia the Jack Snipe heads to warmer locations to spend the winter. A curious and secretive bird which has a distinctive bobbing motion when feeding, it opts to hunker down when approached flying off at the very last minute before flying a short distance to drop down amongst thick vegetation. Lawrie observed this behaviour and was at arms length of the bird before it flew. Amazing to think this small bird has flown around 2000 miles to feed in the rough on the course. My first sighting of a Woodcock on the course was also in November this year, with one flying past me as I opened the sheds up at dawn. There is a resident population in the UK of Woodcock, but large influxes occur from central and eastern Europe during the colder months. 

Mandy Dennison reported seeing a Spoonbill on the estuary when playing the 6th hole on the 21st of November, this is a large bird closely related to Ibis. The “Spatule Blanche” as they say in France has been frequenting the area for a few weeks now and thanks to being ringed as a flightless chick on the 10th of June this year it has been confirmed to be from the Midtjylland region of Denmark before making its way down to Cornwall to spend many weeks feeding on the Hayle Estuary and at Marazion. The close proximity of the course to the Hayle Estuary allows for many interesting sightings including an Arctic Tern, the bird with the longest distance migration of any on the planet, literally pole to pole (18,000 miles!) which was diving into the water close to the 7th tee at dawn one morning. The Great Northern Diver is a bird that can be seen pretty much annually flying over the course during the colder months transitioning between the Carnsew pool and the open sea, this year was no exception. 

Reptiles & Amphibians 

A number of Adders were spotted this summer with sightings from a number of locations on the course. Adders on the whole are very shy and will retreat at the sign of any danger which is why they are difficult to spot. Records of snakes this year include; 19th May; Male Adder on the 5th green – Rachel Perkin, 17th May; Adder on the 11th tee – Dave Bowden, 5th June; Female Adder on path in front of 4th tee – Michael Godolphin. “The findings, published in The Herpetological Journal, are the culmination of 11 years of nationwide monitoring and showed that 90% of adder populations surveyed were declining. Experts warn that, if these trends continue, within just 10-20 years adders could be restricted to just a handful of sites in the UK” (Amphibian and Reptile Groups of UK). The fact that we clearly have a number of individuals at West Cornwall Golf Club shows that we have an ecosystem which is showing signs of health. I have not noted any lizards this year but a number of slow worms have been spotted. Grass snakes are locally rare in West Cornwall and to my knowledge only a handful of sites hold this species.