Spotty crab

Finn discovered this little gem and all of us were perplexed. The closest we could get to an identification was to say that maybe it was a shore crab with a disease or a parasite. The only problem was that the patterns were so balanced and uniform. A tidy, symetrical parasite? In the end after looking in loads of books and on the internet I called Cornwall Wildlife Trust. They suggested I send over a photo and this is what we discovered....

Further to our conversation the other day regarding the strange crab you found at Mevagissey recently; thank you for your excellent photograph. I can confirm that this is indeed a juvenile Shore Crab ( Carcinus maenas). Juvenile Shore Crabs can be a confusing variety of colours, since they adapt to the particular habitat they have been maturing in. As in your picture, they often develop white patches on the carapace to breakup their outline against shell and gravel. I hope this solves the mystery!I do hope that is of some help and please do contact us again if we can be of any more assistance in the future.  Yours,
John Rance-Wildlife Information Service

One bad driver, one dead swan.

You may remeber me talking about the birds around Par beach and the swans that had nested by the ticket booth. Well last week a driver ran over the female swan, didn't kill her instantly but didn't stop either.  She died quite quickly though and now the cygnets have just their dad to take care of him.  It's a sad and unpleasant story especially if  you consider that Mute Swans often pair for life.

A Fair of Flutterbys.

I went for a really gorgeous walk yesterday but it nearly killed me.  You'll have to have a look a the map profile but one half of it seemed to be vertical. The first ascent was zigzagged so whilst bad wasn't awful, the second ascent was straight up - truly foul.  I'm just being a wimp but it was a hot day and I was on a mission and rushing it, so my own fault really.  I wanted to see if I could walk along the coast path from Polkerris to Polridmouth and back in an hour and a half.  The length of the boys' sailing session.  I couldn't.  It didn't help that I set of late and I think if I had the full 90 minutes I could do it but I'd barely have 10 minutes to stop and paddle my poor feet.

However, I was rewarded by the most gorgoues profusion of butterflies.  They were everywhere, I was positively having to swat them out of the way.  The hot blue skies after two weeks of rain seemed to have signalled party mode, to which all the bees and birds were also invited. The red cinnibar moths were  flashing around with little blues and toirtoisheslls playing catch, darting in and out of the heels of the larger slower red admirals, peacocks and whites.  All to a back drop of slowly sloshing waves and lark song.

The return journey was far easy because I quite sensibly stopped at the top. And of course at the end of it I treated the boys and myself to a Treleavens icecream - I had raspberry pavlova, which this week I managed to eat. Last week Finn dropped his on the floor so I very nobly gave him mine :-)

Next week whilst the boys are sailing Steve and I are going to hire a kayak and row over to Polridmouth and probably stop in a cove along the way; much , much easier.

Only some of the photos are, mine three are stock photos, I just couldn't pin those butterflies down.

Polkerris2

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Big, glorious waves.

http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/videomediaplayer.html?vid=5080

A glorious video of big waves this weekend. Tried to embed it but blogger didn't like it.

Wierd, wet and wonderful

How much rain is there in those clouds? Paths that I am used to walking have become streams, I've had more seaweed in my hair than a spa resort and talk about dermal abrasions! Just try walking along Par Beach in 50 mph winds. Poor Harry actually learnt to walk with his eyes closed and everytime he cocked a leg the wind would blow him over.

There's been some odd sights, this wonderful fungi found in the Luxulyan Valley, a dead dolphin on the beach, already tagged as diseased by the Wildlife Trust, waterfalls, gorgeous autumn leaves and huge, huge waves. The Luxulyan Valley walk was a new one to us and was brilliant - am going to write it up tomorrow if I can find half a second.

Haunted Hallowe'en

Oh we had a fabulous night last night. Eldest son was invited to a Hallowe'en party and youngest was feeling a bit left out. We looked at Eden but they had sold out of tickets - apparently it's a fun party so I'm sure we could have had a good time but Hallowe'en isn't about large crowds and laughter is it? - I mean crowds are scary but maybe not in the spooky sense.

Solution? A walk in the Kings Wood in the dark! It was great fun, we took a torch and Harry and set off into the deep dark rustling wood. At times Stephen was abducted by werewolves, the torch failed, creature fell from the trees, things splashed in the swamps and we sloshed and squelshed and screamed ourselves silly.

Youngest son had a blast and eldest wants to repeat the adventure tonight!

Dog Fish- Title says it all

Various Sightings

So busy that it's been a while but what a fabulous transition from summer to autumn it's been. And so mild that we still haven't turned the heating on yet!

Favoutite things recently

New dive site - western gullies just off Mevagissey Harbour. Went out with Sals Diving really relaxed but thorough operation. Western gullies in a shallow (9m) shore dive with great marine life. I was a bit concerned, given that it is right next to the harbour, that it would be awash with rubbish and dead fish. Not a bit of it. Despite a free flowing octopus, a new dive site and in theory a photography lesson I had a fabulous dive. Even swapping mouthpieces underwater was stress free. To have a closer look at the site have a look at this youtube clip. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC9qksPxBQ8 The photo is about the best I could manage, even though it was a good dive the free flow did occupy my attention more than my camera and my other shots were quite simply pants.

There have been large numbers of different birds down at Par Beach and I've finally started to remember to bring my binoculars on a more regular occurance. Absolutely essential when Harry scattered all before him.
A week or two back on one 45 min walk I saw the following;
Herring Gull
Black Headed  Gull
Some small little auks
Sandpiper
Oyster catcher
Litte Egret
Heron
Mute Swan
Goose - some sort
Hawk - ditto
Blue tit
Long tailed tit
Yellow wagtail
Robin
Sedge warbler
Goldfinch
Rook / carrion crow
Various ducks

The reson for such  varied spot is that there is a reedy stream that leads down on to Par beach from the carpark, the beach is flanked on one side by small cliffs and is huge and flat with rocks at either end. Behind the sandy beach are sand dunes and behind the dunes is a large lake with scrub trees at one end. So lots of different habitats.  I could have seen more I suspect but ... Harry.

Idless2 - Walking - Everytrail

Idless2 - Walking - Everytrail

Using some rather natty technology I can now track my walks. This walk was in the Idless woods and featured flying dogs, crouching children, mud and gunpowder works and a hill fort. All this in two easy miles. I'll have to work out if I can import the full report in here but otherwise maps and photos are via the link.

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Quick birds spots.

Nice walk along the Pentewan River this morning. Saw a pair of Grey Wagtails playing "it" up and down the course of the river. They seemed to be having great fun, further along the bank Harry strtled a huge heron, well they always seem so huge don't they? They go from invisible statues to ancient pterodactyls in the blink of an eye. It might have been nicer to get a bit closer, but hey ho Harry. Further along the bank I also saw a pair of Dippers I often see them here but never for very long. There are also Kingfishers on this stretch as well but I have yet to see them. I thought with it being an early morning walk I might get lucky. Nothing yet though.

Fishermen and sunsets.

One of the nice things about having Harry is that I get out so much more than I ever used to and I'm always finding new walks. This one, by Treskilling, is a nice simple circuit of a flooded clay pit (I presume) and is near one of the boys' friends'. As Thomas was off at another party I got to do the walk twice and it was interesting to see it at two different times of the day. At noon the day was hot and sunny  and I was lucky enough to see an adder "sprinting" across the path as Harry came bounding towards him. As soon as he was in the rocks Harry set off in pursuit of something else; beetle, cloud, vague promise of a rabbit - who knows? It would have been nice to have really studied the adder but to be honest Harry and wildlife just don't mix. I went to take a close up of a mushroom last week  when Harry walked into shot and ate it; he then spat it out but all photogenic properties had gone by then.

The lake was playing host to a fishing competition so I received a few glares as Harry went bounding into the lake for his normal drink and cool down. Thankfully he wasn't near any of the lines or holding nets or else he'd have been trying to get at the fish! Then I would have been getting some really filthy looks. However, I think they had greater problems from this pair of fishermen.

Harry, of course soon sorted out this problem as well. You see, I get to see lots more than I ever used to but only fleetingly.

I came back again in the evening to collect number one son. The walk had a totally different air this time as the trees cast longs shadows with deep rustling. All rather gloomy and a tad menacing so I was glad to get back up onto the heath and was treated to a glorious sunset. Feeling very calm, I then picked up a very energised son who had had a fabulous day on zip wires and quad bikes. I have low expectations of him getting all his spelling right in today's test.

Photography course with David Chapman at the Bishop's Forum Centre

This Saturday was a great day in so many ways. I'd booked myself onto a one day photography course with wildlife photographer David Chapman. I've always enjoyed taking photos but know I could always do better so I was really looking forward to doing this. The group of 10 was an interesting mix of amateurs and semi pros so at times the conversations seemed either blindingly obvious or ridiculously complicated depending on who you were. Thankfully, everyone seemed content to accept that there was a multitude of needs in the room and no one tried to hog the limelight. Have to say though, some people's kit was awesome, serious camera envy going on. David focused on close up photography as the weather conditions weren't going to lend themselves to much of anything else. Picked up some good tips and had  fun learning how some apparently natural shots are completely rigged!

We then went out for an hour or two around Bishops Forum who were hosting the event. They are a fabulous centre set up to help children, who don't get any breaks in their life, to have a rest and get some fun. The centre has expanded now and runs a huge range of activities and is set in a disused quarry between Falmouth and Penryn. It certainly had the potential for some great wildlife shots and some of us managed some real corkers. I was pleased with one of mine but for me the best part was understanding what some of the little buttons on my camera did. I will also be buying some extension rings, very impressed with them and a tripod as I shake too much!

At the end we all put forward a few shots that we were pleased with and all discussed them. It was great and rather nice receiving compliments from people who were clearly better than me. It also made it easier to bear the gentle criticisms. They probably weren't even criticisms but anything less than "Wow, you're wonderful" smarts :-) I'd love to join the CWT wildlife photography group but I doubt I would ever get the time away. Having just looked at their site I see they've got an Art exhibition coming up. Will do my best to get to that.

After a lovely day I drove home to find a shattered husband and dog - that was a BIG walk. We then went to collect the boys from a birthday party and ended up joining in on some massive games of bulldog and kick the can. Today is Monday and I can still barely walk. There's no need for fancy gyms or fitness instructors just play for an hour with a bunch of rugby loving 9 year olds and those pounds will simply fall away! As will your dignity, knee caps and fingernails.

And another perfect day.

Out first thing to visit the Gribben daymark - got to climb it whilst a lovely lady from the NT looked after Harry. Rather glad because the last part of the climb was up a ladder and I'd have had to carry Harry. Gorgoeus views although slightly hazy all round. Down to Polridmouth beach, I tell you the air was full of butterflies, at one point I walked through a cloud of 15 or so Red Admirals. Sat on the beach until Harry disgraced himself by jumping in joy at a running girl. Then onto Mum's for a sunny delicious lunch, chicken breasts stuffed with spring onions and wrapped in bacon, so soft and moist. Next I grabbed the boys and we went back up to circumnavigate Blackpool pit to see if we could spot a way in to hunt down panthers! Unsurprisingly no joy but the boys enjoyed it finally we went to finish the day on Polkerris beach but it was heaving and high tide so a bit disappointing. I don't like crowds and whilst the boys got to do some tombstoning they also seemed a bit tired from the heat so we finished on a quiet note.

Forgot to say

Not really outside events but this weekend you can get behind the scenes of historical buildings. Harry and I will go out to the Gribben Daymark. It's not often open to the public so I'm hoping that dogs are allowed but I won't hold my breath.

Harry and the panthers!

This was a truly wonderful day, the last day or two the sun has shone, the breeze has been slight and the air warm. In fact there has been no hint of autumn in the last two days. For this morning's walk I took Harry up to the long barrow above Foxhole.  It was a nice but plain walk and the whole time I was tempted by the soaring long barrow above me to my left but it was completely fenced off for the whole walk. The path at the base of the watch hill is still very high in itself and I looked out towards Newquay and the sea to the south. Most of the walk was in the shade of the barrow so whilst I was looking over a patchwork of green sunny fields with birds singing and cows lowing I was in shadow. At the turning point of the walk we came across a house that was being built with a sedum roof and a glorious view looking over the county down to the sea shining on the horizon. SW 978 540 GB The views from the top of the watch hill would be amazing, looking down on Blackpool pit and from up there you would easily be able to see both coastlines



I'm not much for chatting to people but I ought to be more receptive, you hear some great stories. The first man I met was walking with his cocker who had just grabbed a rabbit, the man took the rabbit (dead I'm afraid) and threw it into the hedgeow. I mentioned to him that I just couldn't get Harry to willingly give up his rabbits, what was the secret. "Well now" he says " I had a springer just the same and the trick was to come up quickly behind him and yank the back legs up in the air." "Oh no" says I, "that would never convince Harry to let go, he'd just hold on tighter." "No!" He laughed, "Not the rabbit. Grab the dogs' back legs and haul him up in the air!"  Very funny and bizarre, and can just imagine me trying to hold Harry up in the air by his back legs. I am fairly certain though that it would make him drop the rabbit.

We were at the end of our walk and heading back to the car with me still casting an envious eye up to the barrow when I came across another couple about to set out. Apparently the barrow is private land and access is restricted, there are sheep and goats up there so dogs are highly disouraged. However, the chap said that he had been up on the barrow at night with Newquay Zoo, I thought it was odd but he was also dying for me to enquire further, so I did and it turns out that he was up there tracking for panthers and other big cats. It left me grinning as I went back to the car, I could just picture Harry running into a bush after  a rabbit and come dashing back out pursued by a puma!

A few things happening this weekend

OK so it's supposed to be wet and windy but it's the August bank holiday so let's get out and have some fun... Low tides morning and evening.

28th August Bat event in truro area this Friday - 7.30pm start. Contact Kirstie Francis 01872 273939 ext 203 or email kirstie@cornwt.demon.co.uk to book a place, find out directions and further details.
Going Batty BOOKING ESSENTIAL. Learn from our bat expert and make some batty things indoors, then listen for bats hunting in the woods. Contact Kirstie Francis below to book your place, places are limited. Starts on 28/08/2009
Start time 19:30 End time 21:00
Type Fox Club
Location Carrick


August Saturday 29th, 10am -12 Marazion, Cornwall
COASTAL/ NATURE RESERVE WILD FOOD WALK 
http://www.wildwalks-southwest.co.uk/calendar.php

Adults/£10 Under 16s free
A walk along the coast and through the RSPB Nature Reserve.
Plants include; mallow, common scurvy, sea beet, sea kale, chickweed, alexanders, sea radish, common sorrel, nettle and rosehips *(please note, this may vary due to seasonal availability)
Level of walk: Flat, some walking on the beach, short distances
Meeting Point: Meet in Marazion, West Cornwall, by the outdoor children’s play area facing the beach. Grid Ref: SW515305
Transport: Bus No:2







29th of August   Te Respect Festival www.cornwallrespect.org.uk

This year's festival will be held in Truro on the 29th will start at 10am in Victoria Park, followed by a carnival procession through the streets to Lemon Quay where there will be entertainment. In Victoria Gardens there will be music, stalls, theatre, information, face & henna painting, artwork, and much more at Victoria Park. This part of the event will be alcohol free, and family focused. There will also various workshops including;

. Drum workshop
. Belly dancing workshop
. World dance workshop
. Children's marquee
. BME health marquee
. T'ai chi workshop
There will be a reggae sound-system, food stalls, film show, circus performers, live entertainment, DJ's, Dance, pleasant surprises, and much more.

30th August Stithians County Fair is on Sunday at the Stithians Showground. 10am - 5pm. Lots to see, cattle, dog show, food and craft marquee.

Death on the beach

http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=20503

Beachcombing wasn't as much fun as I'd hoped so many dead shells, local fisherman was digging for lugworms and he said they'd all been wiped out as well. Par beach, right in the centre of St Austell Bay was totally littered with dead crabs and molluscs, hope there's going to be enough for for the birds locally. It all knocks on. The deaths were caused by a red algal bloom, read the link for more info.

On a good news note I found some oysters and one was still alive. God knows how the oyster catchers open them because I didn't manage to shift it an inch. Lots of oystercatchers around they are some colourful, noisy odd looking birds. RSPB have a lovely link here which also has an audio clip if you're not sure if you know their call. I bet as soon as you hear it you'll recognize it.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/o/oystercatcher/index.asp

Oh August!

Went blackberry picking last night and managed to pick a kilo so it's jam making today which is just as well because today it awful isn't it? I had a rotten night's sleep with the wind and rain banging on the window and it still hasn't blown through now. Beachcoming should be fun later on if I don't get swept away first.

http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/8075/beautiful-blackberry-jam.aspx
To be honest if you can't find pectin just put some lemon juice in instead or a cooking apple or both! It's not an exact science but blackberries like strawberries are rubbish at setting and unless you really love blackberry syrup as opposed to jam them you'll need to do something to get some pectin in the mix. (Pectin makes  the jam set and most berries are pretty low in it)

Incidently, did you know that blackberies from the bottom of the cane are the sweetest, the ones at the top best only used for jam? A bit of a problem really because as we all know you're supposed to avoid all low lying blackberries as they are most likely to have been peed on by dogs!

and just some pretty scenery shots...

As if we actually need reminding of what a beautiful county we live in, still it's nice to look at the pretty pictures! If you click on any of the pictures they will open in a larger screen.

Weather photos

No sunshine shots, I wonder why?
If you click on any of the pictures they will open in a larger screen.

1.The first picture shows what happens to the sea when we have a lot of rain. The harbour is full of run off silt and soil from the fields and you can clearly see the point when the sea gets deeper, after some rain storms this deviding line can be really dramtic.
2. Early morning snowfall.
3. A beam of sunlight of the Helford
4. Even earlier mist on the Helford
5. August in Cornwall (thanks god September is always so gorgeous!)
6. Sows Mevagissey during a high tide storm surge with low pressure in the Atlantic.
7. An incoming hailstorm

2.