The morning session will deal with otter survey methods and in the afternoon there will be a visit to local otter hot spots to look for signs of otters. Anyone interested in otters, and in particular recording, is very welcome. Please bring your own refreshments.

David Curtis

Bat Group

With bats in hibernation, things are a little quieter during the winter months. However, this winter has been so mild that things have not been quite as normal.

Carol Williams, who is studying feeding behaviour in lesser horseshoe bats, has found that they have stayed active all winter, even flying on frosty nights. What insect prey is available on such nights is unclear, but the bats are probably foraging over water and possibly over dung piles in farmyards. These areas remain unfrozen and may have midges flying on very cold nights.

The Bat Group's underground survey is continuing. Several new hibernation sites have been found and results this year reveal bats staying in smaller, shallower sites that have not become too cold.

We are busy planning roost visits for the summer and will be undertaking a follow-up visit to the Isles of Scilly in August.

Daniel Eva

Reptile and Amphibian Group

What better reason could there be for conserving our wetlands than to maintain large populations of frogs, toads and newts? Frogs in garden ponds account for more telephone enquiries to the Trust than any other species. Incredibly, a few of the people who call actually want to get rid of frogs, but most are concerned for their welfare. Clearly the frog is one of our most popular animals and it deserves more help.

We hope most people are now aware that moving frog spawn around is no way to help and that it can damage nature. Creating new ponds should be a priority (but in the right place - see page 22), and both new and existing ponds can also be provided with shelter for one of our most threatened reptiles, the grass snake. We have leaflets to tell you how.

Despite their apparent popularity, amphibians in Cornwall's countryside are studied very little - we don't know how many ponds we have, where they are or what they contain. Please join CRAG if you would like to put amphibians on the map.

Mark Nicholson

Mammal Group

The 7th of March saw the grand launch of the Mammal Group at Camborne School of Mines, which was attended by about forty people. The day was organised by CISFBR and offered a varied programme with presentations in the morning session on mammal records in Cornwall, the Biodiversity Programme, recording mustelids in Cornwall, and mammals and the law.

In the afternoon the assembly was divided into three groups which rotated round demonstrations on mammal identification, dormice and water voles. A thank you to CISFBR for a pleasant and interesting day.

There is a follow-up meeting on 26th April but this will have been and gone by the time this is published.

I have had some enquiries about the Mammal Group in the past and if by some oversight I have not contacted you again, I apologise, but it has been a difficult time. I hope you and anyone else interested will contact me again.

One thing has been bothering me for some time. A number of people have asked me about fitting up dormouse nest boxes. When I explain the need for a licence, they lose interest. I hope they have not gone ahead anyway. Not only is this illegal, with a heavy fine if caught, but there are good reasons for a licence. Apart from dormice being rare and a protected species, you must know how to handle them if they are not to escape, possibly desert the nest or suffer injury. Handling needs practice and training. I have heard people glibly talk about dormice exploding out of the box when it is opened. This is not good practice. Even on a recent television programme I saw doubtful technique with dormice.

English Nature is to make it a condition of a licence that recorders send in their findings to itself before renewing future licences. So please do not risk a fine and give the Trust a bad name. If you want to monitor dormice, get the proper training.

Ron Evenden

Ron Evenden is the County Mammal Recorder - call (01726) 66647

Photographic Group

Events for the Photographic Group in 1998 started with a nature video diary presented by outgoing chairman Alan Griffiths. Alan has chaired the group for just over two years during which time his enthusiasm for nature, particularly video records and underwater work, has been an inspiration to us all.

In February, members held a "best and worst" evening. They brought work that was successful and pieces where sadly the result was a disappointment. The "good" were analysed to bring out the elements needed to compose a winning natural history image. The factors producing flaws in other slides were discussed, such as the importance of background and the pertinence of correct aperture use. The work viewed was varied, as members' interests include plants, butterflies, amphibians and birds.

March saw David Chapman presenting a review of his photographic development. Specialising in bird photography, David started with some early slides of garden birds in Feock and explained that as his technique and equipment improved so did his results. Later work covered a greater range of birds and locations.

In April the group plans to host the annual Royal Photographic Society Nature Group slides and prints portfolios. This annual competition attracts some of the best nature photographers and provides an opportunity to view outstanding natural history work.

The Photographic Group meets on the second Monday of each month at Allet. Future events will include several field visits during the summer months. Anyone interested in joining the group or with suggestions for future meetings and events should contact David Chapman on (01736) 850287.

Sarah Chapman

Living Churchyards

Cathedral congregation

Truro Cathedral has more devotees than most people realise, namely birds that use the building. Many common species can be seen on or near the Cathedral. At the moment there is a dead gull stuck on a lightning conductor! On the nearby River Allen, a grey wagtail sometimes nests in the ivy by the Barley Sheaf and, in the winter, dippers and kingfishers occur. In the winter, black redstarts frequent the building mainly on the north side. They are beautiful grey and black birds with flashing, rufous tails, rather robin-like but easily missed.

The star birds are those great rivals, peregrines and ravens. Peregrines have used the Cathedral as a roost for years. Surrounded by hundreds of town pigeons, it must seem like the ultimate takeaway to them. A friend of mine has seen them plucking and eating pigeons by floodlight at night; presumably caught whilst roosting on the building.

Two winters ago ravens were seen around the towers for a week or so. Last winter I saw them again, but this time they built a nest in a west tower. It was a great thrill to watch them raise at least three chicks, leaving the nest on 16th May. Ravens have been seen again this winter, so look out for them this spring in case they nest again. Truro is so lucky to have such wonderful bird characters as peregrines, ravens, black redstarts and dippers, so do look for them. In a famine, Elijah was fed by ravens - so the clergy might find them useful if they hit hard times!

Gilbert Thomas