Guillemots Return

There have been hundreds of Guillemots back on the cliffs since the middle of October, with numbers sometimes reaching 1000! You have to get out early though as they seem to be there from first light and leave by around 9.30am.

Other sightings include Harbour Porpoise off the headland - up to 6no., Pallas Warbler, Black Redstart, Goldcrest and Firecrest, large flocks of Goldfinch. We are now putting winter feed out for the Cirl Bunting on the DVOR path up from the bungalow - so look out for flocks of over 20no.

Fort Repair Finishes For Winter

The trainees and David Carlisle helped by volunteer David Lilley, have been working hard this year continuing the three year programme of repair on the fort walls. This is part of the Heritage Lottery and SeaChange funded On The Edge project. The team have worked since April in the Northern Fort repairing and consolidating the limestone mortar work on the Rampart Walls. They also remove and treat vegetation to prevent it damaging the mortar and eventually pulling the stones apart. This has meant alot of scaffolding around the fort walls this summer as they meticulously carry out this important work. It is now getting too cold and wet to use the traditional lime mortar so David Carlisle is packing up and completing final touches to then return in Spring. The trainees work will be focussed on the headlands practical habitat management for the winter months.

'Brix Awards'

The 'Brix Awards' were held at the Berry Head hotel last week. Organised by members of the Brixham Youth Enquiry Service, the awards were a celebration of young people's achievements in Brixham.

Samantha Adams, one of our volunteers won an award for her work at Berry Head and The Grove. Sam has achieved over 600 hours of volunteering with Torby Coast and Countryside Trust, and has successfully gained a placement as a trainee ranger at Berry Head, strating in April.

'On the Edge' Forum

A Berry Head forum meeting was held in March to update stakeholders on the progress of the ‘on the edge’ project. The new Access Agreement was also approved for Berry Head. This means there will be access for vehicles of disabled, all other access will be restricted to emergency services.
The Friends of Berry Head also met in March for a project update and to discuss events and fundraising ideas for the year.
If you are interested in joining the Friends, to be more involved in Berry Head and to help with its management, please contact:
Emma Reece: 01803 882022 (telephone)
e.reece@countryside-trust.org.uk (email)

The volunteers have been helping at Churston Cove clearing Holm Oak from the steps to start the restoration of the limestone grassland.

Amendments to the site

The parking bays in the main car park have been re-lined with the addition of 8 disabled parking bays at either end of the car park.
The bollard is now installed and will be operational at the beginning of April to regulate vehicle access to the site.

Signs of Spring

The first signs of spring have been showing on the headland – primroses are flowering, frogspawn is in the heath pond, wheatears have been seen on the headland. We have also been continuing to get very high numbers of guillemots on the cliffs, these are in breeding plumage. There are also pairs of shags coming in and fulmars pairing up. There are also the very bright purple cyclamen flowering on the paths through the woods.

Update: Berry Head

The interviews for the trainee ranger programme were held in March; 73 applied and four people were successfully selected for the year long training programme. The Stone Mason contract was also awarded, and local stone mason David Carlisle will be starting the repair work to the Scheduled Ancient Monuments on Berry Head in April. The trainees will be assisting with this work under close supervision; this will be a really unique opportunity to learn the art of lime mortar work.

Beehive Construction have been edging the car park with wooden sleepers. This is so the car park is secure when the bollard is installed at the end of March, this is to restrict vehicle access to the site.

The volunteers have been finishing the last of the scrub cutting on Berry Head; the nesting season is now starting so there will be no more blackthorn clearance until October. They have also been cutting the dead stems of Japanese Knotweed at Sharkham Point, so that the fresh re-growth can be sprayed later in April. This invasive plant grows rigorously and nothing can grow underneath it so we want to try to get rid of it from the site.

Back on Berry Head – speed bumps are going to be put in on the road from the car park down to Shoalstone Pillars. This is a narrow lane, we have had ongoing problems with cars racing through it – particularly at night, causing disturbance to local residents. This will be happening on the 18th march so the road will be closed for one day.