Work has begun on removing and relaying slates on two parts of the church roof. The main area on which work is in progress is the entire southern slope of the main roof. This is the slope which is most exposed to the prevailing wind and which has most often had to be repaired by the replacement of slipped or fallen slates (usually after storms). The existing slates have been removed but will mostly be reused. A permeable membrane is being installed underneath them. The other repair currently in progress is to a section of the bell tower roof which has been responsible for water ingress into the bell tower below.<br><br>These works are being carried out by Roger Searle of Falmouth, who has for many years patched the roof quickly and very reasonable rates when we have suffered storm damage. The cost has been borne entirely out of the Roof Fund, which is a separate account containing restricted funds donated specifically for this purpose. The cost of this work willbe £10,500 which will exhaust most of the money currently in the Roof Fund. The main roof is in three sections with valleys in between; so relaying this slope will leave five more slopes to be re-laid when funds permit. Further donations to the Roof Fund would therefore be more than welcome. <br><br>A good deal of the money donated has been from the “Donate a Slate” initiative which has been less active in recent years; so a new round of donations, large or small, would be very much appreciated. Help of a different kind would also be welcome. Applying for grants towards the cost of relaying the rest of the roof might well be fruitful but is likely to be very time-consuming. The guidance which we have received is that it is very unlikely that massive grants will beobtainable for the entire project of bringing the roof up to scratch. <br><br>A more realistic target is that a number of smaller grants might be available to do the rest of the roof, either in phases or (if we are extremely successful in our fund-raising) in one go. We would love to hear from a volunteer or volunteers willing to assist. Previous experience in grant applications is desirable but not essential, since guidance in the form of transcripts of training webinars and the names of possible grant-making bodies can be made available. If willing to donate or volunteer for grant applications, please contact honorary treasurer Greg Adams on 07770 638443.
BirdsChiffchaff, House Martin, Robin, Magpie, Jackdaw, Buzzard, Goldfinch, Rook, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Jay, Mistle Thrush (up to 5), Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blackbird, Wren, Raven, Black-headed Gull, Greenshank, Swallow, Canada Goose.Plants coming into flowerDovesfoot Cranesbill (8th), Atlantic Ivy (15th), Hazel catkins (24th)Plants continuing to flowerNarrow-leaved Hawkweed, Red Campion, Ivy-leaved Toadflax, Ribwort Plantain, Creeping Cinquefoil, Creeping Thistle, Tutsan, Ragwort, Dog Violet, Scentless Mayweed, Meadow Vetchling.InsectsRed Admiral (1st); Large White, Honey Bee, Leatherjacket, Devil’s Coach-horse, Large Yellow Underwing, Field Grasshopper (15th); Common Carder Bee, Speckled Wood, Hoverflies Episyrphus balteatus (“Marmalade fly”) and Meliscaeva auricollis or M. cinctella (18th); Small White, Comma, Bluebottle, Greenbottle, Flesh Fly (19th); Yellow Meadow Ant (nest disturbed 29th but present throughout); Common Wainscot (disturbed during most mowing or strimming sessions this month).Other creepy-crawliesHarvestman, Earthworm, Woodlice, CentipedeFungiPuffball (Calvatia sp), Field Mushroom, Boletus sp (large, reddish cap), another Boletus sp (brown cap showing yellow where damaged or eaten away, possibly Yellow-cracking Bolete; small, slender, white conical fungus possibly Ivory Slime Cap.MammalsField Vole (disturbed on 29th)
BirdsChaffinch, Herring Gull, Wren, Goldfinch, Buzzard, Magpie, Raven, Jackdaw, Canada Goose, Chiffchaff, House Martin.In the evening of 9th - August: 80+ Swallow, 5 Mistle Thrush, 30 + Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Barn Owl, Mallard; plus Grey Heron and Green Sandpiper calling.Plants coming into flowerPoppy, Buddleia davidii, Creeping Thistle (4th); Rough Hawks-beard (7th); Narrow-leaved Hawkweed (25th).Plants continuing to flowerEnchanter’s Nightshade, Common Knapweed, Catsear, Creeping Cinquefoil, Tutsan, Spear Thistle, Montbretia, Bramble, Selfheal, Red Campion, Meadow Vetchling, Greater Birdsfoot Trefoil, Lesser Trefoil, Yarrow, White Clover, Ragwort, Perforate St John’s Wort, Ribwort Plantain, Daisy, Herb Bennet, Herb Robert, Common Willowherb, Common Hemp-nettle, Scentless Mayweed.Insects from a mothing session in the evening of 9th August, 8.45 pm to 11.45 pm:Macro-moths: 7 Cloaked Minor, 3 Brimstone, 2 Least Yellow Underwing, 2 Ruby Tiger, 1 Single-dotted Wave, 1 Vestal, 1 Oak Eggar, 21 Flame Shoulder, 4 Common Rustic aggregate, 1 Knotgrass, 3 Dark Arches, 2 Purple Bar, 3 Straw Dot, 1 Elephant Hawk-moth, 1 Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, 1 Dingy Footman, 1 Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, 1 Small Fan-footed Wave, 1 Lychnis, 1 Spectacle, 1 Sallow Kitten; 1 Least Yellow Underwing.Micro-moths: 3 Garden Grass-veneer, 2 Agapeta Zoegana, Eupoecilia angustana, Eudonia mercurella, Pammene aurita, Nomophila noctuella.Beetles: 2 Dor Beetle, 2 Orange-legged Furrow Bee;Butterflies: 1 Wall Brown;Others: Limnephilus marmoratus (caddis fly), Green Lacewing, Ophion minutus (Ichneumon wasp), House Fly.Other InsectsGatekeeper, Large White, Meadow Brown, Dark Arches, Field Grasshopper, Common Green Grasshopper, Red Soldier Beetle, Red-tailed Bumblebee, Garden Bumblebee, Meadow Brown, Red Admiral, Dark Arches, Notch-horned Cleg, Flesh Fly, Bluebottle (4th); Speckled Wood, Peacock (7th); Southern Hawker (25th).Other creepy-crawliesHarvestman, Common House Spider, CentipedeReptiles and AmphibiansCommon FrogMammals2 Pipistrelle (9th)
Birds: Herring Gull, Rook, Wood Pigeon, House Martin, Jay, Magpie, Collared Dove, Buzzard, flock of 40-50 Swallows (evening of 18th), Tawny Owl (evening of 18th), Wren, Goldfinch.Plants coming into flower: Enchanter’s Nightshade, Common Knapweed, Catsear, Creeping Cinquefoil (7th); Trailing Tormentil, Geranium sp probably Dovesfoot Cranesbill, Tutsan, Creeping Bent (10th); Spear Thistle (14th); Hedge Bindweed, Field Bindweed, Montbretia, Tufted Vetch (28th)Plants continuing to flower: Hogweed, Cow Parsley, Hedge Bedstraw, Red Campion, Field Rose, hybrid Rose, Greater Birdsfoot Trefoil, Meadow Vetchling, Herb Robert, Creeping Buttercup, Nipplewort, Ragwort, Goosegrass, Common Field Speedwell, Yarrow, White Clover, Common Vetch, Ribwort Plantain, Perforate St John's Wort, Greater Hawkweed, Fuchsia, Foxglove, Common Willowherb, Common Sorrel, Herb Bennet, Selfheal, Daisy, Lesser Trefoil, Common Hemp-nettle, Cocksfoot, Scentless Mayweed.Insects from a mothing session in the evening of 18th July, 9.30 pm to 1.00 am: Magpie Moth, Dingy Footman, Buff Arches, Ichneumon wasp (probably Heteropelma amictum), Common Carpet, Mottled Sedge, Barred Straw, Grass Veneer, Strawberry Seed Beetle (Harpalus rufipes), Green Lacewing, Smoky Wainscot, Knotgrass, Ruby Tiger, Small Magpie, Foxglove Pug, V-Pug, Bright-line Brown-Eye, Small Fan-footed Wave, Swallowtail, Marbled White-spot, Flame Shoulder, Cloaked Minor, Red Twin-spot Carpet, Clay, Limnophilus lunatus (caddis fly), Green Pug, Fan-foot, Eudonia micro-moths probably E. mercurella and E. lacustrata, Sandy Carpet, Cnephasia sp. tortrix, Agapeta zoegana yellow tortrix, Double-striped Pug, Slender Brindle, Elephant Hawk-moth, Dark Arches, Dot Moth, Uncertain, July Highflyer, Riband Wave, Smoky Wainscot, Spectacle, Barred Straw, Common Footman, Small Rivulet, Shuttle-shaped Dart, Large Yellow Underwing, Grey Dagger, Lackey, Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet, Silver Y, Cloaked Minor, Lesser Broad-bordered Yellow Underwing, Heart and Dart, Peppered Moth, Coronet, Lychnis, Pale Prominent, Clouded Silver, Pretty Chalk Carpet, True Lovers’ Knot, Ear Moth, Common Rustic, Bee Moth, Common Red Soldier Beetle, European Corn Borer.Other Insects: Meadow Brown, Small Skipper, Red Admiral, Seven-spot Ladybird, Halictus sp bee, probably Orange-legged Furrow Bee, White-tailed Bumblebee, Honey Bee, Common Darter, Common Red Soldier Beetle, Five-spot Burnet, Common Earwig, Yellow Meadow Ant, Field Grasshopper (all 7th); Gatekeeper (10th); Peacock butterfly (14th); Notch-horned Cleg, Common Carder Bee, Large White, Buff-tailed Bumblebee, Southern Hawker, Silver-washed Fritillary (21st); Small Black Ant, Flesh Fly, Common Wasp, Red-tailed Bumblebee (28th)Other “creepy-crawlies”: Woodlouse, Centipede.Mammals: 2 small bats (probably one of the Pipistrelle species), 2 large bats (probably Noctules), evening of 18th.Reptiles and Amphibians: Common Toad (in church porch)
