FROM CORNWALL WILDLIFE TRUST — EVEN WITH EXCESSIVE RAIN SPRING WILL CARRY ON

 

View this email in your browser FEBRUARY NEWS Despite the (extremely) wet weather this year so far, spring is just around the corner! Across Cornwall, the days are slowly lengthening and the first signs of new life are beginning to stir. Even after the wildest winters, nature keeps moving forward. And with a little help from all of us, those small seasonal shifts can turn into lasting change for wildlife.  Thank you for your continued support! Your membership allows our team and volunteers to work on vital projects to help create a Cornwall where nature thrives. NATURE NEWS  Rainy days, wild ways Cornwall has just experienced its wettest January since 1836, with places like Bodmin seeing almost double their usual rainfall, according to the BBC.  While the prolonged storms have caused disruption, the fallen trees and damp woodlands they leave behind also create valuable new habitats for fungi, insects and the wildlife that depends on them.  If you’re braving the weather and heading out, watch out for flashes of scarlet, as the bright red cups of scarlet elfcup fungi emerge from moss and fallen branches. Combined with the mild weather, several flowers are also beginning to appear several weeks early, with daffodils and primroses lighting up hedgerows, woodland edges, and grasslands. BEAVER FEVER In case you missed it, Cornwall Wildlife Trust recently celebrated a milestone achievement after years of hard work: the first licenced wild release of beavers in Cornwall!  Want to jump on the beaver bandwagon? Our guided beaver walks at the Cornwall Beaver Project are on sale now! Book your space now You can also read more about our landmark beaver release here.  Wild beavers released in Cornwall EVENTS Superlative Seabirds of the South West Wed 18 Feb | 7pm - 8.30pm | Online Join our guest speaker Samuel Wrobel, Senior Marine Policy Officer at the RSPB, and find out more about our fantastic Cornish seabirds and how to spot them.  Seagrass Restoration in Cornwall Thu 5 Mar | 7pm - 8.30pm | Online Find out more about the enigmatic intertidal seagrass and what we're doing to restore it. An online discussion with our seagrass restoration team and guest speaker, Justin Hean. Beaver Walks at Woodland Valley Farm April - Sept | 7pm - 9pm, Wednesdays and Thursdays  Join Cornwall Wildlife Trust for a guided walk around our fantastic beaver project at Woodland Valley Farm. See all events FEBRUARY SPOTTERS GUIDE February may be one of the coldest months of the year, but it is full of quiet signs that spring is on its way. Late winter is a busy time for birds. Rooks gather noisily in treetops as they begin nesting in large colonies, while grey herons return to their heronries to repair nests ahead of spring egg laying. Look out for them in their nests, perched high up in the treetops. Across the lakes, great-crested grebes transform into their breeding plumage.  As evenings grow milder, common toads wake from hibernation and begin their journeys back to breeding ponds. These damp, moonlit migrations are one of February’s most hopeful wildlife moments, reminding us that the seasons are turning, whatever the weather has brought so far. See the full guide CALENDARS STILL AVAILABLE There’s just a few copies left of the Wild Cornwall 2026 charity calendar, now available at half price. Filled with beautiful images celebrating Cornwall’s wild places and wildlife, every purchase helps support our work - a small way to keep nature close all year round. Shop 2026 calendar sale JOIN OUR TEAM We have a number of exciting job roles available as part of our Tor to Shore project, including: Farm Adviser Helman Tor Reserves Officer Youth and Inclusion Officer Be quick - jobs close on Fri 20 Feb. Find out more and apply Images:  Frogspawn (header image) - Nick Upton Alder - Ange Hale Scarlet elfcup - Mark Robinson Gull - Charlotte O’Neill Beaver - Jo Noon Great crested grebe - Steve Waterhouse Tor to Shore - Ben Watkins © 2026 Cornwall Wildlife Trust. All rights reserved. Registered charity number 214929. Privacy Policy and T&Cs Our mailing address is: Cornwall Wildlife Trust Five Acres, Allet, Truro, Cornwall, TR4 9DJ Want to change how you receive these emails? You can unsubscribe from this list.