Conservation Thread

Short_Angus

Member
Livestock Farmer
IMG_0039.JPG


Built the box last year, good to see it used.

IMG_0151.JPG
 

holwellcourtfarm

Member
Livestock Farmer
Last year we cleared this out

IMG_20180726_183556674.jpg


As it was full of silt after 100 years plus. Now it's getting back to some use

IMG_20190502_193151623_HDR.jpg


Hedges have been laid too. Some professionally
IMG_20190502_193227006_HDR.jpg


And some not

IMG_20190502_193952753.jpg


Our swallows returned today. (y):D. We have numerous small songbirds, Sparrowhawks, Red Kites, Buzzards, Skylarks, Lapwings and various Corvids. We have Muntjac, Foxes, Badgers, Stoats and varying numbers of rabbits. Not bad for evil farmers who've not been in any environmental scheme since set-aside.
 
Last edited:

reverand

Member
Location
East lancs hills
We never had badgers here until a couple of years ago. Never see pheasant or partridge chicks or even nests anymore. Plenty of dug out bumble bee nests though I wonder how long till I stop seeing them because the badgers have eaten them all :(
it is very frustrating to see it happen and you can’t help
Can't like this thread more!

On my walking rounds this morning, I heard skylarks, chiffchaffs, grasshopper warblers, and woodpecker among others; saw and heard goldfinches (very uplifting birds to have around), buzzard, jay, pied wagtail, swallows (they came last week, and stayed through the gales), wrens, wood warbler (I think); and I do wonder if there are marsh and willow tit around the place - there's a bird that sounds like a bluetit that's smoked high tar ciggies since a chick, and I'm sure it's one of them.

Last night I saw and heard the barn owl, and the bats (pipistrelles). I'm still able to hear bats.

There are trees and shrubs in the hedges at all stages of growth - noticed new seedlings of Ash that will be transplanted to fill in gaps where and when needed. Taking a risk, maybe, but at the moment there's no disease in the trees.
Noticed yesterday that crab apples planted into sycamore dominated hedges are now in blossom and full of bees.

Terrible, isn't it. Won't say a peep about the snipe or the curlew, but I almost trod on a snipe last week.

Earlier in the week, the cuckoo passed through - on his way to probably the last suitable habitat in the locality that's big enough for it. I haven't heard a female or juvenile cuckoo in years. There's been too much suitable habitat lost since the 1980s to highly subsidised, government endorsed (which party doesn't matter), non-farming activities, unfortunately.

It isn't always agriculture that damages the countryside.
grass hopper warbler, does it sound like a fishing line winding in?
 

Inky

Member
Location
Essex / G.London
Couple of my late grandfathers records from one of his old bird books.
A very keen conservationist he wrote little notes of the rarer birds he saw whilst farming.

I "borrowed" that book off my dad as i always enjoyed leafing through the pictures growing up. It was published in 1969 and sits by my window so i can ID birds. Page 14 is very interesting reading as it attempt to predict what the future for conservation and birds might be like.
 

Kevtherev

Member
Location
Welshpool Powys
I "borrowed" that book off my dad as i always enjoyed leafing through the pictures growing up. It was published in 1969 and sits by my window so i can ID birds. Page 14 is very interesting reading as it attempt to predict what the future for conservation and birds might be like.

Yes it’s a lovely book with fantastic detail in the illustrations.
Got 2 copies here and still good today for reference.
 

primmiemoo

Member
Location
Devon
grass hopper warbler, does it sound like a fishing line winding in?

Imagine a trilling like a tiny pneumatic drill at just below the pitch of a grasshopper, reverand, and you'll have it. They never seem to draw breath, morning, noon nor night. The song is quite pleasant, and is a nice harbinger of summer.
 

Man_in_black

Member
Livestock Farmer
This was a recent survey result on a 80ac block of wheat near out yard - and see the advice re controlling foxes, these guys are not like the Packhams of this world, they understand the countryside and that some species need to be controlled to help others

Hi Clive


Really impressed with the number of birds seen tonight, I have no doubt there was more than the below but we tried to blitz a number of fields tonight in order to get a feel for what’s about. I’ll list the species below however if you would like a break down per field then let me know.


Common Snipe - 30

Woodcock - at least 5

Fieldfare - 4

Golden Plover - 2

Skylark - at least 35 - favouring the rape

Grey partridge - 4

Stock Dove - 1


We ringed 2 woodcock and 2 Skylark, we could have ringed the stock dove but was in poor health so released it without ringing.


Skylark tend to be in larger flocks which we leave alone and look to ring the individual birds.


We saw at least 10 foxes and could see in the Thermo that they were flushing some birds. I think Ground nesting birds may struggle to be successful with this number of foxes. 7 of them were in the fields leading up to your offices. 3 were over the other side of the field in the rape.


All in all a brilliant night and just shows how your farming methods improve wildlife habitat.


Cheers


Ben

View attachment 793312 View attachment 793314

Which group is that with @Clive ?
 

Pond digger

Never Forgotten
Honorary Member
Location
East Yorkshire
Great thread been started here. I love my conservation and spend a lot of time on habitat creation/grey partridge project/corvids control etc. Love seeing all the wildlife. Few pics below;
Lapwings are in full swing on land destined for winter bird seed and hope they proliferate with some protection...
Wild flower meadow is getting going.
I enjoy the wild flower margins when they’re absolutely alive with bees etc.
Agree with some previous posts re badgers digging bees out. V obvious on our lighter land. View attachment 794072View attachment 794074View attachment 794076View attachment 794082View attachment 794084

Very nice, but what part of the country please?

This thread, in particular, is so much more informative when we know the location; Ideally county 1/4, i.e. East Yorks(y). Just saying.
 
Very nice, but what part of the country please?

This thread, in particular, is so much more informative when we know the location; Ideally county 1/4, i.e. East Yorks(y). Just saying.
I’m in the top end of Nottinghamshire. I think it says if you tap on my name? It’s definitely a great thread and shows what we could be doing or are doing off our own backs
 
Wild flower areas looking great, I bet they fair buzz when the sun shines.
They certainly do. I’ve not learnt all the different type of bees yet though. I think I should make a record of what’s where. I’ve got a big poster with them all identified up in the office but my head is always pointing down at the screen or paperwork when I’m there! (n)
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 81 42.2%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 68 35.4%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 15.6%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 7 3.6%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

  • 1,294
  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
Top