- Location
- Near Colchester
We have a pair of Spoonbills at the moment but they are not close enough to me to get a decent photo with my phone.
Conservation Thread
- Thread starter Kevtherev
- Start date
- Location
- East Yorkshire
Congratulations, that looks first rate. What’s your growing regime?
- Location
- Near Colchester
I was wondering the same thing, mine are a complete mess dominated by indigenous weeds.
Last crop was osr in 2018. Left as a fallow to green up over the winter then sprayed off in April. Direct drilled in late May into dry soil before the June rains. That's it. Hopefully it will last 2 years - some kale and chicory in the mix plus any spilt seed grows in year 2. I replace half the plots every year with the aim of running them for 2 years. By then they are getting weedy so they come back into cropping. Some apply 50 kg/ha N at sowing for more vigorous establishment and extra seed in the first winter.
- Location
- East Yorkshire
Indeed; ours is a forest of fat hen.
- Location
- Near Colchester
I specialise in creeping thistle and bristly ox-tongue, fat hen is a good bird food I thought. I wish I could just keep fat hen
- Location
- East Yorkshire
Well yes, birds do like fat hen, but it doesn’t last long, and it looks terrible.
If there is anyone interested in seeing some high standard hedgelaying being done in the South / SW area, this year's National Championships are at Pewsey, Wiltshire (top edge of Salisbury plain) on Saturday 26th October. About 1km being done in a range of regional styles. SN9 6NJ
- Location
- pembrokeshire
how big is that awkward corner?
1 ha. It squares off a corner & there's an ancient burial mound that is closer than a sprayer's boom width in one corner. You can just about see it on the right. Winter seed plots are more effective if they are a bit bigger - thin long ones get stripped of seed by the birds quicker. Deeper is better. I have a quota under Countryside Stewardship for this AB9 option so I try and put 0.4 - 3ha (1-8 acre) sized plots around the place.
This one also has a bank the far side of it down to water meadows below that might be a handy place to stand if you happened to be carrying a gun and a dog was let loose in it
- Location
- pembrokeshire
i was just thinking we have a field that is 1.4 ha that is a triangle with a steep gradient down to the cliffs, how the other half live i like the idea of standing there with a gun though1 ha. It squares off a corner & there's an ancient burial mound that is closer than a sprayer's boom width in one corner. You can just about see it on the right. Winter seed plots are more effective if they are a bit bigger - thin long ones get stripped of seed by the birds quicker. Deeper is better. I have a quota under Countryside Stewardship for this AB9 option so I try and put 0.4 - 3ha (1-8 acre) sized plots around the place.
This one also has a bank the far side of it down to water meadows below that might be a handy place to stand if you happened to be carrying a gun and a dog was let loose in it
Princess Pooper
Member
- Location
- East Mids
that was my thought! A big awkward corner!
n.w
Member
- Location
- western isles
Heres a large ! lump of my croft, I dammed a ditch and put out grain, this morning i had 9 mallard, i also get greylag geese, snipe and yesterday a water rail, occasionally a sea eagle and in summer, nesting green plover and corncrake [name dropper] ..
i have a shed amongst the willows and spend a fair bit of time down there
i have a shed amongst the willows and spend a fair bit of time down there
n.w
Member
- Location
- western isles
sometimes i think i might have gone a bit far with the daming thingHeres a large ! lump of my croft, I dammed a ditch and put out grain, this morning i had 9 mallard, i also get greylag geese, snipe and yesterday a water rail, occasionally a sea eagle and in summer, nesting green plover and corncrake [name dropper] ..
i have a shed amongst the willows and spend a fair bit of time down there
View attachment 837342
View attachment 837344
- Location
- South West Scotland
Cab-over Pete
Member
- Location
- Kenilworth, Warwickshire
They are the most beautiful birds, aren’t they?
- Location
- South West Scotland
That time of the year again ! A bit of Barn Owl bonking
