Rare birds flocking to habitats at county farm
SURVEY FINDS 47 SPECIES ON SITE AFTER THE LAND IMPROVED
CONSERVATION efforts have encouraged a number of rare bird species to make their home in the county.
Belvoir Farm, in Bottesford, has been working with the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) to increase the number of bird-friendly habitats on its land.
As part of the Trust’s Big Farmland Bird Count this year, 47 species were recorded by the farm, including seven that are rare, including the grey partridge, willow warbler and cuckoo.
Keith Challen, the manager of Belvoir
Farm, said: “Smallscale conservation initiatives such as rainwater harvest- ing and creating flower-rich margins and grass buffers make such a positive difference to the environment, which all links into the bigger picture of conserving farmland bird species. It’s been great to hear the cuckoo on the farm at Belvoir.
“The project has helped provide habitat friendly areas for so many different species of bird and the results have also allowed for more scattered grazing for deer and hares.”
Dr Roger Draycott, GWCT head of advisory, who runs the Big Farmland Bird Count, said: “We would like to thank everyone who took part for demonstrating that farmers and land managers can lead the way in protecting our countryside alongside effective food production. “Every count submitted helps us to build a detailed national picture of the state of Britain’s farmland birds, allowing us to better understand what is really going on in our countryside.
“It clearly shows that farmers, land managers and gamekeepers care for the land they work and, given that they look after 71 per cent of all the land in the UK, that is extremely good news for the future of our treasured bird species.”
The project has helped provide habitat friendly areas for so many different species
Keith Challen