As a certain major sports event opened on Friday, with a spectacular ceremony featuring a pastoral idyll that helped shape our green and pleasant land, my thoughts turned to some of the amazing farm wildlife that share our landscape. A great case could be made for many contenders, but here is my winners list:

  • Glow worm: a true ‘torch bearer’. June and July are the best months to see these fascinating bioluminescent beetles. They enjoy sheep-grazed downland, as they prefer open habitat, away from light pollution. 
  • Brown hare: the Usain Bolt of farm wildlife, this sprinter can reach speeds of 77km/hr.  Hares have steadily declined over the last century, and there are now a wide range of options available within agri-environment schemes to help the brown hare. 
  • Kingfisher: a diving sensation, these glorious birds benefit from sympathetic water course management.   
  • Grasshopper: these long jumpers can leap 20 times their own body length – which is like one of us taking a football field in a single bound!
  • Otter: once widespread, these swimming champions underwent a catastrophic decline in the 1950’s-1970’s, but are now making a welcome comeback. 
  • European turtle dove: our only migratory dove, this diminutive bird faces more than a marathon twice a year.  Flying 3,000 miles between their breeding grounds and wintering grounds, these birds are in sharp decline.  Farmers in turtle dove hot spots are giving them a sporting chance by participating in Operation Turtle Dove.
  • Hat Thrower fungus: also known as "Dung Cannon", this discus throwing competitor gets its name from the habit of firing spore capsules away from the parent fungus. The spores adhere to vegetation, in order to be eaten by grazing animals, and after passing through the animal’s digestive systems it grows in their faeces. Despite growing just 2–4 cm tall, they can shoot their spores up to 2 m away! 
  • Hobby: an accomplished aerial gymnast this falcon can even catch dragon flies in its talons in mid-air!

Also a hearty round of applause to Farm Team GB (by which I mean all those fabulous wildlife friendly farmers out there), who give this winning list of wildlife a sporting chance of survival.  You can give them all a metaphorical medal by voting in this year’s RSPB Telegraph Nature of Farming Award – and you might just win a luxury break for two people.

Kingfisher: John Bridges (rspb-images.com)
Brown hare: Paul Dunn - Glamorgan Heritage Coast Project