Posted in behalf of Anna Broszkiewicz, Conservation Monitoring Officer in the Midlands
Last month, the RSPB farming team from the Midlands attended the Festival of the Plough in Epworth, Lincolnshire. Five project volunteers joined farming staff on the stand and together we shared news about the Isle of Axholme farmland advice project and helped with many farmland wildlife enquiries, and some urban ones too! The project works with farmers in the Isle of Axholme, providing surveys, management advice and monitoring of the resulting benefits for wildlife. Each farm is surveyed every 3 years, with targets being set to conserve and support wildlife across the project area. Some of the farmers we are working with as part of the project came to catch up with us, and to talk about the continuing steps they are taking on their farms to support their birds and other wildlife.
Tree sparrows are one of the project’s target species, and we shared the locations where tree sparrows were spotted within the project area. We also offered a hand-made hopper, boxes and seed as a competition prize for farmers, which was won by Mr Ron Thornton. Advisor Jim Lennon will work with Mr Thornton and offer some specific advice for his farm.
We also ran a competition for non-farmers, who may not have tree sparrows but are likely to have house sparrows. A combination of boxes, seed and feeders was up for grabs and was won by Kath Fordham on behalf of Epworth Old Rectory. Bob and Mary Fish (project volunteers) are going to site the nest boxes in the optimum places and help with advice and support through the seasons.
This is the third year we have taken part in the festival. It's an area where we had rarely worked in the past and the project is beginning to reap rewards for wildlife. We are confident that continuing to work together will bring the long-term results we seek. Last year's winner of a barn owl box even returned to say he had erected the box over winter, and a pair of barn owls successfully raised two chicks. (See photo).
For more information, please contact Anna Broszkiewicz, Conservation Monitoring Officer (anna.broszkiewicz@rspb.org.uk) or Jim Lennon, Farmland Advisor (jim.lennon@rspb.org.uk)