Winter is a tough time for wildlife, but especially so for those species which call farmland home. Many farmland bird species such as grey partridge, yellowhammer and corn bunting depend on seeds to survive. Other species such as thrushes and bullfinches depend on berries, fruit and grubs found along our hedgerows.
Hawthorn hedgerow with berries. Copyright: RSPB Images, Andy Hay
In arable areas the widespread change to autumn sowing of crops, reduction in over-winter stubbles as a result, increased use of herbicides which has removed many of the arable plants which set seed, increased efficiency of harvest leading to less spilt grain and the intensive management of hedgerows, have all combined to make our farms very challenging places for birds in the winter. There is a dearth of seeds and berries with the result that birds have to move to find food elsewhere, or perish.
An example of this was Hope Farm during the first winter (2000/01) of RSPB ownership. All our crops had been planted in the autumn, there was no over-winter stubble and no wild bird cover plots providing seed. Our farm bird count in December 2000 found a total of 203 birds of 22 species.
Since then we have relaxed our hedgerow management so the hedges are now dripping with berries for the thrushes and bullfinches, and use about 3ha of the farm to grow wild bird cover. Wild bird cover is mix of cereals and oilseeds which is left unharvested and provides lots of seeds for a variety of farmland bird species to eat.
Jack Kelly inspecting his wild bird cover in Down, N.Ireland. Copyright: RSPB Images, Andy Hay
Why is there a mix of crops in wild bird cover? Well, like you and I who probably have different favourite foods, a yellowhammer prefers cereals grains, such as wheat and triticale, or millet, whereas a linnet prefers oilseeds such as mustard or fodder rape. So we have to provide a range of crops to cater for the diversity of tastes in our birds!
The lenient hedgerow management and provision of wild bird cover is paid for though the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) via the agri-environment schemes. This is a critical mechanism to ensure farmers who do care for the wildlife on their farms and do provide these great habitats and resources are paid for doing so. In England, we are about to start a new agri-environment scheme, Countryside Stewardship. Farmers who are successful in applying for agreements and funding will be encouraged to put even more seed rich habitats around their farms, and manage their hedgerows to provide abundant berries for our winter visitors.
So has this worked at Hope Farm?
Last week a team from our Conservation Science department carried out the regular December count. It was a dry and fairly calm day, not too cold but still very wet underfoot. They covered the whole farm, recording all the birds as they went. Back at the farmhouse, over bacon and eggs, the counts were analysed and counted up.
The result: an amazing 1604 birds of 44 species! That’s nearly 8 times as many birds as in December 2000, and double the number of species.
What’s even more amazing is that we counted 236 yellowhammers alone, all using the wild bird cover crops. That’s more yellowhammers than all the birds in December 2000 added together. Really fantastic!!! Even better than that was the first tree sparrows wintering on the farm since 2000, maybe a little sign that this species is recovering from the cataclysmic declines of the 1980's and 1990's.
Tree sparrow feeding on seed. Copyright: RSPB Images, Andy Hay
You can tell, that as manager of Hope Farm, I am really proud of what we have achieved here. It is a huge pleasure to see these flocks of wintering birds, to tell you about them and to show them to our visitors.
So it would be great to hear what you have on your farm this winter. In fact, it would be even better if you could also take part in the GWCT Big Farmland Bird Count taking place from 7th to 15th February 2015, which encourages farmers to count the birds on their farms for half-an-hour and let GWCT know what you saw. Do bear in mind though, the more habitat and resources you provide, the more birds you may have. So if you want to have more than your neighbour, or us here at Hope Farm, then do apply for a Countryside Stewardship agreement when your current Environmental Stewardship agreement runs out, and put in place the best options for birds and other wildlife so you too can be loud and proud about the wildlife on your farm.