Natural History Wanderings

Did you know the UK has an annual Farmland Bird Count?

Farming Life  reports

The time has arrived to dust down your binoculars and start birdwatching, as the Big Farmland Bird Count (BFBC) is back for the fifth consecutive year.

Farmers, land managers and gamekeepers are being urged to circle Friday 9th February to Sunday 18th February in their diary for the count, which is run by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT).

Many farmers and gamekeepers love to see barn owls, bullfinch, lapwing, grey partridge, tree sparrow and yellowhammer on their land – the BFBC is an opportunity to tell the wider world about the birds on farm.

It takes just 30 minutes to take part in the count, and founder Jim Egan is hoping for a big turnout.

“A great number of farmers and keepers are doing tremendous work to boost farmland birds and other wildlife. As well as planting seed mixes to provide winter feed, they also leave weedy stubbles over-winter, manage hedgerows so as to leave berries for food, and supplement this by putting out mixed seeds and grain on tracks and field margins,” he said.

Read more at  It’s time to take part in the 2018 Big Farmland Bird Count – Farming Life

To learn more about the count and to participate go to 2018 Big Farmland Bird Count