Birds at Sheepdrove Organic Farm

Lapwing silhouetted in a crop field

Birds are part of the heart and soul of Sheepdrove Organic Farm. They are splashes of colour dancing across the landscape, and they play some of the lead solos and choruses in the soundtrack of the countryside.

This remote area of downland, organically managed, is home to over 100 species of birds. Across the British Isles farmland bird populations have declined seriously. The RSPB and BTO publish lists to indicate the state of Britain's birds. Sheepdrove is home to 36 birds on the Amber List (vulnerable) and 20 species on the Red List (threatened).

Star birds

We are fortunate to have some very special birds here. Red Kite is a common sight at Sheepdrove, seen in groups during late summer and winter. Skylark can be heard on many parts of the farm.

Some of our more unusual birds include:

• Corn Bunting
• Stonechat
• Whinchat
• Spotted Flycatcher
• Golden Plover
• Long-eared Owl
• Peregrine Falcon (not nesting yet!)
• Raven (not nesting yet!)

So many of the birds considered common 30 years ago have become threatened species, such as Song Thrush, Starling, House Sparrow and Grey Partridge, which are all Red List birds today. The UK populations of these birds fell by more than 50% during the last 25 years. These birds each benefit from the variety of habitat enhancements and connections developed across the whole farm.

Barn Owl

The Barn Owl is one of the farm's success stories. During the early 1990s Peter and Juliet Kindersley had their first owls take up residence at a nestbox after seeking advice from the Barn Owl Conservation Network.

Fifteen years later, after installing dozens of nest boxes, and making many miles of rough grass hunting habitat,we have recorded up to five breeding pairs of Barn Owl during the same season.

We also have plenty of extra boxes for single owls, and other vulnerable birds benefit too, such as Kestrel, Tawny Owl and Stock Dove. Read more... 

Happy to help

We are eager to help our feathered friends, not just because we care; birds are important predators, and therefore help the farm by controlling potential pests such as snails and greenfly.

Organic farming has an important role to play in a number of ways:

• no herbicides means more wild plants within the crop, which means more wild seed and insect food;
• avoidance of animal medication means cleaner dung which feeds multitudes of insects who are then food to birds;
• fertility created by clovers is held in the soil ecosysem better than chemical fertilisers, which means more soil life to eat;
• naturally balanced fertilisation of soil helps to conserve arable wildflowers like poppies, which add to the food sources for species such as Skylark,  Yellowhammer and Grey Partridge;
• mixed rotation farming ensures grassland and crops are interspersed, providing a range of foraging zones;
• we want field margins on all the crop fields to harbour helpful wildlife, which is great nesting for lots of birds and essential hunting ground for raptors such as Barn Owl.

 

Agri-environment schemes

We have established large areas of special habitat to provide shelter and food all year round. As part of the Environmental Stewardship programme it is quite straightforward to fit in bird-friendly measures such as overwinter stubble, fallows, sown strips of bird food plants, and careful hedge management. We would encourage all farmers keen on birds to take up a stewardship agreement through Natural England. FWAG is a great source of advice.

 

This skylark chick needs invertebrates in its diet

Advice on farmland bird conservation

We have been very lucky to work with dedicated officers and volunteers from the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds). Together, they have provided Sheepdrove Organic Farm with detailed bird surveys and on-farm visits to come up with ideas on how best to support our bird life.

Special target species - those in most need - included Stone Curlew (special nesting plots created), Corn Bunting (management of some areas altered to suit) and Grey Partridge (bird seed mix, conservation headlands and lots of rough grass margins).

The RSPB produces excellent leaflets about the best options to suit different birds. Find RSPB advice online.

Corn Bunting at dusk