BIRDING THE LUNE ESTUARY THE FOREST OF BOWLAND AND BEYOND......................................................MEDITTERANEAN GULLS CONDER POOL PETE WOODRUFF

Monday 8 May 2017

Cutting Edge!

Quite a nice picture in the header of the cover crop at Cockersand, but it isn't there to be admired as such, it was my intention to elaborate much more on this, but unfortunately I ran out of time, so here's the condensed version....

The cover crop forms part of the Countryside Stewardship Grant for the farm in question, and by the way, I have the full permission from the farmer to publish this piece of info, with whom I have a good relationship, I know the family well and visit them regularly, along with two other farmers in the area, all of who know my interest in birds just as well as I know their interests and all the problems that go with modern day farming.

Cover Crop Field 5 May 2017. Pete Woodruff.

The truth is, the grant for the cover crop at this farm which was seed-bearing to provide food for wild birds throughout the winter has been withdrawn, the short end of this news being that it's all down to cut backs and is a tragedy for the farmland birds which benefited from this small piece of land on this farm, the likes of which our birds should have in many corners on many farms but don't.

Ironic isn't it, the cover crop in the picture above has died a death all in the name of 'saving money', whilst the field in the picture on the opposite side of the road and another field next to it, have both recently seen the destruction of several breeding Lapwings with their nests/eggs/young buried beneath the soil.

OK don't worry, this post isn't about me farmer bashing, it's about facing the facts, a part of which is that the farmers don't have a choice, which formed part of our conversation last week when the farmer discussed the cover crop issue with me, whilst I discussed the annual demise of the Lapwings.

I've sent a message to the Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom telling her she's not fit for the job she thought she qualified for as Secretary of State for DEFRA, and I've forwarded her an application form for a job as a barmaid at the Boars Head where she would be more suited to work.

Now the good news.


Common Tern. Conder Pool 11 July 2016. Pete Woodruff.

Hopefully we may be seeing something like this on Conder Pool by mid-July....Apparently two Common Tern were reported on Conder Pool Saturday, twelve months to the day since their arrival there last year on 6 May. 

2 comments:

  1. I'm impressed by that piece of action you took, Pete. Well done!!

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  2. So why don't you post a piece fully supporting the EU environmental legislation? Brexit will be a complete disaster for wildlife if the tories are given a majority to carry out their 'hard brexit'. Labour has already stated that they will retain eg habitats directive in full. Under the tories brexit will be all about maximising agricultural production as "we have to look after ourselves". By the way you won't read this in the sun/mail/express/telegraph or local rags like the Westmorland gazette or indeed on the BBC - you have to delve for this info which is why nearly half the country is being duped like the plague of the zombies

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