The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) have launched their Big Farmland Bird Count event for 2020. The event is nationwide and encourages anyone from beginners to experts to take part in a 30 minute farmland bird survey.. A record sheet and identification guide is available online with a simple tick list to fill in and email or post back to GWCT. Surveys can take place anytime on farmland between the 7 and 16 February 2020

Mulgrave Estate are taking part in the event and are encouraging their tenant farmers to do the same. Mulgrave Estate have drilled over 75 acres of winter bird seed mix recently and have 63 acres of extended overwinter stubble from last year’s harvest and 46 acres of autumn sown Bumblebird mix. Together they provide a bumper ‘bird table’ for seed eating farmland birds such as Linnet, Tree Sparrow, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting, Skylark and Brambling. 

Farmland birds have been gradually decreasing in numbers for close to 20 years now but this contribution to recovery by the Estate represents an enormous boost for the birdlife and biodiversity of the local area.

Further information about the Big Farmland Bird Count visit https://www.bfbc.org.uk/