Every year, at the beginning of February, farmers around the country take part in the Big Farmland Bird Count, a country wide survey which gives a snapshot of farmland birds in a specific time frame. This year the survey ran from the 2nd of February to the 18th of February.
Therefore, on the 3rd of February, members of the Arun to Adur Farmers Group met with members of the Sussex Ornithological Society at Peppering Farm, Arundel, to embark on a fantastic morning of farmland bird ID training, to gain confidence in preparation for taking part in the national survey.
The Sussex Ornithological Society (SOS) has been established since 1962 and is now one of the largest county groups with 2000 members. The group is involved in a number of projects across the county, including the South Downs Farmland Bird Initiative, working with farmers and landowners to increase nesting habitat and feeding areas. As part of this project, the SOS carries out monitoring across the downs, so a number of their members regularly walk Arun to Adur Farms, yet don’t know the farmer in question, so this was our chance to change things, to meet and join forces.
To start the day, members from both groups met in the yard for a hot drink and introductions, together we had 32 members arrive which was a brilliant turnout. Our host, Conor Haydon, prepared a short walk for us around the farm, and we set off. Despite being a large group, we soon split up into smaller groups and the birds did not disappoint. A particular highlight was Reed Bunting’s Emberiza schoeniclus in the hedgerow, a bird that could be easily missed as a ‘little brown job’. Members from both groups talked birding and farming along the way, exchanging knowledge and making connections.
After our walk, we had a lovely lunch thanks to Sally Field, and members exchanged details. Every farmer went home with an offer of help with the Big Farmland Bird Count from a local SOS surveyor, with more help offered to those members who couldn’t make it.
A massive thank you to Helen Crabtree from the SOS and Julie Ewald from GWCT for making the morning possible and our host Conor Haydon.
