Farming- Counting on a record year for birds

Last year a record 1,500 farmers took part across the UK in the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust’s Big Farmland Bird Count recording more than 120 bird species.

And this year the organisation is hoping for another good response when the event takes place again between February 5-14.

The GWCT said that the count provided a simple means of assessing the effect of conservation schemes currently initiated by farmers and gamekeepers - such as supplementary feeding or growing wild bird seed crops and game cover crops – on farms around the country.

The trust said that farmers and gamekeepers were vital in helping to ensure the survival of many farmland bird species such as skylark, yellowhammer and wild grey partridge.

In Scotland 81 species were recorded on 81,362 acres in the 2020 count. And according to the GWCT 19 of these were red-listed, while the five most commonly seen species were blackbird, pheasant, robin, blue tit and carrion crow.

Those wanting to get involved should visit the GWCT BFBC web page www.bfbc.org.uk Then between 5 and 14 February they should spend about 30 minutes recording the species and number of birds seen on one particular area of the farm - somewhere with a good view of around 2ha of the farm is ideal.“Ideally, counting should take place at first light as this is when the birds are most active,” said the organisers.

“However, what is most important is that you take part and submit a return, so timings should suit whoever is doing the count.”