I have no chance of competing with the proper bird photographers on here so really I'm going for 'bird in context' and pretty branches.... The Hardwick walk that I like to do is being decimated at the moment as the farmer is having everything removed from the banks of the little stream in the fields except for trees and they are being either removed or heavily pruned. All of the rabbit burrows and a badgers' sett have been exposed and the diverse habitat is now barren earth. I had a chat with the nice man doing it - he said he is a bird lover and is depressed by this job. The government has stopped paying farmers for 'set aside' projects and only 1.5 m have to be left for paths. So now the farmer has planted his winter wheat right up to the legal limit (they use GPS apparently). During the summer that path was teeming on both sides with butterflies and small birds and there are hares and all manner of other small mammals who live there. Or lived - the butterfly larvae will have been ripped up with the plants - which means no caterpillars for birds in the spring and no more adult butterflies to lay next year. I can't understand why the farmer would do that for the sake of a tiny bit more crop. And he has removed the wind break so an icy wind howls across the fields - that could blow away his seeds and top soil. Apparently the government will pay for 'hedge maintenance' so the tree man's trying to persuade the farmer to let him plant a proper hedge. We'll see. In the meantime the thinned out trees mean that I could spot the Greater Spotted woodpecker quite easily - and a sparrowhawk which no doubt has a good view of any mice that stick their heads above the parapet.
In other news - crazy busyness - too much to do, not enough time to do it.
Three GT:
1. At least the tree man is doing the job as carefully as possible.
2. Lots of work ticked off the list.
3. Happy Thanksgiving - wish we had Thanksgiving - a great concept!
Ooooooo that makes me so mad!! We have healthy set asides here, and believe the farmers are under obligation to keep these strips for wildlife and are paid accordingly. Perhaps I am wrong judging by your encounter . This woodpecker looks perfect in his setting, he'd better make hay whilst the sun shines!! Lovely shot, let's hope the pretty branches remain
mm very sad. I didn't know that they had stopped paying for set aside. I feel sad for the wildlife but also for the man who is having to do it against his principles. Nice to see Mr Woodpecker at home in his natural surroundings.
I agree Judith as the hedges have been removed around Wood Lane near me and I've complained about this on here too. It's disgusting what the farmer's are doing as it doesn't protect our wildlife at all and I can't think that they will make so much more profit from their crops. Shame on them! Lovely shot of this woodie by the way
judith i found your narrative about ripping up hedgerows really quite sad and upsetting.... it's good that you have a forum to share your views and story
How sad - there's so much more value to diversity than a couple more metres crop - you'd think they'd know by now. They'll suffer in the end (I hope). Great woodpecker shot - they don't often stick around long while people are close
A marvellous photo of this woodpecker, we have one that pecks the top of the electric pole out side our house the tapping vibrates along the wire right by our bedroom, it sounds as though it is someone knocking at the door
We haven't got the spotted woodpecker here in the states, but funny how so many of our woodpeckers are black and white with the males sporting patches of red. I wonder what the evolutionary sequence was there?!?!
Such a frustrating and angry-making story. and so sad. We have good set asides here - a young farmer who seems to respect wild life - so I am keeping my fingers crossed. I have seen something similar to what you witnessed in a neighbouring village where all the wild hedges have been ripped out for no apparent reason exposing the fields to wind and snow. This is a brilliant capture of the wood pecker caught red-handed so to speak.
That is sad. Our friends who have the farm party/festival thing every year have it on an organic strip farm, where they do lots of biodiversity research, and crop rotation and so on, and every year I get a little bit more amazed by the stuff I learn about it, and a little bit sadder at the acres of monoculture all around them.
December 8th, 2013
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