The Lincolnshire Bird Club

WeBs count

Grey Heron 4
Mute Swan 31
Whooper Swan 4
Wigeon 2
Gadwall 15
Teal 43
Mallard 53
Moorhen 7
Golden Plover 420
Lapwing 150
Redshank 1
Kingfisher 3

Also Gadwall c. 140 over, flushed from Nocton Delph flew to Bardney Pits.
Common Buzzard 4
Peregrine 2
Kestrel 1
Barn Owl 1
Hen Harrier 1 male (I missed it but two other birdwatchers told me of it)
Grey Partridge 2
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Witham Bank, in willow)
Fieldfare 100+ (in roadside trees and on Witham bank)

Update on Farm developments:

The Fen farms have been managed for the Danish owner by Carrington Farms but are now managed by Savills. An application is in to convert an existing building to a grain drier. It is said that the Fen farms are for sale but this is unconfirmed. It is unlikely to have any impact on bird populations but it is noticeable that there seem to be no environmental considerations involved in the current management regime - open drains piped and filled in, rough corners and farm road edges brought into cultivation and no more set aside. Apart from a field or two let for potato growing and one small area of game cover maize the whole of the fen is given over to wheat and oil seed rape. Not an encouraging picture.

The Heath farms are not yet sold but a prospective purchaser has submitted an application for construction of buildings and infrastucture to house two dairy herds of 4500 head each.

Hi John,

Do you know if Nocton Fen is still a LEAF farm?

John

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Contact: recorder_south@lincsbirdclub.co.uk

Hello John,

Sorry not to have picked up your query till now. As far as I know the Heath farms will still be in the LEAF scheme, as at present they remain in Paul Clarke's ownership. However it looks as if a change of ownership is imminent and who knows what will happen then. I am certain that the Fen farms are in no environmental scheme, based on the visual evidence.

Regards,

John

Update

http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/new ... ticle.html

http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/bus ... ticle.html

Andrew

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Andrew Chick
Website: http://www.forktail.co.uk/