2015 Big Farmland Bird Count in pictures

The 2015 Big Farmland Bird Count has been a great success and we'd like to thank all those who took part. To be the first to get the count results please register here.

2015 Big Farmland Bird Count features on Countryfile

Following their visit to our Allerton Project Farm in Leicestershire last month, Countryfile featured our Big Farmland Bird Count in last night's episode. Count organiser Jim Egan and GWCT advisor Peter Thompson were both interviewed and you can watch the piece here.

The item generated quite a response on Twitter and below are a selection of some of the tweets that appeared both during and after the episode was broadcast:

GWCT, RSPB and FWAG team up for Somerset bird ID day

by Kevin Rylands, RSPB

Ahead of next week’s Big Farmland Bird Count, GWCT have been holding a number of farmland bird identification events across the country, supported by the RSPB and other key farming partners.

I found myself at the southwest event kindly hosted by Henry & Richard Lang, enthusiastic advocates of wildlife friendly farming and organised by FWAG South West. The event was sold out with farmers from across the region in attendance, showing there is plenty of interest in both the count and farmland birds, indeed there may be an argument for more such events next year. For me the best thing about these events is meeting a wide range of farmers and having an opportunity to answer questions and engage in interesting and yes, at times, challenging conversations.

In addition to the main business of helping people identify their farmland birds, especially those tricky ‘little brown jobs’, the day looked at the reasons for wildlife loss on farmland and offered practical solutions to help address these declines. One of these solutions is to provide areas of game or wildlife strips, these offer an essential winter food source for farmland birds, and are a great focus point for your own BFBC, but winter food is just one of the three key elements for farmland wildlife. The presence of safe nesting and insect rich habitats are essential for year round survival.

It was pointed out that overwinter many of the birds on the count will be migrants , the Redwing and Fieldfares in orchards or berry laden hedges are well known Scandinavian visitors, but the fact that the Skylark or Linnets in the stubbles may also be migrants was more unexpected. Indeed many of the birds breeding on the farm a few months previously may be wintering  on other farms highlighting the need for habitats to be available across the landscape to support population recovery.

Following a warming bowl of soup and some excellent cake (book early for next year!)  the afternoon walk around some of the cover crops and stubbles on the farm revealed a small flock of Linnet, half a dozen Song Thrush, a lone Snipe and best of all a small covey of Grey Partridge. In all four 4 Red and  3 Amber list bird species were recorded, along with four Roe Deer, a Brown Hare and we were even shown several Brown Hairstreak eggs, this rare butterfly thrives on the carefully managed Blackthorn hedges around Henry’s fields.

Some when between the 7th to 15th February colleagues will be taking part in the GWCT Big Farmland Bird Count at our arable farm in Cambridgeshire. Following a good breeding season and the relatively mild winter so far bird numbers are very high this winter. At Grange Farm  the bird covers are still feeding lots of Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings and, for the first winter since we bought the farm, tree sparrows.  I will do my BFBC at Labrador Bay in south Devon, one of over 60 RSPB reserves that are actively farmed covering more than 20,000 hectares, here Cirl buntings have increased by over 400% under the management of our farm tenant so I’m hoping to add this Red list species to the BFBC tally.

If you want to take part in the Big Farmland Bird Count (and why wouldn’t you) then you can find all the details about how to take part and submit your results on the GWCT website. Identification charts can be found here and when you have done your count, you can get advice from the RSPB Farming website on how to maximise the potential of your farm, delivering for birds and other wildlife whilst maintaining food production and a healthy environment.

Grassland farmers get involved in Farmland Bird Count

On Friday 23rd January Ros Turner attended a Bird Identification Day at GWCT’s Allerton Project. Ros farms in Leicestershire and is an eighth generation farmer, running her own grassland farm in Leicestershire. She has a flock of 125 early lambing Suffolk Cross ewes and 250 Mules ewes lambing in March, and also produces hay and haylage for the equine market. She is keen that livestock and grassland aren’t forgotten in the Big Farmland Bird Count; here are her thoughts:

“The Farmland Bird Count is not just to show the great work being done by arable farmers sowing wild bird seed mixes and incorporating margins and buffer strips into their farming systems but to show the work being done by all farmers to reverse the decline in farmland birds.

All grassland farms including dairy and lowland beef and sheep farms are playing their part. Species rich permanent pasture has a wealth of biodiversity supporting both insect and seed eating birds. Equally more intensively managed temporary grassland with its closely grazed and open swards can provide an ideal habitat for many birds eg Lapwings; with a bit of thought the grass can be used by livestock and farmland birds alike.

The environmental value of grassland and the work done by grassland farmers, is often unrecognised and undervalued and with the end of the ELS scheme, soon to be unrewarded!

Hedgerow management around grass fields is an area where many grassland farmers have been working on improving biodiversity and nesting areas on their farms and we need to show what we've been doing. Getting involved in the farmland bird count is one of the ways we can get our message heard , so sign up and spend half an hour between 7th and 15th February counting birds .”

Taking part in the Big Farmland Bird Count

For more information about the Big Farmland Bird Count and for details on how you can take part - please click here.

Norfolk ID day highlights importance of feeding through hungry gap

by Roger Draycott, GWCT Head of Advisory Services

Several of my colleagues have been busy over the past few weeks undertaking training days for farmers ahead of the GWCT Big Farmland Bird Count. Yesterday it was my turn to help out. I organised a Farmland Bird ID Day with Andrew Holland, from the RSPB, at Field Farm, in Hockwold, South Norfolk.

I was expecting that we would be able to show lots of different birds for the attendees because the farm has a very enthusiastic farm manager, Steve Harrison. Steve is a keen conservationist; indeed he won the Norfolk Grey Partridge Trophy a couple of years ago. But I was not expecting to see the sheer quantity of birds that were on the farm yesterday.

After we had given a brief on the farmland birds that we hope to see in the Big Farmland Bird Count in February we went out into the fields. Steve had been feeding along a farm track in preparation of our visit and within two minutes of us getting out our binoculars and telescopes we had seen a large flock of Reed Buntings, Corning Buntings and a tree sparrow.

We waited around for a few more minutes admiring these birds and then just before moving off a yellowhammer arrived. It was a cold day and this abundance of birds really highlighted the importance of feeding through the hungry gap.

We then moved off across the farm to look at some wild bird cover; Andrew, Steve and I explained the variety of wild bird cover and mixes that are available and the best ways of establishing and managing them.

We then walked off across a weedy stubble and flushed two pairs of grey partridges and a large flock of skylarks. As we were looking at the skylarks as if on cue a flock of Linnets came into view. Making our way across the stubble we then saw some starlings and several fieldfares.

Over the course of a couple of hours we were very lucky to see a wide selection of the farmland birds we hope many farmers will see when they undertake their farmland bird counts between 7th and 15th February this year.

There are still a few places left on our remaining Farmland Bird ID Days which are coming up over the next week or so – so please book on and brush up on your I.D. skills.

Extra Farmland Bird ID Day Added!

Guest blog by Kit Speakman, Essex Chairman of FWAG East

FWAG is delighted to be supporting the GWCT Big Farmland Bird Count and as such we’re offering an extra bird identification training day on my farm here in Essex, for any farmers or gamekeepers in East Anglia who couldn’t make the other events.

We’ve decided to run this event because I think it’s really important as many people as possible get behind the count and brush up on their birding skills. We all spend a lot of time fussing over our margins and manicuring our mixes, and we KNOW they deliver for wild birds, but can we identify them? We all enjoy seeing flocks of small birds feeding on our seed, swooping over our hedgerows and darting for cover, but how can we demonstrate the value of our efforts unless we know exactly what we are attracting onto our farms?

At the event, I’m looking forward to hearing from expert FWAG birder Tim Schofield on identifying the different species and putting this into practice on my farm, so that I can contribute meaningfully to the count between 7th-15th February. It’s time we take our conservation efforts full circle, make them measurable and let the public know how we are supporting farmland birds.

Book your place - only 20 available

Click here to register for this event.

Big Farmland Bird Count Matchmaker

by Rob Beeson

I don’t know if you’ve ever had the misfortune to watch ‘Millionaire Matchmaker’ on ITV2. My wife became addicted to it during maternity leave and is still watching it now. Our daughter’s 3 in March.

For those of you not in the know, the show revolves around shrill American ‘4th generation matchmaker’ Patti Stanger who fixes up rich American people with gold-diggers less rich American people. It’s a bit like Cilla Black’s ‘Blind Date’ but with more bling, stretch limos and whiter teeth.

What’s all this got to do with the Big Farmland Bird Count I hear you ask? Not much really. But we have had several people contact us to say that they would be willing to volunteer their time to count birds on behalf of farmers who, for whatever reason, are unable to take part. We therefore came up with the idea of putting these kind bird lovers in touch with those enthusiastic farmers by offering a kind of 'matchmaking' service.

So, if you fall in to either of these camps please email rbeeson@gwct.org.uk and we’ll do our best to ‘fix you up’!

Brush up on your farmland bird ID skills

Ahead of the second annual Big Farmland Bird Count we’re running a series of farmland bird identification days across the country.

The days run throughout January with the first taking place in Buckingham on the 13th.

Each day runs from 11am to 3pm with a presentation from a farmland bird expert and notes provided on birds that are harder to identify. Lunch is included and participants will be able to go out on a farm to do some bird identification in the afternoon.

Places are very limited (the Hampshire and Somerset days have already sold out!) so you are advised to book online now - tickets are only £10 each:

• Buckingham - 13th January
• Penrith - 15th January
• Norfolk - 20th January
• Warwickshire - 22nd January
• Hampshire - 26th January - SOLD OUT!
• Norfolk (Hockwold) - 26th January
• Somerset - 26th January - SOLD OUT!
• Midlothian - 27th January
• Goole - 28th January
• Nottingham - 30th January
• Essex - 5th February

Download your FREE Farmland Bird ID Guide

Our FREE colour ID guide contains images and descriptions of the following birds:

• Grey partridge
• Red-legged partridge
• Starling
• Yellowhammer
• Skylark
• Meadow pipit
• House sparrow
• Tree sparrow
• Linnet
• Reed bunting

Guest Blog: If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well

Image by Peter Thompson

by Chris Baylis, LEAF Farmer from Sutton Estates

Our awareness of the importance of conservation has increased dramatically over the last decade and there is little negativity from stakeholders in the agricultural industry and general public towards our efforts to safeguard the surrounding biodiversity - we know it’s a job worth doing! The Big Farmland Bird Count is a fantastic initiative that helps recognise and celebrate the work that the farming community do to help farmland bird numbers.

As a LEAF Demonstration Farm we are no stranger to taking part in valuable initiatives and we join in not only because it’s a great way to show how the birds are faring on the farm but also as a way for us to contribute to the bigger picture: It helps to demonstrate the considerable conservation measures being implemented by UK farmers, which is important for us to promote. Joining in the count and having access to the valuable statistics it collates also helps us to communicate the key Integrated Farm Management (IFM) messages to the visitors we welcome on to the Estate.

On this Estate 10% of our total area is devoted to conservation including; 25 acres of wild bird mix, 37 acres of pollen and nectar strips and 28 owl boxes in name but a few. We took part in the 2014 count and recorded 40 species in out half hour look which included Tree sparrow and Lapwing to name just two. We would encourage farmers to join in the BFBC and start celebrating their conservation achievements as we know through our own conservation efforts that it is ‘worth doing’ and we feel taking part in the Big Farmland Bird Count ensures we are ‘doing it well’.

Farmland Bird ID Days

Ahead of the 2015 Big Farmland Bird Count we're running 10 farmland bird identification days around the country in January. Places are strictly limited to 20 per day and you can book your place here.

Guest Blog: RSPB delighted to support Big Farmland Bird Count

by Richard Winspear, Head of Technical Advice, RSPB

The RSPB is delighted to support the Big Farmland Bird Count, running from 7th to 15th February, which is a fantastic initiative to get farmers looking out for and enjoying the birdlife on their farm. If you struggle to tell your house sparrow from your tree sparrow, GWCT and RSPB have jointly produced an identification guide to help you put a name to the ‘little brown jobs’, which you can download here.

For those of you who are more accomplished birdwatchers, it is an opportunity to take stock of what is using your farm and think about what measures you might use to support them through the winter, and the summer too, if they stay to breed.

It is fascinating to see with your own eyes what GWCT and RSPB researchers have proven over the years. For example, you are more likely to turn up a flock of finches or buntings, or a covey of grey partridges, if you walk around a wild bird seed mixture or overwintered stubble field, especially if this field did not receive a pre-harvest glyphosate application. If you come across a large flock of birds at this time of year, it proves you are doing something right. Can you work out what they are feeding on? Exploring how farmland birds are using your farm through the winter is useful to understand how you might help them, and is also quite fun.

You might find a true wildlife spectacle, as birds flock together in hundreds at this time of year wherever there is an abundant source of seed food. The sight of several thousand birds, including 700 corn buntings (3% of the British population) taking off from a 10ha stubble field in Bedfordshire will live with me forever. Hope you have a great day!


Download your FREE Farmland Bird ID Guide

Our FREE colour ID guide contains images and descriptions of the following birds:

• Grey partridge
• Red-legged partridge
• Starling
• Yellowhammer
• Skylark
• Meadow pipit
• House sparrow
• Tree sparrow
• Linnet
• Reed bunting

Guest blog: If you can't measure it - you can't manage it

by Guy Smith, Vice President, NFU

Measuring and recording things is very much part of modern farming. Rain in the gauge, min and max temperature, kilos used, hectares covered, dates, rates and time - they all go into our record books, spreadsheets and smartphones. It's all information that helps us better understand the complex working environments of our farms. We record things such as milk and grain yields so we can better understand our performance as farmers. It's data like this that enables us to improve our management as we go forward. 'If you can't measure it - you can't manage it' is an old adage that still rings true.

But curiously we seldom think to apply this discipline as farmers to the biodiversity on our farms even if we are tasked to try to improve our conservation work. Our knowledge of what species we have on our farms tends to be a bit random. We might make a mental note when we are out and about in the tractor, especially when something unusual flaps across the eye-line but we don't often treat it as data we ought to log. Consequently while many of us have a good knowledge of the wildlife on our farms, we lack the stats to back that knowledge up.

And that's why I'm a big fan of the GWCT Big Farmland Bird Count. It encourages us to get in the habit of applying a bit of science to the challenge of farmland conservation just as we apply science to the challenge of improving milk or wheat yields. It also encourages us to look harder at the biodiversity of our farms so we understand it better.

The other great thing about the Big Farmland Bird Count is that, through the good auspices of the GWCT, all the information can be pulled together so we can piece together a vital national snapshot of the state of the nation when it comes to farmland birds.

I often hear farmers grumble that while they are quietly proud of how much wildlife they have on their farms they get fed up with reports in the media that modern farming is bad for birds. I can understand the frustration but to my mind the answer is, don't just be proud - be loud. So, come next February get the binoculars out, dust off the note pad, sharpen the pencil and get recording as you go out and about on the farm. Then post your results to GWCT. We're always interested in how many tonnes of wheat we can get to the hectare, now let's systematically record how many bird species we can achieve per farm.

Take part in the 2015 Big Farmland Bird Count

Simply click here to register your interest in taking part. Everything you need is free to download from our website.

Guest blog: BASF delighted to be sponsoring Big Farmland Bird Count

by Graham Hartwell, Environmental Stewardship Manager, BASF plc, Crop Protection

We at BASF are delighted to be continuing our sponsorship of the Big Farmland Bird Count and are very much looking forward to the launch event on 5 December that will be kindly hosted by Patrick Barker at Stowmarket.

I'm also keen to share in the enthusiasm of the GWCT, RSPB, LEAF and FWAG Association in support of the farmland bird ID days planned for January.

That so many farmers responded to the 2014 Big Farmland Bird was testament to the good work and farm management that many farmers have already carried out to help farmland bird numbers.

I hope to learn more from Peter Thompson and Patrick Barker who will keep us all on our toes with bird identification tips and their experience of "making it work" in a practical way.

Resilient habitat creation, well planned field margins and attention to detail are the recipe for success and I was particularly pleased to see so many birds recorded by the Pitts family at Mears Ashby in the BFBC results of 2014. BASF are pleased to be able to work with the Pitts family to communicate their splendid results to many visitors.

Though recent wet summers and hard winters have been difficult for many species, Andrew and William Pitts' approach to habitat creation and winter food provision have paid dividends and bring a resilience to many of the species located on their land.

Their good work is mirrored by James Hinchliffe at Rawcliffe Bridge, Yorkshire who has also made it work for him on his land. As he enters his 12th year of data collection I'm hoping his computer behaves this year and allows him to record his data too - we are already seeing good sized flocks of 'little brown jobs' on the field margin strips.

James will be hosting a training day at Rawcliffe Bridge in January with the RSPB's Chris Thompson and Fraser Hugill of CFE to enlighten us - they always deliver great value and we look forward to an informative day on this well established family farm. Why not register your interest in attending an ID day, click here for details and to get your invite.

Launching the 2015 Big Farmland Bird Count

By Jim Egan, GWCT Allerton Project
#BFBC on Twitter - @JimEgan08

The 2015 Big Farmland Bird Count is fast approaching and planning is now well underway. Things kick off on the 5th December with a launch event in Suffolk which will be hosted by E J Barker & Sons.

Our plan for the day is to run the first of a series of farmland bird identification days where my colleague Peter Thompson will take an invited audience through a training session to help them identify those small farmland birds that many of us struggle with.

Pete will be ably assisted by Patrick Barker who is an excellent birder; when he completed the 2014 count he spotted 44 different species in his 30 minute survey so there should be plenty to see.

There is one big new addition for 2015. Between the 12th and 31st of January we will be running 9 more farmland bird identification events at various venues across the country. We’re being supported by many partners including the FWAG Association, LEAF and the RSPB in delivery of these events and our sponsors BASF have been very generous with some additional funding.

I’m particularly pleased that the RSPB have allowed us to use their fantastic drawings to illustrate a simple farmland bird id guide that will be available on those days. Dates and venues will be announced on the 5th December and you will be able to book your place on our website.

Our reason for counting hasn’t changed; we want to highlight the good work done by farmers and gamekeepers in helping farmland bird numbers. We want to help them record the effect of any conservation work on their land and hopefully inspire them to do more!

Last year we had a fantastic response and in one of the wettest weeks on record over 500 farmers and gamekeepers took part. They recorded 116 different species; many of these are on the red-list of birds of conservation concern such as starlings, lapwing, and tree sparrow. We can’t book the weather but surely it can’t be worse than last time, hopefully this year we’ll get more than 1000 people taking part. It only takes 30 minutes and shows you care about birds on your farm – please give it a try.

Farmland Bird ID Days

Places are limited to just 20 for each of the ID days we’re running in January. Click here to register to receive your invite on 5th December.

Gearing up for the 2015 Big Farmland Bird Count

by Rob Beeson - @gameandwildlife #BFBC

Although still six months away the team had a quick meeting this morning regarding the 2015 Big Farmland Bird Count.

Jim Egan (@JimEgan08) is once again leading the count for us and it will be be taking place between 7th and 15th February 2015. During the meeting Jim told us he is in the process of organising 10 FREE Farmland Bird Identification Days in the run-up to the count.

These free ID days will take place across the UK throughout January and are designed to help farmers and gamekeepers improve their identification skills ahead of the count.We'll also be publishing a downloadable ID guide to assist with counting.

Register your interest

If you would like to attend one of these FREE ID Days please register your interest and we will be in touch with further details.

The Twitter response to our Countryfile appearance

Twitter was alive with #bfbc tweets on Sunday night as the Big Farmland Bird Count was featured on the latest edition of the BBC's Countryfile. Below are some of the tweets from those watching:

@Gameandwildlife #bfbc #birding @Countryfile great to see results of farmland birds being cared for, looking forward to next year's count!

— Julia Hawley (@Brentingbyfarm) April 13, 2014

"Youcan combine bird song and bumper crops" http://t.co/K6rFz6JZla @tomheapmedia @countryfilemag #bfbc

— Game & Wildlife (@Gameandwildlife) April 13, 2014

Andrew Pitts has done a grand job in Northants, 1300 birds is incredible #bfbc

— Phil Jarvis (@Farmerphil1) April 13, 2014

@Gameandwildlife good to see farmers like Andrew who do care @BBCcountryfile @_BTO @Natures_Voice pic.twitter.com/z5Z37OdBfd

— Nigel W Kingston (@Kingston22W) April 13, 2014

Good to see @camgrain member Andrew Pitts doing his bit for wild birds on #countryfile Encouragement for us all.

— David White (@RTKfarmer) April 13, 2014

@Gameandwildlife increased birdlife this part of Suffolk due to winter feeding and habitat #we have responsibility pic.twitter.com/wyF3BnR6qL

— Nigel W Kingston (@Kingston22W) April 13, 2014

The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) have done a fantastic job with the Big Farmland Bird Count. It will... http://t.co/cFPrab3LEd

— GunsOnPegs- Chris (@GunsOnPegs) April 14, 2014

"insectsincredibly important for chicks" - GWCT's Alastair Leake#BFBC

— Game & Wildlife (@Gameandwildlife) April 13, 2014

@GWCT nice to see Dr Alistair Leake on @BBCcountryfile tonight flying the flag for the big farmland bird count .

— D'Arcy Wyvill. (@dwyvill) April 13, 2014

Great to see skylark plots on #countryfile but shame more arable farms don't adopt them @Natures_Voice

— Tim Burkinshaw(@CarrsWetland) April 13, 2014

Dramatic decline in farmland birds. How can we help restore numbers? #countryfile this is why hedgerows are so important.

— StroudValleysProject(@SVPcharity) April 13, 2014

Farmland birds #countryfile what an enormous bird feeder!

— StroudValleysProject(@SVPcharity) April 13, 2014

GWCT Big Farmland Bird Count on Countryfile this Sunday

Don't forget we're going to be featured on Countryfile this Sunday at 7pm on BBC1 talking about the Big Farmland Bird Count. Filming took place at our Allerton Project at the end of March and you can see photos here.

GWCT Research Conference

We'll be discussing farmland conservation with a number of guest speakers at our research conference in London on 13th May. You can book your place online, be quick though, there are only 28 places available. Find out more >

Take part in our live Twitter chat

We'll be on Twitter from 7pm on Sunday to take your questions on the Big Farmland Bird Count - just use #BFBC to get involved!

Big Farmland Bird Count Results

We'll be publishing the results of the 2014 Big Farmland Bird Count on our website at 7pm on Sunday. Sign up here to get them by email.

Big Farmland Bird Count News

We're still busy collating the Big Farmland Bird Count results but we should be able to share them with you by mid-April. In the meantime we do have some news...

Dates confirmed for 2015 count

We're pleased to announce that the dates for the 2015 Big Farmland Count have been confirmed with the count taking place between 7th and 15th February 2015.

GWCT farmland bird work to be featured on Countryfile

The BBC came to our Allerton Project farm recently to film a feature on our farmland bird research for Countryfile. It is due to air at 7pm on Sunday 13th April and the program typically attracts around 10 million viewers.

Farmland Bird ID Days

We will be organising a series of Farmland Bird ID days in January 2015 in partnership with LEAF and the FWAG Association. We will let you know more nearer the time.

Get the count results by email

If you would like the Big Farmland Bird Count results delivered to your inbox as soon as we have them then please register here.

Farmland Bird ID events coming January 2015

We're pleased to announce that we'll be holding a number of farmland bird ID events across the country next January. The events will be held just before next year's Big Farmland Bird Count, which is taking place between 7th and 15th February 2015.

We're still ironing out the details and will update you when we know more.

An update on the Big Farmland Bird Count

Just a quick update to say that the support we've received for this brand new initiative has been overwhelming. Not just from the people who took part in the count but from the organisations and the press who have got behind us from the start.

We'd like to thank you all.

Right now we're busy collating the count results as they're still coming in online and by post. We hope to be able to announce the results in March.

If you would like to get the results delivered right to your inbox please register your interest here.

Voting now open in BFBC Photo Competition

You can now vote in our Big Farmland Bird Count photo competition. We are very grateful to all those who submitted the photos that they took whilst out counting.

View photos and vote >