Field And Stream

Saving our skylarks at Ham Hill Country Park

The beautiful song of the skylark is becoming a rare sound in the countryside these days with the species in decline nationally in the UK, but there are ways that you can help protect them when visiting South Somerset District Council’s Ham Hill Country Park site. When we think of nesting birds it’s generally assumed that birds only nest in trees and hedges, and not raising chicks tucked away down in the grass. Skylarks are ground nesting birds and a grassy meadow full of insects, grass tussocks and wildflowers is a perfect home for the species. That makes Ham Hill Country Park ideal for them to raise a family and continue to be part of our countryside. Rangers are working hard to protect and provide the perfect habitat for them. However, nesting on the ground in meadows means they are vulnerable to disturbance from dogs running off the lead. As skylarks are camouflaged and their nests are well hidden in the long grass, people don’t often realise they are there. Assistant ranger Izzi said: “Sadly, this year we are seeing high numbers of people walking their dogs off leads in our meadows where skylarks nest at Ham Hill. “With dogs dashing across meadows, our skylark’s nests are under threat of being trampled and with this disturbance the parent birds are more likely to abandon the nest altogether.” Dogs running loose in the areas where the birds nest can lead to their nests being accidently run through, breaking the skylark’s eggs or squashing young chicks. Parent birds can feel threatened by dogs as they see them as a predator in close proximity leading to abandonment, or nest failure. At Ham Hill, the plateau fields tend to be the best place to see and hear these birds during the summer months from April to July. It is only during these couple of months in the summer that the rangers ask members of the public walking dogs in these meadows to put their dog on a lead. The meadows with skylarks nesting have clear signs on the entry points into the meadows. Meanwhile the woodland areas and Northern Spur remain open for dogs to be allowed off the lead but kept under close control. Rachael Whaites, the council’s countryside manager, said: “We were really lucky to secure a second grant from the Cultural Recovery Fund for Heritage, which has meant that we have been able to extend the contracts of our rangers, Izzi and Edd. This has really helped the team to protect the wildlife at Ham Hill this spring and has enabled a lot more engagement with our visitors about responsible behaviour whilst visiting Ham Hill.” Councillor Sarah Dyke, portfolio holder for environment, added: “We want to preserve nature and the environment as much as we can and even the smallest action we take as humans to help will go a long way in the future. Please follow the advice if you are walking your dog at the plateau fields at Ham Hill at the moment and remember to keep your dog on a lead.”

NO LARKING ABOUT: Dog owners are being asked to keep their pets on a lead to prevent them disturbing skylarks

Flock are in sheep paradise in knee-deep grass

THE FIELD

with Tria Stebbing

The flock are thoroughly being spoilt with a selection of summer grazing paddocks now being offered. The recent weather has kickstarted the field and it looks as though we will be able to cut and bale in July. We held off shearing not by choice, but because we were moving house and the flock had to temporarily take a back seat. The recent hot weather was managed as they are currently in sheep paradise, a paddock with knee-deep grass and a lot of shade-giving trees. It is now booked and due to happen next week. We have a mixture of ewes and yearlings to shear, which when done makes them look like skinny goats. The weather changing again will cause us a headache as the summer grazing has no field shelter and the fleece needs to be dry to be cut. These days we use the fleece for matting and weed control as it is difficult to sell as there is not much demand, a sign of the times in which we live. Rounding them up will require the rails to be moved to make a race to feed them through, it is a good time to check them underneath for any injuries, ticks and abnormalities. The sheep become remarkably compliant when being shorn almost as if they are ready to lose that heavy coat, it must be a relief. The ginger biscuits help of course. I am off to harvest the elderflower in the next few days, best harvested before the sun gets too hot when the buds are freshly open. I am making cordial. The surplus flowers can be added to fruit when cooking, adding a taste of summer to crumbles, and also fried to make elderflower fritters. Elderflower gin is becoming popular and looks easy so I might diversify this year and try that too. Him outdoors is busy on other people’s fields now, baling hay and dodging the rain. We have just acquired a new bit of kit which will make cutting our own field much easier. The old baler always managed to miss tying the string in the sixth bale and I would end up running after it, scooping it up to put back in the row for the tractor to pick up again. Walking behind the baler is a thankless task, usually baking hot, dusty and hard graft. The thought of some of that elderflower cordial chilled and waiting for me will keep me going, I am sure. The ewe lambs are off to a new home next week having been bought locally, halving the size of the flock again to a more manageable size for winter, nice too that they are all going together to form a new starter flock of their own.