HOPE FOR FARMING18

Breeding numbers taking off

In addition to the total number of individual birds,we also measure species richness contributing tothe FBI. This is a measure of the total number ofthe 19 farmland bird species present on the farmcontributing to the FBI and allows us to take accountof new species attracted to the farm to breed.

No surveys were carried out in 2001 on our controlfarm. This was due to the outbreak of foot and mouthdisease in February of that year. Despite the controlfarm having no livestock, the RSPB took theprecautionary approach of not surveying any farm that may have been at risk.

Species richness

FARMLAND BIRD INDEX (FBI) AND SPECIES RICHNESS FOR HOPE FARM AND THE CONTROL FARM

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Sp

ecie

s ri

chn

ess

Farm

lan

d B

ird

Ind

ex

Key richness FBI

Hope Farm14 1.6

1.41.210.80.60.40.20

12

10

8

6

4

2

02000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Control farm

Sp

ecie

s ri

chn

ess

Farm

lan

d B

ird

Ind

ex

14 1.61.41.210.80.60.40.20

12

10

8

6

4

2

0

Mike R

ichard

s (rspb

-imag

es.com

)

Reed bunting

HOPE FARM: HELPING FARMERS TO HELP WILDLIFE 19

Winter can be a critical time for many farmland birds.

During this period, birds like reed buntings and sparrows

need to find enough seeds – either spilt grain or weed

seeds – to survive, while others like thrushes favour

hedgerow berries. With temperatures plummeting and

day-length shortening, food is harder to find.

As arable farming has shifted to autumn-sown crops,

this has meant that once seed-rich habitats like over

winter stubbles (fields left undisturbed after harvest)

are ploughed quickly to enable the next crop to be sown,

depriving birds of this valuable food source. At Hope

Farm, using simple and cheap measures, we have

increased the food supply during the winter. Alongside

provision of seed-rich habitats through agri-environment

schemes (pages 9–10) and on set-aside (page11),

we also have a bird feeding station. Here we put out

grain/weed seeds regularly throughout the winter.

Costing only £30–50 a year, this helps birds while

longer-term solutions are put in place.

We boost the number of berries on our hedges in

winter by only trimming rotationally every three years,

in January or February. This allows the hedges to produce

14 times more berries than if they were cut annually.

These berries are a vital feast for resident thrushes such

as song thrushes and blackbirds as well as visiting

fieldfares and redwings.

Boosting food supplies for wintering birds

Redwing feeding on berries.

Go

rdo

n Lan

gsb

ury (rsp

b-im

ages.co

m)

HOPE FOR FARMING20

We monitor wintering birds on the whole farm and

divide the records into field or boundary categories.

Counts are completed at approximately monthly intervals

from October to March. This has shown that birds at

Hope Farm are not only flourishing in the breeding

season. In winter, the number of birds using the farm

has also increased. Encouragingly, the numbers of our

key targets for our winter conservation efforts, namely

those which have seen the most dramatic declines

(skylarks, reed buntings, yellowhammers, linnets and

grey partridges), have increased. In 2004/05, our trials

programme on set-aside (see page 29) paid real

dividends for these key seed-eating birds.

Wintering birds

THE MEAN NUMBEROF KEY ‘SEEDEATING’ BIRDSCOUNTED DURINGWINTER BIRDCOUNTS (OCT–MAR INCLUSIVE)

2000/010

50

100

150

200

250

Winter period

Mea

n n

um

ber

2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05

An

dy

Hay

(rs

pb

-im

ages

.co

m)

Numbers of yellowhammers at the farm have increased.

HOPE FARM: HELPING FARMERS TO HELP WILDLIFE 21

Small mammals, brown hares and red foxes are part

of our annual baseline-monitoring programme. Small

mammals are known to be an important food source

for some birds of prey. At Hope Farm, we have been

monitoring their populations since 2002 using baited

Longworth traps, which are safe and harmless.

Mammals captured are identified, aged, sexed and

weighed. We also mark all the animals by removing a

small proportion of fur. This standard method allows us

to tell if we’ve caught them before.

Six different species have been caught over the past

three years. The common shrew is the most common,

while a single water shrew is the least common. There

is, however, considerable variation in the annual totals for

each species. The numbers of field voles are an example:

we caught 41 individuals in 2002, while in the following

two years there was only a single individual. We found

more small mammals in oilseed rape and wide field

margins than first wheat, as expected from other studies.

We counted hares and foxes at night with spotlights.

Numbers have remained relatively low, reaching a peak

of sixteen hares and two foxes.

20020

10

20

30

40

50

60

2003 2004Year

Nu

mb

er

Wood mice

Bank vole

Field vole

Common shrew

Pygmy shrew

Water shrew

Mammals – part of Hope Farm’s biodiversity

SMALL MAMMALS CAUGHT EACH YEAR

We use harmless traps

to catch and monitor

small mammals before

releasing them.

Ch

ris

Go

mer

sall

(rsp

b-i

mag

es.c

om

)

Rich

ard B

radb

ury (R

SP

B)

Brown hare

HOPE FOR FARMING22

We have monitored butterflies and bumblebees regularlybecause they are important in the diet of a number ofbird species, both as adults and larvae. They are alsoimportant farmland biodiversity in their own right. Wewalk two transects on a set route around the farmweekly, in good weather, between 1 April and 30 September and count the species present.

Data collected over the five years for butterflies (only two years for bumblebees) have shown that numbers are consistently low in the early part of the season, risingto a mid-season peak before tailing off by the end ofSeptember. Seasonal and annual trends in butterflynumbers at Hope farm reflect the national trends in the Butterfly Monitoring Scheme.

Despite this consistency in trends, there is considerableannual variation in total numbers recorded of individualspecies. For example, 502 painted lady butterflies werecounted in 2003, five times as many as the other fouryears combined.

So far we’ve recorded 24 butterfly and seven bumblebeespecies on the farm. Common butterflies include thesmall tortoiseshell, small white, green-veined white andmeadow brown. Bumblebee species include the white-tailed bumble bee (Bombus lucorum), buff-tailedbumble bee (Bombus terrestris) and large garden bumblebee (Bombus ruderatus), the latter being a nationallyscarce Biodiversity Action Plan Species.

Butterflies and bumblebees

We monitor bumblebees,

such as this buff-tailed

bumble bee Bombus

terrestris, as they are

an important part of

farmland biodiversity.

Dietm

ar Nill/N

aturep

l.com

HOPE FARM: HELPING FARMERS TO HELP WILDLIFE 23

Broad-bodied chaser

dragonflies are

regularly seen in the

summer at Hope Farm.

Alongside our own staff, we have been extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to call upon other experts in their field, who have voluntarily provided an importantinsight to the farm’s populations of other wildlife.

Other wildlife

Norman Moore, a volunteer, monitored dragonflies and

damselflies to provide a baseline on the distribution and

abundance across suitable habitat. He made up to eight

transect surveys per year to all seven ponds on the farm,

counting the number of adults present. Cambridgeshire

currently supports 20 species of dragonfly and damselfly

– he recorded 15 of these on the farm. The most

commonly recorded is the azure damselfly while the least

is the banded demoiselle, seen only once in 2003.

Dragonflies and damselflies

We have recorded moths at regular intervals throughout

the year by placing a light trap at different points around

the farm. We’ve found 230 macro moths and 100 micro

moths, including a number of notable species, such as

the Biodiversity Action Plan species, white-spotted pinion

and square-spotted clay. Both species breed regularly on

elm. We have found square-spotted clay larvae feeding on

nettles, confirming that they are breeding on the farm.

Moths

An

dy

Hay

(rs

pb

-im

ages

.co

m)

HOPE FOR FARMING24

As part of our general monitoring, an independentbotanist and several volunteers made assessments ofthe flora found on the different farm habitats. Resultsshowed that field margins held over 100 species,including the nationally scarce broad-leaved spurge andslender tare. Thirty-six species were found within thearable fields, with the four most common speciesaccounting for 60% of all records, these being fool’sparsley, common field speedwell, cleavers andcommon chickweed. Results also showed a reductionin the number and diversity of plants the greater thedistance from a margin.

Blooming marginsThe Huntingdonshire Fungus Group completed a year-long fungi study from April 2001 to April 2002. It isbelieved that this is a unique study concentrating on anarable habitat and was the result of hours of surveying,identification and research.

They found 491 fungal species at Hope Farmthroughout the year, including one Eutypa crustata,which was recorded for the first time in Britain. Amongthe other fungi species found were one that is includedin the European Red Data List and four that are rare inBritain. The most notable fungal habitats were a dungheap, a number of scrub areas in the arable fields and spinneys containing dead elms.

Rare fungi finders

Darren

Mo

orcro

ft (RS

PB

)

We have broad-leaved

spurge – a nationally

scarce plant – in our

field margins.

HOPE FARM: HELPING FARMERS TO HELP WILDLIFE 25

The skylark is a familiar sight ascending above large,

open cereal fields in spring. While these fields provide

a suitable nesting and feeding habitat at this time of

year, by June this is no longer the case. Previous

research had shown that skylarks were declining,

due largely to a shortening of their breeding season

in winter-sown cereals. Skylarks can have up to three

broods of chicks in short vegetation, whereas tall

autumn-sown crops often allow only one breeding

attempt a year before the birds are crowded out.

In an attempt to find a realistic solution, Hope Farm

first trialled the idea of leaving small 4 m x 4 m

undrilled areas every half-hectare. These skylark plots

as they are called were created by simply switching

the drill off and on again in the autumn when we were

planting the crop. The aim was to find if this simplest

of operations could make all the difference to

the skylarks.

Encouraged by a positive response at Hope Farm,

we joined a research consortium SAFFIE (Sustainable

Arable Farming For an Improved Environment) to

monitor their success on 26 farms across the UK.

The results showed that skylarks are able to

successfully raise 50% more young than in wheat

without the plots. The plots lengthen the skylarks’

breeding season in autumn-sown wheat by

maintaining good feeding areas, where birds can

easily catch the invertebrates which they feed

to their nestlings.

Mind the gap – making space for skylarks

Mike M

cKavett (rsp

b-im

ages.co

m)

Skylarks have almost trebled in number at Hope Farm.

HOPE FOR FARMING26

Figures 1 and 2 show the reaction of skylarks to the

plots. In Figure 1, when the field is just autumn-sown

wheat (no plots), nesting attempts are distributed

across the field. But when plots were put in one half

in 2004, when the field was again growing the

autumn-sown wheat, the birds show their preference

for the area with plots available.

Skylark plots have been so successful, that at Hope

Farm we were able to almost treble the skylark

population in just our first four years. They are so

effective that any farmer in England can now claim

money under the new Entry Level Stewardship

Scheme for leaving skylark plots in their cereal crops.

SAFFIE is a collaboration between conservationbodies, research organisations, the Governmentand the farming industry. See www.saffie.info for more information.

FIGURE 1 DISTRIBUTION OF SKYLARK NESTSIN AUTUMN-SOWN WHEAT FIELD AT HOPEFARM IN 2002

FIGURE 2 DISTRIBUTION OF SKYLARK NESTSIN 2004 WHEN THE FIELD WAS IN AUTUMN-SOWN WHEAT WITH SKYLARK PLOTS

Skylark nests

Skylark nests

Skylark plots

An

dy

Hay

(rs

pb

-im

ages

.co

m)

HOPE FARM: HELPING FARMERS TO HELP WILDLIFE 27

Many species of bird prefer to feed or nest around the

field edges or margins. At Hope Farm we have been

looking at how we can maximise the benefit of these

areas, notably through two trials.

In the first, in conjunction with the SAFFIE consortium,

we have sown six-metre margins with mixes of wild

flowers and grasses around some of our wheat fields.

By subtly changing the types of grasses and wild flowers

sown, the amount and variety of insects and seeds on

which many birds feed can be increased. Once this is

established, we lightly disturb the soil surface of the

margins with a power harrow. This makes sure the

vegetation stays open enough for birds to find the

increased seed or insect food. We believe that the

margins may also act as reservoirs, from which

beneficial insects and plants can disperse into the

crop, feeding on others insects that damage the crops.

This may not only reduce the need for pesticide sprays,

but the insects themselves may provide extra food for

crop-dwelling birds like the skylark.

Our second trial, in conjunction with Writtle College

and NIAB (National Institute of Agricultural Botany),

compares the benefits to a range of butterfly species of

agriculturally-improved cocksfoot, red fescue and bird’s-

foot trefoil compared with their wild strains. Glasshouse

trials suggest that the improved strains are poorer for the

caterpillars of brown and skipper butterflies. Monitoring

butterfly larvae and adult numbers to test if this is the

case in the field should provide a valuable insight into

how we can help farmers maximise the benefit of the

six-metre margins they create.

More than just margin-al benefit

SAFFIE margin in June.

Green-veined

white butterfly.

Tony

Mo

rris

(R

SP

B)

Co

lin C

arver (rspb

-imag

es.com

)

HOPE FOR FARMING28

Over-winter cereal stubbles are very important for

farmland birds, with the potential to provide seed-rich

habitats. However, there is still room for improvement

of stubbles as a bird habitat. One way is to increase

the amount of seed in the field, the other could be to

enhance access to that seed. To address the latter issue,

we carried out an experiment on over 20 stubble fields,

including two at Hope Farm – using its rotational set-

aside. In October, stubble on one half of each field was

cut to lower the vegetation height (average height

>6 cm), whilst the other half was left untouched as a

control area (average height of 14 cm). We predicted

that the shorter stubble would benefit small birds by

increasing their access to food and by enabling them to

spot approaching predators more quickly. We carried out

counts of birds on a regular basis between November

and February, noting the distribution of each species

between short and long stubble.

As predicted, the abundance of seed-eating birds (eg

yellowhammers and reed buntings) and insect eaters

(eg starlings) was higher on the cut plots. However, the

abundance of skylark and partridges was higher on the

area left uncut. Cutting the stubble had no effect on the

distribution of either corvids (crow family) or pigeons.

This suggests that a mix of stubble heights would benefit

the widest range of species. We are using the findings

to guide stubble options for future agri-environment

schemes across the UK.

Stubbles: how low should you go?

Ch

ris Go

mersall (rsp

b-im

ages.co

m)

Bo

b G

lover (rspb

-imag

es.com

)

Grey partridge

Snipe have been

attracted to the farm in

numbers never

previously seen.

HOPE FARM: HELPING FARMERS TO HELP WILDLIFE 29

Set-aside (as described on page 11) can often fail to have the environmental benefits that many expect.Typically, land is set-aside rotationally so it remains in the same place for just one year. An alternative is non-rotational set-aside (remaining in the same place for 10 years). As part of our work to maximise its value, weset out to find out what a difference a year makes. Wouldsetting aside a field for two years give us any benefits?

During the 2004 breeding season, skylark nest survivalwas much higher in the set-aside (84% success) than inthe conventional crops (24%). In addition, the numbers of pairs breeding in the field increased from a maximumof two (4 nests in all) when under winter cereals to eight (16 nests in all) in the trial. In 2004, for the first timesince we bought the farm, we found a grey partridgebreeding territory on the field.

In the following winter (2004/05), we took samples from the field to analyse how much food would beavailable to wintering birds. The results showed theripening volunteer wheat and weeds (volunteer crops are crops allowed to grow naturally from seed dropped by the previous crop) produced over 23 tonnes of seed,attracting large flocks of seed-eating birds. The largestcounts for yellowhammers, reed buntings, linnets and skylarks on the set aside were 80, 34, 56 and 139respectively. Other notable species attracted to the fieldwere two corn buntings, 20 snipe, a barn owl, a short-eared owl and a peregrine.

Monitoring the ease with which we can return such fields back to good agricultural condition, and how much it costs allows us to determine whether a largerresearch project on this exciting option is required.

Two year set-aside:what a difference a year makes…

Oct0

50

100

150

Nov Dec Feb

Month

Jan

Nu

mb

er

Skylark

Reed bunting

Yellowhammer

Linnet

AVERAGE WINTERCOUNTS 04–05 ON A TWO YEAR SET-ASIDE FIELD

HOPE FOR FARMING30

In recent years, there has been increasing concern

about the decline in numbers of house sparrows across

the UK, resulting in its inclusion on the Red List of Birds

of Conservation Concern – the highest level of concern.

Hope Farm has a small breeding population of about

eight pairs, part of a larger population within the village.

Previous work on rural house sparrow populations

provided strong evidence that low adult survival rates

were more important than breeding success in driving

their decline. Moreover, survival rates could be increased

substantially by putting out seed-food over winter.

To investigate survival rates of our village population,

we have been carrying out a colour-ringing study.

This has allowed us to monitor the fate of individually-

marked birds. The study has had to rely on capture of

post-fledging and adult birds throughout the autumn and

winter periods. We have given approximately 200 house

sparrows a unique combination of rings.

We’ve carried out three, 18-hour intensive surveys per

month (November, January and March) annually since

the start of the study. We’ve looked for sparrows that

we have ringed previously, and noted the colour

combinations. This has allowed us to produce estimates

of house sparrow over-winter (November to March)

survival. Estimates so far are similar to previous studies

carried out on stable populations in Oxfordshire, with

approximately 54% of birds surviving the winter. In the

future, we aim to improve this survival rate so our

population can increase.

Helping house sparrows when they need it most

Ger

ald

Do

wn

ey (

rsp

b-i

mag

es.c

om

)

We put out seed to help

house sparrows over winter.

HOPE FARM: HELPING FARMERS TO HELP WILDLIFE 31

When the farm was purchased, a key aim was to be

able to demonstrate that farming in ways that protect

and enhance the countryside is possible. Over the past

five years, the farm has attracted a huge number of

visitors. As a commercial enterprise, the priority for the

farm is to show farmers the practical implications of our

work, but it does not stop there. Policy-makers, farm

advisors and farming organisations are just a few of

the people who have an influence on the day-to-day

management decisions taken by farmers. These

decisions dictate how attractive a piece of land is

to wildlife.

Farmland birds need three vital ingredients to thrive: a

safe nest site, a plentiful supply of insects (usually in the

summer) and seed (usually in the winter). The techniques

we trial are designed to provide these in the most cost-

effective way. By showing visitors how they can create

these, we hope to encourage others to replicate the

wildlife gains we have made.

Demonstrating the true value of conservation

Tony W

oo

dco

ck (rspb

-imag

es.com

)

Hope Farm is a showcase for wildlife-friendly farming.

HOPE FOR FARMING32

Number of breeding territories at Hope Farm betw

Species 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Grey partridge 1

Turtle dove 1

Skylark 10 18 24 27 27

Song thrush 4 2 3 3 3

Spotted flycatcher 1

Starling 3 6 10 7 5

House sparrow 8 8 8 8 6

Linnet 6 8 11 15 14

Bullfinch 2 4 4 2 4

Yellowhammer 14 16 19 18 18

Reed bunting 3 5 5 6 4

Corn bunting 1

Tree sparrow

TABLE 1: RED LIST SPECIES – HIGH CONSERVATION CONCERN

Species 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Kestrel 1 1 1

Stock dove 2 2 2 2 2

Green woodpecker 2 1 2 1 2

Swallow 2 3 3 3 3

Yellow wagtail 1 1

Meadow pipit 1

Dunnock 15 18 19 22 17

Mistle thrush 1

Willow warbler 2 1

Goldcrest 1

Lapwing

TABLE 2: AMBER LIST SPECIES – MEDIUM CONSERVATION CONCERN

Italics denotes the species that contribute to the Farmland Bird Index (page 17).

HOPE FARM: HELPING FARMERS TO HELP WILDLIFE 33

ween 2000 and 2004

Species 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Mallard 1 2 1

Sparrowhawk 1 1 1 1 1

Red-legged partridge 8 4 4 5 5

Pheasant 7 7 9 7 8

Moorhen 3 4 3 4 4

Woodpigeon 33 30 30 34 33

Collared dove 9 7 5 5 5

Little owl 1 1 1

Great spotted woodpecker 1 2 2 2 2

Pied wagtail 1 1 1 1 1

Wren 19 20 20 18 16

Robin 12 13 11 23 17

Blackbird 22 22 25 28 26

Sedge warbler 1 1

Lesser whitethroat 2 3 3

Whitethroat 25 26 26 22 31

Garden warbler 1

Blackcap 7 7 7 6 8

Chiffchaff 1 3

Long-tailed tit 1 3 2 4 1

Blue tit 9 11 12 9 9

Great tit 10 11 9 14 12

Magpie 2 2 2 2 2

Carrion crow 3 3 3 2 3

Chaffinch 34 40 38 42 41

Greenfinch 18 14 15 15 14

Goldfinch 3 3 2 3 3

Jackdaw

Rook

TABLE 3: GREEN LIST SPECIES – LOW CONSERVATION CONCERN

You can help us continue our work on the farm by becoming a Hope Farm Supporter.

By giving a regular gift of £3 per month, you will receive a newsletter twice a year updating

you on all the news from the farm. If you would like to support our work in this way, please

contact the Lodge on 01767 680551.

If you have any comments about Hope Farm, please contact the Hope Farm Manager

at the RSPB Headquarters, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 2DL. Tel: 01767 680551

Would you like to be part of Hope Farm?

More information

For more information, visit

www.rspb.org.uk/farming

Registered charity no 207076 180-2088-04-05

Front cover: skylark by Mark Hamblin (rspb-images.com)Back cover: tractor silhouette by Darren Moorcroft (RSPB)