Due to a very generous legacy from Mrs Shelagh Moorhouse we are so delighted to announce we have purchased two plots of land to develop into new reserves.

The first is 15 acres of land in Banks near to our Meadow reserve. We have a 'head start' here as for some years now we were paying the farmer to leave some of it fallow to help the field vole population build up to support the local Barn Owls. So we were absolutely delighted to actually buy the whole 15 acre field to ensure this and far more can continue! We have taken advice from the RSPB who asked us not to plant big trees here as the open aspect is needed to make it harder for crows to attack the lapwing and skylarks that nest here already. The plan is along regenerative agriculture lines: a summer wildflower meadow, a late crop of hay and sheep overwinter. The seeds are sown now and flowers appearing. The sheep arrive at the end of October. Brown hares have already moved in!

The second plot is smaller at 3.5 acres This land is also near our Banks Meadow reserve but is very different in that it is low lying and floods a lot, so the farmer struggles to drain it. We plan to develop this as a 'marsh reserve' The 300meter wildlife hedge is already planted as are 100 goat willow trees and some wildflower seeds. A family of English partridge have already moved in and I have seen Snipe a few times now. We hope to dig ponds next and perhaps a reed bed Here is a photo of the first wild flowers on this land for a very long time. 

 I told you this was big news!

David