Over the course of three years engagement work, I've had many enjoyable walks along the permissive path up the edge of Dropping Well Farm. This year has been particularly gratifying due to stonechats breeding on the largest meadow, most likely for the first time in 60 years.
Wintering birds at Dropping Well Farm
Greenfinch by Mark Hamblin/2020VISION
Ion takes a moment or two to watch the finches at Dropping Well Farm and reflect on their arrival...
Dropping Well Farm by Paul Lane
Obviously, spring and summer are the seasons when birds are at their most vocal and it’s great to just let the symphony of skylarks, chiffchaffs, whitethroats and yellowhammers stir the soul as one walks through. Come winter, though, I pay even closer attention to the birds I see there. Although I’m well used to seeing overwintering stonechats and meadow pipits, there is a greater spectacle I look forward to.
Over the past few years the transitional management regime has created the ideal conditions for sustaining a large flock of finches throughout the winter. I well remember such flocks being an annual feature of my younger years but, sadly, they are all too uncommon these days.
There are always a few finches breeding around the area but in winter the ‘weed’ seed, planted bird seed mix and supplementary feeding has begun to draw in, from the local area and much further afield, around 200 birds and I’m confident that this number will continue to increase. As lack of food is one of the major causes of winter mortality for many farmland bird species, the importance of this wildlife-friendly management cannot be underestimated nor overstated.
Linnet by Karen Summers
This year the build-up began in October, with around 60 greenfinches feasting on the sunflower heads. The main body of the flock throughout the depths of winter, though, is composed of chaffinches and linnets but it also attracts goldfinches, tits and the reserve’s resident yellowhammers. One of the reasons I give it so much scrutiny, other than the pleasure of seeing such a spectacle, is because of the chance of something less common, such as bramblings, reed buntings and redpolls. Although I didn’t see it myself, a hawfinch was reported amongst the greenfinches earlier this year so it goes to show how important observing the flock is.
Brambling by Margaret Holland
Bramblings are winter visitors to Worcestershire from northern Europe and is very often found in the company of its chaffinch cousins. Up to now they have only turned up in ones or twos so it’s always a delight to find one.
Reed bunting by Carl Graef
Reed buntings, as the name implies, are predominantly a wetland bird so you wouldn’t expect to see any on such dry, sandy habitat. Some will move distances to feed on farmland in winter and, on Dropping Well, they are a welcome addition to the diversity of species using the reserve. Ours most likely come from breeding territories along the River Severn where it passes through Bewdley and Stourport.
Redpoll by TJ Ellis
The small, dainty redpolls are no strangers to the wider area where they can be found in roving parties feeding in the silver birch trees on The Devil’s Spittleful throughout the winter. A a few bold, adventurous individuals do find their way across the railway embankment onto Dropping Well Farm.
If we reflect upon the fact that even though our conservation efforts here are on a landscape scale, the ability of birds to find such scattered resources of food means that even modest attempts at offering such suitable habitat (stepping stones throughout our countryside and more urban areas) may have quite an impact on the chances of survival for many birds during the winter.
