I should declare an interest, I learnt about hedges at university. One of the hedges at the back of the department was at least 1000 years old and could even have been older, left over from the woods that covered Britain after the last ice age. Hedges are a window into the past and an integral part of the landscape.

Hedge 2 years after cutting, full of berries with a thick grassy margin

In Suffolk hedges are boundary markers and can help prevent soil erosion from wind and rain. On many farms hedges that were removed in the last 50 years to accommodate larger machinery have been reinstated to protect crops and topsoil and to enhance the landscape. The status of hedges is a visible indicator of agricultural policy and of the incentives available to landowners. Hedges can also be a vital resource for wildlife on intensively farmed land.

Hedge next to wild bird mix margin, year round wildlife food

Food and shelter are the key benefits for wildlife, older hedges are usually a richer resource but equally important is how the hedge is managed. Left uncut a hedge quickly becomes a row of trees, of less value and shading crops. In Suffolk hedges are managed using large tractor mounted trimmers, the job needs to be done quickly, usually in late summer between harvest and sowing winter cereals. Hedges produce fruit, berries and nuts during the summer. If the hedges are trimmed in September all this food is destroyed. On many farms regular trimming produces a neat tidy non shading hedge with virtually no food value.

Lower hedge with young oak trees allowed to grow through

Ideally hedges should be like mini woodland edges with a grassy wild flower margin with a thick woody food rich barrier. This is the aim of the hedge management at Halls and Little haugh farms. Hedges that run east west can be allowed to grow relatively tall while those growing north south are kept shorter as they shade the growing crops. Trimming is done on a 4 or 5 year cycle and only one side of a hedge is trimmed at a time so even on a trimming year one side of the hedge is providing food. On trimming years the hedge is cut back hard, this produces vigorous thick growth in the following spring. The profile of the hedge should be an inverted U or V shape. Also dotted down the hedge some shoots are left to grow into trees, there are many Oak trees like this at Halls farm. In the autumn this provides work for the jays, these colourful birds plant about 4000 acorns each and try to remember the locations but many acorns are not retrieved germinating into oak saplings round the farm.

Hedge cut back hard on one side, first year of management cycle

The hedge margins are allowed to remain thick; grass seed heads are left un-mown providing food for birds and small mammals. A recent analysis of the bones content of Barn owl pellets at Halls farm showed that scarce and vulnerable harvest mice are often caught as food. Harvest mice live in the margins between crops and hedges weaving their delicate little nests from living grass above the ground.

The only possible downside to the way hedges and field margins are managed at Halls and Little haugh farms are that the field edges look untidy compared to neighbouring farms. The upside far out-weighs this with the hedges providing food and shelter year round to wildlife, even allowing threatened species like the harvest mouse to thrive on intensively farmed arable land.

Sunday was warm with a cloudless blue sky, I tried to make the most of it, as the forecast for the rest of the week was “changeable”. Autumn is coming.

To end the day I went to see what was happening in the old hay meadow behind the straw barn at Halls Farm. The meadow is surrounded on three sides by thick hedges with old oak trees, the cut grass has grown strongly through September. The meadow slopes to the west so keeps the sun until it sets.

Watching from a corner at first it was deserted, the screeching of jays broadcasting that I had been seen. They soon relaxed and resumed their task of picking and planting acorns to feed on during the winter. Jays are meant to remember where the acorns are placed but the many oak saplings on the farm show that not all are retrieved. Behind me in the hedge a flock of more than 40 long-tailed tits flitted past me calling to each other, a sure sign that summer is over.

The sun dipped lower and a dog-like muntjack deer came nervously out of the hedge bottom, the reason for caution was clear when I spotted it had a fawn with it.

Muntjac deer side look at dusk. October evening Suffolk. Muntiacus reevesi

I then had a surprise, sitting in a hole between the straw bales in the barn was a barn owl. In the low sunlight it drifted over the meadow and caught a vole on the second circuit, back to the gap. Five minutes later the owl reappeared and another vole was caught. The barn owls living in the straw have had a second brood of 4 young, the adults have had a busy year.

Barn owl hunting the meadow, evening sunlight October. Tyto alba

As the sunlight became rosier hares started to appear to feed on the grass. Some slipped through the hedge into the meadow, but others just appeared. They must have been lying low in their forms unseen by me. The light dimmed and the hares became more active, the males looking for responsive females. One unresponsive female seemed to be feeding her leverets, although I could not be sure. The hares knew I was there, most kept their distance but a few did not care or were curious. One came within 5 metres, creeping and eating before losing it nerve and bouncing off.

Brown Hare eating in a hay meadow. October evening Lepus europaeus

Before the light failed there were more than 15 hares in the meadow. As I retreated back to the car, bats were coming out of the barn to make the most of the autumn insect life before the temperature dipped.

The meadow is small, only 2 or 3 acres lightly managed and of no economic value but invaluable as a natural home and place of wonder.

Brown Hare low and close in a hay meadow. October evening Lepus europaeus

Last week we were walking the dog at Halls farm. We reached the hedge at the top of the field but instead of following the usual path to the right we turned left, a new route that would eventually lead back to the car via the butterfly hedge I wrote about in the summer. 100 meters from where we turned there is a large old oak in the hedge, the hole in the oak was dotted with white fluffy feathers. This was clear evidence of a new Barn owl nest on the farm.

Barn Owls, watchful waiting in an Oak tree. July evening, Suffolk. Tyto alba

This means that at least 5 pairs of Barns owls have nested at Halls and Little Haugh farms this year and more than 15 young Barn owls need somewhere to hunt and live. As soon as young owls are old enough to hunt the parent birds drive them away from their hunting territory. Being a young Barn owl is tough, even in a good winter more than half will be dead by spring.

Young Barn owls need to find their own hunting territory and somewhere to shelter when not hunting. Most of the old barns in Suffolk have been converted into houses and there are not enough holes in old trees to go around. Fortunately large parts of little Haugh farm are suitable hunting areas for Barn owls, these potential territories are probably not occupied because of lack of suitable homes.

So over the last 2 weeks we have put up 14 new owl boxes. The new boxes are in pairs quite close together. When Barn owls are preparing to breed in late winter the male is excluded from the nest, the second box gives him a place to shelter close to the female.

Newly errected Barn owl box

Of course it is very unlikely that Barn owls will occupy all seven pairs of boxes. However, the nest boxes are also ideal for Tawny owls, Little owls and Kestrels. Stock doves have also really benefited from the boxes that have been erected all over Suffolk.

The new boxes will be monitored as part of the Suffolk Community Barn Owl Project as a licence is needed to check boxes occupied by Barn owls. It can take more than a year for new boxes to be used for breeding. I will carefully check the boxes and report back here how the new homes are being used.

Errecting Barn owl box in Oak tree

A wood pigeon is often sitting on the fence by our backdoor even though we are walking in and out only a few metres away. Pigeons are also happy to sit eating under the bird feeder when we are in the garden, even the dog does not scare them. However the same birds will fly away instantly when they see us outside the village.

Wood pigeons are clever, adaptable and learn from each other. They can breed most months of the year, vary their diet depending on what is available, and are very mobile. Many pigeons in the large winter flocks in the East of England have come over from Europe. They come for two main reasons; oilseed rape and milder weather.

Wood Pigeon flock moving to the next field

Oilseed rape is an important break crop on arable Suffolk farms. It is sown just after harvest, often in late August, and grows slowly all winter before shooting away in the following spring. The growing rape plants are a favourite winter food for pigeons and a flock can strip a field of rape to bare stalks in a few days and seriously effect the crop yield at harvest.

Young Wood pigeon learning to eat acorns from its parents

From late August gas-powered bangers appear in rape fields and for nearly 9 months of the year much of Suffolk resounds to their repeated bangs. During autumn the pigeon population is small and damage to rape seedlings is low. The local birds have learnt that the bangs are harmless. They, and most wildlife, ignore them and even the really big guns used to deter birds roosting in woodland are ignored. These canons resound like artillery across the countryside in the early morning and evening. The main effect is to scare walkers, horse riders and wake up late sleepers.

As winter starts to bite the large flocks of pigeons start to come in from Europe in search of food and warmer weather. These migrants mingle with local birds, quickly learning that the bangs are annoying but harmless. If the pigeons move at all they  just fly gently over to the next field of rape to feed. The guns alone lead to more crop damage, as the birds need to eat more to power their flight between fields. Extra guns and bangs have no deterrent effect any more.

Wood pigeons are clever and do learn, but they are not super intelligent; they learn slowly and their default behaviour is to fly away fast from unexpected danger. Gas guns can be effective if they are introduced later in the winter when the large flocks arrive. Kites that imitate birds of prey are very useful if moved around the rape frequently. Close to my village a Peregrine falcon has been a frequent winter visitor and the ultimate deterrent. The peregrine clears the pigeons within a 1 km radius when he is sitting on his pylon perch. Sparrow hawks also heavily target pigeons during the winter scattering them when they swoop over a hedge.  Encouraging walkers also helps, the pigeons never know if the walker might have a shotgun.

Peregrine on Suffolk Pylon, the ultimate Wood pigeon deterrent

Wood pigeons are a major pest and need to be managed. However, over reliance on gas guns is becoming increasingly ineffective. A more random mix of human deterrents and encouraging natural predators is more successful in protecting vulnerable winter rape fields. But at the moment the incessant banging in parts of Suffolk increases and the bird brains are winning out.

It is like a tidal wave opening before me. Early in the morning when I drive down the farm tracks Red-legged partridges run ahead and fly low to get out of the way, in the mirror I can see them come back onto the track.

Red-legged Partridge pair, morning disagreement feather in beak. August Suffolk Alectoris rufa

At Little Haugh and Halls Farms nearly 30,000 Red-legged partridges are released in late summer and autumn along with thousands of pheasants. These game birds arrived in late spring when they were a few days old and have been raised in large outdoor pens round the farms. More than 5% of the land on both farms does not grow any crops and is managed to provide food and shelter for the game birds. This contrasts with most Suffolk farms where nearly all the land is cropped. Of course, most of these birds will be shot over the coming months.

Pheasant pair, early morning, September Suffolk. Phasianus colchicus

A gamekeeper manages the shooting at Little Haugh and Halls Farms; a student gamekeeper and other people help him at busy times. During the summer the main work of the keeper is raising the young birds in the pens. The “drives” where the birds are shot later in the year also have to be managed over the summer. Bird feeders are placed round the un-cropped land, seed rich plant mixes are sown, hedges and trees are managed to encourage the soon-to-be released birds to stay on the farms. When the birds are released they are provided with daily food and water around the drives so that they do not wander off into neighbouring farms. The keeper is also responsible for running the shooting days and the safety of people on the shoot.

Muntjac deer emerging at dusk. September evening Suffolk. Muntiacus reevesi

You maybe surprised to be reading about shooting and gamekeepers and think what has this got to do with wildlife? Well, the answer is in the numbers; at least 4 pairs of Barn Owls, 3 pairs of Buzzards, a resident Kite, breeding Hobbies, flocks of Yellowhammers, Skylarks, Snipe and Lapwings, a large Brown Hare population, and Otters. I could go on and have not even mentioned the rich insect fauna including butterflies and bees. The wildlife on Little Haugh and Halls Farms rivals that on many dedicated wildlife reserves in Suffolk.

Barn Owls, watchful waiting in an Oak tree. July evening, Suffolk. Tyto alba

The answer to the seeming contradiction between conservation and shooting and is simple. Wildlife increasingly has two big problems; nothing to eat and nowhere to live. Birds and most animals must be able to eat most days. On much of the intensively farmed land there is often nothing to eat for weeks, this leads to starvation and death. Most farmland now has very little shelter or breeding places for birds or animals, most potential wildlife homes are mown or sprayed out of existence. Many farms are effectively wildlife deserts.

Brown Hares three at nightfall. August Suffolk. Lepus europaeus

There are compromises, if you are a fox on these farms life is dangerous. Deer, especially Muntjack, are shot because of the damage they do to woodland, and Roe and Red Deer are controlled as well. Wood pigeon are shot all year round as in most of Suffolk. However, the land that is devoted to shooting also provides food and homes to a rich diversity of wildlife in numbers not seen on the vast majority of farms. It has to be said as well that the interest and passion for wildlife by the owners of Little Haugh and Halls Farm are a major factor in giving wildlife somewhere to live and enough to eat all year round. If purpose-bred game birds are shot, this is a compromise I can live with.

Roe Deer in tall summer flowers, early morning August Suffolk.Capreolus capreolus

Two Grey Partridge coveys, Brown Hares, Linnets, numerous bees, butterflies including the exotic Clouded Yellow. This is not a count from a nature reserve but a building site. Every Friday for a few weeks I have been in Cambridge and have had to take our dog ,who I walk at lunch time, on a next-door building site. Being a spaniel she specializes in finding wildlife.

The Grey partridges are the easiest to find, they fly off into a fenced off corner until we have gone. The dog then focuses on the hares, but being a spaniel relies on her nose investigating the scent where they have been while the hares quietly slip through the fence unnoticed by her. Butterflies, bees and many other insects feed on the flowering thistles and ragwort that have colonised the site.

Cambridge building site

The site is about two acres, the raised areas are where the top soil has been scraped off last year. About half appears to have roughly sown with grass and the rest left to be colonised by plants with wind borne seeds, hence the thistles and ragwort. The plants are sparse and slow growing as the ground is sandy and poor in nutrients. It looks like the site has been cut once at the end of July and has been untouched since then. There is open farmland about 500 metres away

This site waiting to be developed on a Cambridge research park shows that wildlife will thrive if given a little space and left alone. Grey Partridges, Brown Hares and many other species have almost disappeared over much of intensively farmed East Anglia. The young partridges need a mix of seeds and insects to grow and be able to survive the winter. Hares need undisturbed areas for their surface-born young leverets many of which are killed in their forms by farm machinery.

25 miles east from the site where I live in Suffolk there are spaces that are not cropped and meant to encourage wildlife. However these spaces are in most cases over managed, fertilisers and sprays drift into them, most of them are mown several times a year to keep them “tidy”. All of this drastically reduces the value of these spaces for wildlife.

The site in Cambridge surely indicates that leaving the few spaces meant for wildlife alone and doing nothing is the best management option. This could include the unused corner in your garden?

The palette of Suffolk changes from golden yellow to brown over a few weeks in August. Farming is constantly searching for ways to become more efficient and profitable. At no time is this more obvious than harvest, far fewer fields are now left into autumn as stubble. Of course, this affects wildlife that had to adapt to these changes.

Early August fields in Suffolk

Harvest is the busiest time of year on an arable farm. From July the main income of an arable farm is standing out in the fields and needs to be harvested at the right time to maximise the value of the crops. The main challenge is the weather but people and mechanical breakdowns have to be managed as well. Oil seed rape is usually the first crop to ripen followed by winter barley, oats and then wheat.

Robert harvesting oats at Halls Farm Norton. August Suffolk

Long sunny days are ideal for harvest because the grain and seed have low moisture content.  Drying grain after it has been harvested is a major expense in wetter summers. Many farmers also try to speed up harvest and the drying process by spraying crops with herbicide. This is very common with oil seed rape, as often the seed will be dry and dropping from the plants before the thick stalks are dry enough to go through the combine harvester.

In Mid Suffolk the most important crop is wheat as it thrives on the heavy clay soils and provides the main income of most arable farms. The best price can be obtained for milling wheat that is used for making bread flour. Growing milling wheat means doing every thing right for the 10 months it is growing in the field and being lucky with the weather, not least having dry weather at the optimal harvest time. Wheat that is harvested late can lose protein levels and is then classified as much less valuable feed wheat.

Cultivating a stubble field, late July Suffolk

The rapid change from yellow to brown happens for several reasons. The most important crops in Mid Suffolk are mostly sown before the winter. If these can be sown earlier they can get well established before the winter weather and are ready to grow strongly in the spring. Preparing the seed beds early allows post-harvest weeds to be controlled early and soil-conditioning chopped straw to be cultivated in. Winter cereals and rape are sown early to take advantage of the late summer and autumn rain. And, of course the newest tractors and cultivators are so large and powerful that the previous days harvested fields can be cultivated the following morning while waiting for that day’s crops to dry for combining.

Seed eating birds used to depend on stubble fields for food into the winter. Large flocks of birds like House Sparrows and Linnets would eat spilt grain and weed seeds. Modern combine harvesters hardly miss anything and most efficient Suffolk arable farms are almost devoid of seed eating birds in late summer and autumn, village gardens and town fringes are where they live now.

Roe Deer in tall summer flowers at Halls Farm, early morning August Suffolk.Capreolus capreolus

Halls Farm and Little Haugh are an exception to this. Stubble is left longer because all of the oat straw is baled and removed which takes time. But the main difference is that much the 5% of land that is not in production is sown with a seed-rich mix of plants that are left all winter, principally for the game birds shot on the farms. Flocks of Skylarks, Yellow hammers, Linnets and other seed-eaters, including scarce tree sparrows, thrive all winter on the food and shelter provided by the small percentage of land not used for arable production.

Seed rich bird mix at Halls farm Noton

The moth-like barn Owl drifts through the old orchard trees every evening just after the sun has gone down at 9.00 pm. In the straw barn, and in the box at the bottom of Halls Farm, hungry young Barn owls are waiting to be fed. The thick, tangled grass and wild flowers in the orchard is full of voles and mice and the adult owls know this. Since early June, providing the weather is dry and still, Barn owls have hunted in the orchard every evening and early morning, hovering or sitting in the old fruit trees listening for the faint sound of their prey before diving down into the grass. The orchard is in front of the farmhouse garden and the Barn owls hunt, oblivious to the Honeywood family sitting in the garden on warm evenings.

Barn Owl hovering hunt, early morning June, Suffolk. Tyto alba

The same narrative takes place across the road at Little Haugh Farm. Barn owls hunt in the parkland around the main house. Much of the grass has been left uncut until now so the Barn owls can catch plenty of food for their young. I have been watching one of the pairs at Little Haugh in the early mornings. The male and female are quite distinctive and they tend to take it in turns to hunt.  One morning I will see the male, who prefers hunting round the trees, the next day the female hunts the more open areas.

Barn Owl with vole fly past, early morning June, Suffolk. Tyto alba

This year we know of four nests at Halls and Little Haugh Farms.  There could be another nest, as adult Barn owls have been seen feeding young in an old Oak tree for a couple of days. It is likely that a pair has nested undetected in an old tree somewhere. This compares with last year when only one pair successfully raised young.

Barns owls are very dependent on the field vole population. In late winter and early spring the females must be very well fed to be able to produce eggs.  If the vole numbers are low the owls will not breed.  In spring 2013 the vole population crashed and many Barn owls died from starvation. This year is much better, already the four broods of young owls are starting to clamber out of their nests and exercise their wings.

Barn Owl pair meet and greet in an Oak tree. July evening, Suffolk. Tyto alba

There are estimated to be 4000 pairs of breeding Barn Owls in the UK, 4 of those pairs are at Halls and Little Haugh farms. This is not by accident; around 5% of the land on these farms is not used for arable production, instead it is managed for wildlife and game birds. The obvious difference from other local farms is that field margins and grassland areas are left to grow and not mown repeatedly. This allows wild flowers and grasses to flower and produce seeds, which in turn benefits insects, mammals and birds. Mowing can control weeds, but looking tidy and giving farm workers something to do in slack times in early summer before harvest could be a factor.

Barn Owl pair, full wing stretch in the middle of an Oak tree. July evening, Suffolk. Tyto alba

Very soon the young Barn owls will leave the nests. The adults may try to breed again and will not tolerate the young owls hunting in their territory. The young owls must find their own hunting and roosting places but this is not easy and many die in their first winter. Halls and Little Haugh have areas that are good for hunting  Barn owls but lack nesting and roosting places. This summer the plan is to put up more nest boxes in these areas so that the young owls can establish their own territories and survive their first winter to breed in the spring. I will report back on this later in the year.

Barn Owl on the move at sunset in an Oak tree. July evening, Suffolk. Tyto alba

At first glance I thought it was a Buzzard. A crow was mobbing a large bird as I opened the gate to drive through and leave the farm; a closer look through binoculars showed it was a Red Kite. On the other side of the gate another large bird was sitting in the hedge, this time it was a Buzzard. A few minutes earlier I had been watching a Kestrel family including five young learning to catch worms and insects on a track.

Although these birds look strong and aggressive they are in reality vulnerable and they are among the first that fail to breed and to die when conditions turn against them. Last year (2013) Field vole numbers were very low, Barn owls were hunting in daylight and catching very little, they had few if any young, and I saw no young Kestrels at Halls or Little Haugh farms.

Barn Owl hovering hunt, early morning June, Suffolk. Tyto alba

This year has been much better. I have been watching Barn owls hunting very early in the morning to feed their young; they are catching voles about every 10 minutes. Fat young barn owls are starting to come out of their nest sites and to clamber about in tree branches. There are at least four pairs of Barn owls with young at Halls and Little Haugh Farm this year and all of them seem to be finding plenty of food. The Kestrels have done very well too, raising 5 young, and are now teaching them how to hunt for their own food.

Kestrel, eating a worm. Falco tinnunculus www.mikerae.com

A pair of Buzzards is also breeding at Little Haugh in the woods by the river; the adults are very active in looking for food. Estates and farms that run game bird shoots have a reputation for not tolerating raptors and other predators. These two farms show that running a profitable shoot is totally compatible with a high bird of prey population. The Gamekeeper at Little Haugh is relaxed about the Buzzards on the farms and there is little evidence of them taking game birds. In the breeding season he leaves the rats that are shot under the game bird feeders, this is easy food for a growing Buzzard family.

A couple of weeks ago at Halls Farm I saw a Sparrowhawk try to catch a Red-legged partridge sitting in an open field. The healthy partridge was too strong and chased the Sparrowhawk away. Like most predators, birds of prey prefer to hunt for weak or injured prey that are easier to catch.

The healthy Owl and bird of prey population at Halls and Little Haugh farms indicates that there is an equally healthy natural environment that provides plenty of food for them. It also shows that even on land with game bird shooting it is possible to manage possible conflict with young game bird predation by providing alternative food at critical times.

Barn Owl flying with vole in beak, early june morning Suffolk. Tyto alba

Otters leave their spraint as marking under the Blackbourn river bridge at Bardwell. If you are very patient otters can be seen in the river from the bridge. They can also be seen at Ixworth and further upstream towards Tostock. This river flows into Thetford where otters can be commonly seen in and around the town. Lots of other wildlife is linked to the river and its banks including; Tree Sparrows that can be seen in the scrubby fens and woods that line the river, Barn Owls and many insects like Banded Demoiselle damselfly.

The Blackbourne flows through intensively farmed Suffolk and into South Norfolk and for much of its length it can flood after heavy rain. This tendency, and the poorly drained, peaty soil along its banks make farming impractical. The willow woodland, water meadows and scrubby fen are home and highway for much wildlife through mid Suffolk.

Ponds and Willow woodland near the river at Little Haugh

Towards its eastern end the Blackbourne runs through the northern side of little Haugh Farm and very close to Halls Farm in Norton. In addition to being an arable farm, Little Haugh is used for shooting and the land round the river encourages duck and game birds. There is a mix of ponds, rough grassland and woods all lightly managed, overgrown and wild looking. As well as game birds this area is ideal for wildlife, Barn Owls and Buzzards breed here, as well as numerous smaller birds including Warblers, Tits and often Tree Sparrows. Cuckoos are virtually guaranteed every spring. Insects, plants, frogs, and small mammals all thrive here too. However, Foxes and Muntjac Deer are discouraged by shooting.

Comma resting on old Cow parsley

The diverse life that flourishes around the river at Little Haugh is like an investment bank, wildlife can spread out into the surrounding farmland where ever a small bit of suitable habitat is allowed to develop. These habitats can include field margins, hedges and small ponds.

An indication of how significant the area is around the Blackbourne River at Norton is that there are at least 4 pairs of Barn Owls breeding at Little Haugh and Halls Farm. The Total UK Barn Owl population is 4000 pairs. The presence of Otters, Buzzards, Barn Owls and other hunting animals is a clear signal that this is great place for wildlife as well as being profitable farmland and a successful game-bird shoot.

Barn Owl, Hunting angel Early morning, June Suffolk. Tyto alba