A fine spring day provided the perfect backdrop for a guided walk at National Trust Dunsbury Farm, led by Mark Larter of Natural England. Since 2018 the farm has been undergoing a gradual transformation from intensive agriculture to a more sustainable, wildlife-rich landscape.
We set off accompanied by the song of Skylark, numbers of which have doubled since 2021 thanks to the short swards maintained by grazing Galloway cattle. In contrast, areas of longer grass support Meadow Pipit, already pairing up for the breeding season. We flushed Red-legged Partridge from the path ahead, while in the distance came the distinctive “yaffle” of a Green Woodpecker. Hedgerows were lively with the calls of House Sparrow, Dunnock and Goldfinch. Canada Goose and Mallard were present on the reservoir, while from the reedbed came the explosive song of a Cetti’s Warbler. A detour to a bird seed plot, managed by Compton Farm, revealed a flock of around eighty Linnet, several Woodpigeon and a single Yellowhammer (back on territory). Nearby, a mature hedgerow held Blackbird, Robin, Wren and Long-tailed Tit. On the Hebridean sheep grazed slopes beyond, Rook and Carrion Crow foraged for invertebrates.
Returning along the greensand ridge, we admired a growing diversity of arable wildflowers. We were stopped in our tracks by a striking female Kestrel perched on a post, repeatedly dropping into the grass to hunt caterpillars. As the walk drew to a close, Magpie chattered ahead, a Pied Wagtail flew by and two Buzzard circled overhead. At Compton Grange, we were delighted to encounter three Wheatear – among the earliest returning summer migrants, and a Brown Hare. The surrounding scrub and bramble held Chiffchaff and Stonechat. The walk concluded with a notable sighting of a Dartford Warbler, the first record for the monthly transect (which started in late 2020).
Twelve members took part in the walk, recording a total of 27 bird species. A big thank you to Mark for sharing his considerable conservation knowledge with the group.
