Conservation Matters

Conservation Matters; it should matter to everyone, but it certainly matters to us. This wild Kingfisher has been a regular visitor to our farm for many years. Perhaps it isn't the same one these days, perhaps its offspring are coming now... It all started when a farm two miles up stream of us allowed a tiny amount of SP sheep dip into the river. Everything died, except snails and a few trout--ironically--but not enough.
There wasn't enough food for the wild Kingfishers and they would have starved without us here! But fortunately our ponds were unaffected.

A wild Kingfisher at Keer Falls

[Please Note: The pictures of wild creatures on this web site are all real; the creatures in these pictures were not harmed by us, and all remain wild and free after the pictures were taken. No traps or nets were used, just patience and opportunity. If you work as closely with nature as I do, you are sometimes rewarded with these wonderful, unrepeatable moments!]

Tewitfield Coarse Fishery have kindly provided us with grazing for our sheep for many years now. As part of our agreement, I mow nettles and other weeds there regularly and in so doing, I am always careful not to damage the Oystercatcher "nests" there. These can be very difficult to spot, it takes a lot of patience, but it is worth it, when you see the chicks running about!

An Oystercatcher chick at Tewitfield

The same chick a week before!

It's not just the birds, the conservation work that we do also promotes insect life. These blue butterflies [I'm not certain of the species] seem to be quite abundant around the birds-foot trefoils that we find in the rushy pastures of the farm.

Blue butterflies

Birds-foot Trefoil in rushy pastures

These three picture were taken only a few feet from the front door!

A Moorhen's nest on the pond

A Common Lizard sunning himself