The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust’s (GWCT) annual Big Farmland Bird Count has long offered insight into the health of the UK’s birdlife. And, once again, gamekeepers, farmers and land managers across Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales are being called to take part.
This year’s event will take place on February 4-20, 2022.
The GWCT’s Dr. Roger Draycott states that, “Farmers and gamekeepers are vital in helping to ensure the survival of many of our cherished farmland bird species, such as skylark, yellowhammer, corn buntings and wild grey partridges. They are responsible for managing the largest songbird habitat in this country on their land, so they are in a position to make a real difference.”
This year marks the fourth count, which is sponsored by the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) – supported, among others, by the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU). This participation clearly demonstrates the farming community’s commitment to conserving farmland birds.
To take part, interested parties must to download a count sheet from the Big Farmland Bird Count website, and spend a total of 30 minutes between the allocated dates counting birds on one spot on farm, plus a few minutes inputting results via the website.
The event has been ongoing since 2014. For informative guides on counting and identifying birds, as well as biodiversity-boosting tips, refer to the website.