Honeydale Farm Bird Report

* Several of the sown plots were particularly attractive for seed-eating birds, producing a large seed crop. These included the sown birdfood plots (HF12 or similar), including quinoa, fodder radish and mustard

* Female Stonechat, present on October 31st, the first record for the farm.

* Greenfinches and a Goldfinch on the deer fence, flushed from the sown area of wildflowers within and alongside of the fence, where they fed on abundant seedheads of e.g. Field Poppy.

* A single Red Kite was recorded on most visits, having previously been an irregular species. 

* The Raven, which was recorded on most visits.

* Common Buzzard hunting on the farm, a regular sight on each visit.

* Goldfinch feeding on yarrow

*Song Thrush

* Field Fare 

* Pair of Canada Geese flying low over the farm, 16th Feb 2016. 

Table. Highest count of wintering birds recorded on Honeydale Farm during the previous winter survey (Feb 2015, labelled 2015 in the column heading), compared with the present survey in Oct 2015-Feb 2016 (labelled 2016), with the percentage difference between maximum counts. Species in orange are of conservation concern, being Amber-listed species (25-50% national population decline since 1969), and those in red being Red-listed (population decline greater than 50%). Linnet, Skylark and Yellowhammer, in bold, were Red-listed species with a particularly good population at Honeydale Farm during winter, representing the most important species on the farm. Note: Lapwing, Golden Plover, Cormorant, Canada Goose and Lesser Black-backed Gull were only recorded flying over the site.