Tag: birds

A short blogpost written by recent guest Sue Rickard Staying at Denmark Farm is to be immersed in nature. We were there in May when everywhere was full of spring flowers and the new leaves on the beech trees were soft and silky, creating great canopies of greenness that one could stare into, dreaming of […]

A MIXED PICTURE FOR THE BREEDING BIRDS OF DENMARK FARM Guest blogpost written by Ian Morris This year a total of 36 species of bird were detected during a series of surveys. This compares with 39 in 2016 and 45 in 2012. The overall total number of breeding pairs has also declined very slightly over […]

On a brief walk round the farm this morning 8 male Pied Flycatchers were located. This is a very high number for such a small site but actually rather low compared with a detailed survey in 2012 which found 16 territories. The reason for the apparent decline is hopefully due to the timing of the […]

It is advisable to have your nest box installed by November if you want it to be used the following year – this gives birds time to get used to it before the breeding season – although you can put them up as late as February. However, it may take several years before a new box […]

We have been lucky to be part of an ambitious project to increase the very small breeding population of Kestrels in Ceredigion. Though still common in England, less than a hundred  pairs breed in Wales. A limiting factor locally is thought to be a lack of suitable nest sites  and with this in mind the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales has since 2008 been  installing boxes throughout the county.     Read more about the WTSWW North Ceredigion Kestrel Project   Mike Hayward, Richard Hartnup and Steve Cuttle have now installed a box at Denmark Farm and we are hoping that the rodent rich grassland might be able to support a pair. All we can do  now is wait with fingers crossed. Even if Kestrels are not attracted to the site other species  such as […]

The period between November and New Year is the best time to install new bird boxes and check existing ones. Birds will often start to inspect prospective sights by late winter. Of course, you can make your own but a wide range of types can be purchased designed to attract different species. If you are putting […]

This week a pair of Spotted Flycatchers had a lucky escape at Denmark Farm. Eagle-eyed campers noticed a nondescript brown bird entering the flue of the wood burner for the yurt.  It seemed possible that they had seen a Spotted Flycatcher using the pipe as a nest site so I popped up to take a […]

Despite relentless rain we can gain great hope from the gradually lengthening days and a few early snowdrops emerging from the sodden ground. With black Friday and blue Monday now behind us it is time to shake off any glumness and find a tonic to cheer yourself up. Pull on your wellies and go out […]

A recent highlight at Denmark Farm was the sighting of a kingfisher from the lakeside hide. At this time of year, juveniles are looking for territories of their own and can often turn up in gardens and local ponds in the hope of a quick snack. The lakeside hide provides an excellent viewing point, with the entrance to the hide concealed […]

June 8th to 16th June is Wales biodiversity week, and to celebrate this, a week of wildlife-themed events is being held across Wales.  At Denmark Farm, we are holding a ‘Marvellous moths’ night with Ceredigion moth group on Thursday 13th June from 8.30 to 10 pm, followed by a moth ‘morning after’ session at 10 am […]

We’re really excited to have had 3 separate sightings of woodcock at Denmark Farm recently – each in a different part of the reserve, so we may have several birds here. The woodcock is a highly secretive and largely nocturnal wading bird which spends most of the day in dense cover – so we are […]

As an antidote to some of the more commercial and not-so-green festive practices, we’d like to share with you our top 5 tips for a greener Christmas… 1) Shop with and support local businesses, producers and craftspeople. Pop into The People’s Market, held in Victoria Hall, Lampeter, on the 2nd and 4th Saturday every month, from […]

News just in, from a breeding bird survey carried out at Denmark Farm this spring … Our surveyor, Ian Morris,  found that 199 pairs of birds are using our 40 acres to breed and he recorded a total of 45 different species.  Studies undertaken in previous years  have suggested that the number of birds here is […]

This week (2 – 10 June), the RSPB launch  ‘Make Your Nature Count’, the UK’s largest garden wildlife survey. We are holding our own ‘Make your Nature Count’ event at Denmark Farm on Sunday 10th June at 2 pm to celebrate Wales Biodiversity week.   Come along and help us with the survey in our own wildlife garden. If […]

There has been a recent stream of  summer migrant birds arriving back at Denmark Farm, heralding in the Spring.  Chiff chaffs, willow warblers and blackcaps are now singing away alongside our resident blackbirds and wrens. The male pied flycatchers arrived last week, and are busy establishing territories around our numerous nest boxes and waiting for the females to […]

Denmark Farm Conservation Centre, near Lampeter, is calling for four more Ceredigion communities to put their names forward if they want to work together to improve the local environment, for wildlife and for their enjoyment.  ‘Wildlife Where You Live’ (WWYL), which is managed by Denmark Farm Conservation Centre, helps people to identify and implement environmental […]

Early signs of Spring are all around us this year. The rich habitat of Denmark Farm is no exception with Tree Creepers already heard calling. We are looking forward to running a Bird Identification course here at Denmark Farm from 20-22 April 2012. More information about this course plus our complete 2012 programme consisting of […]

Our ‘Wildlife Where you Live’ programme  is moving  apace, with nearly 15 events so far this summer and lots more to come. Our community wildlife groups  in Ceredigion have been discovering a whole range of wildlife on their doorsteps – from green-winged orchids in Llangeitho to pondlife in Ciliau Aeron and a vast variety of  fascinating creatures living in the […]

Pond-dipping near Cilcennin Wildlife Where you Live (WWYL) is a three-year programme co-ordinated by Denmark Farm. The project works with local communities in Ceredigion to help them find out more about the wildlife and habitats around them, and to identify and implement environmental improvements. 8 communities are involved so far:  Cilcennin, Cilau Aeron, Pontrhydfendigaid, Llandewi Brefi, Llanafan, Llangeitho, Llanilar and […]

For the last 3 weeks, a group of volunteers have braved the showers at Denmark Farm to learn green woodworking skills and help local craftsperson Jamie Miller to build this amazing shelter by the lake: (the sweet chestnut shingles represent a bird’s feathers). The lakeside shelter, built as part of our ‘Wildlife Where you Live’ programme, will be […]

Probably! The  Eco-campsite opened at Easter, and we were thrilled to read the feedback left by one of our visitors: “Wow! The most perfect campsite we (two adults) have ever been too! Peaceful, beautiful countryside, with so much wildlife (bats, butterflies, birds (some of which I had never seen before!) which all make the most […]