News from the Verges

Andy Cockroft has asked me to post this.....


After a very busy few month it was good to out in Calderdale.As we all know Twites require access to a succession of seed sources throughout the breeding season. At first they feed upon seeds of annual meadow-grass and purple moor-grass(abundant in Calderdale). Moorland, quarry bottoms and reservoir edges provide important feeding sites. Later they switch to the seeds of dandelions(also abundant) as they become available, then to those of sorrels. Second broods of young are fed largely on the seeds of these sorrels, which are abundant in hay meadows and roadside verges. Access to a rich supply of these 1-2 km from the nest is crucial for the successful rearing of young. This is why if we save them from being cut until late September it will hopefully help the second brood. (which some believe is the reason why there is such a dramatic decline)The mowing of roadside verges before flowers set seed removes yet another source of food for the young to feed on..I think in the case of Twite every little bit of help we can give them the better.(I had a juv Stonechat in frount of the house yesterday,they are now very well established throughtout Calderdale,in 1991 there was only 1 record in the bird report.?)