Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Cromwell Bottom Feeding Station

Morning all
I went down to CB this morning laden down with food as usual to top up the peanut feeders and place seed in the feeding station I have built up over the winter along the fence line between the river and Tag Loop at Cromwell Bottom. I topped up the peanut feeders on Tag and again had Green Woodpecker feeding under them. When I got to the feeding station along the fence lineI discovered to my horror that someone (I assume the Countryside Unit ?) has cut back the entire hedgerow along the fence leaving a long line of bean pole hawthorns and no shelter for the huge number of birds that had built up in the hedge over the winter.

When I went down yesterday to put out the food I counted 20+Bullfinches, 10+Goldfinch, a large mixed flock of Chaffinch & Greenfinch at least 40 strong, large numbers of tits, at least four Reed Buntings, Blackbirds , Robins and a hen Pheasant. This morning, after the clearance yesterday, I counted 3 great tits, a blackbird and a single robin along the whole line. Whoever did this has even chucked the trimmings under the remains of the trees and blocked off the clear feeding areas I have made to scatter seed when the wind/weather was bad.Thanks are due to which ever idiot in Calderdale authorised this work which has spoilt a whole winters feeding regime trying to build up bird numbers and species in this area. I am almost certain I had the first Yellowhammer at Cromwell Bottom in over two years at this hedgerow last week, so whoever did this has probable scuppered my chances of confirming the record, thanks once again :-((
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3 comments:

Matt Bell said...

Comment received via email from Colin Duke -

I am aware Paul was feeding along that fence line and did try to keep feeding areas clear. The whole hedge is going to be properly laid so needs pruining back now so the work can be completed next winter. There is still good cover just behind this line of the hedge. We still have about 40 meters to do at the south end which will take place next tuesday. The money has also been found to do the ramp from the bridge to the disabilites path, which will mean Tag loop path can be properly used. Colin.

Before anyone adds anything else, please try avoid this becoming a slanging match on the public blog! Thanks, Matt

2:32 pm
Goldon Gordon said...

And there I was thinking that some complete idiot had slashed down a hedge without giving thought to the consequences, when all along it was planned destruction of habitat. Of course the vast numbers of missing birds this morning were obviously not in on the scheme and would not have left the area had someone only told them it was for their own good really :-))

I never enter into slanging matches Matt, irony and sarcasm yes, slanging is for the intellectually challenged.

3:17 pm
darrell j prest said...

oh its the good old council!
im sorry but,'hedge properly laid, i think the amount of birds in the hedge last weekend eg 23 chaffinch 12 redwings and others would disagree!
as for the so called 'disabilities path' which was built by the 'btcv' has not encouraged anyone with disabilities,just dog walkers and idiots,and ruined a really quiet part of the area.
the council should spend the money on signs telling people its a nature reserve not 'vandalisim'

8:09 pm

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