I've been invited to go in to the quarry surroundings by Marshalls.
They've been alerted to the possibility of Twite and are willing to start a feeding station, which I'm willing to run (on a voluntary basis.) No public access, unfortunately, but I could ask for it if it works out. I would try and make any feeding station visible from the road.
First visit yesterday, 2nd April, produced above species, among others, and a Brown Hare.
Is it worth putting down nyjer seed in the chance of bringing in twite? The closest I've seen any is at Buckstones, about a mile away. There are a few pools which didn't dry up in the hot March we just had.
There aren't a lot of weeds producing early seed, like dandelion, and annual meadow-grass, but these are just beginning to colonise. There's lots of sorrel for later seed - said to be a major food, though I've never seen any feeding on it.
Suggestions re twite feeding welcome, as are any current sightings in the area.
3 comments:
Great idea Steve. Twite seem to love old quarries as at Derby Delph and Fulshaw. Niger seed at Elland Pet supplies is around £40 per 25kg bag so not a cheep job. I use around 50kg a season at Fly Flatts but Twite numbers there are lower each year. We start feeding end of Feb till early Nov but only rarely get wintering birds although not sure if Tim gets wintering birds at Derby Delph.
Sorrell is a good plant for them dandelion and yello rattle, thistles etc.....They seem to like Niger where they can see it such as gravel areas. I might have some detailed info somewhere!
Agreed, feeding station a good idea, perhaps only spring and autumn though? Not sure of current advice on this, may be worth checking with RSPB recovery project team?
I would go with Nicks comments on this. Early spring because of potential snow cover making it difficult for birds to find seed and in late summer/autumn after the farmers have depleted the seed supplies available in the fields. Not in winter as they should have moved on to coastal salt marshes, and, perhaps (?), not in summer as it would be aiding an increase in population size far greater than what the "natural" surroundings would normally support. This would only serve to bolster the local Merlin population in the same way that Sparrowhawks make use of garden bird tables. I'd rather the local Merlins go hunting Meadow Pipits than congregate around a Twite feeding station, so care needs to be exercised in choice of site. Not too exposed or open and close enough to cover to allow the Twite to escape predation. Derby Delph has been a real success whereas other feeding stations appear to have been less so. This maybe (?) due to it's more sheltered aspect or a combination of some of the factors mentioned above. There is plenty of bracken cover very close to the feeding area and, of course, the quarry walls themselves provide cover and shelter from predation and the weather. I reckon that the most vulnerable period is after the local farmers start taking in silage, and before the twite start moving to the coast. Sounds like a really good idea to me.
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