The whole farm is being regularly surveyed by a volunteer for the RSPB, who were pleased to note skylarks, meadow pipits, buzzards and yellowhammers amongst nearly forty different species. Their formal report and map will be ready in September this year. We try to increase the food available to countryside birds by planting spring sown cereal crops and leaving the wild hedge fruits untrimmed until the end of winter. Our resident swallows had to find other nest sites when the calf pens were converted to the processing dairy, but there are plenty of flies for them to feed on as we use mechanical fly control methods rather than insecticides.

It is a special privilege to walk out across our fields to fetch the cows in for milking on a sunny morning in May, with the view stretching for fifty miles and the skylarks singing in every direction. We continue to plant native broadleaf trees around the farm buildings, and time is showing which can grow despite the salt laden Atlantic gales. A large family of house sparrows live in the main cubicle building, and these are cheery companions right through the year as we work with the cattle. Keen birdwatchers are regular visitors to our holiday mobile home which enjoys wonderful views to the coast, and is set in a totally private acre of lawns.