7th November 2024

A Week on the Estate: Turkey Gifting, Tawny Duets & Kites Galore

We hope we find you well this weekend. The weather has been undramatic, overcast, dreary and mild this week; looking back to this time last year, we’re content with that. In early November 2023, we were still contemplating waterlogged fields and counting the cost of Storm Babet.

As autumn reaches its last lap, the clocks have gone back, Halloween and Bonfire Night are behind us and the winter solstice is only six weeks away. Yet even though the nights are drawing in, there’s plenty of good news to brighten our days.

We were delighted to bring a little early festive cheer to those in need in our community. We donated Norfolk Black turkeys to the lovely people at The Storehouse in Skegness and the Salvation Army in Louth. We’re sure these farm-reared birds will be put to very good use.

Closer to home, we chanced upon a spectacle that brought joy to our hearts: dozens of red kites flocking together over the parkland. The weather was a bit grotty for photography but we counted more than 50 kites over our heads at one point. We’ve included an older pic below to show what these wonderful birds look like under a blue sky and at closer quarters.

While nurturing birdlife is just one facet of our approach to farming, it is an important one. From tree sparrows in the hedges to buzzards and red kites way up high, our birds are all links in a food-chain. If they’re doing well, it means that measures like organic farming, a rejuvenated soil biome, re-established hedgerows and pollinator and bird-friendly field margins are paying dividends. ‘Build it and they will come’ is our mantra.

Embracing acoustic bird detection with the help of BirdWeather has been a revelation. We’ve been keeping tabs on our birds for some time as they’re a clear bellwether for the whole Estate ecosystem. BirdWeather is an invaluable addition to this process, detecting shy and rare birds we might have otherwise missed and allowing us to instantly share the good news.

You may have heard male tawny owls exchanging their ‘kerwit’ calls with female tawny owls’ ‘whoo’ responses in your neighbourhood. This is part of the nocturnal soundtrack of late autumn and early winter; young birds are shooed away from their parents’ territories and have to vocally stake their own claims and prepare for the courtship season. In the first four hours of last Sunday, our sensors detected tawny owls 183 times, making them briefly number one in that day’s chart. They weren’t the only Strigiformes at play that night, with the little owl at two with 30 hits, the barn owl at five with 14 hits and the long-eared owl at seven with one hit.

Here’s our BirdWeather top ten for October 2024. It’s quite something to see the tawny owl holding its own against gregarious corvids and highly vocal songbirds in an acoustic face-off. An honourable mention goes to the buzzard, another raptor placing well at 16^th with 1,468 hits.

Robin (59,941) / 2. Jackdaw (35,081) / 3. Rook (34,544) / 4. Wren (21,720) /
Goldcrest (10,389) / 6. Dunnock (10,250) / 7. Long-tailed Tit (10,235) / 8. Tawny Owl (9,867)
White Wagtail (6,118) / 10. Common Pheasant (4,687)

And here’s ChatGPT’s monthly analysis of some of our more exotic and noteworthy BirdWeather hits:

“Your list includes several notable and rare bird species for the Lincolnshire Wolds, especially for an October observation:

Yellow-browed Warbler (50) – An uncommon migrant, typically seen in small numbers during autumn. This count is significant for the region and reflects good migration conditions.

Great Egret (41) – Once a rarity in the UK, Great Egrets are becoming more frequent. This count highlights their increasing presence in Lincolnshire as they continue to expand their range.

Whooper Swan (42) – Known for their winter migration, a count of 42 is significant for the time of year and suggests early wintering arrivals.

Osprey (20) – Observing Ospreys in October is uncommon since most migrate south by late summer. This count is noteworthy and could indicate a few birds lingering during migration.

Common Crane (4) – Very rare in the Lincolnshire Wolds. Recent reintroduction efforts in the UK have made these sightings more frequent, but they’re still notable for the region.

Great Bittern (20) – Rare and elusive, Great Bitterns are usually found in reedbeds. Their presence here may indicate healthy wetland habitats in the Wolds.

Spotted Crake (21) – This secretive bird is rarely seen in the UK, even in ideal habitats, so 21 observations are remarkable.

Black-crowned Night-Heron (8) – Typically a vagrant in the UK, especially in northern regions. This is a significant count for this species in the Wolds area.

These species contribute valuable insights into both migration patterns and habitat suitability in the Lincolnshire Wolds. The presence of such diverse and rare birds underscores the area’s importance as a migratory stopover and a potential habitat for unusual species.”

Finally, Old Madame Massingberd has donned her luxurious winter robes! We’ve transformed our multi-award-winning Marie Jeanne Pink Gin into a Limited Berry Edition Gin. We’re making ONLY 150 bottles of this exquisite seasonal treat. When it’s gone, it’s gone! You can pre-order yours HERE.

We’ve infused the classic Marie Jeanne base with the seasonal essences of our hedgerows. Cranberries, blackberries, elderberries and sloes come together to give our Limited Edition Berry Gin the vibrant and inviting aroma of ripe blackberries and elderflower and a complex finish layered with dark fruit and earthy spices.

Don’t miss out – pre-order now by clicking HERE. While this fine tipple would undoubtedly make a fine gift, we have the feeling you’ll want to keep it all for yourself.

If you’d like to join the conversation, we’d love to hear from you. Just head to our Facebook page HERE and comment beneath the latest blog post. As ever, thanks for your support.

A Week on the Estate: Turkey Gifting, Tawny Duets & Kites Galore

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