By Anna Thompson, Wetlands Placement Student
Open Farm Sunday is an annual event coordinated by LEAF that allows farmers to share their goods, services, and conservation work with members of the public. The event offers free admission and caters to a wide range of interests, making it an enjoyable day out for everyone.
On 11 June, the Bisterne Estate held its annual Open Farm Sunday, welcoming around 1,300 visitors to learn about the estate’s activities over the last year. A tractor ride transported visitors around the farm to a dairy tour and a woodland walk featuring stalls and demonstrations from different trades. From beekeeping to fly-fishing and gun dog demonstrations, there was a lot to get involved in and learn about. Venison sausages and pheasant tasters from the BBQ stand were well received by many, and left people wanting more!
GWCT researchers from the Wetlands department attended to share their hard work focused on improving wader breeding success, carried out on the Bisterne Estate and other sites in the Avon Valley for a number of years. Improved habitat for nesting and chick-rearing, predator exclusion by use of protective electric fences, and legal predator control have played a crucial role in increasing the abundance of lapwing and redshank in the Avon Valley. Lapwing pair numbers for the whole Avon Valley reached 119 in 2022, along with an estimated 34 redshank pairs.
Small-scale lapwing in their various habitats were displayed
on boards for children to spot them from the hide.
Open Farm Sunday provided an opportunity for researchers to share the project’s progress and educate people on the rare waders found in the Avon Valley. A small hide was set up for children to spot lapwing and curlew in their various habitats using binoculars. Another game, whereby people had to identify lapwing nests in photos, helped to demonstrate how the eggs are camouflaged in the environment to avoid predation. Despite the rain, the visitors were very enthusiastic, and the ‘spot the lapwing nests’ and birdwatching games were a hit with the children.
Can you spot the lapwing nests? Some of them are trickier to find than others!
The day was a great success, and we would like to thank Bisterne Estate for inviting us to take part. Keep a look out for Open Farm Sunday next year. This incredible event offers something for everyone, so make sure not to miss it!