This summer has been great as I have now seen the reserves through an entire year and have got to see some of the fantastic sights that I missed when I started last year. The Orchids at Fleecefaulds Meadow were stunning and the Bluebells by the sea at Kilminning coast were a real treat. The birds seem to like the new scrapes at Bankhead Moss as well with Lapwing, Mallard and Tufted Duck breeding this year.
The shepherds have been busy too, lambing some of the Flying Flock this year. The lambs have shot up over the summer and we now have more pure bred Shetland sheep to maintain the size of the flock and also some commercial cross-bred sheep which we intend to sell. The rest of the flock have been doing a good job browsing the Birch trees on Bankhead Moss and also doing some low intensity summer grazing at Lielowan and Fleecefaulds to improve the grasslands.
The weekend conservation volunteer days have been going well with a great deal achieved so far including the litter pick at Kilminning Coast and lots of thistle pulling at Fleecefaulds and Lielowan. Thanks to everyone who has got involved so far and if you are interested, please get in touch.
In the wider world of Fife, the Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP) officer and the local LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) Farmer are, as I write, planning an event in July to raise issues with local Councillors, MSP’s and MEP’s that are crucial to help farmers manage their land in a more wildlife friendly way. The Flying Flock is a prime example of how we are having to use traditional agricultural breeds to manage wildlife rich areas that are no longer suitable, or commercially viable, for modern farming methods.