Amongst the portfolio of properties and land owned locally by the Charities, are two ancient, wooded areas which are a haven for wildlife.
Both have been recognised as Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) since 2005 and have been carefully maintained under the stewardship of the Charities.
The woods are home to many species of songbirds and to ensure their continuing survival the Trustees employ a naturalist to install, maintain and monitor birdboxes throughout the breeding season, into winter.
The boxes are protected by being high off the ground with special metal inserts in the access hole to stop predation by other larger birds, such as woodpeckers and also animals like squirrels, both of which are capable of enlarging the hole if it was solely made of wood.
Last year, for instance, just over 100 Tits and Great Tits were successfully hatched, ringed and fledged from the birdboxes. Many more bred in the hedgerows and holes in the trees and the woods are constantly alive to the sound of birdsong throughout the spring. The dawn chorus is something to behold!
Owls have also bred in the woods in specially designed boxes and while barn owls have also been attracted to the area recently, they have not yet succeeded in raising youngsters.
Barn owls can be extremely shy and it’s hoped that in 2024 they will have the confidence to breed in their purpose-built box and add to the growing wildlife diversity.
At a time when the natural world has taken quite a hit because of HS2 locally, it’s good to know that in the Charities’ wooded safe haven our songbirds and many other kinds of wildlife, like foxes and badgers, are prospering.