Norfolk rewilding project aims to help bird species in trouble

Norfolk rewilding project aims to help bird species in trouble

Wild Ken Hill may seem like the title of a birdwatcher with anger issues, but in Reality it is one of the first
Rewilding schemes in Norfolk.
People behind it state:”Wild Ken Hill is a project to return 1,500 acres of Norfolk land back into nature, allowing it become wild.”
Located near Snettisham RSPB, Snettisham Coastal Park and just off the A149 Kings Lynn to Hunstanton street, its aim is to dramatically improve the wildlife of the area, with organisers hoping for 2,000 species such as birds, mammals, plants, fungiand insects, reptiles and amphibians.
The initial reintroduction is beaver. These came just before the lockdown, with two females released into a 50-plus acre enclosure, and two men are on their way from the Tay inhabitants in Scotland. These were the very first beavers to return to Norfolk in more than 400 decades.
The females straight away got to
Work chopping up trees in the enclosure, which is regarded as the biggest in Britain with this particular species.
But before the beavers arrived, December 2019 was a significant time for the wetlands, since 500 acres were flooded after work was completed to control water levels with three diggers on site for four months, moving”a severe volume of ground”. The results may not have been better, using a wet December shortly tipping water over the sluice boards. Winter ducks and geese adored this fresh water, and a count of 80 Curlew was a welcome sight.
Despite lockdown, in spring, a local birder managed to survey some of the birds round the area, with early results showing five Red-listed species listed using the wetland, including Black-tailed Godwit and Curlew, together with Grasshopper Warbler, Lapwing and Ringed Plover breeding on-site.
Godwit, Bittern, Common Sandpiper, Garganey, Greenshank, Pintail, Shelduck, Shoveler, Snipe, Spoonbill, Teal and Wigeon, with Mallard, Marsh Harrier, Mute Swan, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Gadwall, Avocet and
Black-headed Gull all breeding.
Currently, birdwatchers tend to watch from the coastal park, also may view a large area of the undertaking. They’ve added several species feeding in the region, such as Spoonbills, Cattle Egret and Great White Egret, and even a set of Cranes in 2018, until the flood. Winter often sees both Hen Harrier and Short-eared Owl hunting over the area.
Future programs
Wood pasture is your theme for its future 500 acres, but before that, regions of non- native conifers and some broadleaved trees must be felled to start the wood, allowing ground vegetation to set.
Deer are currently found in the timber, together with Muntjac the commonest, and also in need of control. It is expected by 2021 to present herbivores, such as cattle, horses and pigs.
A number of public footpaths criss-cross the wood, and they will be a part of their’sensible’ accessibility into the area. Already Wood Larks are using the timber for breeding, together with two pairs located in 2020. These brand new open areas will hopefully boost numbers as the timber sits at a stronghold for the species in this section of Norfolk. Opening the woodland may even benefit Green Woodpecker and hopefully the fast-declining Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, together with Woodcock. Scrub, as seen at the rewilding at Knepp in West Sussex, is hoped to grow to be used by both Turtle Dove and Nightingale.
The rewilding region is only a little part of the family-owned farm, which extends to 4,000 acres. The rest was run as a standard farm, however even that is changing to a’regenerative agriculture’ which will cut back on chemicals, fertiliser and cost.
Ploughing will be very restricted as direct sowing will take over.
The team has created’ghost’ ponds by looking at old maps to discover where ponds were located around the farm. Wild flower patches are made around present field crops, also winter food patches. It appears every stone was turned to find the best for the land, and planning consent for hides has been employed for.
Wild Ken Hill is a member of the newly-launched Rewilding Europe.

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