Harry Hoskyns-Abraha

striving for agroecological nirvana

[Harry Hoskyns-Abraha @harryhallwick]

@Bombora_ No legs either? Still no idea

[Harry Hoskyns-Abraha @harryhallwick]

@DeeWardRottal So I now use spirals or similar for hedge planting- not that I like that much. Hedges established with rabbit netting get away really well. So many people never take the netting off.

[Harry Hoskyns-Abraha @harryhallwick]

@DeeWardRottal Get the rabbit netting off that hedge when you can. Partridges will find it much more useful!

[Harry Hoskyns-Abraha @harryhallwick]

@DeeWardRottal Quite a few times I have found partridges killed by sparrow hawks up against rabbit netting.

[Harry Hoskyns-Abraha @harryhallwick]

@GethinJones123 @JasonEndfield @clwydforest Round here I’ve seen farmers push the old veteran trees over with 360 diggers- easier than felling with a chain saw and digging the roots up I imagine. All worth it for a few extra square feet of crop.

[Harry Hoskyns-Abraha @harryhallwick]

@wildforest_matt So sad. You have a point I think. Rewilding stated as the economic saviour of upland rural areas. But how many people visited that section of Hadrian’s Wall to see just that one tree in that setting. Now it’s gone local business will suffer.

[Harry Hoskyns-Abraha @harryhallwick]

@Gameandwildlife Closing off as many fields as I can for late summer hay cut and then delaying grazing until September.

[Harry Hoskyns-Abraha @harryhallwick]

@ScarecrowNeste1 I’ve seen it once. I have seen it suggested that it could be accidental; happening when the woodcock is flushed whilst brooding the chick.

[Harry Hoskyns-Abraha @harryhallwick]

@ScarecrowNeste1 So right. I just can’t find the nest.

[Harry Hoskyns-Abraha @harryhallwick]

Can anyone tell if this is a common spotted or northern marsh orchid which do occur in Teesdale apparently?#orchid

[Harry Hoskyns-Abraha @harryhallwick]

@blackgull @RobC25965133 Woodlark?

[Harry Hoskyns-Abraha @harryhallwick]

@magicmagpie34 @Gameandwildlife Agree but locally our main problem for partridges is earlier from female sparrow hawks before they start sittting taking out adult greys who always seem very visible in March and April. But we have lots of sparrow hawks and few foxes.

[Harry Hoskyns-Abraha @harryhallwick]

I find bumble bees hard enough to identify but this one might be easy for the experts? I’ve never seen it before and I spend more time than is healthy watching bees in the garden. Please help.

[Harry Hoskyns-Abraha @harryhallwick]

@magicmagpie34 Been there. Very unlucky at this stage with cover up. So sorry.

[Harry Hoskyns-Abraha @harryhallwick]

@CurlewSLakes Thanks- holes look very similar confirming my guess. Wow twitter is useful sometimes!

[Harry Hoskyns-Abraha @harryhallwick]

Finally. Having changed the grazing regime 2016 to allow some rough areas to develop, with @Ruralpay support, we have our first curlew nest in 25 years. Yes!!

[Harry Hoskyns-Abraha @harryhallwick]

@ScarecrowNeste1 @SpotyFlycatcher @DBC_Woodcock23 @tonymcguire1966 @Woolie_woo @BirderSouth Found it

[Harry Hoskyns-Abraha @harryhallwick]

@herdyshepherd1 I saw a grey partridge picking off buttercup flower heads the other day. I also know that roe deer, ponies and bees all love creeping buttercup.

[Harry Hoskyns-Abraha @harryhallwick]

@howemill @RSPBScotland @highlandsrewild @PastureForLife Great. I spread yellow rattle seed in all my hay meadows. It worked the best ever in this field this year following 6 years of no fertiliser and several hay cuts and cows last year. Literally thousands of plants coming.