JDog Posted May 26, 2017 Report Share Posted May 26, 2017 Not quite sporting pictures but you get the picture as it were. There is no chance of me shooting in this heat but there is no harm in looking. This morning I drove to a farm where there is usually one if not two fields of peas. Last year I took Mightymariner and Fenboy at different times to shoot there. Someone else also shoots there and that man leaves not only his cartridge cases but other rubbish all round his hide position. I hope to catch him one day. The peas are now 100mm high and one corner of the field has been the attention of quire a few pigeons by the look of it. It may be good when the weather cools down and the winds increase. I parked next to a strip of wild flowers as shown in the pictures. The area covered must have been 2ha. or thereabouts. Not only did it look a real treat but the sound of bees collecting pollen was almost deafening. This farmer deserves a medal for planting areas like this. Others would not give up a square inch or rather a square cm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted May 26, 2017 Report Share Posted May 26, 2017 now that is nice...........my farmer does similar with his CMS....but not to the standard and profusion as that...................you want to comment about that to him ...bet he would be dead chuffed to have someone comment on that............................im not a honey man...but i bet the bees make "some good stuff" around there.. made my day those pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted May 26, 2017 Report Share Posted May 26, 2017 Your farmer will reap the benefits by ensuring his crops are well polinated and the wildlife in general will better for it. Good on him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aga man Posted May 26, 2017 Report Share Posted May 26, 2017 I was under the impression farmers got paid as an incentive to grow these strips. Rumour has these payments could stop as we come out of the EU, will be interesting to see if farmers still grow them after that. I certainly hope so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted May 26, 2017 Report Share Posted May 26, 2017 Give the farmer his medal. Delightful ! He will also see an increase in wild birds. Thanks for posting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted May 26, 2017 Report Share Posted May 26, 2017 (edited) Only one word ... NICE!! About 12 yrs ago we planted some game strips using a very similar mix and the noise from the bees was incredible. When I planted my wood 20yrs ago I put a strip all around the outside the same effect. This year has been a good year for bumbles. I was about to settle in my shooting seat under a laurel bush to cover a feed area when I heard a buzzing, looked down and out from a disused rabbit hole came half a dozen 'BIG' bumbles, so decided to sit elsewhere. I bet that field is heaving with them, hope so. Thanks for sharing. Edited May 26, 2017 by Walker570 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winnie&bezza Posted May 26, 2017 Report Share Posted May 26, 2017 I was under the impression farmers got paid as an incentive to grow these strips. Rumour has these payments could stop as we come out of the EU, will be interesting to see if farmers still grow them after that. I certainly hope so. That's what I was told too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossy835 Posted May 26, 2017 Report Share Posted May 26, 2017 (edited) knowing farmers if they dont get payed, they wont grow it. Edited May 26, 2017 by mossy835 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konnie Posted May 26, 2017 Report Share Posted May 26, 2017 Excellent great pics, grand for a whole spectrum of wildlife. Farmers used to get paid for acres of setaside, the powers that be came up with the idea of altering this to 1m around the outside of fields. Now bare in mind a large amount of agricultural chemicals cannot be used within 1m of water courses/dykes etc. Nothing like paying for something you don't have too good old paper shufflers....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davyo Posted May 26, 2017 Report Share Posted May 26, 2017 JDog that's really beautiful,your really at one with the countryside and your posts always reflect that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lord_seagrave Posted May 28, 2017 Report Share Posted May 28, 2017 Far out, man. The bees are really out in force at the moment. Although I really cannot stand the colour there's no denying that the ceanothus is doing its bit for the pollinators. From first light it is covered in bumblebees. LS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yod dropper Posted May 31, 2017 Report Share Posted May 31, 2017 (edited) Fantastic, I bet it looked stunning, it gives me a warm glow. I've turned a lawn out the front over to Oxeye daisies, not only is it beautiful in my eyes but we get no end of insects in there and then damselflies on the hunt as well. It's more work than grass but well worth it. Edited May 31, 2017 by yod dropper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racing snake Posted June 2, 2017 Report Share Posted June 2, 2017 (edited) I was out sitting by the river a few evenings ago, wistfully waiting for the annual arrival of our sea trout, and my attention was drawn to two areas of pasture which were illuminated by the low, setting sun. One was a large, uncut pasture which had been set-aside for a silage cut in the near future, bereft of any flowering plants, and undoubtedly saturated in concentrated phosphate. The other, a narrow band of untouched wild meadow that had been left to nature for a number of years and was blossoming with a kaleidoscope of colour. In the diminishing light the differences between these two micro-ecosystems could not be more apparent. The meadow strip was almost biblical in its appearance, life abounding! Dancing ephemerella jostling for position in their aerial dance. Bumble bees of such numbers you could see the flower heads arcing over as they clumsily dropped onto the various heads. The air above the untouched strip was heaving with so many invertebrates it wasn't even possible to count the species never mind the totals, and I'm sure it was tenfold underneath. Meanwhile, in the silage meadow there was virtually nothing. It's almost as if nature had sanctioned her very own 'no fly zone' above the field and woe betide any individual who transgressed this unwritten rule. The depressing part about it - the barren grass meadow out-sized the untouched meadow by 100-1 easily. The sight was both glorious and utterly depressing in equal amounts. Thanks for posting the picture, it really does warm the heart. Edited June 2, 2017 by racing snake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon6ppc Posted June 10, 2017 Report Share Posted June 10, 2017 how are ya Mr Dog,fine and dandy,just thought ide pop in to say hello... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted June 10, 2017 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2017 how are ya Mr Dog,fine and dandy,just thought ide pop in to say hello... I thought you were no longer with us. I am well thank you. Please let us all have your news of derring do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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