| Airfield is currently Closed for renovations until late Autumn 2013. Please note Airfield's Cafe is also closed. Join our Facebook page for regular updates. |
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(Wild) Life goes on at Airfield...
New site supervisor...
A resident of Airfield Estate has recently taken up the mantle of site supervisor. Over the last few weeks, construction workers who have been building our new farm centre, located near the red barn, have noticed their labours being silently scrutinised by a young fox. He appears regularly, crossing the field from the Holywell direction to examine the on-going activity. During some of the bright winter weather he has stretched out on the mound of hardcore, bathing in the sunshine. Workers say that all the while he keeps one eye open watching the proceedings.
Successful hunting...
While all the exciting developments are happening around the estate, life continues as normal for all the resident wildlife. One day recently, great bird activity was noticed down at the railway field hedgerow. High up in an elm tree eight or nine magpies screeched and called and two grey crows flapped their wings and cawed loudly. All were very agitated. We expected to see a fox or farm cat skulking along the ditch causing this alarm but when we looked, there was none. Instead we realised there had been a kill. Pigeon feathers littered the grass next to the hedgerow and a tuft of wing feathers were found on the wire fence next to this. A sparrow hawk frequently seen in the sky over Airfield had a successful hunting expedition. It snatched the pigeon –which is much bigger! from the air with its talons and forced it against the wire where it killed the larger bird. The sparrow hawk then ate his lunch on the grass, much to the horror of the watching gallery of magpies and crows!
Recently found...
While work was being carried out on the hedgerows an interesting find was made. Tucked in between the limbs of some old hawthorn trees, pockets of gnawed rosehips were found. Teeth could clearly be seen in the remaining orange flesh that was clinging to the hairy seeds. They were probably stored by a small mammal. We are hoping to set small mammal traps* so that we can identify the owner of the rosehip store. Watch this space –all will be revealed!
N.B. - These traps are specially designed not to harm the little creatures that will then be released back into the wild.
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