Situated all around the old farm buildings (now office buildings and the big Manor Farm house), and looking down over the Flood Plain Forest Nature Reserve itself (main Lakes, Manor Farm Pits etc.), the Cattle Fields form one of the largest single areas of my Manor Farm patch, and definitely the largest open space.
As a side note I call the area the Cattle Fields here, but in truth the cattle are only in the fields part of the year (my least favourite time, I don't really have a great relationship with cows, they have a tendency to not like me either!), at other times the fields lay empty and at yet others they hold flocks of sheep, so really they are just utility fields but Cattle Fields is a much nicer name!
Introducing the Patch - Cattle Fields
The fields them selves often contain Geese and Ducks through the winter months, while Spring then can produce migrants like Wheatear and Yellow Wagtail. Through Summer, the air is filled with Swallows and House Martins as they hawk for insects over the cow pats!
The Fields to the South of the farm buildings, have a great deal of history, similar to those beside the Church Yard, there was once a medieval village stood here. The old farm pond once held a Shelduck nest, there are old owl boxes and large trees that offer some interesting possibilities.
Below the farm buildings the old oaks have held Little Owls (before the work started on the quarry they were very regular, now they are occasional, although I assume still resident). I have watched Stoat and Water vole (a number of years ago) near these fields and in heavy snow numerouse small mammal tracks can be found.
Map
Other Photos
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