- Magog Trust News
- Bird Reports 2018
- Bird Reports 2017
- Bird Reports 2016
- Bird Reports 2015
- Earlier Bird Reports
Annual Reviews
Each year we now produce an 'Annual Review' for Friends and Members, which incorporates a summary of our formal Year-end Report, plus what we hope are some interesting highlights of the year in question.
The previous few Annual Reviews can be downloaded here:
Members and Friends are sent these annual reviews as soon as they are produced each summer, and have an opportunity to attend our AGM each October and raise any issues.
If you would like to become a Friend, you can read more on our Join Us page, and then complete the application form.
News from the Down prev : next
Bird Winter Feeding
Many visitors will have noticed a different-looking strip along the Northern edge of our arable patch. This strip is growing seeds for birds to feed on during the winter and early Spring. It contains a number of species - three cereals, mustard, millet, linseed, fodder radish and Phacelia tanacetifolia (the blue-flowered plant in the picture, right).
The mix was chosen to attract a range of birds including our resident finches: chaffinch, greenfinch, goldfinch, bullfinch and linnet; and our two buntings: yellowhammer and corn bunting.
The adjacent wood allows feeding birds to take cover from birds of prey.
We will be monitoring the birds feeding in the strip during the feeding season, and signs on site remind visitors to avoid disturbing the birds while they are feeding.
This bird-friendly innovation has been brought about by changes in the requirements of the European Agri-Environment schemes which are part of the Common Agricultural Policy.
August 2015
See also...
If you are interested in birds, you may also like to read what's on our Birds on Magog Down page.
Old Newsletters
Up until 2011 we produced a twice-yearly Newsletter, and you can still download copies of some of these here:
In 2011 the re-designed website was launched, and so the decision was taken to stop producing these Newsletters, and instead to use this website as the main means of communication for news and articles of interest.
This move away from a regular Newsletter meant that more of the Members' and Friends' subscriptions could be spent directly on the costs of upkeep and husbandry on the Down.
We would love every regular visitor to Magog Down to help support its upkeep by becoming a Friend. Read more on our Join Us page, and then complete the application form.