Description
As part of a wildlife-friendly farm management regime Bickley Hall Farm has species-rich hay meadows and pastures along with their flower rich margins and wild bird seed plots, bordered by diverse hedgerows are great for invertebrates, small mammals and in particular, hundreds of feeding farmland birds in autumn and winter, including poljski škrjanec.
Fields of spring sown cereals with overwintered stubbles host hundreds of finches and other seed eating birds (ščinkavec, lišček, rumeni strnad, repnik, trstni strnad, poljski vrabec, prosnik) and the mosaic of wet meadows, intersected by a network of ditches and scattered ponds are managed specifically for wintering and breeding wading birds (žvižgavka, kreheljc, kratkokljuna gos, beločela gos, priba, kozica).
Pegasta sova also known to breed here.
There is a 2 km circular walk that weaves its way through all the habitats and past Bar Mere - an SSSI.
Details
Access
Bickley Hall Farm is located just outside of Malpas in Cheshire. The site can be accessed by car or bike, or by foot if walking the popular Sandstone Trail walking route.
Main car parking and toilets only available Monday - Thursday, 9.30am - 4.30pm (P on the map), however, parking is also possible in the lay-by off Bickley Lane.
The circular walk is 2 km and only possible by foot. In winter after prolonged rain, expect mud near the Bar Mere.