AHW2: Supplementary winter bird food
What you must do to get paid for this action and advice on how to do it.
This is an action in the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme: expanded offer for 2024. You must read the SFI scheme information to understand the scheme rules and how to apply.
Duration
3 years
How much you바카라 사이트檒l be paid
拢732 per tonne per year 바카라 사이트� maximum of 1 tonne of supplementary winter bird food (action AHW2) for every 2 hectares (ha) of winter bird food (action CAHL2 in the expanded SFI offer or AHL2 in the SFI23 offer).
Action바카라 사이트檚 aim
This action바카라 사이트檚 aim is that over the winter until mid-spring there바카라 사이트檚 a mix of seeds spread on the ground at multiple feeding areas.
The purpose of this is to provide seed-eating farmland birds with supplementary food when:
- seed is in short supply in the late winter period (known as the hungry gap)
- their breeding season starts in early spring
Where you can do this action
You can only apply for this action if CAHL2 (winter bird food) or AHL2 in the SFI23 offer is included in your agreement. This action is not available for equivalent actions in a Countryside Stewardship agreement. This includes:
- OP2 (wild bird seed mixture)
- AB9 (winter bird food)
You must do this action on land that바카라 사이트檚:
- firm and free draining, such as farm tracks or hard standing areas
- close to areas of existing winter bird food, enhanced overwinter stubbles or game cover
What to do
You must spread a winter supplementary feeding mix in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action바카라 사이트檚 aim, including:
- dividing the total weight of mix as equally as possible between the multiple feeding areas
- spreading the mix at least once a week from over the winter until mid-spring in the following year (usually from early December to late April)
You must use a winter supplementary feeding seed mix that contains both:
- cereals (not maize) 바카라 사이트� these should make up no more than 70% of the total mix by weight
- small non-cereal seeds 바카라 사이트� these should make up at least 30% of the total mix by weight, with no individual species being more than 50% of the non-cereal element by weight
The small non-cereal seeds element must contain at least 3 of the following species:
- canary seed
- linseed
- oilseed rape
- red millet
- sunflowers
- white millet
You must not:
- use feed hoppers to supply more than around 10% of the seed mix during each feeding period (from later winter to mid-spring)
- use tailings (small seeds and chaff removed from the harvested crops) in the seed mix
You must keep a written 바카라 사이트榝eeding diary바카라 사이트� which includes:
- details of the mix used, including the weight of the cereals and small non-cereal seeds elements and cost
- feeding dates
- method of feeding 바카라 사이트� spreading or hopper
- amount fed
- location of feeding areas
When to do it
You must do this action each year of its 3-year duration.
If this action바카라 사이트檚 start date means it바카라 사이트檚 too late for you to do this action, you must start doing it within 12 months of the action바카라 사이트檚 start date.
In the final year of this action바카라 사이트檚 duration, you must do this action until mid-spring, or this action바카라 사이트檚 end date, whichever is earlier.
How to do it
It바카라 사이트檚 up to you how you do this action, as long as you:
- follow this action바카라 사이트檚 requirements 바카라 사이트� these are identified by a 바카라 사이트榤ust바카라 사이트�
- do the action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve this action바카라 사이트檚 aim
You may find it helpful to read the 바카라 사이트榓dvice to help you do this action바카라 사이트�, but it바카라 사이트檚 not part of this action바카라 사이트檚 requirements.
Evidence to keep
You must keep the required written feeding diary. This can be recorded on paper or electronically. You must supply this evidence if we ask for it.
Other actions or options you can do on the same area as this action
You can do the following actions or options on the same area in a land parcel as this action.
Some actions or options can only be done on the same area if they바카라 사이트檙e done at a different time of year to this action. For example, winter cover followed by a summer companion crop. Read 바카라 사이트榃hat to do바카라 사이트� and 바카라 사이트榃hen to do it바카라 사이트� to find out when this action must be done.
| Scheme | Action or option codes |
|---|---|
| SFI 2024 actions | Same as base action |
| SFI 2023 actions | Same as base action |
| CS options | Same as base action |
| ES options | Same as base action |
| SFI pilot standards | Same as base action |
If an action or option cannot be located on the same area, you may be able to do it on a different area in the same land parcel. Read section 6 바카라 사이트楨ligible land in other funding schemes바카라 사이트� in the SFI scheme information for more details.
You can do the following actions or options on the eligible boundaries of a land parcel entered into this action:
- SFI 2024 actions: CHRW1, CHRW2, CHRW3, BND1, BND2 and WBD2
- SFI 2023 actions: HRW1, HRW2, HRW3
- CS option BE3 (management of hedgerows)
- the introductory level of the SFI pilot hedgerows standard
Advice to help you do this action
The following advice may help you to do this action, but it바카라 사이트檚 not part of this action바카라 사이트檚 requirements.
Choosing a supplementary feeding seed mix
This action explains the minimum requirement for the winter supplementary feeding seed mix (under 바카라 사이트榃hat to do바카라 사이트�).
An example seed mix could include:
- 50% wheat
- 20% naked oats
- 15% white millet
- 10% oilseed rape
- 5% sunflower hearts
Choosing the right location for feeding areas
When planning which feeding areas to use, check you can reach them regularly. This is important if bad weather will cause you problems travelling to them during the winter.
When to start spreading the feeding mix
It바카라 사이트檚 advisable to start spreading the winter supplementary feeding mix before the sown winter bird food runs out. This keeps farmland birds using the areas and prevents a dip in their winter condition.
How often to feed
This action requires you to feed at least once a week.
You can:
- feed smaller amounts of seed more often, to match the birds바카라 사이트� consumption
- stagger feeding over a number of days at different feeding areas
This can help to reduce:
- seed spoilage, so there바카라 사이트檚 a fresh supply of food to keep birds healthy
- the amount of feeding mix eaten by non-target species such as rodents, crows and pigeons 바카라 사이트� this is important when ground feeding or if hoppers are unprotected
Try to disperse the seed mix across the feeding area, instead of leaving it in piles.
How much to feed
This action requires you to divide the total weight of mix as equally as possible between the multiple feeding areas.
For example, to supply up to around 500 kilograms (kg) of seed at each feeding area you can spread the mix:
- so there바카라 사이트檚 an average of around 25kg at each feeding area during the feeding period 바카라 사이트� you can vary the amount of seed to match demand, so seed is not left uneaten
- once a week for 20 weeks 바카라 사이트� you may need to feed for longer if the winter period is extended due to bad weather, so birds are not left with a 바카라 사이트榟ungry gap바카라 사이트� before natural seed resources become available
Keeping feeding sites clean
It바카라 사이트檚 important to keep feeding areas clean for the health of the birds.
To minimise the risk of disease and parasites spreading between birds using the feeding areas, you can:
- not spread the seed mix too thickly or leave it in piles 바카라 사이트� this can encourage the build-up of harmful parasites and attract non-target species such as rats
- limit the use of feed hoppers
- spin or scatter the seed mix to avoid creating feed piles or long trails
- stop feeding if there is a visible build-up of uneaten food 바카라 사이트� you can start again when the seed mix has been eaten
- move the location of feeding areas regularly
Updates to this page
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How much you바카라 사이트檒l be paid - added AHL2 in the SFI 2023 offer. Action바카라 사이트檚 aim - deleted 바카라 사이트榝irm and free draining, such as farm tracks or hard standing areas바카라 사이트� and 바카라 사이트榗lose to areas of winter bird food, enhanced overwinter stubbles or game cover바카라 사이트�. Added 바카라 사이트榠n early spring바카라 사이트� to the breeding season. Where you can do this action - added AHL2 in the SFI 2023 offer. This action is not available for Countryside Stewardship options OP2 or AB9. You must do this action on land that바카라 사이트檚 firm and free draining and close to areas of existing winter bird food, enhanced overwinter stubbles or game cover. Published voluntary advice to help you do this action, but it's not part of this action바카라 사이트檚 requirements.
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First published.