How One Farmer Has Rung 80,000 Farmland Birds

There’s never a day without food on the ground at Brewery Farm, Suffolk. That’s how farmer and keeper Graham Denny has managed to ring over 80,000 birds across his 200-acre holding - proof that when supplementary feeding is done right, it transforms the fortunes of farmland wildlife.

Graham’s approach is simple but relentless. Most mornings through winter, he’s out on the quad scattering seed by hand; feeding along the hedgerows and into the cover crops where the little birds can feast safe from avian predators. It’s a rhythm of life that keeps the hedges alive with linnets and yellowhammers throughout the year.

That consistency comes from a serious feeding regime. Alongside the 15 tonnes of wheat hand-fed for gamebirds, Graham’s Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier agreement includes the AB12 Supplementary Feeding option, which pays for 3.5 tonnes of wheat and small seed. On top of that, he puts out 10–15 tonnes of rape dressings for songbirds, and hand feeds small seed through the summer months for his turtle doves - a true belt-and-braces approach.

"If you’re using wild bird feeders without regular cleaning, you’re increasing disease risk - something that feeding into winter bird covers and hedges avoids. If you see a sick bird, even if its 1 in 1,000, you should stop using feeders. Especially with Bird Flu being so prevalent, multi-site feeders can be real spreaders of disease."

He also identifies that feeding onto tracks can be problematic, as there is a risk of spreading disease through puddles and ruts, which are breeding grounds for pathogens. He recommends scattering seed widely, and if you’ve got the option of feeding into the bottom of a good hedgerow, this will keep larger birds such as pigeons and rooks off, which tend to be the disease carriers.

Walk the farm and you’ll see why it works. The hedgerows are a mix of old and new growth; brambles climbing through fruit trees, thick blackthorn, and tall banks of hawthorn where turtle doves like to nest. Graham lays his hedgerows over with a telehandler bucket, which creates incredibly dense and well protected thickets: "it’s more difficult for predators to hunt than a traditionally laid hedge, as it leaves far more cover and isn’t as uniform."

His system that demands time and patience but delivers in spades. The result is a farm alive with birdsong, even through the depths of winter. As a former Silver Lapwing and Purdey Award winner, and now a Schöffel Awards finalist, Graham has long been recognised for his dedication. But he’s quick to point out that success isn’t about any one measure or mix; it’s about joining the dots.

"You’ve got to put everything into it," he explains. "If you plant cover for birds but don’t have food on the ground, it won’t work. If you feed it but don’t control the rats, you create more problems. It’s no good doing one thing but not the others."

That holistic mindset is exactly what Oakbank encourages. Supplementary feeding bridges the hungry gap - keeping birds on farm when natural seed sources run low in late winter and early spring - and it complements the wider habitat work done.

The right seed mix, placed in the right spots, and topped up with supplementary feed can mean the difference between birds surviving or not. When feeding is done right, it’s not just about compliance, it’s about conservation that lasts.

"If you want to see more birds," Graham says, "you’ve got to look after them regularly and make sure there’s enough food for every day."

💡 Read Oakbank’s full guide to supplementary feeding under AB12 and AHW2

📞  Talk to the team today about mix options and practical feeding advice for your farm. At Oakbank, we supply AB12 and AHW2 supplementary winter bird food mixes specifically designed to keep farmland birds fed and healthy while meeting scheme compliance. Choose between complete, premium, budget or bespoke mixes depending on your needs.