Turning out the cows
We’ve had a busy few weeks here at Stirley getting the fields ready for some of our cows to go back out to the fields...
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Chewsing the best grazer for the job
Like humans, cows, sheep, ponies and goats each have their own preferences when picking what to eat for dinner. The different ways these animals graze creates unique grassland habitats. That'…
Cow parsley
The umbrella-like clusters of white, frothy flowers of cow parsley are a familiar sight along roadsides, hedgerows and woodland edges.
Caring for livestock – how we look after our conservation grazers
Katie Baker, South regional reserves assistant, explains just how much work goes into keeping our grazers amazing!
Winter grazing
We're no stranger to a harsh Yorkshire winter, but how do our grazing animals cope with such inclement weather and what do they do in the winter months? South Reserves Assistant, Katie Baker…
North Marsh: to boldly go where no cow has gone before…
Dave Powell, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s Living Landscapes Officer in the Vale of York, talks us through an exciting new venture which – at first glance – may seem fairly run of the mill…
Twin-lobed deer-fly
Many of us have felt the painful bite of the twin-lobed deer-fly (a 'horse-fly') while out walking in damp grasses or woods. But mostly, it prefers to feed on the blood of cows and…
Introducing the herd
Here at Stirley Farm we have a herd of cows who help us to graze our land. Here's an introduction to some of our main characters!
Notch-horned cleg-fly (horse fly)
The notch-horned cleg-fly isa horse fly dark grey in colour, with grey-brown mottled wings and intricately striped, iridescent eyes. There are 30 species of horse-fly in the UK; this is one of the…
The view from here - my life changing experience as a voluntary placement
Sara, one of our Telling Our Story volunteers, spoke to Dave Shipman who at 41, swapped his 9 – 5 for a year in wellies, wildlife, and wild weather on a Yorkshire Wildlife Trust voluntary…
Marmalade fly
Our most common hoverfly, the marmalade fly is orange with black bands across its body. It feeds on flowers like tansy, ragwort and cow parsley in gardens, hedgerows, parks and woodlands.