Back in 1996 just 36 British bird species were judged to be in danger of extinction and placed on what’s called the Red List.  Just one generation later the list has doubled to 73 and now even includes house sparrows and starlings.

Skerningham’s tranquil woods, fields and pastures have been a safe haven for at least 20 of these threatened species, including:

Cuckoo
Fieldfare
Grasshopper warbler
Grey partridge
Grey wagtail
Herring gull
House sparrow
Lapwing
Lesser redpoll
Linnet
Mistle thrush
Redwing
Skylark
Song thrush
Starling
Tree sparrow
Willow tit
Yellowhammer
Yellow wagtail

And that’s just the most-threatened birds we see around Skerningham.

Amber-listed species are the next most-critical group and, of these, Skerningham has more than its fair share, too. They include:
Black-headed gull
Bullfinch
Common gull
Dipper
House martin
kestrel
kingfisher
Meadow pipit
Mute swan
Oystercatcher
Reed bunting
Stock dove
Swift
Tawny owl
Willow warbler

 

Other species which are protected under various Acts of Parliament and are seen round and about Skerningham include: Barn owl, Little Egret, Peregrine and Red kite.
 

That’s just the birds. Other protected Skerningham inhabitants include: Badger, Brown hare, Common toad, Golden-bloomed grey longhorn beetle and Wall butterfly

So, whatever your views about protected newts holding developers to ransom, you have to admit Skerningham deserves its place as a shelter for all these endangered species and thousands of happily “undangered” ones – as well as for the humans who venture there in their own search for stress-free sanctuary.