Windmill Hill
Situated on the eastern side of the reserve, the area comprises of 3.5 hectares of permanent grassland and 2.5 hectares of arable land. Seventy percent of the land is adjacent to managed arable farmland. The remaining thirty percent of the boundary is formed by Fen Brook with its associated ancient hedgerow.
Management of the arable area has concentrated on providing a winter feeding habitat for foraging farmland bird species. A spring sacrificial crop of mixed cereals is sown in March and is left through the winter months; it attracts large flocks of yellowhammers, reed buntings and chaffinch. Up to 90 skylarks have been recorded during the winter in the reserve and the adjacent farmland.
Although there has not been any decision to manage the area organically, management has followed this line. Fertilizers have not been used since the previous tenant sowed his last crop of wheat in 1995. This has proved very successful with the re-establishment of many common species of arable weeds.
The remaining land is permanent grassland managed for small mammals and invertebrates. Management of this area is by selective conservation grazing with a flock of Hebridean sheep; this provides a sustainable form of management and gives additional interest to visitors visiting the reserve.
Since entering DEFRAs stewardship scheme the arable area has become more diverse, hedgerows have been planted along all the boundaries. One hectare of pollen nectar mix grassland has been sown alongside 200 metres of beetle banks. Harvest mice were recorded for the first time on the beetle bank in 1998.