Jeremy Clarkson, former Top Gear presenter and star of Amazon Prime’s Clarkson’s Farm, recently shared a heartfelt reflection on the state of wildlife when he took over Diddly Squat Farm. Having purchased a thousand acres including Curdle Hill Farm back in 2008, Clarkson found the Chipping Norton farm managed by a tenant until 2019, when he decided to try his hand at farming himself.
Upon starting his hands-on farming journey, Clarkson was struck by the stark absence of birds circling the sky above the farm. Writing in the Sunday Times Magazine, he revealed, “Since 1970 their numbers have plummeted by more than 60 per cent, and when I first bought Diddly Squat this sorry state of affairs was obvious. I’d go for a walk and the skies were completely empty.” This sobering observation left him feeling “sad.”
Motivated to make a difference, Clarkson adopted several environmentally conscious practices. He stopped trimming hedges near roads and expanded the margins around fields from the legally required four to six meters up to ten meters in some areas—sacrificing some crop yield to foster a healthier habitat for birds. He also dug ponds across the farm, providing essential water sources for local wildlife, and planted wildflower strips to attract insects, serving as “tasty snacks” for the birds.
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To further enhance biodiversity, Clarkson consulted bird expert Hannah Bourne-Taylor, known for her dedication to bird conservation—even famously extending a trip to Ghana by 84 days to care for a bird nesting in her hair. Bourne-Taylor advised additional habitat improvements, including planting various native flora and creating more water features. Though dry weather hindered some growth, Clarkson remains committed to these efforts.
Clarkson proudly reports that these initiatives increased avian diversity on the farm to 45 species, well above the average 27 found on typical farms. Species such as whitethroats, goldfinches, buntings, and skylarks have been spotted thriving. While many birds are “small and boring,” as Clarkson humorously notes, he takes pride in having made a meaningful impact on the farm’s ecosystem.