Birds flock to Suffolk hotel

Two declining bird species have been attracted to a Suffolk hotel which has been working hard to encourage more wildlife.

Ufford Park Woodbridge Hotel, Golf and Spa is home to 39 species, according to a recent RSPB bird survey - an increase of almost 25% since 2011 - among them four mistle thrushes and a number of hawfinches.

Mistle thrushes have been scarcer in south east England because of drier summers in recent years, and sighting of hawfinches - the UK's largest finch - are increasingly rare because their breeding areas are in decline.

Malcom Key, of the RSPB, said: "One of the interesting things about Ufford Park is that it is evolving and maturing as a habitat. This continuing development results in changes to the bird species that like being there which is why the number of bird species has increased so significantly in the last eight years."

Hotel boss Tarnia Robertson said as a result of their conservation work, the hotel was becoming a destination for birdwatchers and wildlife enthusiasts.

"Our 4,000 trees, gorse area and ponds are home to all kinds of wildlife and we work tirelessly to protect the species that have made their home here. Over recent years we have worked hard to expand our wildlife programme. Our greenkeepers do a wonderful job of maintaining the ecology of our grounds to not only preserve the habitats of the existing wildlife but also to make it attractive to new species.

"They have introduced a purely sustainable programme of management throughout the whole golf course from green to rough areas."