A CONSERVATION project in which farmers and birdwatchers work together to help North Yorkshire birds has celebrated its third year of success.

Thirty people met at Manor Farm, near Malton, recently to mark the third anniversary in Yorkshire of the RSPB Volunteer and Farmer Alliance, and to hear about the results of this year's project.

The group, which has run in North and East Yorkshire since 2001, gives farmers a free survey of the birds on their land.

Participating farmers are paired up with RSPB volunteers who make three visits to the farms - between April and July - to record details of the birds present on the farmer's land.

The results of the survey are plotted on a unique farm "bird map", which helps farmers identify the land management that will be of most benefit to wildlife.

The project has been popular with the county's farmers and 127 farms in North Yorkshire and the East Riding have taken part in the project so far.

The results show that some parts of Yorkshire are important strongholds for birds that are in decline elsewhere in the UK.

According to the survey, birds such as tree sparrow and corn bunting that are disappearing fast from other parts of the UK are still to be found on many farms in North and East Yorkshire.

Updated: 11:29 Wednesday, December 03, 2003