It’s the last day of this year’s #30DaysWild, and it should time time for #TheTimeIsNow mass lobby of MPs. That may well be so, but sadly our MP Geoffrey Cox is ‘too busy’ to hear our thoughts on climate and biodiversity crises…
Continue reading “#30DaysWild No. 30. Contemplating the weeds”#30DaysWild 29: A bicycle re-made for two
For #30DaysWild we’re renovating the tandem, and other bikes guests at the eco lodges can borrow this summer… and noting down some ideas for really local Devon excursions you can try (once the handlebars are back on).
Continue reading “#30DaysWild 29: A bicycle re-made for two”#30DaysWild 28: The Mini Ponds
Back in July 2018 we dug some new mini ponds at Wheatland Farm – one to take the waste Hot Tub water from Beech Lodge, some just to provide some new habitat. This time last year for #30DaysWild we were looking at their progress, and we thought we’d do the same again in 2020.
Continue reading “#30DaysWild 28: The Mini Ponds”#30DaysWild 27: Biological Recording
For #30DaysWild today we’re housekeeping in both senses, catching up on Wheatland Farm’s biological recording but also getting the eco lodges ready for the July reopening.
Continue reading “#30DaysWild 27: Biological Recording”#30DaysWild 26: Al fresco scones
The last Friday in June is National Cream Tea Day, apparently. Some things are really important, and deserve a national celebration… All we need to to is make it a bit wild so it works as our Random Act of Wildness for the day.
Continue reading “#30DaysWild 26: Al fresco scones”#30DaysWild 25: Hummingbird Hawkmoth
We only see one or two hummingbird hawkmoths a year at Wheatland Farm’s eco lodges, so it was nice to spot one close enough to photograph. Having said that, to understand why they’re so striking you really need to see them flying – they are easily mistaken for a tiny humming bird.
Continue reading “#30DaysWild 25: Hummingbird Hawkmoth”#30DaysWild 24 Feral Fruit!
June in Devon – a great time to be enjoying English summer fruits. These came from the now-wild Wheatland Farm fruit cage, which we share with the birds.
Continue reading “#30DaysWild 24 Feral Fruit!”#30DaysWild 23: Emerald Damselflies Emerge
Today saw the first Emerald damselfly of 2020 gracing the eco lodge wildlife pond here at Wheatland Farm.
Continue reading “#30DaysWild 23: Emerald Damselflies Emerge”#30DaysWild 22: Silver Washed Fritillary Butterfly
We were delighted to find a Silver Washed Fritillary Butterfly on the brambles at Wheatland Farm today – it was our wild moment for #30DaysWild No. 22.
Continue reading “#30DaysWild 22: Silver Washed Fritillary Butterfly”#30DaysWild 21: A Cider In The Orchard
We’re enjoying a local Devon cider in the Wheatland Farm orchard this evening to celebrate the solstice.
Continue reading “#30DaysWild 21: A Cider In The Orchard”#30DaysWild: 20 Cows Return To Wheatland Farm
For today’s #30DaysWild we welcomed the cows back to Wheatland Farm for their summer grazing on our Devon culm grassland and Popehouse Moor Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Continue reading “#30DaysWild: 20 Cows Return To Wheatland Farm”#30DaysWild 19 English flowers
It has been English Flower week apparently, so here’s a few of our Devon wild ones….
Continue reading “#30DaysWild 19 English flowers”#30DaysWild 18: Identifying moths
On a wet day, our wild action is just to look up some moths we’ve recently spotted around the eco lodges, like this ‘speckled yellow’, above. These are moths we happened upon, but we’d also like to do some moth trapping over the summer with guests.
Continue reading “#30DaysWild 18: Identifying moths”#30DaysWild 17 Tending Our Living Wall
Ian has been tending our ‘green living wall’ – the ivy cladding the outside of Otter Cottage. Every so often we have to keep it out of the eaves and away from the barge boards, requiring long ladders and makeshift PPE.
Continue reading “#30DaysWild 17 Tending Our Living Wall”#30DaysWild 16 Enjoying the buzz…
Today’s #30DaysWild Random Act of Wildness was just to enjoy the buzz at the wildlife pond below Balebarn Eco Lodge, and admire the butterflies.
Continue reading “#30DaysWild 16 Enjoying the buzz…”#30DaysWild 15: A Local 6km Run
#30DaysWild 15: Ian went running, starting from the eco lodges and heading down into Hollocombe. He has mapped out a simple 6km route with a section through the woods along a bridle path. Going down the road into Hollocombe and back up again gives it a bit of a gradient in it, but maybe that’s an excuse to have a bit of a walk…
Continue reading “#30DaysWild 15: A Local 6km Run”#30DaysWild 14 An unexpected orchid
We’re claiming a small success for #30DaysWild today: this orchid has appeared by the wildlife pond, at the edge of the mown path. It’s the first one we’ve found at Wheatland Farm that’s not growing on Popehouse Moor SSSI.
Continue reading “#30DaysWild 14 An unexpected orchid”#30DaysWild 13: Wild strawberries
Today’s wild treat was wild strawberries to top a cake. We encourage wild strawberries around the eco lodges on our Devon farm as they are good food for birds. But this scattering actually came from our own garden.
Continue reading “#30DaysWild 13: Wild strawberries”#30DaysWild No. 12 Planning to lobby our MP
Last year Maggie joined The Time Is Now mass lobby of MPs about the dual climate and biodiversity crises. This year the lobby is going virtual. Wheatland Farm’s Random Act of Wildness for the day was to sign up for the 30th June event. Will you do the same?
Continue reading “#30DaysWild No. 12 Planning to lobby our MP”#30DaysWild No 11. A kingfisher Visits The Eco Lodges
Kingfishers are occasional and much loved visitors to Wheatland Farm’s Devon Eco Lodges. But we’ve never seen a young bird, until….
Continue reading “#30DaysWild No 11. A kingfisher Visits The Eco Lodges”#30DaysWild 10: The Turbine Walk
Spring has sprung up on Wheatland Farm turbine walk, and it has got severely overgrown. So for today’s Random Act of Wildness we took the mower out and cut it back so it’s ready when our lovely guests return to the eco lodges in a few weeks.
Read more#30DaysWild 9. Explore the Exe Estuary by Boat
Today’s Random Act of Wildness was to take time off to kayak the Exe Estuary. And since it’s a fun thing to do if you’re staying at Wheatland Farm this summer, here’s a bit more information.
Continue reading “#30DaysWild 9. Explore the Exe Estuary by Boat”#30DaysWild No. 8 Amazing weeds!
It’s really just a pic for #30DaysWild today – a picture of these vibrant and beautiful ‘weeds’ in amongst the dried out grass. They are some kind of hawkbit, but there are so many….
Continue reading “#30DaysWild No. 8 Amazing weeds!”#30DaysWild No. 7 Pheasants
Beautiful aren’t they, and a common sight around the eco lodges. But should pheasants really be here, where do they come from, and are they damaging native British wildlife? For today’s #30DaysWild we’ve been taking a moment to think about pheasants…
Continue reading “#30DaysWild No. 7 Pheasants”#30DaysWild No. 5 Sinks And Stones
We’re incorporating some rocky habitat into a new outdoor hand washing point we’re putting in the lodge field. We’re using old metal tree guards as ‘gabions’ that we’ll fill with rocks and stone, and a recycled steel sink. Here’s Ian breaking the ground, so we can secure the gabions properly.
Continue reading “#30DaysWild No. 5 Sinks And Stones”#30DaysWild No 4. Blue Tits In A Gate Post
Today’s Random Act of Wildness is to top up the mealworms we put out for the birds. It’s an important food source at the moment because parents are struggling to feed their broods – like this one. But just look where these blue tits chose to nest!
Continue reading “#30DaysWild No 4. Blue Tits In A Gate Post”#30DaysWild 3: Soaking up the rain
It’s not often we shout about rain in Devon. But after the sunniest May on record, we’re happy to get a hammering today.
Continue reading “#30DaysWild 3: Soaking up the rain”#30DaysWild 2. Dragonflies egg laying at the pond
A few days ago we posted about Broad Bodied Chasers emerging at the wildlife pond below Balebarn Eco Lodge. Now the place is humming with dragonflies.
Continue reading “#30DaysWild 2. Dragonflies egg laying at the pond”#30DaysWild 1. Southern March Orchids
It’s that time again – June is when the Wildlife Trusts run their 30 Days Wild campaign, challenging us all to do something for nature every day of the month. So today at Wheatland Farm we’ve been checking up on special flowers.
Continue reading “#30DaysWild 1. Southern March Orchids”