Category: Buzz

#30DaysWild 2021 No. 1. It’s hard to believe June is already upon us, and so is #30DaysWild, organised by the Wildlife Trusts. But since we’re not quite ready to say goodbye to May yet, we’re taking a moment to enjoy the flower named after the month – May, or hawthorn blossom.

We’re developing a new strategy to keep rushes under control on Lower Newland Moor, at Wheatland Farm, and monitoring progress with drone images.

Wheatland Farm has several pairs of robins this year, including one nesting in Ian’s workshop opposite Otter Cottage. The female frequently comes to the front door expecting mealworms, and will feed from our hands.

Here at Wheatland Farm we’ve been waiting for the swallows to return, so we can bake the annual celebratory cake!

We’ve put a new kestrel box in the field below Balebarn Eco Lodge at Wheatland Farm. Wouldn’t it be nice to watch a breeding pair hunting over the meadow! There should be a good view from Balebarn’s veranda, or even from inside the lodge.

There’s frogspawn in the ponds near the eco lodges. Now it’s official – winter must be on the turn.

Lovely news, Wheatland Farm’s Devon Eco Lodges have received a Pledge For Nature Award from the North Devon Biosphere Reserve.

And we’re not the only local winners either – Winkleigh’s Biodiversity Group won a community award and local organiser Kim Melhuish was chosen as a Community Champion. Big cheers all round.

Despite the month, early flowers are poking through at Wheatland Farm’s Devon Eco Lodges. Not lots, admittedly, but the snowdrops and daffodils say it is almost spring.

Our 2020 bat survey results are back. We had just 6 different types this time. But the equipment recorded well over 1000 calls. Of those, more than 900 were myotis sp, a group that might include several similar species.

We’ve had a few beautiful days, and the dragonflies have been enjoying it as much as our guests staying at Wheatland Farm’s eco lodges.

Great news! With lock down easing the bat surveys across Devon are back on, with help from the Devon Wildlife Trust.

Only a mother could love these, someone has commented on facebook! But here at Wheatland Farm’s eco lodges we love all our Devon Wildlife, even the pigeons.

Pond dipping with the guests from Nuthatch Lodge turned up this little creature – a water stick insect.