February Frogspawn

Frogspawn at Wheatland Farm's Devon Eco Lodges

It’s not properly February until the frogspawn turns up in Wheatland Farm’s ponds. As normal, we’ve first spotted it in the lodge field pond – on the 5th, though it could have been laid earlier.

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Listed In The Guardian’s Top Ten Eco Friendly Places To Stay In Europe!

Sunlit leaves at Wheatland Farm's Devon Eco Lodges

We’re thrilled to find Wheatland Farm listed this morning in a Guardian Top Ten list of eco friendly places to stay in Europe.

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Clover Lawns Around The Eco Lodges

A clover lawn outside Balebarn Eco Lodge at Wheatland Farm, Devon

#30DaysWild no 30. At Wheatland Farm we’ve been easing off the path mowing just for a week or so, and here’s the result – clover lawns around the eco lodges that the bees are loving.

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Woodpeckers Feeding Their Young

Shows a male great spotted woodpecker and its begging chick at Wheatland Farm, Devon

#30DaysWild no 18. The Great Spotted Woodpecker has brought its baby to the Wheatland Farm bird feeders. Here’s a clip of the adult collecting some food and taking it to feed the young bird waiting in the relative safety of the vegetation.

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A ‘first’ Scarce Chaser for North Devon

Shows a female scarce chaser perched at Wheatland Farm, Devon

How exciting! #30DaysWild no 16, the Devon dragonfly recorder confirms that this beautiful beast, which we found yesterday, is a Scarce Chaser, and is the first record for the North Devon region.

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Funky Green Spider

Shows a small green spider on lichen at Wheatland Farm, Devon

#30DaysWild no 13 this startlingly green spider was spotted on stonework as we hung up the acres of washing from our eco lodge ‘change over’ day. Small is beautiful – if a little creepy. Or at least creepy crawly.

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Moth Spotting

Flame carpet moth camouflaged on concrete at Wheatland Farm's Devon Eco Lodges

#30DaysWild no. 9. This moth, which settled on the doorstep of Balebarn Eco Lodge, blends in almost perfectly with it’s surroundings, and looking it up is our ‘do something wild’ action for the day.

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Yellow Flag Irises At The Pond

Yellow flag iris in flower at Wheatland Farm's wildlife pond

#30DaysWild no 7. We’re taking a moment to stop and appreciate the yellow flag irises that are in full bloom at the wildlife pond below Balebarn Eco Lodge – and also the creatures that live among them….

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Wildlife Watching From The Window

Washing and buttercups at Wheatland Farm's Devon Eco Lodges

#30DaysWild no 4. Not everyone finds it easy to get out and about. But that doesn’t stop you spotting wildlife from your window. Grandpa B’s window looks into the Wheatland Farm garden and he’s been making a ‘species list’ over breakfast. From the lodges you’ll have an even wider scope.

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#30DaysWild No 1. Hawthorn

Hawthorn blossom at Wheatland Farm

#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.

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Patch Mowing Rushes In The Turbine Field

Aerial image of the turbine field at Wheatland Farm's Devon eco lodges, April 2021

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

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Robins making a home at Wheatland Farm’s lodges

A robin perching on the door handle at Wheatland Farm, Devon

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.

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Kestrel box for the eco lodges

Kestrel nest box with perch at Wheatland Farm, Devon

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.

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Pledge For Nature Award Winner

A Pledge for Nature award for Wheatland Farm's Devon Eco Lodges

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.

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