Category: Our Devon Wildlife

There’s a Great Spotted Woodpecker nesting in a dead tree near the Wheatland Farm stream.

This hedgehog accidentally got trapped in a box at Wheatland Farm – so we gave it a breakfast of mealworms and filmed it as it bumbled on its way.

Nuthatches are nearly ready to fledge outside Honeysuckle Lodge. This clip shows them being fed at the nest box entrance.

[Maggie] I just can’t resist sharing another Wheatland Farm dragonfly/damselfly sighting…

Oooh it’s dragonfly time again… This four spot chaser must have emerged from the wildlife pond near Balebarn Eco Lodge overnight. It wasn’t until we looked closely at the image that we spotted the shed larval ‘skin’ just to the left of the dragonfly – almost peeping around the grass.

It must be pretty much summer when the damselflies are back. The first to make an appearance are these large red damselflies. Fabulously colourful!

On a day that’s full of ecological doom and gloom in the news, here’s a ray of sunshine. This is the first dingy skipper we’ve seen at Wheatland Farm. They are one of Europe’s fastest declining butterflies, so it’s great to see one here. Dingy Skippers like birdsfoot trefoil in mid-height grassland, and our management regime offers lots of that.

We found this unusual bee, with it’s distinctive black and white markings, near Otter Cottage. It’s called a common mourning bee, though it’s not all that common. It is on the wing anytime between March and June.

We’ve been seeing common carder bees for a few days now, but they can be tricky to photograph. Here’s our best bet so far.

Seen it yet? It’s a streamer moth, Anticlea derivata. It took a few passes through the moth book to find it too.

This underwater clip shows the wildlife pond at Wheatland Farm’s eco lodges teaming with tadpoles. This is why we get the annual frog/toad exodus in June!

Lovely to see! This holly blue butterfly was spotted soaking up some sunshine on the ivy at Otter Cottage.

Nuthatches are nesting outside the lodges again – this pair can be watched from the window of Honeysuckle Lodge.

The blue skies have brought out more buttterflies around the eco lodges. Peacocks are already out of hibernation, we’ve seen a comma, and those heralds of Devon’s spring, the organge tip butterflies, are on the wing again.

Fantastic! The swallows are back around Wheatland Farm’s Devon eco lodges, so it’s time for the annual celebration cake – baked when the first swallow of summer is seen actually at the farm.

Easter has come early to Wheatland Farm. There are bunnies everywhere. One baby bunny spent a morning last week hanging around the farmhouse back door and ocassionally trying to jump through the glass. Today, we found a youngster in the turbine room – Wheatland Farm’s wet weather ‘garden/coffee room’. Here are a couple of clips. Spring has sprung!

Already, a bumbling bumblebee is less of a rare first sign of spring and more something to expect around the lodges when the March weather gives us some sunshine. Today, two species were out and about, enjoying the pollen on the willow trees at Wheatland Farm.

Another gorgeous sunny half term day has brought this red admiral butterfly out of hibernation. Sometimes we find these lovely butterflies tucked up in the woodshed, or under the eaves of the lodges. This one has found some early blossom to fuel up on. There’s not much around in February, but every little helps.

It’s always a landmark when the first signs of spring come to Wheatland Farm. Today, two queen bumble bees, buff tailed bumble bees we think, were foraging on the snow drops behind the farm house. Lovely to see in the sunshine!

The second Wheatland Farm bat survey is back. We’re definitely up to 9 species, and possibly more. So keep your eyes peeled. We’re pretty sure bats roost in the roofs of some of the eco lodges (don’t worry, they won’t come in!). Continue reading “The bat survey is back”

November, not our favourite month, but at least the birds come to Wheatland Farm’s bird feeders. Goldfinch are frequent visitors and today marsh tit and coal tit joined the more common blue and great tits. Even better than that, woodcock are back on Popehouse Moor SSSI (in Devon we only see them in winter). Continue reading “Winter birds are back…”

During storm Callum, the phragmites at the main wildlife pond got a bit knocked about. They’re still standing – and one benefit is that the reed buntings are easier to spot now.  Continue reading “Reed buntings at the wildlife pond”

Ivy provides a crucial source of nectar in the autumn months. The ivy cloaking our main barn at Wheatland Farm is literally buzzing on sunny days, with bees, butterflies and more.

If you sit still, southern hawker dragonflies at the edge of the Wheatland Farm wildlife pond might come and buzz you! Maggie was trying out a new mobile phone camera when Ian took this clip. Continue reading “Wildlife up close and personal!”

Sometimes you only see things for a few seconds, but they are still fabulous – like this kestrel pausing on the wires before dropping down in front of Balebarn Lodge at Wheatland Farm. The bird’s flight control far outpaces our camera control, but all the same, you get a glimpse. Awesome! Continue reading “Kestrel hunting in front of Balebarn Lodge”

This cutie was spotted just inside the barn door, possibly investigating the wood pile.  But surely it’s a bit early in the year for hedgehogs to be looking for hibernation sites? Maybe it was just hunting slugs or checking out it’s own version of ‘eco lodge availability‘ in good time! Continue reading “Hedgehogs in the wood pile?”