Wildelife

Wildlife

The Estate fields, hedgerows and woodlands provide a refuge as well as food for a range of wildlife including deer, brown hare, badgers and numerous bird species.

An Estate neighbour with a special interest in Glow Worms wrote to the Estate in July 2019 saying: ‘ I wanted to express a note of thanks to you for the delayed cutting of the set-aside land north-east of Barwick ford this year. This meant that the glow worms had a full glowing season that extended to the latter half of July and produced a record count (for us) of 35 glowing females on one evening.’

An RSPB survey was carried out during 2011 at Barwick and Arches Hall Farms. This found that several birds commonly seen on the Estate are those categorised Red or Amber in terms of conservation importance by the RSPB.

The Red list criteria includes:

  • Species is globally threatened
  • Historical population decline in UK during 1800–1995
  • Severe (at least 50%) decline in UK breeding population over last 25 years, or longer-term period (the entire period used for assessments since the first BoCC review, starting in 1969)
  • Severe (at least 50%) contraction of UK breeding range over last 25 years, or the longer-term period.

Amber is the next most critical group. Birds in the amber list will be subject to at least one of the relevant factors listed below:

  • Species with unfavourable conservation status in Europe (SPEC = Species of European Conservation Concern)
  • Historical population decline during 1800–1995, but recovering; population size has more than doubled over last 25 years
  • Moderate (25-50%) decline in UK breeding population over last 25 years, or the longer-term period
  • Moderate (25-50%) contraction of UK breeding range over last 25 years, or the longer-term period
  • Moderate (25-50%) decline in UK non-breeding population over last 25 years, or the longer-term period
  • Rare breeder; 1–300 breeding pairs in UK
  • Rare non-breeders; less than 900 individuals
  • Localised; at least 50% of UK breeding or non-breeding population in 10 or fewer sites, but not applied to rare breeders or non-breeders
  • Internationally important; at least 20% of European breeding or non-breeding population in UK (NW European and East Atlantic Flyway populations used for non-breeding wildfowl and waders respectively).

Recent sightings include a pair of Black caps feeding on insects that were on weeds growing up through coppice brush, Goldfinch feeding on groundsel seeds and willow warblers. There have been reports from walkers in Bowles wood of a pair of Spotted fly catchers along with numerous Warblers, Chaffinches and Goldfinches feeding on Thistles. You may also see Turtle Doves, Red kites, Grey Partridge and Mistle thrushes.