Wildlife at Coppet Hill
You'll find a wealth of wildlife at Coppet Hill, and are never far from an animal encounter - whether it's startling a grazing deer or lying in your tent listening to tawny owls!
During the school holidays we will run weekly wildlife activities; come along to Moth Club for some up-close encounters with spectacular insects, join in an after-hours Owl Prowl, or hire a camera trap and see what wanders past!
What you might spot...
Brilliant Birdlife
Kestrels and two pairs of barn owl nesting in 2023!
Raptors:
hobby, sparrowhawk, buzzard, kestrel, peregrine, barn owl, tawny owl
Summer specials:
whitethroat & lesser whitethroat, spotted flycatcher, blackcap, garden warbler, chiffchaff, willow warbler, grasshopper warbler, swallow, house martin
In the woods:
nuthatch, treecreeper, jay, woodcock, great spotted woodpecker, coal tit, goldcrest, tawny owl, stock dove
On the hills:
meadow pipit, wheatear, yellowhammer, linnet
Marvellous Mammals
There are two badger setts and a foxes den on the farm, plus several families of deer. Stoats and weasels are occasionally sighted (particularly on our camera traps) and our most elusive residents are polecats.
Moth Club
Throughout the summer holidays, we'll be seeing how many moth species we can catch in our moth trap. Join us in the barn to see what's there - and maybe you'll get a chance to hold a majestic Poplar Hawk Moth!
Pond Dipping
We have lots of wildlife ponds on the farm for you to explore. Meet some weird and wonderful insects, baby frogs and toads, and keep an eye out for dragonflies.
Plant Life
We have nearly 200 plant species on the farm - from carpets of primroses, bluebells and wild garlic in the spring, to colourful meadow flowers such as lady's smock, knapweed and bird's-foot trefoil. We're looking for volunteers to carry out plant surveys, and would love to hear from any keen botanists!
Farming With Nature
We're working hard to improve our wildlife habitats and to encourage biodiversity on the farm. In 2021, we said farewell to our dairy herd, which means we'll be able to allow more space for nature. We'll be exploring regenerative grazing, giving our natural grasses a chance to flourish, leaving areas of rough grassland to encourage mice and voles (and, in turn, barn owls and kestrels), and planting fields to provide overwinter food and shelter for birds.
It's the beginning of a very exciting journey for us, and if you'd like to get involved - carrying out plant or bird surveys, helping with conservation work, or building nest boxes - then please do get in touch!