Wildlife, flora and fauna
All have been seen on or from Blakelow Farm and Cottages. If you
see any wildlife that isn’t on this list, please let us know, or
write it in the “Journal” in your cottage.
For more information about wildlife around Derbyshire click here
to visit the
Derbyshire Wildlife Trust's website.
| MAMMALS |
| Badger |
Seen usually at night, but evidence that they are still
around from their ‘latrine’ at the far corner of the wild
garden |
| Muntjac and Fallow Deer |
Seen in mid winter occasionally in our fields – they may
be escapees from Chatsworth? |
| Shrew |
Seen dawn and dusk in many areas around the farm |
| Bat |
Mainly Pipistrelle, we believe, we started with just 2
but have now regularly seen 6, bat nests were put into the
eaves of all our new buildings |
| Brown Hare |
Usually more common in the spring – in our fields, after
the hay has been cut they move to long grass of the
labyrinth for day time cover |
| Grey Squirrel |
Generally raiding the bird feeders – they are cute
though! |
| Rabbits |
Not as many as you’d think - on the long border and
nibbling my lettuces! |
| Fox |
Seen on the lane and we’ve lost a couple of our hens of
the field in the winter months |
| Field Mice |
There are lots around, and can be quite cheeky if you
are putting bread out for the birds – the birds don’t get a
look in. |
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| WATER LIFE |
| Newt |
In the big trough in the front garden |
| Frog |
Mainly in the front garden |
| Damsel fly |
Occasionally seen over the trough |
| Toad |
Can be found all over the garden and in the long grass
of the fields – great for pest control. |
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| BIRDS |
| Chaffinch |
Trees and gardens |
| Greenfinch |
In the gardens |
| Goldfinch |
On the heads of the Angelica |
| Yellowhammer |
Seen in farmyard in the past, but in 2007 have been seen
in our garden |
| Owl |
Several different ones can be heard hooting at dusk,
including the Little Owl |
| Robin |
Lots in the gardens and hedgerows |
| Dunnock |
|
| Swallow |
Nest in the stables every year and raise at least 2
broods |
| Skylark |
Nest in our top fields, lovely to hear their song |
| Lesser Spotted Woodpecker |
On the feeder in the Beech tree |
| Blue Tit |
On the bird feeders |
| Wren |
On the stone walls and hedges |
| Pheasant |
Seen in the gardens and fields |
| Partridge |
Seen on our top field |
| Coal Tit |
On the bird feeders |
| Curlew |
Seen and heard mainly in the spring - nests in the top
field |
| Kestrel |
Over the fields |
| Rooks and Crows |
Raiding the chicken feeders! |
| Magpies |
Seen in the fields and trees |
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| BUTTERFLIES and MOTHS |
| Painted Lady |
Occasional migrant visitor from the south! |
| Small tortoiseshell |
|
| Red Admiral and Peacock |
On the Buddleias and Sedums |
| Elephant Moth |
On the Irises – it frightened me to death – it was like
a Jack Russell with wings! |
| Comma |
|
| Green Veined White |
|
| Orange Tip |
Spotted in April and May 2007 |
| Large White |
On my cabbages! |
| Speckled Wood |
|
| Wall |
|
| Gatekeeper |
|
| Meadow Brown |
|
| Burnett Moth |
Spotted in summer and autumn 2006 |
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