As we are keen on seeing wildlife at Challacombe we have undertaken a number of projects to improve the habitat for a wide range of species as possible.
Ponds
There are a number of ponds at Challacombe. The most prominent is close to the farm house and was created in 2001 with funding from Devon Wildlife Trust & Pennon Water. As can be seen in the photos this used to be a boggy patch, with not much wildlife interest. With the help of a large digger, the hole was deepened and the banks built up, and over the next couple of years it has naturally colonised.
In 2006, a mallard duck raised 12 ducklings in the pond, but this year, she has been less successful and although she started out with 9 ducklings, at last sighting only 4 were left.
Tree planting
Over the past 15 years, hundreds of trees have been planted close to the West Webburn stream to form small copses down through the valley. These provide habitat for birds and the insects they feed on, and as stock are fenced out, the grass beneath can grow long which provides good cover for mice and voles to live in. In the Spring, before the leaves come out, the ground turns blue in these areas as thousands of bluebells come into bloom.
Nest boxes As you walk around the farm you may see some of the 50 or so nest boxes that have been erected around the farm. Most of these are small boxes that have been used by redstarts, flycatchers robins and tits. These are checked by our friend Nik Ward who is a licensed bird ringer, and the chicks and where possible the adults have identification rings put on their legs. This year we are planning to put some boxes for tawny owls and kestrels. Timber battens have been placed on the below the soffits of the farm house to make it easier for house martins to build nests. There are also a few bat boxes that provide shelter for the pipistrelle bats that can be seen hunting in the evenings over the farm, but mostly they roost in the barns. |
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Hedgebank restoration
Funding through the Dartmoor Environmentally Sensitive Area has enabled us to restore many of the hedgebanks that form the boundaries of the fields we use for growing hay or silage. Over the years, these banks which are distinctive features of the Dartmoor landscape, had collapsed in many places and were no longer stock proof. Large hedgerow trees are kept, whilst the smaller trees (mainly blackthorn) were coppiced. The banks were then built back up, using a digger, and then fenced both sides to prevent stock damaging them in the future. Most of the coppiced trees re-sprout, but where they fail to do so, the gaps have been replanted using a mix of berry bearing trees and shrubs, along with trees such as sycamore that will grow into specimen trees.