Bird watching at Challacombe farm

Challacombe farm is nestled in a shallow valley with old hedges and stone walls lined with mature beech, sycamore, oak, rowan, hawthorn, pine and willow trees. A line of cherries has been planted along side the road by the barns and an old planting of pine creates a small copes and breaks the view down the valley. Many springs rise around the farm draining into a stream which burbles its way down past the farm through stands of gorse on one side and scattered stunted rowan and sycamore before running along side the large open marshy ground with old mining works.

Given the range of habitats found on the farm it is no surprise to find a good variety of bird species breeding in the area. Spring and summer are probably the best months to visit as migrants return from their wintering grounds in Africa in April and May to find a suitable breeding site produce young and return once more to warmer lands to escape our harsh winters.

In the woods and gorse you can find willow warbler singing awayand sometimes chiffchaff both nesting near to the ground. The provision of nest boxes has increased the numbers of redstart and pied flycatchers attempting to breed at Challacombe and are normally found around the wooded areas rather than the open moorland. The spotted flycatcher also finds a summer home often feeding from the same perch going backwards and forwards as if on a piece of elastic! On the stream, dipper and grey wagtail can be seen, the former feeding on insects from under the water and the later feeding on insects from above the water, a perfect arrangement for these riverside neighbours. Redpoll and goldcrest can be seen around the farm tending to stick to the pine copse although both may breed in the thick stands of gorse.

Around the farm buildings swallows breed inside the stables and barns chattering noisily if any cats appear in the yard. If you look under the eaves of the farm house you will see the dome mud nest of the house martin although in the last few years the numbers have dwindled to one or two pairs. Pied wagtails and grey wagtails can be seen picking off insects from the yard and house sparrows find sheltered nest sites in the stone walls of the barns.

Moving away from the immediate area of the farm, onto the open moor brings a whole new set of moorland birds. A flash of white bobbing away along the wall is the tell tale sign of a wheatear and several pairs can be found breeding in the old stone walls. Out in the more open areas whinchat will find a nest site in a tussock of grass concealed by dense bracken stands. In the wetter areas reed buntings also find a nest site on or close to the ground to raise a brood or two of chicks. Meadow pipits and skylarks are always of the look out for the villain of the moor the cuckoo which despite huge declines over the country are still present each year at Challacombe. The cuckoo does not make its own nest but lays an egg in the nests of meadow pipit and skylark if it can find them, letting someone else bring up the kid!

At the end of the summer many birds desert the moors to find a kinder climate in the lowlands. However, redwing and fieldfare that migrate from Scandinavia , stay up on the remote areas of the moor feeding on berries until the supply is exhausted. They are very nomadic in nature and roam often with the large starling flocks to find food. Large numbers of small birds often attracts birds that feed on the smaller ones. Merlin and the much rarer hen harrier have been seen and it may be possible to see short eared owl hunting over the open areas. Snipe are seen in the wetter areas during the autumn and winter but as yet do not stay to breed.