For Report on The Hartland Charity Field Open Day on Saturday May 17th click here -> Community Land
Dawn Bird Walk 4th May 2025
At 4:30am (in the dark) as arranged by Frannie, several of us met at the top of Deer Park. We heard a Tawny Owl, with Blackbird and Robin being the first songbirds as dawn broke, then progressively more and more species joined the chorus. With the aid of the Merlin app, between us we recorded these
- Tawny Owl
- Robin
- Blackbird
- Chiffchaff
- Song Thrush
- Nuthatch
- Siskin
- Treecreeper
- Goldcrest
- Spotted Flycatcher
- Mistle Thrush
- Bullfinch
- Carrion Crow
- Chaffinch
- Great Tit
- Blackcap
- Buzzard
- Blue Tit
- Pheasant
- Wren
- Coal Tit
- Canada Goose
It was great to get Goldcrest and Spotted Flycatcher in, the latter scarcely audible to old ears without the assistance of the app!
At the same time Clare explored her own patch near Milford and recorded these:
- Robin
- Great Tit
- Blue Tit
- Chaffinch
- Chiffchaff
- Goldcrest
- Nuthatch
- Wren
- Dunnock
- Willow Warbler
- Siskin
- Yellowhammer
- Song thrush
- Blackbird
- Rook
- Redwing
- Jay
- Golden Plover
- Curlew
- Carrion Crow
- Blackcap
- Wood pigeon
- Skylark
Notable birds here are a late Redwing and the presence of Golden Plover and Curlew.
New PondNet Project
The Hartland Nature Society are keen to start a new ‘pondnet’ project. We want to encourage the establishment of a network of ponds in the Parish and to help everyone who wants to join in by providing advice and guidance.
For more information click
19th February 2025
Male Bullfinch seen in East Ball Hill
Photo Courtesy of Richard Hannington
5th February 2025
Courtesy of Richard Hannington
30th January 2025
First bumblebee spotted this year – a lovely Buff-tail queen.
Photo Courtesy of Clare Gurton
The Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland
New Year Plant Hunt 2025
We walked from Speke’s Mill to Hartland on New Years Day and spotted 14 species of plant in flower!
Photo c/o David Warnes
For more details https://bsbi.org/new-year-plant-hunt
By taking part in these New Year Plant Hunts you’re helping the BSBI learn more about how our wild and naturalised plants are responding to a rapidly changing climate.
