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Top 8 wildlife sightings at Markshall Estate
It’s World Wildlife Day! We thought today would be the perfect opportunity to show you some of our wildlife residents, which have been spotted by the team.
- Tawny Owlet
In 2019, Arboretum Manager, Ian, spotted a young Tawny Owlet along our avenue. Tawny Owls often leave the nest before they can fly. Many owls have been spotted across the Estate over the years including our resident Barn Owls which are regularly sighted.
- Elephant Hawk Moth
Horticulturalist, Zoe spotted this bright pink Elephant Hawk Moth last year in the Walled Garden. Adult Elephant Hawk Moths are nocturnal, they fly during the night and rest by day amongst its food plants. They like to feed from honeysuckle and other tubular flowers.
- Butterflies
Each summer, Markshall Estate is home to an amazing variety of butterflies including the Silver-washed Fritillary and Purple Emperor, which are particularly special to us. Common butterflies including Painted Ladies, Comma Butterflies and Red Admiral Butterflies are also spotted every year. Why not consider leaving an area in your garden for rewilding or plant some wildflowers to attract butterflies.
- Pollinators
Our Arboretum, Walled Garden and Coach House Garden provide some amazing plants and trees for buzzing pollinators. There are more than 250 species of bees that can be found in the UK! All are vital for the pollination of, the food we eat, the plants important for other wildlife and producing honey which has medicinal properties.
- Red Kites
This bird of prey is often spotted flying over various parts of the Estate. Markshall Estate is also home to several different birds of prey including Buzzards. Have you spotted a Red Kite at Markshall before?
- Kingfisher
In recent weeks, we have received a lot of photos of a resident Kingfisher perched between our ornamental lakes. Kingfishers are threatened by harsh winters and habitat degradation, mainly due to pollution. Let us know if you have been lucky enough to spot a Kingfisher, like photographer Jackie Suttling.
- Bats
We’re very proud of the Bat conservation efforts here on the Estate. Barbastelle bats and brown long-eared bats are just a couple of species which find home in one of our Second World War air-raid-shelters or safe spots across the Estate.
- Deer
Did you know that our 200-acre arboretum used to be a deer park? Today, the deer fence is there to protect all the different species of trees and plants. Many deer can still be spotted across our woodlands. Here’s a photo we’ve dug up from our archives.
All these species have an importance in our eco-systems and as a collective, we can all do our part to protect them. Whether it be by building a bug hotel, leaving an area for rewilding, or putting feed out for birds, there are many things we can begin to do to encourage these wildlife species to thrive.
Why not check us out on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for more wildlife pictures.
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