Lower Clunkamoor Wildlife

We manage the nineteen acres of Lower Clunkamoor entirely for wildlife and this little nature reserve has been designated a County Wildlife Site by the Devon Wildlife Trust. We have a mixture of habitats: young woodland, meadowland and rough grassland. There are no fences and you are very welcome to explore it all. 

Our woodland is classified as a 'western oak wood' and we have planted 6,000 trees and shrubs - of all the 31 species that are native to this part of Devon. The main species are oak and ash, but we also have a lot of more unusual native species such as small-leaved lime, wild service and wayfaring tree as well as common and beautiful smaller trees such as rowan, field maple, wild cherry, spindle, silver birch and white willow. 

In the meadows we have sown innumerable wildflowers of a wide variety of species. The wildflower yellow rattle has established well and reduced the vigour of the grasses, which has enabled our wild orchids to spread to spectacular effect. At the last count we had around a thousand orchids in flower in June, when they are at their best. They are mostly southern marsh but also leopard marsh orchids, with some early purples, common spotted and a few pyramidal orchids as well. 

LOWER CLUNKAMOOR SPECIES LISTS (work in progress!)

Birds

Visitors to the bird table: great tit, sparrow, blackbird, blue tit, dunnock, coal tit, greenfinch, marsh tit, long-tailed tit, chaffinch, goldfinch, nuthatch, bullfinch, linnet, pheasant, magpie, great-spotted woodpecker, lesser-spotted woodpecker, robin, jay, collared dove, redwing, red-legged partridge, moorhen, sparrowhawk, siskin, yellowhammer. 

Around the garden, meadows and woodland: tawny owl, barn owl, kingfisher, wren, mallard, swallow, heron, rook, green woodpecker, crow, buzzard, cuckoo, chiffchaff, jackdaw, song thrush, raven, mistle thrush, wood pigeon, blackcap, stock dove, herring gull, treecreeper, woodcock, lapwing, canada goose, grey wagtail, hobby, nightjar, black-headed gull, garden warbler, cirl bunting, pied wagtail, goldcrest, fieldfare, willow warbler, peregrine falcon, spotted flycatcher, house martin.

Mammals

Roe deer, rabbit, badger, brown hare, grey squirrel, red fox, greater horseshoe bat, natterer's bat, common pipistrelle bat, brown long-eared bat, mole, dormouse.

Butterflies include

Small skipper, grizzled skipper, green veined white, large skipper, wall, small copper, peacock, silver washed fritillary, common blue, small tortoiseshell, holly blue, painted lady, meadow brown, red admiral, ringlet, comma, gatekeeper, orange tip, clouded yellow, brimstone, marbled white.

Also

Glow worm, dragonfly, damselfly, common frog, common toad, smooth newt, common lizard, grass snake, slow worm.

Guest comments:

'The wild beauty of Lower Clunkamoor Cottage has been absolutely stunning and the abundance of wildlife is breathtaking.'

'Wonderful peace and 'back to nature' feel about Clunkamoor and surrounding South Hams.'

'Such peace and tranquillity are so hard to find, surrounded by an array of birds and watched over by the grand oak tree.'