top of page
  • Birds & Wildlife Spotted at Mill Hill Farm

Across the site we have a number of different habitats from grass to arable land and lakes to woodland. These bring us a lot of both resident and visiting bird and wildlife species. Listed below are those spotted during the 2023 season

Whitethroat

Turtle Dove

Common Swift

Willow Warbler

Reed Warbler

Common Tern

Egyptian Goose

Little Owl

Hen Harrier

Grey Partridge

Starling

Little Grebe

Greylag Goose

Treecreeper

Pied Wagtail

Sedge Warbler

Common Buzzard

Honey Buzzard

Rook

Canada Goose

Barnacle Goose

Shelduck

Muntjac

Rabbit

Hare

Stoat

Grey Squirrel

Red Deer

Shrew

Field Mouse

Fallow Deer

Grass Snake

Fox

Mole

OSPREY

BLACK NECKED GREBE

Common crane

Black Headed Gull

Cormorant

Mallard

Redwing

Wren

Sparrowhawk

Barn Owl

Tawny Owl

Jackdaw

Song Thrush

Green Woodpecker

Fieldfare

Yellowhammer

Marsh Harrier

Garden Warbler

Brambling

Chiffchaff

Swallow

House Martin

Blackcap

Red Kite

Reed Bunting

Hobby

Bee Orchid

Southern Marsh Orchid

Spotted orchid

Brimstone Butterfly

Gatekeeper Butterfly

Red Admiral Butterfly

Tadpoles

Toad

SANDWICH TERN

GREEN SANDPIPER

RING OUZEL

WRYNECK

NIGHTINGALE

GADWALL


Robin

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Coal Tit

Long Tail Tit

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Wood Pigeon

Moorhen

Pheasant

Red Leg Partridge

Dunnock

Goldfinch

Carrion Crow

Blackbird

Mute Swan

Collared Dove

Chaffinch

Greenfinch

Bullfinch

Kestrel

Magpie

Lapwing

Tufted Duck

Snipe

Bittern (heard)

Grey Heron

Water Rail (heard)

Oystercatcher

Curlew

Common Sandpiper

Redshank

Common Gull

Lesser Black Backed Gull

Herring Gull

Great Black Backed Gull

Stock Dove

Cuckoo

Kingfisher

Jay

Skylark

Lesser Whitethroat

Stonechat

Meadow Pipit

2024 started cold and wet, this may have affected early bee and insect movements .  The geese returned and successfully raised goslings to maturity again, but the Oystercatcher did not nest here this year.  We have been visited by the Turtle Doves who are pairing up and nesting.  They receive additional seed feed which is intended to help them go on to make a second brood.  A  much needed boost for this endangered species. Plant life continues to thrive, Bee Orchid, Pyramidal and Southern Marsh Orchid bloomed well again this year. Many species of Dragonfly and Damselfly breed and live near the lakes. The grassland around Kingfisher Lake is managed to promote perennial wildflower species and looked very stunning when the Oxe-eye Daisy was in flull bloom.

​

In 2023 we had a very successful spring for the Oystercatcher who raised all four of their chicks to adulthood, the geese returned and successfully reared six goslings to maturity.   Tufted Duck have raised six chicks and Little Grebe also have bred here successfully.  Turtle Doves have returned and the feeding programme designed to increase clutch numbers and additional brood efforts continues.  Sadly, worldwide the numbers continue to decline.  But we will continue to work with the RSPB to support this endangered bird. Two mega rare sightings this year are Montague's Harrier and a Night Heron which flew over the site.  Locally, this year has been exceptional for quite rare birds, for example Black Winged Stilt, Bee-Eater and Kentish Plover have been seen nearby in large numbers.  There is a large population of Grass Vetchling plants in the long grass and around Georges lake Bee  and Southern Marsh Orchid continue to thrive.   Bearded Tit were seen for the first time here, in October.

​

In 2022 the geese returned and produced  6 goslings which eventually flew away to start a new life.  The Oyster Catchers hatched off 4 chicks and we have seen one raised to full size.  Swallows, House Martins and Shoveler Duck have also been spotted as well as Turtle Doves.  The Shoveler Duck produced a brood of 8 chicks.  Sedge, Reed and Garden Warbler plus Reed Bunting also successfully nested again this year.  Red Kite and  Marsh Harrier have been seen overhead.  Unusual bird sightings in 2022 include Nightingale, Cetti's Warbler, Green Sandpiper, Osprey and Common Crane.

Duck success stories : Our continued feeding programme to encourage wildfowl has resulted in an increase in the Duck species range.  Not only do we now support Mallard but other less common species, such as Shoveler, Gadwall, Tufted Duck and Teal. We would love to see them return again for the winter.

We are working on increasing the depth of the scrape in some places, whilst maintaining the nature of a scrape.  The aim is to hold more water in some parts and protect against possible drought and prevent it totally drying out in the future.  

​

In 2021 we saw the successful raising of four goslings and a young Oystercatcher. The Oystercatcher family continued to fly overhead regularly for a while. The Turtle Doves returned and could be heard purring in the trees.  Thriving hedgehogs were seen on a nightly basis on the campsite.   

bottom of page