Spring wildlife at The Weir

Early spring brings the start of the daffodils at The Weir which attract the first bumble bees of the year. As the days get warmer more wildflowers appear along with native butterflies, hungry for a feed. The riverside garden is home to many different bird species; during the daytime treecreepers, jays and woodpeckers can be spotted in the trees.  At night when The Weir is closed to visitors the owls appear, a family of tawny owls currently live in the garden although you’d never know they were there as they sleep throughout the day time, quiet as mice.

Keep your eyes peeled as you walk the winding paths of the garden as baby rabbits and mice dart around, blink and you’ll miss them. Down the far end of the garden the aroma of wild garlic fills the air and look up to see the rook colony; you’ll hear them before you see them. Take a look over the wall at the birds on the river. Lots of mute swans visit The Weir, sometimes up to thirty at a time. They enjoy relaxing in the fields opposite the garden as well as floating downstream so you might spot them there as well. Waterfowl such as mallards, goosanders and tufted ducks are just some of the species you can see in spring at The Weir.

As you head to the rockery keep your eyes peeled for frogspawn in early spring followed by froglets and newts; we have both the common newt and the great crested too, which is a protected species in the UK.

Wildlife is abundant at The Weir throughout spring. The garden has been planted in a way to feed nature and promote natural habitats, who knows what you’ll see when you visit, you may be surprised.