Wildlife at Lyme
The woodlands, parkland and moorland are home to a vast amount of wildlife. Lyme is home to a herd of Red Deer as well as Highlands Cows, owls, bats, stoats and more.
Birds at Lyme
In spring birds are travelling near and far to nest at Lyme, and not all of them in trees. Many birds nest on the ground and it’s really important to avoid disturbing them. During your walk in the estate you may hear their distinctive calls and song. Here's some of our favourites:
Skylark, Alauda Arvensis
Skylarks are ground nesting birds that are on the red list due to dramatic population decline. You will often see males singing a classic birdsong and hovering high in the sky above the moorland, which used to display to female prospective mates
Woodcock, Scolopax rusticola
While walking through the woods, you may also flush out a woodcock. The Latin name is Scolopax rusticola, meaning 'rural dweller'.
Their camouflage plumage makes them very hard to see as they sit tight among the leaf litter during the day. Only at night do they give themselves up when they feed in open fields using their long bill to probe for worms.
Buzzard, Buteo buteo
Look out for these birds of prey when you are walking through Lyme. They are large birds that often glide on air currents with their huge wings outstretched, looking for small mammals. Listen out for their distinctive cat-like call.
Wood Warbler, Phylloscopus sibiltrix
The genus Phylloscopus comes from the Greek for 'leaf' and 'seeker' and the specific sibilatrix is latin for 'whister.' Listen out while walking in West Park, Elmehurst and Lantern Woods for a distinctive clicking sound that becomes a rapid trill.
Willow Warbler, Phylloscopus trochilus
Willow warblers nest on the edges of woodland where there is plenty of scrub, often near West Park Drive and Elmehurst Wood. They lay their eggs in a nest of moss, grass, twigs and plant fibre, which is padded with fine feathers and hair. The nest tends to have a roof and side entrance, much like a small oven, and is built very low to the ground. Listen out for a distinctive warble ending with a flourish.
Highland Cows
Lyme is home to a 'fold' of highland cattle. These docile animals are perfectly suited to harsh conditions at Lyme during the winter and happily graze outside throughout the year without the need for additional feeding.
The fold move around and graze different areas of the estate at different times of the year. Through the summer they eat and trample the more dominant grass species which gives other more delicate species the opportunity to thrive.
During winter, they eat the dead grass which not only improves the habitat but also reduces the risk of moorland fires in spring.
Find out how conservation grazing helps the estate at Lyme
Red deer
There have been deer at Lyme for over 600 years and their presence has played a pivotal role in the history of the estate. In the parkland they can be surprisingly hard to spot amongst trees and it's possible to pass very close to them without seeing them. Deer are naturally cautious animals that move in small groups and avoid humans. We recommend walking quietly and slowly on paths and well-used tracks to give the deer plenty of space. Dogs can scare off the deer so, for the best chance of spotting them, leave your four-legged friend at home. If you are bringing your dog, keep them on a short lead.
Stags (males) weigh in at up to 240kg and stand 1.3m high at the shoulder. Mature males in peak breeding condition are around eight years old and can have a crown of antlers with up to 16 points, known as a ‘monarch’. Hinds (females) are smaller and don’t have antlers.
The sexes only mix during the rut and the winter period. Over the summer stags live in their own groups. Hinds will be single before calving, then come together in small family groups or bigger single sex groups after calving.
