Wildlife : Swallow Barn

The barn sits in grounds of more than 2 acres which had been unmanaged for many years allowing rank and invasive weed species to gain a strong foothold. Following the conversion of the barn in 2008/9 the emphasis has now switched to landscaping.

To date we have built low granite dry stone walls, created some flower beds using plants mainly selected for bees, and butterflies and other invertebrates, commenced planting a small orchard with a variety of fruit trees, sown a summer wild flower meadow and a buddleia bank which gives us lots of grasshoppers and butterflies. We have dug a pond which is seasonal and will be developed further in the future, at the moment it has been home to lots of amphibians and dragonflies and has been visited by various birds.

Wildlife is a real priorty for us and we are about to add bird boxes and a feeding station. The swallows are once again nesting outside the front door.

We are over brimming with ideas but are hampered by time constraints. Hedging and tree planting are next on the list together with habitat enhancment in the form of log piles and nest boxes.

Visitors are always welcome to contribute to ideas and to record sightings for inclusion on this website.

Dartmoor Nature Tours offer wildlife walks and tours to suit individual customer requirements.

Dartmoor National Park Authority leaflets are available on Wildlife and Habitats .

East Dartmoor National Nature Reserve.

Wistman's Wood Nature Reserve.

Birds seen at Swallow Barn

Blackbird Turdus merula

Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla

Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula

Buzzard Common Buteo buteo

Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs

Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita

Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo

Crow, Carrion Corvus corone

Cuckoo Cuculus canorus

Dove, Collared Streptopelia decaocto

Dove, Stock Columba oenas

Dunnock Prunella modularis

Falcon, Peregrine Falco peregrinus

Fieldfare Turdus pilaris

Flycatcher, Spotted Muscicapa striata

Goldcrest Regulus regulus

Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis

Goose, Canada Branta canadensis

Goshawk, Accipiter gentilis

Greenfinch Carduelis chloris

Gull, Black-headed Chroicocephalus ridibundus

Gull, Herring Larus argentatus

Gull, Great Black-backed Larus marinus

Gull, Lesser Black-backed Larus fuscus

Heron, Grey Ardea cinerea

Hobby Falco subbuteo

Jackdaw Corvus monedula

Jay Garrulus glandarius

Kestrel, Common Falco tinnunculus

Lapwing Vanellus vanellus

Lark, Sky Alauda arvensis

Linnet Carduelis cannabina

Magpie Pica pica

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos

Martin, House Delichon urbicum

Nuthatch Sitta europaea

Owl, Tawny Strix aluco

Pigeon, Wood Columba palumbus

Pipit, Meadow Anthus pratensis

Raven Corvus corax

Redpoll Carduelis sp.

Redstart, Black Phoenicurus ochruros

Redwing Turdus iliacus

Robin Erithacus rubecula

Rook Corvus frugilegus

Sandpiper, Common Actitis hypoleucos

Siskin Carduelis spinus

Snipe Gallinago gallinago

Snipe, Jack Lymnocryptes minimus

Sparrow, House Passer domesticus

Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus

Starling Sturnus vulgaris

Stonechat, European Saxicola rubicola

Swallow Hirundo rustica

Swift, Common Apus apus

Thrush, Mistle Turdus viscivorus

Thrush, Song Turdus philomelos

Tit, Blue Cyanistes caeruleus

Tit, Coal Periparus ater

Tit, Great Parus major

Tit, Long-tailed Aegithalos caudatus

Treecreeper, Common Certhia familiaris

Wagtail, Grey Motacilla cinerea

Wagtail, Pied Motacilla alba

Warbler, Willow Phylloscopus trochilus

Warbler, Wood Phylloscopus sibilatrix

Wheatear, Northern Oenanthe oenanthe

Whitethroat, Common Sylvia communis

Woodcock, Scolopax rusticola

Woodpecker, Great Spotted Dendrocopos major

Woodpecker, Green Picus viridis

Wren Troglodytes troglodytes

Mammals

Roe deer Capreolus capreolus
Stoat Mustella eminea
Rabbit Oryctalagus cuniculus
Field vole Microtus agrestis
Fox Vulpes vulpes

Wood mouse Apodemus syvaticus
Bat sp.

Butterflies

Large White Pieris brassicae
Small White Pieris rapae
Orange Tip Anthocharis cardamines
Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni
Comma Polygonia c-album
Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae
Painted Lady Vanessa cardui
Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta
Peacock Inachis io
Grayling Hipparchia semele
Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus
Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina
Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus
Speckled Wood Parage aegeria
Small copper Lycaena phlaeas
Common Blue Polyommatus icarus
Large Skipper Ochlodes venatus