Kelburn Estate - Kelburn for Walks and Wildlife

A Walk on the Wild Side With a Kelburn Ranger

One swallow does not make a summer, but without a doubt it gladdens the heart. Here at Kelburn in July and August, the young swallows that nested in our sawmill chase and harry our day-flying moths; swooping down to the pond and scooping droplets of water on the wing with their beaks without any hesitation at all.

The quiet woods and tranquil hill pastures of Kelburn Estate resonate delicately with the symphony of summer migrant bird song. The Willow Warbler’s tumbling song cheers me the most, and sounds just as if the bird were leaning back and whistling at the clear blue sky with sheer relief. Summer is in full swing! The first Willow Warbler arrived as Pet’s Corner as regular as clockwork on the 23rd April, but by mid-July the fledglings are roaming the canopy for juicy insect morsels.

The young Roe Deer which have survived dangers such as dogs and foxes, are gaining in weight, strength and experience. The time for sitting still and remaining hidden is past, and the youngsters will follow their mothers. Rutting, or mating, takes place in July or August. The male establishes his territory at the end of May when his antlers are hard and fully grown. He rubs against trees and bushes to scent them, barking at rival bucks and chasing them off, sometimes fighting. Roe Deer are the only hoofed animals in which implantation of the fertilised egg is delayed. It does not occur until December and the young are born in the following May or June. Roe Deer can often be seen on the South Glen road in the early morning.

SQUEAKING

The grasslands, hedgerows and untreated meadows of Kelburn are alive with the squeaking of voles, shrews and insects. Along the Countess Walk, the ‘zig-zag’ call of male grasshoppers can be almost hypnotic if you allow yourself the luxury of a doze in the long summer grass. Bumble bees are working from dawn to dusk on pollen-laden flowers, bumping and lurching from bloom to bloom as the pollen stored on their legs weighs them down.

High in the thermals above Kelburn Glen, the Buzzard is like no other bird here. It carries with it a constant aura of imminent drama, and as long as it remains in the air it possesses the extraordinary power to dominate the horizon.

Although many plants have already flowered, midsummer is still a good time to learn to distinguish different species because most will be mature enough to be ‘typical’ in their appearance, with both flowers and fruits or seed heads to help you identify them. Meadowseet, Red Campion and Valerian are in flower and mingle sweet smells and colours to delight the senses. Worms lie out at night with their tails anchored in their holes so they can retreat quickly if disturbed. Our young foxes soon learn to catch worms as they must, for the earthworm forms a major part their staple diet along with a few pheasants . By August the fox cubs have left their earth and will be living much of the time in undergrowth above ground. Rabbit burrows have become hidden under beds of nettles in the disturbed soil, while in the tree canopy grey squirrels are lying on their summer platforms high up out of sight along the branches.

During July and August many birds become secretive as they moult. The adults have to regenerate their feathers over a rather short period, to replace their worn body plumage which might not provide a good enough insulation for the birds to last through the coming cold weather of the winter. In late August, Kelburn’s insectivorous birds such as the Spotted Flycatcher, Warblers and Swallows, cannot survive a British winter and will be making preparations for migration. Most importantly, their metabolism changes so they can store subcutaneous fat. A small bird can double its weight very quickly and, with the extra fat, fly continuously for four days and nights. This would enable a 25g Willow Warbler from the Kelburn Glen to fly across Europe, the Mediterranean, Morocco and the Sahara, to the Sahel region in one flight.

At Kelburn, the wildlife of the woods surrounds the Country Centre. Even a short stroll can reveal things of interest – and with a friendly and informed Ranger Service to help you, what more could a visitor ask? Questions this way, please!

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A Walk on the Wild Side With a Kelburn Ranger

SQUEAKING