As the summer comes to an end across Devon, the nights start drawing in, the sunsets turn more and more beautiful and mornings mist hangs over fields and parks.
For wildlife, the end of the summer is a time for slowing down and whilst some may be getting ready for departure as they soon head to milder climes in pursuit of food and warmth there is still plenty busying themselves in our countryside both day and night. This is nature’s time of plentifulness, as the hedges are scattered with berries and creatures start the harvest the summer’s yield to build up reserves for migration or for hibernation.
Wherever in the Devon countryside you are staying there is plenty of wildlife to spot, here are some of our favourite creature’s to look out for:
In the garden
They may be prickly, but are fascinating to watch if you are lucky enough to spot a hedgehog. They are at their most active at night and so are worth looking out for at dusk, when they are starting to search for food.
On the Farm
Swallows are a familiar farmyard sight and sound. Feasting on the flies that are attracted to manure piles and slurry pits, the swallows raise their broods in nests of mud balanced along the beams of farm buildings and can often be spotted darting in and out.
In the river
You’ll need a sharp eye to spot them but Devon rivers are full of Otters. Easier to see will be the sudden flash of kingfishers, the bobbing brown of dippers and the flitting flight of grey wagtails.
In the woodlands
After summer has warmed the woodland it’s worth looking along path edges for butterflies including speckled woods, silver-washed fritillaries and perhaps, if you are lucky, the beautiful, slow-flying wood white.
On the moor
This time of year the moorland comes to life with the sound of skylarks and meadow pipits. Dartmoor also remains one of the last places you are guaranteed to hear a cuckoo’s call.
Beneath the waves
Bottlenose dolphins and Atlantic Grey seals can often be spotted across Devon’s coastlines. Devon’s cliffs and headlands make for great places to try and see them and are also the perfect locations to stay and watch the sun go down.