Wildlife & Conservation

The 200 acres at Exbury provide the perfect environment for a range of wildlife. The following habitats are to be found within the Gardens:

  • Bees Nest in Yard WoodOak/pine woodland with mixed understorey of rhododendron, shrub planting and native species
  • Native mixed broadleaf woodland – unmanaged
  • Timber stacks, bark & compost heaps, ‘pecking posts’
  • Rough mown grass
  • Damp & dry meadows
  • Pheasant near Daffodil MeadowFine lawn
  • Flower beds
  • Ponds & streams
  • River Beaulieu & salt marshes
  • Railway line & gravel paths
  • Buildings including a water tower; Church / Church Yard across the road from the Exbury Estate Office
Wildlife:

The following are examples of wildlife observed by staff. At the moment, no formal records are kept, but we do welcome observations from visitors.

  • Birds - a huge range of woodland, meadow, pond, stream and garden birds, birds of prey, owls, swallows & martins, wildfowl & wading birds, migratory birds, game birds
  • Animals – includes badger, deer, fox, stoat, weasel, mink & possibly otter, moles, grey squirrels, mice, voles, shrews etc, snakes (including adders) & slow worms, frogs, glow worms.
  • Plants – many species of wild flowers (including some uncommon ones) , native shrubs and trees . Of note 1,000+ Common Spotted Orchids in June.
  • Insects – includes butterflies & moths, 15 types of dragonfly identified, hornets, a range of wasps, ladybirds, beetles, wild bees.
  • Fly agaric in the parkSpiders – no survey done.
  • Bats – no survey done.
  • Mosses & lichens.

Fungi survey

Over 200 fungi identified (by experts ) so far.

Staff observations:
  • Hummingbird Hawkmoth feeding
  • Stoat carrying an eel from a waterpipe
  • Badgers carrying pine needles for bedding across railway line
  • Long – tailed tits continuing to feed young even after nest was accidentally disturbed and put back
  • Kingfisher on ponds / salt marsh
  • A mass hatching of darter dragonflies
  • Snakes sunbathing on paths & railway line
  • A nest of baby slow worms in the bark mulch
  • Buzzard feeding on half-eaten carp at side of pond, possibly left by otter or mink
  • Family of 6 Green Woodpeckers feeding on lawns
  • Egg shells left in nest after hatching of partridges in herbaceous beds
  • Goldcrests nesting
  • Fieldfares & redwings stripping a yew tree of berries
  • A cormorant taking all the fish from one pond
  • Heron taking fish from North Lake
  • Grey mullet flopping about in the narrow channels of the salt marshes
  • Baby squirrels playing chase in the pines
  • Family of 6 Spotted Woodpeckers feeding in oak tree
  • 16 buzzards circling together
  • Young buzzards playing & ‘tumbling’