a guided walk at Knepp Wildland

for my birthday

I have an Earth Day birthday (for which I must thank my parents), and to celebrate, my best friend treated me to a Wildland Safari at Knepp, the rewilding project – or wilding as it’s now known – in West Grinstead, about an hour’s drive from me.

We visited the estate last year in early autumn, and while I found the landscape intriguing, I was keen to learn more, and have the chance to veer off the footpath and see some of the sites. I find the interactions and connectivity in nature sends my brain into overdrive, so I knew it would be a fascinating outing. There were about 12 of us, plus Tom the guide, and most of us were there for celebratory reasons, and probably half of us were primarily there for the birds. I took a sketchbook which I’d bought for the purpose, as I wanted to note down the species we encountered, and maybe capture a few sketches with a view to making a more detailed visual record at my leisure.

White Storks

First off were the White Storks, in their enormous nests in the oak trees near the start of our walk. About the size of a double bed, the new chicks were being tended to by both parents who treated us to some fabulous low fly-bys; they are huge birds.

The longhorn cattle graze all year round with no supplementary feeding, as do the pigs and ponies. The storks get extra food as they are part of a reintroduction project, and as such there are some rescue individuals who can’t fly (power line collisions are the main problem) but are nonetheless useful for breeding and general ambassadorial activities. The daily feeding regime has been clocked by other opportunistic feeders in the area, and as we walked towards the predator-proof stork pen, the Red Kites and Ravens started circling above.

Longhorn Cattle

The cows tend to stay on the 200 hectares of grass which was formerly permanent pasture rather than the 800 hectares which was previously in a punishing arable rotation, and therefore has very poor soil. The trees provide much of their sustenance, and we wondered if the natural fluctuation in body condition helped with parasite load.

We moved on through the landscape, hearing the Cuckoo, Linnets, Dunnocks and both Great and Blue Tits, and the warblers: Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat and Garden Warbler. A Great Egret flew past in the distance, along with Grey Herons and Egyptian Geese.

Turtle Doves and Nightingales

Sadly the Turtle Doves weren’t showing or singing which is a shame, but it was lovely to know that they were there, right there – what a success story. The Nightingales were singing, and we stopped to listen to their extraordinary, liquid song for a few minutes. I have heard a Nightingale before, but never as a sort of background soundtrack.

Beavers

The beavers, being nocturnal, were tucked up in their lodge for the day but it was incredible to see their enclosure, and the difference they had made even in such a small (2 hectare) space. The pen also means there is no grazing, and the profusion of spring flowers on the edge of the flooded area was glorious. There were also Nightingales and a Cetti’s Warbler.

There are tin sheets around the estate to encourage reptiles, and we found a couple of slowworms resting in the warmth, as well as a common shrew, and lots of beetles.

The Scrape

Here is the scrape: an artificial shallow lake which is just an accumulation of rainwater on the clay, but which provides a vital habitat for amphibians and birds. It dries up over the spring, but this means that fish can’t survive – great for tadpoles and invertebrates. There is a large lake with a natural fish population, and more typical waterbirds (grebes, ducks, geese and rails) but this spot is perfect for waders, and more elusive species. It also provides hydration for the animals, who otherwise rely on the numerous streams across the site.

There were so many wonderful snippets of information and tiny details: mining bee burrows in the turned over soil from the pigs; dung beetles that only lay eggs in cowpats deposited in a woodland environment; flowers and trees growing through the protection of brambles. Honestly, I am still processing it all now – it was just magical.

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I managed a few scribbles, and added some colour when we stopped for coffee halfway round. I think I recorded most of the birds we saw, and I’m looking forward to working through the list and doing some illustrations.