Wildlife

We are lucky that the field we use as a range is totally surrounded by bushes and trees, with woodland and lakes nearby. We actively encourage wildlife and leave sections of the field around and between the football pitch/shooting range and car park un-mown.

It is planned to gradually list all the wildlife seen on this page, supported by photos taken on site wherever possible.

• Insects
  • Cinnabar moths and their caterpillars
  • Ladybirds, ants and aphids
  • Common Red Soldier Beetles
  • Butterfies: Small Tortoiseshell; Large white
  • Hornets, hoverflys, Bees
  • Dragonflies
  • Crab spiders
• Birds
  • Buzzards
  • Herons
  • Kestrals
  • Assorted gulls, Geese and Ducks
  • Green Woodpeckers
  • Great tits
  • Blue tits
  • Crows
  • Thrushes
  • Robins
  • Magpies
  • Jays
  • Greenfinches
• Mammals
  • Rabbits
  • Foxes
  • Deer
  • Hedgehogs
  • Moles!

	Common Red Soldier beetle	Photo by Dov.
	A Common Red Soldier Beetle (Rhagonycha fulva) on a thistle They visit open flowers to feed on nectar, pollen and small insects found there. Their larvae will eat slugs and snails!
	Photo by Dov.	Ants farming black aphids on a thistle
		Black aphids are sucking the sap from a thistle. They exude excess liquid, still rich in sugars, through tubes on their abdomens. Some species of ants feed on this "honeydew" and will protect "their" ants from preditors, effectively farming them.
	Dragonfly	Photo by Dov.
	This may be either a "Four Spotted Chaser" or "Brown Hawker"