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Westport Farm Cottages

Single-storey Somerset holiday cottages near Ilminster and Langport

Nature at your door

Westport Farm Cottages

Wildlife & Farm Animals at Westport Farm Cottages

 

Westport farm attracts a range of wildlife residents and visitors which includes families of moorhens and squirrels, reclusive hares and badgers, and a growing assortment of butterflies, bees, frogs and toads. Deer have also visited on rare occasions.

Foxes are regularly seen around the farm at night and, on occasions, during daylight; Mink and Weasels have also been seen, although rarely.

The farm is a great place to bird watch, particularly if you have a pair of binoculars to hand. The number of species seen will vary according to the time of year and prevailing weather conditions. However, as at the end of June 2024 the “species count” for the farm reached 64 and we expect to be adding to this number in the future, particularly with the help of bird watching visitors.

Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers are resident here and on occasions the former can be seen feeding on the lawn directly in front of the cottages.

Westport Farm has attracted Barn, Little and Tawny Owls, all three being heard here after dark during August 2022. More recently, during June 2024, a Little Owl was seen on several occasions, often perched on fence posts around the farm.

Grey Herons and Little Egrets are regular visitors to the canal and a Great White Egret was a surprise visitor in 2021. Large numbers of Little and Cattle Egrets descended on the farm when the pastures were flooded in March 2022 although the latter species has not been recorded here since. Kingfishers visit the canal fairly regularly although you would be very lucky to see them. The Eurasian Hobby has been seen several times, once flying low over the canal, presumably hunting dragonflies.

Watching from the rear of the cottages can be particularly rewarding as many species are attracted to the orchard both for the fruit, bugs and any “surplus” hen feed. The large trees behind can also provide numerous sightings; this is where binoculars and patience are particularly helpful.

During spring and summer Barn Swallows, House Martins and Common Swifts are always likely and gulls pass over each day throughout the year with some occasionally dropping in; Black-headed, Herring, Lesser Black-backed and Yellow-Legged gulls have all been recorded here.

Birds of prey are also well represented by Common Buzzards, Common Kestrels and Sparrowhawks with some Red Kites occasionally flying over the farm in 2023 and 2024.

The following is a complete list of the wild bird species that have been seen at or from the farm as of June 2024:

  • Barn Swallow,
  • Blackbird,
  • Blackcap,
  • Black-headed Gull,
  • Blue Tit,
  • Bullfinch,
  • Coal Tit,
  • Common Buzzard,
  • Cattle Egret,
  • Chiffchaff,
  • Common Kestrel,
  • Common Magpie,
  • Common Swift,
  • Cormorant,
  • Chaffinch,
  • Collared Dove,
  • Carrion Crow,
  • Dunnock,
  • Fieldfare,
  • Goldcrest,
  • Goldfinch,
  • Greater Whitethroat,
  • Great Spotted Woodpecker,
  • Great White Egret,
  • Great Tit,
  • Greenfinch,
  • Green Woodpecker,
  • Grey Heron,
  • Grey Wagtail,
  • Herring Gull,
  • House Martin,
  • House Sparrow,
  • Jackdaw,
  • Kingfisher,
  • Lesser Black-backed Gull,
  • Linnet,
  • Little Egret,
  • Little Owl,
  • Long-tailed Tit,
  • Mallard,
  • Meadow Pipit,
  • Mistle Thrush,
  • Moorhen,
  • Mute Swan,
  • Northern Wheatear,
  • Pied Wagtail,
  • Raven,
  • Red Kite,
  • Redwing,
  • Ring-necked Pheasant,
  • Robin,
  • Rook,
  • Northern Lapwing,
  • Sand Martin,
  • Skylark,
  • Song Thrush,
  • Sparrowhawk,
  • Starling,
  • Stock Dove,
  • Stonechat,
  • Turtle Dove,
  • Willow Warbler,
  • Wood Pigeon,
  • Wren,
  • Yellowhammer,
  • Yellow-Legged Gull,
  • Yellow Wagtail

In addition, Barn Owls and Tawny Owls have been captured on trail cameras as was a female Common Redstart; the latter species is believed to breed locally.

Species recorded for the first time at the farm from July 2024 onwards are detailed below:

Eurasian Hobby (August 2024): Seen several times, once flying low over the canal, presumably hunting for dragonflies.

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