Our resort maybe a haven for a luxury country escape, but we’re also home to an array of wildlife too…
Here at Rockliffe Hall we are so lucky to have a variety of different habitats for wildlife so we are spoilt for choice. There are actually over 90 different species of birds that have been recorded on the Rockliffe Hall Estate. At least 35 of these species are known to breed here. We know that 17 different mammal species have been recorded here, including 6 different species of bat.
There are 59 different species of butterfly in Britain, and we have 20 different species of butterfly here at Rockliffe Hall, which is amazing! 8 species of dragonfly and 4 species of damselfly have also been found here. The wildlife that you see on the information boards are only those that have been seen here on the estate! There are also lots of plants and animals that are not seen as they are cryptic. This means they hide away to keep themselves safe. They do this by camouflage or simply hiding or only coming out at night when we cannot see them.
"Up above the world you fly, like a tea tray in the sky..."
Discover some of our regular residents at Rockliffe Hall.
From creepy crawlies and ground animals, to those that fly high in the sky.
Hedgehog
Erinaceus Europaeus (breeding at Rockliffe Hall)
Hedgehogs have between 5000 to 6500 spines! They communicate through a combination of snuffles, grunts and squeals.
Birds
Rockliffe Hall is home to hundreds of bat and bird boxes, which provide a warm and dry home for our flying friends to roost, nest and in some cases hibernate. As you walk around the grounds of the estate, why not see how many you can count? Keep your eyes peeled when out and about. You might even catch a glimpse of our resident Oyster Catchers!
Wood Mouse
Apodemus Sylvaticus (or Long-tailed Field Mouse)
The Wood Mouse is mainly nocturnal. It will sit up and wash itself all over, especially if scared. It is an excellent climber and will leap high in the air when disturbed. If caught by its tail, a wood mouse can quickly shed the end of it, however, it may never regrow. The wood mouse does not hibernate and, despite its name, it prefers hedgerows to woodland.
Brown Long Eared Bat
Plecotus Auritus
These bats have the super duper hearing! They have huge ears to help them hear so they can actually hear beetles or spiders crawling around on the tree branches so they can track their prey down without flying around to find it.
Hedgehog
Erinaceus Europaeus (breeding at Rockliffe Hall)
Hedgehogs have between 5000 to 6500 spines! They communicate through a combination of snuffles, grunts and squeals.
Wood Mouse
Apodemus Sylvaticus (or Long-tailed Field Mouse)
The Wood Mouse is mainly nocturnal. It will sit up and wash itself all over, especially if scared. It is an excellent climber and will leap high in the air when disturbed. If caught by its tail, a wood mouse can quickly shed the end of it, however, it may never regrow. The wood mouse does not hibernate and, despite its name, it prefers hedgerows to woodland.
Birds
Rockliffe Hall is home to hundreds of bat and bird boxes, which provide a warm and dry home for our flying friends to roost, nest and in some cases hibernate. As you walk around the grounds of the estate, why not see how many you can count? Keep your eyes peeled when out and about. You might even catch a glimpse of our resident Oyster Catchers!
Brown Long Eared Bat
Plecotus Auritus
These bats have the super duper hearing! They have huge ears to help them hear so they can actually hear beetles or spiders crawling around on the tree branches so they can track their prey down without flying around to find it.
"You may observe a Bread-and-Butterfly. Its wings are thin slices of bread-and-butter, its body is a crust, and its head is a lump of sugar..."