Wildlife Haven
A Home for Wildlife
Our Wildlife Haven is located within the 12 acres of Netheridge Farm, home of the Barn Owl Centre. It has evolved naturally over many years, providing a variety of habitats where wildlife can live, feed, shelter, breed, move through and return.
A network of low-cut paths weaves through the Haven, providing access while allowing the surrounding vegetation to grow naturally. Management is kept simple and sympathetic — working with the land, carefully managing its direction where needed, and allowing nature to do much of the rest.
Life in the Haven
Nearly two decades of natural growth have created a home for an increasingly varied community of wildlife.
As the Haven has matured year by year, the number of bird species recorded at Netheridge Farm has continued to grow. More than 100 species have now been recorded, with many breeding and raising their young within the Haven and others visiting or passing through with the seasons.
Wild Tawny Owls and a wide variety of hedgerow birds breed and raise their young here. Deer, badgers, foxes and other mammals also use the site to live, breed and raise their young.
Insect life plays an equally important part. Bees, butterflies and countless smaller insects help support the many bird species that depend on them, while reptiles, smaller mammals and plant life all contribute to the Haven’s natural diversity.
When strolling along the winding paths, you may occasionally catch a surprising glimpse into that world. Around a hidden bend, there might be a deer standing quietly ahead, a fox crossing or following the path, or perhaps a vole, weasel, stoat or grass snake moving from one side to the other.
There are no guarantees about what will appear.
That is part of the experience.
A Lasting Connection
For many years, the Haven’s network of paths and open spaces formed part of the Barn Owl Centre’s Owl Experiences and photography days. These were activities that took place calmly and consistently, with respect for the wildlife already sharing the land.
Over time, something rather special became apparent. Wildlife continued to go about its normal routines while visitors and the Sanctuary’s resident owls spent time together in the Haven. Wild animals would often simply watch from a safe distance before carrying on with their day.
Even today, wild birds and other wildlife regularly appear around the Sanctuary, sometimes seeming almost as curious about its residents as we are about them.
It became an environment where wildlife living within the Haven appeared at ease sharing the farm with the everyday workings of the Sanctuary, its resident owls and their visitors.
A shared home.
Our Future Vision
The Wildlife Haven continues to evolve, and we have exciting ideas for its next chapter.
We hope to open a digital window into the Haven through live wildlife cameras on our website and YouTube, allowing people to connect with its wildlife. Photography, video, news and future Haven chapters will help us share more of its story as it continues to develop.
Carefully positioned wildlife and photography hides are also part of our future plans, creating opportunities for people of all ages to quietly watch, photograph and learn from the wildlife around them. We hope the Haven can offer something more too — a little breathing space from the pressures of everyday life, with time to pause, enjoy nature and reconnect with the world around us.
As these ideas develop, we will introduce them carefully and at a pace that respects the wildlife and natural environment at the heart of the Haven.