News
Posted September 9, 2026 by Senga Grave
Welcome to the Summer into Autumn edition of our Nature Updates!
While the reserve has been bursting with life throughout the warmer months, our Habitats and Estates Team hasn’t slowed down for a second. Late summer and autumn bring a shift from lush summer blooms to rich golden landscapes, and the work happening behind the scenes is all about preparing Watchtree for the coming colder months.
Swallows update
One of our fantastic Habitats and Estates volunteers recently created a prototype nest to help support our local wildlife and you can see their brilliant handiwork in action in the images! A few of these custom nests have been placed around Watchtree, and we are absolutely thrilled to say the birds completely approve.
Today, we got up close and personal with some of the nest’s newest lodgers. As you can see in the photos, the swallow nestlings are tucked in safe, warm, and cozy!
The swallows were carefully handled and checked over by our expert bird ringing group. Each nestling now has their very own lightweight, individual identification ring. So, over their lifetime, we will be able to track their incredible journeys, monitor their survival rates, and hopefully welcome them back to Watchtree for many breeding seasons to come!
Did you know? Bird ringing provides vital data that helps conservation sites like ours understand migration patterns and bird populations, ensuring we can protect these species for generations.
For more information about bird ringing go to: http://www.bto.org/…/bird-ringing-scheme/about-ringing
A massive thank you to our dedicated volunteers for their ingenuity in building these nests, and to our ringing group for their vital conservation work. Swipe through the photos to see the full process, including some adorable close-ups.
#Watchtree#WildlifeConservation#VolunteerPower#BirdRinging#NatureReserve
Resurfacing Paths
Our Habitats and Estates team have been busy widening and resurfacing the path to the Lake Hide to make it smoother and easier to use.
We hope the improvements make the route even more accessible and enjoyable for everyone visiting the hide.
This work was funded by The National Lottery Community Fund
Meadows
There is nothing quite like the scent of a summer hay meadow in full bloom!
That sweet, nostalgic smell actually comes from a beautiful mix of wildflowers and a special grass called Sweet Vernal. Its roots carry a natural sweetness that gives traditional hay its unique, distinctive aroma.
Next time you pass a meadow, take a deep breath and see if you can spot it!
#SummerMeadows #NatureLovers #SweetVernal #CountrysideLife #BritishCountryside
Sightings
It’s been a little while since our last wildlife update, but nature certainly hasn’t been hitting the brakes!
Our sightings board is absolutely bursting at the seams with summer life right now.
Take a close look at the photos to see the incredible variety of birds, butterflies, and wildflowers our visitors spotted on their recent walks. The reserve is practically alive with color and activity!
Wheelers swallows have fledged
We have some incredibly proud parent moments to share from the reserve—the Wheeler’s Swallows have officially taken the leap and fledged!
They bravely left their nest over the weekend, though they aren’t completely independent just yet. They are still heading back to the nest to rest up, and their hard-working parents are keeping very busy making sure they stay well-fed as they practice their flying skills.
It is absolutely crazy to think that back on the 1st of July, they were just tiny, fluffy little things tucked away in the nest (as you can see in the images. Fast forward to now, and look at them lined up like absolute pros.
Seeing them grow from vulnerable nestlings to confident fledglings is what makes our conservation work at Watchtree so rewarding. Safe travels to the little ones on their next big chapter!
#Watchtree #SwallowsFledged #NatureReserve #UKWildlife #WildlifeConservation
Hummingbird Hawk Moth
This striking Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum) made the long journey over from continental Europe and dropped by to refuel on our Buddleia.
True to its name, this fascinating migrant hovers perfectly in mid-air while using its long proboscis (a straw-like tongue) to sip nectar, beating its wings up to 80 times per second!
Keep an eye out on sunny days, they love bright, nectar-rich flowers like Buddleia and Lavender.
Have you noticed any Hummingbird Hawk-moths in your patch this summer? Let us know what flowers they’re visiting!
#HummingbirdHawkmoth#UKWildlife#GardenWildlife#Buddleia#InsectWatching
Harvest mouse behind the scenes
A quick look behind the scenes of harvest mouse conservation!
Recently, we paid a visit to one of the Cumbria Harvest Mice Project breeding stations, where Aimee gave us a tour of her incredible setup.
The real highlight was her flourishing wildflower meadow, a thriving haven the mice clearly adore, standing in vibrant, sharp contrast to the surrounding intensive farmland. It’s a powerful reminder of what happens when we make room for wildlife!
#CumbriaHarvestMice #HarvestMouse #UKWildlife #BritishWildlife #WildflowerMeadow #HabitatRestoration #NatureRecovery #WildlifeConservation #CumbriaWildlife #MammalSociety #NatureInFocus #ConservationInAction
Cumbria in bloom
We were thrilled to welcome the Cumbria in Bloom judges to the reserve recently !
They were blown away by our new vegetable garden, where we’re now growing fresh produce directly for the coffee shop as well as our thriving wildflower and tree nursery.
A huge thank you to our incredible community of volunteers who make all of this possible.
#CumbriaInBloom #CommunityGardening #GardenToTable #FieldToFork #VolunteerPower #WildflowerNursery #TreeNursery #Cumbria #SustainableLiving #CommunityAction
Grasslands
The Watchtree grasslands are absolutely thriving right now! They’re bursting with color and buzzing with insect life.
Harvesting of hay has started from some of the meadows , but don’t worry, we’re leaving plenty of field margins untouched for our local pollinators. Plus, several meadows will be left completely wild as a sanctuary for our incredible flora and fauna.
#Watchtree #WatchtreeNatureReserve #Cumbria #CumbriaWildlife #VisitCumbria #GreatOutdoors #DiscoverCumbria
Harvest mice release
The Watchtree grasslands are absolutely thriving right now! They’re bursting with color and buzzing with insect life.
Harvesting of hay has started from some of the meadows , but don’t worry, we’re leaving plenty of field margins untouched for our local pollinators. Plus, several meadows will be left completely wild as a sanctuary for our incredible flora and fauna.
#Watchtree #WatchtreeNatureReserve #Cumbria #CumbriaWildlife #VisitCumbria #GreatOutdoors #DiscoverCumbria
The Cumberland volunteering team
A massive thank you to the Strategy Team at @the_cumberland for spending their volunteering day with us at Watchtree!
In just one day, this fantastic team cleared over three dumpy bags of tree tubes and spiral guards from our hedgerows. That’s a huge amount of plastic kept out of the environment and away from local wildlife.
Incredible effort, team Cumberland thank you for making such a positive impact!
FISC assessments
We were thrilled to host a BSBI Field Identification Skills Certificate (FISC) assessment at Watchtree this week, delivered alongside Cumbria Wildlife Trust and the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland!
FISC tests real-world botanical identification skills, benchmarking candidates against the findings of an expert Gold Standard Surveyor. To qualify, a site must boast at least 100 plant species within a 2km area—and our Gold Standard Surveyor easily blew past that mark!
A huge thank you to everyone who attended. We hope you enjoyed exploring the rich botanical diversity packed into our reserve!
Wild Carrot
Take a look at the Wild Carrot blooming across the reserve right now!
Known as the queen of the umbellifers, this striking plant features delicately intricate leaves while in bud, before opening into gorgeous, lacy white florets with a single, tiny crimson flower right at the centre. And if you crush the leaves gently, they smell just like fresh carrot!
Volunteering at Watchtree
Our amazing volunteers have been busy crafting all summer!
From custom nest boxes for our resident Barn Owls and Swallows, to a fully fitted polytunnel for our tree and wildflower nursery and, of course, locally made charcoal for your summer BBQs! Huge thanks to our volunteer team for everything they build and nurture around the reserve.
Hay Meadows
Our hay meadows have now been cut, but we’ve made sure to leave plenty of margins and wildflower “islands” intact!
These uncut patches provide vital refuge and food for our local pollinators and wildlife as the seasons shift. A huge thank you to our local farmers for harvesting with nature in mind—working in partnership to keep our reserve thriving!
Pond Dipping
It feels like continuous summer heat is already becoming a memory, but back at the start of the summer holidays, we had a brilliant time pond dipping here at Watchtree!
Our resident water beetle expert, Steven Routledge, led an fantastic experience on the boardwalk. It was a gorgeous, sunny day, and over 30 eager explorers joined in to get stuck in, grab a net, and discover all the hidden wildlife thriving in our pond.
Even with the water levels on the lower side, there was still so much life to find—including some remarkable water beetles and newts!
A huge thank you to Steven for sharing his expert knowledge and leading such engaging sessions throughout 2026.
Our pond dipping sessions are wrapped up for this year, but we’re already looking forward to getting the nets back out next year!
#WatchtreeNatureReserve #PondDipping #CumbriaWildlife #ExploreNature #FamilyActivities #WaterBeetles #NatureReserve
Painted Lady
Can you spot this master of camouflage resting in the grass?
While the upper wings of the Painted Lady feature a vibrant orange and black pattern, the delicate underwings tell a completely different story, reminiscent of an intricate stained glass window. These endurance flyers are famous long-distance migrants, embarking on extraordinary journeys across the English Channel that create some of the most breath taking butterfly migrations in Britain.
Ramble walk at Watchtree
Our recent nature ramble treated attendees to some incredible wildlife encounters!
From the Lake Hide, we watched in awe as a Kestrel hovered effortlessly against the sky. Stepping out of the hide, we were greeted by a rare sight, an entire Roe Deer family party, including a buck, a doe, and three spotty fawns. To top off a brilliant evening, a Barn Owl glided silently around the Watchtower on its evening hunt.
Final harvest mouse release
What a milestone for Watchtree!
Our final release day brought the grand total to 290 Harvest Mice reintroduced to the reserve.
A massive thank you to everyone involved in the Cumbria Harvest Mice Project for helping restore these wonderful creatures to our landscape.
Want to see how the project unfolded behind the scenes?
Watch the mini-documentary here:
Plant nursery milestones
It’s a week of big milestones at our plant nursery!
We are officially setting up shop in our new polytunnel, giving our growing collection of native trees, shrubs, wildflowers, and vegetables the space they need to flourish.
Nature has certainly been generous! Our pumpkins have turned into absolute monsters, and our team has started harvesting fresh seed to pave the way for next year’s crops.
Community is at the heart of everything we grow. If you’d like to volunteer or get involved in our upcoming growing projects, we’d love to hear from you!
Email: habitats@watchtree.co.uk
Lilac Eyebright
Have you spotted the carpets of lilac Eyebright across the reserve this year?
While typically white with delicate purple veins, they’ve put on a strikingly vibrant display this season. Paired with the fluffy purple heads of Devil’s-bit Scabious, it makes for a stunning sight, and more importantly, provides a vital late-season nectar source for our local pollinators!
#Wildflowers #NatureReserve #UKWildlife #WildflowerMeadow #Pollinators #NaturePhotography #BritishWildlife #LateBloom