Wildlife
Given the wide range of unspoilt habitats in the Forest, it is not surprising that it has much wildlife, both plants and animals . Amongst mammals to be seen at the Forest are Fallow Deer, Muntjac Deer, Fox, Grey Squirrel, Rabbit, Weasel, and Hedgehog. There are Badger setts, but Badgers, being nocturnal are rarely seen. Two herds of Red Poll Cattle graze the plains in the traditional manner. Sheep are used as ‘conservation grazers’ for areas that have been cleared of scrub. The breeds being used are Speckled Faced Beulah, Wiltshire Horn and Manx Loaghtan.
A count in May 2008 found 58 different species of Birds, attracted by the various habitats. Woodland birds include Jay, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Common Chaffinch, Nightingale, Kestrel and Bullfinch. Around the Lake, depending on the time of year, are Graylag Geese, Canada Geese, Mute Swan, Great Crested Grebe, Common Tern, Moorhen, Coot, occasional Kingfisher, Cormorant, and Grey Heron, with Swallows and House Martins skimming the water. Buzzards can increasingly been seen above the Forest.
Eight species of Bats are found in the Forest, with dusk the best time for sightings.
Hatfield Forest is especially important for its Invertebrates, especially those associated with decaying wood. Of particular significance are the saproxylic beetles and the site is in the top 10 in the UK for this specialised fauna.
Trees are found in abundance, with the main species being: Oak, Ash, Hornbeam, Hawthorn, Hazel and Field Maple. There are over 800 ancient trees in the Wood Pasture areas, some of which are over 1,200 years old, and of especial note are the huge pollarded Oaks and Hornbeams. Mistletoe grows in profusion, especially on the old Hawthorn scrub. The most famous tree in the Forest was the Doodle Oak, which was one of the largest trees ever to grow in England. It last bore green leaves in 1858 and its site is marked in the north of the Forest.
Plants: A total of over 400 species have been found in the Forest. Some of the more common ones are: White Clover, Common Spotted Orchid, Selfheal, Sheep’s Sorrel, Herb Robert, Bugle, Agrimony, Bee Orchid, PerforateSt John’s Wort, Common Field Speedwell, Bird’s Foot Trefoil and, perhaps, most notable of all, Buttercups (the Forest has perhaps the most extensive fields of buttercups in England during late May and early June). In addition over 600 species of Fungi can be seen.
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Famous quotes containing the word wildlife:
“Russian forests crash down under the axe, billions of trees are dying, the habitations of animals and birds are layed waste, rivers grow shallow and dry up, marvelous landscapes are disappearing forever.... Man is endowed with creativity in order to multiply that which has been given him; he has not created, but destroyed. There are fewer and fewer forests, rivers are drying up, wildlife has become extinct, the climate is ruined, and the earth is becoming ever poorer and uglier.”
—Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860–1904)