Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum

Blog - Wildlife

Countryfile at Westonbirt Arboretum

If your Sunday evening viewing has you captivated by the awesome autumn beauty and historic heritage of The National Arboretum, you’re not alone. The awe-inspiring collection of Japanese Acers, Oak trees, and Whitebeams are world-famous, transforming the landscape in a dazzling array of yellow, orange, and crimson hues in autumn.

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Spring has sprung at Westonbirt, and there's no better place to be a member!

Westonbirt Arboretum is a beautiful place to visit in the spring. There are many flowers in bloom, including rhododendrons, azaleas, cherry trees, daffodils, and anemones. There are also many fun family activities too!...

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Gruffalo Games & Winter's Wonders: Unforgettable February Adventures at Westonbirt

February promises a delightful array of events guaranteed to warm your hearts and awaken your senses. So bundle up, lace up your boots, and prepare to step into a wonderland of nature's resilience and wonder.

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Top 4 birds to see at Westonbirt this winter

Winter is a great time to start birdwatching at Westonbirt Arboretum, many trees are without leaves, making it easier to spot them and get a closer look. And, during the winter months some birds are pretty vocal, making their presence known!...

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Grazing on The Downs

How do the cows help out the flora and fauna at Westonbirt? Read our blog to find out...

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Restoring Westonbirt's bird hide

Follow the journey of nine Estate Volunteers as they took part in the John Muir Award restoring the well-loved bird hide in the Old Arboretum.

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7 things you didn't know about polecats

Posted in: Blog Wildlife

During spring at Westonbirt, we had a very unexpected visitor!...

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A rare visitor

Posted in: Blog Wildlife Autumn

Our Propagator, Penny, was lucky enough to spot an unusual find in the propagation greenhouses a couple of weeks ago.

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Welcome back!

Posted in: Blog Wildlife

We are welcoming back native rare breed Gloucester cattle to graze our downland from early September until the end of February.

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Busy bees

Posted in: Blog Wildlife

This summer we’ve had some busy woodland creatures buzzing around the arboretum with us – bees!...

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Return of the grazers

Posted in: Blog Wildlife Landscape

Cattle are coming back to the downs! In mid-November, a group of Gloucester cattle will be taking up residence on the downland of Westonbirt Arboretum.

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Flying Lessons at Westonbirt

Posted in: Blog Wildlife

What a delightful week the Friends’ staff have had working in the Great Oak Hall as the House Martin’s School of Flying takes off (sorry!)!...

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A walk into the unknown

Posted in: Blog Wildlife

We've always known that we have bats at Westonbirt - but we've never really gone out looking for them.

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Footsteps in the snow

Posted in: Blog Wildlife

Snowfall gives us the opportunity to track animals through the snow. If you're lucky you'll get a glimpse of the wildlife that left the footsteps in the snow, but even if you don't, some of the footprints have a remarkable level of detail.

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