Spring is on the way in Sussex

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bentley, bentley estate, bentley wildfowl and motor museum, birds, birdwatching, black swans, blue tits, eggs, great tit, nature, nests, Paul Webster, Ranger, Simon Barnes, spring, sussex, wildfowl, wildfowl reserve, wildlife

Black swans on the Bentley Reserve with their cygnets last Spring.

Here’s a lovely blog post from our wise ranger here at Bentley, Paul Webster:

Author Simon Barnes talks, in his brilliant book ‘Birdwatching With Your Eyes Closed’, of the squeaky pump call of the Great Tit (I prefer the analogy of a wheelbarrow in desperate need of some oil).

He tells us, “It is the first arrow aimed at winters heart. Once winter hears that two-stroke note, it knows it’s a goner. The game is up: the winter can prolong itself as hard as it likes, but the great tits voice says that the endgame has begun…”

Last week here at Bentley that first arrow was loosed; the first true call of the blue tit’s bigger brother was heard. The snow may still linger, the ground creaks with frost each morning but spring is on the way. Quietly and with stealth her arrival is imminent.

The birds on our reserve are more finely tuned to changes we have yet to grasp. The first nests are built and our Black Swans have two eggs with the promise of more. The Storks, relatively new arrivals on our reserve, are beginning to display and bond with the great clacking of bills reminiscent of the football rattles of days gone by.

The hoards of Jays (arrivals from France whose Oak & Beech trees lacked the fruit the birds needed this winter) seem to be dispersing. We usually see two or three of these brilliant members of the crow family; this year we were treated to numbers in the dozens. One survey in Kent counted a single flock of 80 or more (almost unheard of in the UK).

Deer are still very obvious in the evenings, the lack of leaf cover making their presence conspicuous and welcomed. A regular visitor has been a wonderful Fallow stag with antlers broadcasting his age, his experience and his potential as a great father.

As I sit in the office writing I’m watching one our resident weasels scurrying along the edge of the wall. Weasels do everything at full tilt, tiny ginger dynamos, all teeth and attitude. Smaller cousins of the stoat, badger and otter it is always an unexpected treat to see that flash of sinuous red.

When asked how to tell the difference between two of our similar mustelids an unknown (unknown to me anyway) wag passed on this gem, “Weasels are weasily identified while Stoats are stoataly different.”

Simon Barnes’ brilliant book comes highly recommended by all of us here at Bentley!

 

Snowtime!

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Bentley Wildfowl & Motor Museum, birds, countryside, ice, ponds, rspb, snow, sussex, wildlife, winter

What a beautiful start to the year. The estate is covered in snow. It looks like Narnia! We’ve been busy checking all our ponds. If they ice over toxic gases can build up in the water which may kill fish or frogs that are hibernating at the bottom. So we’ve been carefully making holes in the ice surface. Remember the RSPCA advice, “…never tip boiling water straight onto a pond or break the ice with force, as this can harm or even kill any fish living there.”

We’ve also been leaving out food for the birds who may be struggling to find enough berries, insects, seeds, worms and fruit. The RSPB advise, “You can feed birds calorie-rich foods like mixed seed, nyjer seed, fatballs, suet sprinkles, sunflower seeds and good-quality peanuts, as well as kitchen scraps like mild grated cheese, cooked rice and porridge oats. A supply of water is also essential for bathing and preening. In freezing conditions birds become more dependent on water provided in gardens, since many natural sources are frozen over. The most effective way to keep the water in your garden from freezing is to pop in a light ball that will be moved by even a gentle breeze and keep a small amount of water ice free – a ping-pong ball is ideal.”

We’re also getting ready to join the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch on 26th and 27th January. Make sure you sign up too!

And remember you can come and spot birds here on the estate and visit our wildfowl on our reserve here at Bentley every weekend during the winter. We’re open Saturdays and Sundays from 10.30am to 4pm.

Wishing all our friends & visitors a merry christmas!

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bentley, bentley wildfowl and motor museum, christmas, Lewes, new year, sussex, wildfowl, winter walks, woods

Everyone here at Bentley would like to wish all our visitors a very merry christmas. When you are weary of mince pies and Christmas telly, come and find us here on the estate. It’s the perfect spot for a winter walk in Sussex. The estate, wildfowl reserve, woodland and motor museum are closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We’ll be open each day from Boxing Day to Sunday 6th January from 10.30am to 4pm. We’re looking forward to seeing you all in plenty of festive knitwear and new hats and scarves!

Ho ho ho!

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bentley estate, bentley wildfowl and motor museum, christmas trees, elves, father christmas, festive, grotto, hut, Lewes, miniature train, santa, sussex, trees, woodland, woods

Father Christmas has just put his slippers on and is having a large mug of hot chocolate beside the fire in his grotto here at Bentley. He’s had a very jolly and busy first day here at Bentley in his woodland hideaway meeting young visitors and their grown ups. The magic of Christmas has arrived here at Bentley!

Call Father Christmas’ elves at the Bentley office to book an appointment to meet him before he departs on his epic Christmas Eve adventure. Father Christmas only has a few spaces left in his diary; call 01825 840573. His elves are busy wrapping gifts for every young visitor and the miniature railway team are running a special festive service through the dark each afternoon and evening to take visitors to Father Christmas’ secret grotto.

Here is a sneak peek of what’s happening here on the estate this December:

Birds in winter

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bentley wildfowl and motor museum, birds, cranes, ducks, eggs, father christmas, hawaiian geese, mallard, nature, slimbridge, storks, sussex, Whipsnade, wildfowl, wildlife, winter, woodlands

Winter blue skies, frosty mornings and the first ice of winter. It may be bitterly cold but Sussex and our estate here at Bentley are looking spectacularly beautiful. The dramatic inky outline of the bare trees against the blues and pinks of stunning sunsets.

Now is the time to come and see our wildfowl looking their most beautiful. We have some new arrivals on the reserve too – a delicate Demoiselle Crane which has come to us from Slimbridge Wetland Centre and a stork has just arrived to live with us from Whipsnade.

Our Nene (Hawaiian geese) are busy finding their mates and their chicks will be born in January or February. Our Mallard ducks are busy sitting on their eggs too; keeping them nice and warm in this cold weather. It won’t be long before their ducklings are scooting across the ponds in the wildfowl reserve.

We have 138 species of wildfowl here at Bentley at our last count. Come & see how many you can spot and identify. We are open at weekends during the winter between 10am and 4pm and every day during the school holidays.

We’ve also spotted (and heard) quite a few barn owls in the twilight on the estate this week. They must know that Father Christmas is on his way to Bentley…!

Black-neck swans and friends in the Bentley Wildfowl Reserve

Come & meet Father Christmas

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bentley, bentley wildfowl and motor museum, children, Christmas special, december, elf, fairy lights, families, father christmas, festive, glyndebourne woods, grotto, Lewes, miniature railway, night train, santa, sussex

Father Christmas takes up residence in the woods at Bentley

He’s back! Father Christmas is busy setting up his camp in our magical woods here on Bentley estate. He is moving into one of our ancient woodland huts and his helpers are stringing coloured lights through the trees so that young visitors can find their way through the winter twilight to meet him.

We’re busy getting the woods ready for our young visitors

Bentley Miniature Railway are getting their Christmas Special train ready to take festive visitors on an unforgettable trip. The train will take families through the dark up to the woodland.  Father Christmas doesn’t like crowds, so he meets just one family at a time. Make sure you call his secretary elf at Bentley asap to book your appointment with him!

Come & meet Father Christmas at Bentley

Father Christmas will be meeting young visitors at Bentley on 8th, 9th, 15th, 16th, 22nd, 23rd December 2012.

£12 per child (includes entrance for two adults per family; additional adults £5 each). Each child will be given a present from Father Christmas. Each family will be taken on a special train ride up to the woods to meet Father Christmas. Wrap up warm!

Call Bentley to book a visit with Father Christmas: 01825 840573 / 841451

A night on the estate

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autumn, bentley, bentley wildfowl and motor museum, birds, bonfire night, buzzards, hoar frost, Lewes, nature, roe deer, shepherd's huts, sparklers, sussex, The Rolling Downs, wildlife, winter

As you arrive up the tree-lined drive at Bentley, you’ll spot two beautiful shepherd’s huts nestled in a secluded, leafy corner. I had the chance to stay there this week for Bonfire Night with my young children. The huts are owned by The Rolling Downs who rent them out. As the sun went down we spotted a fox darting across the fields.

We lit the fire outside and watched as the most spectacular night sky appeared. It was a clear, crisp night and the stars were incredible. In the distance we could hear the faint thud of explosions as the wild bonfire night celebrations began in Lewes.

The hut was cosy and warm with the log burner going and we woke to a hoar-frost. Sparkling white crystals hung to each blade of grass, a pair of buzzards swooped on to the field and as we lay in our luxurious bed gazing at the winter view, two Roe deer wandered past the huts and disappeared into the woods. Magical.

Sparklers on Bonfire Night at The Rolling Downs

Twilight at the shepherd’s huts at Bentley

The Rolling Downs on a winter morning

If you would like to stay on Bentley estate in one of the huts, contact The Rolling Downs.

Let the kids out!

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autumn, autumnwatch, bentley estate, bentley wildfowl and motor museum, birds, children, families, half term, nature, outdoor play, Play England, rspb, sussex, wildfowl, wildlife, willow, woodland, woods

Bridge through the trees at Bentley

Willow boat

The great outdoors at Bentley

The Bentley wildfowl reserve in Autumn

Woodland huts to explore and play in

A big hand to climb at Bentley!

Willow tunnels at Bentley

Running free at Bentley!

There’s nothing better than watching children exploring our woods, climbing in the trees, meeting the ducks and birds in the reserve and running free across Bentley estate. We are open every day this half term and welcome children of all ages to come and play outside.

The RSPB are taking part in some much-needed research looking at how a generation of children, who have become disconnected from nature, could put our nation’s wildlife at risk in future years. The RSPB write:

Evidence shows that the proportion of children playing out in natural spaces has dropped by as much as 75 per cent over the last thirty to forty years. 4  This is despite the proven positive effects that contact with the natural World has on children’s physical and mental health, personal and social development, and even academic achievements and life chances.

If the decline in connection continues the consequences for wildlife and people could be catastrophic, as children who don’t value and respect nature when they’re young are less likely to see the importance of protecting the natural environment when they’re older.

Extract taken from www.rspb.org.uk

Here at Bentley, we have worked with schools from across the region hosting days out for school children, giving them the chance to learn about local wildlife. Circle of Life Rediscovery also has a camp in our woods where they train teachers in outdoor education and share their passion for outdoor play. They’ve recently been running a Forest School at Ringmer Primary School for Years 3 and 4. You can read all about it on their blog.

On Bentley estate, we have a wood play area, with trees to climb and willow tunnels to play in. There’s a willow boat to take children on their own imagined adventures. We have bug houses to examine (bring your magnifiers!) in the woods and hundreds of ducks and birds to meet and identify. But most of all there’s space to play, get muddy and run!

Remember to watch the ever brilliant BBC Autumnwatch to give you and your kids ideas about what wildlife you might be able to spot at this time of year. Autumnwatch 2012 starts on Tuesday 30th October in time for half term. Remember to bring your binoculars to Bentley!

Play England has just launched a campaign called Love Outdoor Play. Check out their website for ideas and advice. And we hope to see you here at Bentley with your children this half term.

Bentley is open every day from 10.30am to 5.30pm this half term.

Animal House

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animals, Askew, bentley, bentley wildfowl and motor museum, birds, Chinese wallpaper, dogs, gilt furniture, horses, house, painted tea set, paintings, sussex, Venetian furniture, wildfowl

As the Summer season comes to an end, we start to prepare to close the main house here at Bentley for the winter. The house is open every day from midday until the end of October.

We have written on our blog before all about the history of the house here and the interiors created by Mr and Mrs Askew. Both of them loved the Sussex countryside and were passionate about animals and wildlife. In every room in the house, you can find animals in the detail of the furniture, the wallpapers and the pictures displayed. You can read our post all about the Chinese Drawing Room: A room full of birds. Here are just a few of our favourite animals we found living in the house:

Detail of painting from Bentley house

Cockerel detail from painting at Bentley house

Fish detail from table in the Chinese Drawing Room at Bentley

Venetian 18th century commode and Dutch painted folding screen depicting cranes, pheasants and ducks – in the Dining Room at Bentley

Cushion dog detail at Bentley house, Sussex

Wildfowl watercolours by Philip Rickman (Sussex artist) inside Bentley house

Gilt furniture adorned with birds at Bentley

Duck detail from tea set in Bentley house

Don’t miss out on seeing the eclectic interiors inside Bentley house before it closes for the winter.

Autumn colour

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autumn, bentley, bentley wildfowl and motor museum, colour, ducks, geese, peacock, sussex, trees, wildfowl reserve, wildlife, woods

As the crowds of Woodfair disperse, the woodland camps are packed away and peace returns to the estate, it’s time to appreciate the colours of Autumn in Sussex. The leaves on the trees are on the turn. The birds in the reserve are looking their finest, as they come into full plumage to impress the ladies! Look out for the European Eiders on the reserve at the moment – you’ll probably hear their distinctive call before you spot them.

We’ve noticed an influx of Jays and we’ve been reading all about this unusual sighting on the brilliant BTO bird migration blog. Apparently, it may be because there are not enough acorns on the oak trees this year, so they’re on the move in search of food. We’ve also noticed that the squirrels have been very busy stealing all the horse chestnuts here at Bentley this year. This may also be because they can’t get their claws on any acorns. There may be a few less conker fights this year due to the squirrels!

We’ve also spotted a lot of beetles up in the woods at the moment. Bring your magnifiers and you’re likely to spot Devil’s Coach Horses and Violet Ground Beetles. Beetles do have the most wonderful, evocative names!

Last of the roses

Red-Breasted Geese – among the rarest of Arctic geese… here in Sussex

Peacock on the lawns outside the main house at Bentley

Our Acers are on the turn. They’ll be a glorious red within the next 2 weeks.

Bentley Wildfowl and Motor Museum is open every day until the end of October when we move to our Winter opening times.