5 minute read
ROUND UP
ROUND UP
CREATURES
GREAT AND SMALL
From woolly wonders to feathery friends, communications volunteer Matt Huggins catches up with the volunteers responsible for the care and management of the animals who call our sites home.
Main image Ducks at Wrest Park Left Wrest Park bird survey team (L-R) Jason Bagge, Dick Godwin and Ian Stirk Above Maureen the Boscobel House sheep Below Tamworth pigs at Boscobel House
WREST TWITCHERS A VICTORIAN FARMYARD
Jason Bagge, Dick Godwin and Ian Stirk formed a team of volunteer bird watchers to help complete a survey at Wrest Park. Boscobel House in Shropshire is well known for its past as a hunting lodge, but less so for its farming history. However, with the introduction of the farmyard in 2021, this may be about to change.
Bedfordshire is home to the stunning Wrest Park, which offers a great variety of much-needed habitats including lawns, woodland and waterways. Every Sunday morning, come rain or shine, a group of volunteers heads out before visitors arrive, armed with pen, pencil, binoculars and a field book. Twitchers Jason Bagge, Dick Godwin and Ian Stirk formed a team in July 2021 following a call for help completing a bird survey. ‘Sometimes we split up, but often walk round together, catch up on life and have a general quiet chitchat as we scan the area for signs of movement. It’s a great privilege to have the park all to ourselves, and gives us a chance to see some of the shyer birds,’ says Jason.
With just 12 months of data, they have recorded 81 species and over 1,900 birds, including kingfishers, green woodpeckers and Egyptian geese.
Ian and Dick also recently gave a presentation to fellow volunteers to give them a better understanding of the birds that can be found and likely places to look. ‘Some of the bird calls are becoming familiar too, like the short fluty whistles of the song thrush and the delightfully tuneful robin which gives a happy lift to the day.’ Having once been a mixed farm, the site now provides a much-needed home to several rare breeds. Included on this list are the critically endangered Tamworth pigs and Dorking hens (first described in England in the first century AD), as well as a flock of Call ducks. And of course, we couldn’t possibly talk about
Boscobel farmyard without mentioning their poster girl: Maureen the sheep. Described as ‘chill’, by volunteers, Maureen is all too happy to pose for photographs, help with talks and generally be the star she was born to be. The animal care volunteers muck in and support staff with many of the delights that come
The animal care with keeping livestock, including cleaning, volunteers muck in feeding, watering and and support staff medical care. If you feel that this would be with many of the something you would delights that come enjoy, the Boscobel farmyard team are with keeping livestock currently looking for outdoor steward volunteers. The role involves helping on the farm and talking to the visitors about the rare breeds that live here. ►
THE DONKEYS AT CARISBROOKE CASTLE
Donkeys have been a familiar sight at Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight for hundreds of years. They were used to raise buckets of water from the well, via the huge oak wheel built in the 1580s, and you can still see donkeys demonstrating this today.
However, their workload is significantly lighter, and they spend most of their time relaxing in their stables and stretching their legs in the paddock. Mucking in and out
Helen Hopper is one of the volunteers responsible for looking after the resident herd and is quick to point out that a never-ending amount of poop is
a major feature. As well as continually clearing the stables and field, the team also get involved with grooming coats, picking out feet and generally keeping an eye on their welfare, making sure that everything is as it should be. ‘I love volunteering with Getting to them, the cuddles are the know their best, and getting to know their personalities is very personalities entertaining,’ says Helen. is very When asked who her favourite donkey was, she entertaining compared it to choosing a favourite child. However, if she absolutely had to pick, Helen’s favourite would be Jill, who, whilst small, is unquestionably the head of the herd and a fine example of a powerful female.
FIND OUT MORE Working with animals can be hard work, but highly rewarding. If you are interested in volunteer opportunities near you, email volunteer.enquiries@english-heritage.org.uk or call us on 0370 333 1185.
Main image Jack demonstrates the wheel A donkey using the tread wheel to raise water from the well Above Jill - Helen’s favourite donkey Below Jack
THE AVIARY AT KENILWORTH CASTLE
We hear about volunteer Amanda Jones’ role in the aviary at Kenilworth Castle.
The spectacular aviary set in the beautiful gardens of Warwickshire’s Kenilworth Castle has been active since 2009. The team of volunteers and employees caring for the aviary has grown and Amanda has been using her background in zoology to support the team for over a year.
Beak, hoof and fin Amanda helps to clean the aviary, and feed fruit and seeds to its residents, which are quails and lizard canaries – believed to be the oldest type of domesticated canary. She also enjoys delivering a well-researched talk to visitors, which she has truly made her own. Titled ‘Beak, hoof and fin’, the talk covers not only birds, but also the wide range of other animals who live or once lived at the castle.
A bright future Amanda is always satisfied when she sees a nice clean cage at the end of the day. As the birds fly around and sing, she knows the work she does is appreciated. Indeed, thanks to the dedicated team, visitor engagement has been noticeably higher and the aviary now looks to be heading into the bright future it deserves. ■
Main image The aviary in Kenilworth’s Elizabethan Garden Below A canary
