I built a garden for wildlife, then they took over the kids' playground as well!
I've lived at Fotherdale Farm on the Yorkshire Wolds for 27 years and have spent this time completely transforming the three-acre plot of land it into a true wildlife haven. From barn owls to tawnys, kestrels to sparrowhawks, some very special species have since appeared. I've put up bird boxes, dug out badger dens and built dry stone walls for stoats and weasels.
Wildlife takeover
But the wildlife has also taken over something that wasn’t originally meant for them.. my children’s old climbing frame. I built it for my two daughters, but they have since grown out of it. And now my hidden cameras capture all sorts of different animals enjoying it instead.
Animals at play
Some species are a little wary, like the foxes and hares, but others seem to actively enjoy all that the climbing frame has to offer. Especially the stoats! My cameras caught a family darting all over the climbing frame together. They particularly liked the trampoline, pulling themselves on their bellies, jumping, playing and just having fun. Another regular visitor is a weasel.
Animals pool fun
Water is scarce over the Yorkshire Wolds, so my kids' old paddling pool has created a valuable water source. Bullfinches, hedgehogs and woodpeckers drink here whilst barn owls and tawny owls use it to bathe in. I once spotted a badger soothe itself in its cooling waters after a brutal fight.
Night visitors
The climbing frame has visitors throughout the day, but it is at night-time that it really comes to life. It was so popular, I built a hide nearby to watch. I once had 10 barb owls perching on the roof of the playground at once! The owls were here for the food I put out for them, but it's more than that, they also come to socialise, even thought they can be territorial. And it's fascinating to watch how they interact.
This climbing frame has proven to be much more valuable than I ever could have imagined. From a family of stoats running rampant, to a badger boar soaking his battle scars. I can’t want to see what else I can capture here
