Benington Hertfordshire Wildlife Page

Wildlife

With so much countryside around the village, there are plenty of opportunities for observing wildlife.

Both fallow deer and muntjacs are common sights and care should be taken when driving, especially at night. It is not uncommon to see 20 or more fallow deer at a time.

Numerous species of birds can be spotted, including tawny, barn and little owls, sparrowhawks and woodpeckers. There are also buzzards resident close to the village.

Details of sightings are welcome so that we can include them on this page.

Fallow deer near Combes Wood

Buzzard

Click here to find out about Benington's only Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)

For more information about wildlife, visit the Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust's website at www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/herts

Red kites are now seen regularly over the village.

A recent report recorded NINE seen together!

Please let us have details of any sightings.

Green Plovers (or Lapwings, or Peewits) are on the list of endangered birds, but seem to be making a comeback in and around Benington.

Deer sightings

20 November 2010

A small family group of 6 fallow deer and, separately but close, a splendid buck were just outside the village (near Finches Farm) at around 2.45am this morning. The group was close to the road in open fields to the left of the village as you enter, the buck on the road itself moving off towards Benington Park.

Beautiful.

Simon Stebbings

One year in early January, my son and I saw over 100 fallow deer feeding in a dip in the fields to the right of Combes Wood. We saw one stag with antlers and three white deer.

This is the largest herds I have seen together and guess the preceding cold spell of weather had brought them all together to feed.

Mrs Ruth Hitchcock

Bird sightings

Autumn 2010

Four crossbills, Benington Lordship garden

Three ravens over village

Combs Wood / Banfield Woods

Chiffchaff - singing
Blackcap x 2 - singing
Buzzard - still present
Cuckoo - very early
Marsh tit
Great spotted woodpecker x 4

Andy Pratt

Combs Wood / Banfield Woods

1 pair Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
1 Nuthatch
1 Male Sparrowhawk
c 15 Redwing
1 Buzzard
1 Brambling
1 Blackcap - singing
2 Chiffchaff
2 Great Spooted Woodpecker
1 Green Woodpecker
1 Mistle Thrush

Andy Pratt

Bird sightings in Benington,

Hawfinch - up to 4 around Church/Gardens all week.
Little Owl - Several calling around village all week.
Kestrel - Lordship Garden.
Sparrowhawk - Lordship Garden
Goldfinch - 25+ Lordship Garden.
Yellowhammer - 6+ on Lammas.
Brambling - 6+ Roosting in Lordship Garden all week.
Bullfinch - Lordship Garden.
Chiffchaff - Church Green.
Song Thrush - 2 singing around Church Green.
Mistle Thrush - 2 by Church.
Redwing - Few around village all week.
Fieldfare - 100+ around village all week.
Green Woodpecker - Lordship Garden/Church Green.
Great Spotted Woodpecker - several around Church/Lordship Garden.
Nuthatch - 4+ Lordship Garden.
Treecreeper - Lordship Garden.
Long-tailed Tit - 15+ Lordship Garden.
Goldcrest - Lordship Garden.
Red Legged Partridge - 2 off High Elms Lane 18/2

Past sightings

Hobby and calling/drumming Lesser Spotted Woodpecker by Church (R Webb)

Female Brambling with greenfinch flock (R Webb)