Wildlife Video Clips

Here is a small selection of video clips showing some our wildlife, shot by Jason Ball. The biodiversity at Sheepdrove Organic Farm is something we cherish and encourage. Everything from soil microbes to soaring raptors play a role in the web of life in the Berkshire Downs landscape. 

This page links to the video hosting website YouTube.
Please bear in mind that we do not control the footage available on YouTube.

Red Kites overhead
A clear view through the woodland canopy in springtime,
before trees come into leaf. You can hear nesting Rooks nearby.

Barn Owls at Sheepdrove
We see these owls often, but they are not easy to film.
The Barn Owl is a legally protected species, and a licence
is required to photograph or disturb them, at or near
the breeding site. More about barn owls...

Barn Owls - nest site monitoring
See owlets up close! This kind of work can only
be done by a qualified, licensed bird ringer.

Winter flock of Lapwing
Large flocks like these, of Lapwing, Starling,
Lesser Black-backed Gull or finches, are an important
food source for spectacular raptors such as
Peregrine Falcon and Sparrowhawk.

Noctule Bat
A bat detector is being held next to the camera
so we can hear the ultrasound calls of Belinda,
a Noctule bat who cannot fly. She uses the echoes
of reflected sound to visualise what is around her.

Bats in flight
You need quite a bit of patience looking for bats,
but if you find a good spot, they put on a great show! 

Frog Spawning Time
Each spring hundreds of frogs use our ponds to breed.

Toadlet in the hand
Baby toad found in July amongst grass at the reedbed.

Butterflies up close!
They love this 'butterfly bush' for its nectar,
but did you know that four of these species eat
Stinging Nettle when they are caterpillars?

Six-spot Burnet
A moth freshly emerged from the chrysalis.

Glow-worm
A flightless female glow-worm lights up to attract flying males.
These are actually beetles - not worms!