Things to Discover along The Coleridge Way
Wildlife
Red Deer | |
Red deer are the largest wild land animals in England, with adult stags standing 115 cm at the shoulder.. Only the stags grow antlers. They shed them in April and early May and new ones start to grow immediately. As the stag gets older the antlers have more 'points' until they reach old age and start to 'go back'. Calves are born in June and July, and are usually dropped in moorland vegetation or by the edge of woodland. A single calf is normal and twins very rare. For a few days the calf will lie quietly, well-camouflaged with dappled spots on its russet coat, looking like sunlight on dead bracken. Soon it is strong enough to run with its mother and join the herd. They keep together for a year or more. Red deer eat a wide variety of food, including young shoots of heather, whortleberry, brambles, saplings and grass. They also feed on acorns, fungi, berries and also raid farmer's fields for corn and root crops. Look out for their footprints, called 'slots' in muddy ground. |
|
Exmoor Ponies | |
 | The Exmoor is a unique breed of pony which has lived on the moor longer than people have. It is the nearest breed we have to the original wild horses of Europe. These days it is only wild in the sense that the herds roam freely on the moor, for all the ponies belong to someone. The Exmoor pony always breeds true to its type. Its colouring ranges from dun (a smoky-brown) to bay (red-brown) or brown (dark brown). Underparts and the area around the eyes and nose are a mealy buff colour while the mane, tail and points are black. The summer coat is fine and glossy but in winter the ponies grow a thick, two-layered protective coat. Average height is about 12 hands. The true Exmoor is a sturdy pony, well-proportioned and sure footed. It has a large, well-shaped head with 'toad' eyes, large and dark, slightly hooded and set under a jutting brow which throws off the rain. Foals are born in the spring and early summer and spend the summer running with their dams. In the autumn the herds are driven down to the farms; foals are weaned and all the ponies are inspected and branded before being returned to the moor for the winter. |
Buzzards | |
The common buzzard, Buteo buteo, is the commonest UK bird of prey, it is quite large with broad, rounded wings, and a short neck and tail. When gliding and soaring it will often hold its wings in a shallow 'V'. It is variable in colour from all dark brown to birds with pale heads and breasts, all have dark wingtips and an unbanded tail. It is found on farmland with wooded hills, moorland and in more arable areas to the east where it is spreading. Look for birds soaring over wooded hillsides in fine weather, or perched on fence posts and pylons. It likes trees and hilly crags for nesting with open farmland and moorland nearby to feed over. It eats small mammals, birds and carrion. It can be seen all year round and birds soar, display and call most (a loud 'mewing' call - 'pee-uuu' ) in spring. |  |
Heath Fritillary Butterfly | |
 | Exmoor is the national stronghold of the heath fritillary butterfly, one of the rarest of the butterflies breeding in Britain. They were once called 'woodman's followers' because they appeared in coppiced woodland soon after the trees were cut. There is little coppicing nowadays but Exmoor has many areas where there is a 'soft' edge to woodland, particularly where the woodland gradually changes to heathland, where there are scattered trees and shrubs similar to coppice conditions. The butterflies move to other areas as conditions change, making their conservation difficult. |
