Wildlife
Staying at Coety Bach means being surrounded by a variety of wildlife with potential for spotting any number of different species.
Aswell as our resident livestock, Coety Bach shares the environment with some of our most wonderful creatures. This page highlights some of the birds and animals you may spot during your stay with us.
Red Kites
What the area is famous for! It is always a pleasure seeing these wonderful birds of prey gliding, swooping and hovering over the cabin and nearby fields
Owls
We are lucky to have a resident female Tawny Owl on our property who comes out most evenings. You might be lucky enough to hear its distinctive high pitched 'Kee-wik' just as it gets dark.
Bats
Dusk is the time to keep a look out for bats as they skip between the treetops. There are 18 species of bat in the UK with the Brown Long Eared Bat and the Pipistrelle among the most commonly spotted.
Badgers
An elusive animal, badgers live in setts usually in woodland. We know of setts located in the surrounding farmland and on nearby Castle Hill. The local environment which includes woodland are ideal habitats for badgers.
Field Mice
With its brown fur and grey/white coloured belly Field Mice are well camouflaged from most eyes. The pockets of long, rough grass which are located along the fields next to Coety Bach are ideal habitats for them to thrive.
Shrews
Small mole-like mammals that are a regular food source for birds of prey, Shrews exist in the long grass and dense undergrowth that line the field edges.
Grey Squirrels
Introduced in the 19th Century and responsible for the decline in Red Squirrel numbers, they can be commonly seen scurrying up a tree trunk or skipping amongst the field edges. The Grey Squirrels at Coety Bach are pretty curious and consistently raid the bird feeders.
Buzzards
Seen less often than the Red Kites but still spotted regularly enough. Buzzards are a beautiful bird of prey that hover gracefully above the fields as they search for food. You may be lucky to see one perched proudly on a fence post as you drive along the lanes.
Foxes
With its pointed ears and nose, bright eyes and brushed tail, the fox is a particularly attractive looking creature. A number of foxes now live in and around towns where they have realised how easy it is to access food. You are most likely to see foxes at dusk or during the night.
Starlings
Our part of Radnorshire is renowned for its starling murmurations throughout the winter months. Coety Bach is the perfect place to sit back and view these marvellous sights in the sky.
Bees
We continue to encourage bees around the property as their numbers are in decline, by planting a range of wild flowers and plants. They are important to the eco-system with their ability to pollenate flowering plants and trees.
Butterflies
Butterflies are not only famous for their beauty and grace, but also play an important role in the pollination of flowers. There are declining numbers of some species of butterflies due to climate change. At Coety Bach we have planted wild flowers and grow a variety of plants around the property to encourage them to thrive.
Great Tits
Normally a woodland bird but has become a familiar garden visitor. It has a distinctive two-syllable song which you can listen out for around the hedges circling Coety Bach.
Blue Tits
One of our most distinctive resident birds with its colourful mix of blue, yellow, white and green. A really attractive bird and a regular garden visitor to Coety Bach. If you look up to the trees there's a good chance you'll spot some.
Chaffinches
The chaffinch is another common sight, usually found foraging under bird tables or hedges. It has a variety of calls which are fairly loud. The patterned plummage enables the chaffinch to blend in whilst on the ground.
Nuthatches
Nuthatches are usually found in mature woods and established parkland throughout the country on the sides of tree trunks and underside of branches. It's quite a rounded bird that's quite similar in size as a tit.
Robins
One of the most satisfying sights over winter and the Christmas period. Seeing a robin in the snow at Coety Bach is almost picture perfect. They sing all year round and are quite territorial where they will scare away any intruders.
Song Thrushes
Don't be surprised to see song thrushes at Coety Bach as they prefer thick hedgerows, woodland and damp, grazed pasture. Unfortunately there have been declining numbers in towns and around farmland. It likes to eat snails which it breaks into by smashing them against a stone with a flick of the head.
Great Spotted Woodpeckers
We have been fortunate to regularly see a family of Great Spotted Woodpeckers on the property. These birds have a very distinctive bouncing flight and spends most of its time clinging to tree trunks and branches. This type of Woodpecker has very attractive and bright colours.
Wrens
The Wren is a very small bird with an almost round shape. It has a fine bill and very short, narrow wings. For a small bird it has a very loud call. Wrens enjoy a range of habitats including woodland, farmland, heathland, moorland and islands.
