The video, which appears on the Clinton Devon Estate website, explains the purpose of the survey and shows just some species captured by scientists and volunteers.
BioBlitz Survey Stantyway Farm
Scientists, naturalists and volunteers teamed up to learn as much as they could about the plants and animals living on a single farm near the Jurassic Coast. The farmland BioBlitz was held at Stantyway Farm just outside Otterton in East Devon from 4 pm on Friday, June 24 to 4 pm on Saturday, June 25.
A BioBlitz is an intensive biological survey that aims to record all the living species within a specific area. It offers members of the public the chance to play a key role in an important scientific study. This BioBlitz was organised by Kate Ponting, the Countryside Learning Officer for Clinton Devon Estates. And it was a great success, she said:
“Over the space of 24 hours we recorded more than 800 species of animals and plants. For example, we found four species of bats: common pipistrelle, soprano pipistrelle, noctule and serotine; and seven other mammals: badger, stoat, rabbit, hare, common shrew, bank vole and mole.”
Naturalists and Volunteers
Across the 100 hectares of the farm, naturalists and volunteers also identified more than 160 higher plants, 45 lichens and 50 mosses and liverworts. There were six species of butterfly, including Red Admiral and Painted Lady, as well as an amazing 80 species of moths and 400 other types of insect. The much-loved and nationally rare Cirl Bunting was among 36 species of birds spotted, which also included buzzards, skylarks, swifts and black caps.
The event included a bird walk, moth-trapping and bat monitoring later in the evening of the Friday. Saturday started with a dawn bird walk, followed by a number of ‘safaris’ later in the day looking for butterflies and reptiles. In the farmyard, there were wildlife stands, children’s activities and a pop-up café. Members of Clinton Devon Estates’ farm team were on hand to talk about the farm, show off their organic cows and machinery and offer tractor-trailer rides.
Stantyway Farm is currently being converted to organic status, so the study happened at a very interesting time.
Clinton Devon Estates wanted us to video this first BioBlitz event. Soundview knows that a video can perfectly present the essence of an event and be used to explain more about a business and the things they do.
