Birds and Mammals

It is hoped that our strategies to manage the grass areas, increase the wildflowers and provide more fruiting trees offer food sources for birds and small mammals.

In the autumn of 2010 the local Youth Offending Team prepared thirty ‘small bird’ nest box kits which were then assembled by children at St Luke’s School. Volunteers then installed them on trees and shrubs throughout the Cemetery. Tree specialists installed kestrel, starling and owl boxes in the tall trees along the southern boundary. We now monitor their occupancy, and have made changes to some locations etc as we’ve learned more about how best to help and encourage the birds.

With the exception of squirrels and in particular the local black variety, small mammals are not easily spotted in the Cemetery, especially since many are nocturnal! Bat boxes have been put up, and we have had reports of foxes. We have also installed hedgehog boxes in the hope of helping this endearing and threatened species that’s known to be in neighbouring gardens so must also be in the Cemetery. Some local residents have made sure there are gaps in their fences and walls to enable hedgehogs to roam and forage as widely as they need to, and we would encourage everyone to do this.