Ham Hill Wildlife

Information about the wildlife you can find at Ham Hill.

Wildlife at Ham Hill

There are more than 2,300 types of plants and animals living in different habitats at Ham Hill.

In Summer

  • Walk through the wildflower meadows and see flowers like orchids, broomrape, vetch, cranesbill, and yellow rattle.
  • Listen for crickets and skylarks singing.
  • Watch butterflies like the meadow brown, marbled white, and common blue flying around.
  • Look up to see swifts and swallows flying low to catch insects.

Special Grasslands

  • Some areas have rare chalky soil where plants like wild thyme and birds-foot trefoil grow.
  • You might also see butterflies like the green hairstreak, common blue, and skipper.

In the Woods

  • Birds like nuthatches, treecreepers, and woodpeckers live here.
  • On warm days, you might hear buzzards calling as they fly above.
  • If you’re lucky, you could spot a roe deer or a fox near the edge of the woods.

At Night

  • At dusk, watch for bats like the common pipistrelle and soprano pipistrelle flying in the woods.
  • You might also see noctule and serotine bats near the meadows.
  • If you stay out late, you could see glow-worms glowing in the grass.

Check the notice board at the Visitor Centre to find out about recent wildlife sightings.

Last reviewed: September 24, 2025 by Ian

Next review due: March 24, 2026

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