As well as its human population, the parish is home to many domestic animals, including dogs, cats, horses (you may meet horse-drawn vehicles and horse-riders in the village, so considerate driving is appreciated), sheep, cattle, bees, and a wide range of wildlife, including frogs, toads, newts, slow worms (see above), rabbits, hares, foxes, red squirrels (and increasingly greys – for more squirrel info see https://www.rsst.org.uk/), deer, badgers, otters, bats, seasonal and resident birds, such as curlews, lapwings, swifts, swallows, housemartins, sparrow hawks, buzzards, tree sparrows and many others. As well as the familiar butterflies, such as peacocks, red admirals, etc., there are also dragonflies, bumble bees, mason bees, occasional hummingbird hawkmoths etc.

To help support these populations, some residents have installed squirrel feeders, bird feeders and nest-boxes for different species, including bats, and have created ponds and pollinator-friendly gardens.

If you would like to register a wildlife sighting, visit Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre at: https://www.cbdc.org.uk/recording-wildlife/ – this site has lots of interesting information about Cumbrian wildlife.

The photo below is of one of many local ash trees – sadly these trees are being affected by ash dieback, a fungal disease which is widespread throughout the country.