Wildlife at Clare
From nurturing native plants to supporting local wildlife, Head Gardener Kate Hargreaves shares insights into how Clare’s gardens are evolving and the role they play in enhancing the College’s natural environment.
Kingfishers
We are fortunate to witness the return of kingfishers nesting every year at Clare. These vibrant birds have made their home in old pipes along the Scholars’ Garden wall, a safe haven they return to year after year. Unlike many birds, kingfishers don’t build nests but instead excavate tunnels in the pipes. Typically, they begin scouting for a nesting site in late February to early March, and although they switch pipes annually, the busyness of the river doesn’t seem to deter them.
The most we’ve spotted at one time is a family of five kingfishers perched on the railings across the river from the Scholars’ Garden. One of the most dedicated observers of these birds is PhD student Jamie Clarkson, who has been visiting for over a year, meticulously documenting their progress and capturing incredible photographs. Jamie often arrives early in the morning, patiently waiting for a glimpse of their striking electric blue feathers.
“I am a final year PhD student at Trinity Hall, and in my spare time I enjoy wildlife photography in and around Cambridge. Over the past year, I have had the privilege of observing and photographing the Kingfishers at Clare. They nest in old drainpipes in the wall below Scholars’ Garden, and typically raise two broods each year, each of around 3 or more chicks – using a different pipe for each brood. To ensure I don’t disturb them, I have been setting my camera up on a tripod next to some of their favourite perches and using a radio remote
control to take the shot. I was able to get a photo of one perched in front of Clare Bridge, which, in my opinion, is the finest bridge on the river - what better backdrop for such a beautiful bird. I also photographed them entering their nest, using a telephoto lens shooting between the balusters of the bridge. In the summer, after fledging, the young spent a lot of time at Mill pond, learning how to fish. Sadly, most young kingfishers don’t survive more than a few weeks in the wild – which is why they have to give birth to so many young!”
Kingfishers are known for their high-pitched call, which, once heard, is unmistakable. It’s a sound that alerts anyone walking down the Avenue to keep their eyes peeled for a flash of blue.
Foxes
Before 2020, spotting a fox in the College gardens was a rare event. However, the combination of the pandemic and the Old Court building project that closed the gardens provided the perfect conditions for a breeding pair to settle in. At first, we were puzzled by the litter we kept finding in the mornings, thinking we might have an intruder. But a camera trap revealed the truth: a family of foxes, including three cubs, had turned the Sunken Garden into their playground.
A building site offers easy pickings for food, and the foxes found it an ideal environment. Since then, they’ve remained near the College grounds, particularly along the Backs, spending time between Clare and King’s.
‘Foxy’ is a regular visitor to the gardens. She’s cautious around the gardening team but has grown used to the noise and movement. In fact, Foxy often watches us at work, and if we’re lucky, she will sit still long enough for a good photo.
The foxes play an important role as a natural pest control in
natures food chain, so we’re more than happy to welcome them as residents of Clare.
'Foxy' by Henry Harris
'Foxy' by Henry Harris
Leaf cutter bees
During the reinstatement of the gardens, we decided to leave a multi-stemmed tree as some “standing-dead” in the riverbeds and drilled holes into it, hoping to attract some wildlife. Just a month or two later, our efforts paid off when the tree was adopted by leaf cutter bees.
These bees are solitary, and the females create a thimble-like structure out of leaf pieces to build cells in hollow holes. They fill the cell with nectar and pollen for the larva to feed on, then lay an egg before capping and sealing the cell. Each hole can contain up to 20 larval cells! The larvae will pupate in the autumn, stay in situ during the winter, and emerge in the spring as adults.
Wild habitats
We are always seeking ways to increase our biodiversity and create more wild habitats, which in turn support the growing variety of wildlife that we are seeing. Since 2021 we have left strips of lawn unmown at the front of Memorial Court and seeded them with wildflowers.
Clare Fellow, Dr Ed Turner, leads a group of students, staff and Fellows each year to explore these areas, giving us the chance to learn about the ‘beasties in the borders’. With a simple sweep of a net, we could see a wide array of insects, and a huge amount of diversity from a small area. Building on this success, we have created more long grass areas across the College which has brought an increase in moths, insects, butterflies and birds.
Our students have been champions of this initiative and we now participate in ‘no-mow May’ each year, followed by ‘let it bloom in June’. These periods of natural growth align perfectly with Quiet Time, making it a win-win situation for the students and the local wildlife.
We are always looking for areas to re-wild at Clare. Here are a few initiatives we’ve put in place to increase habitats.
Dry Borders: We’ve purposefully created raised sandbanks along the dry borders by the river to encourage ground-nesting insects.
St Regis Lawn: A section of the lawn at St Regis has been seeded with a wildflower mix, transforming it into a vibrant new wild border.
Castle Court Bank: This area is starting to naturally rewild, with native plants slowly taking root and bringing life to the space.
Fellows’ Garden Wild Border: Last autumn, we began reinstating the Fellows’ Garden Wild Border, and we’re eager to see what has taken hold as it continues to develop.
Falling Warrior: A sea of poppies and daisies now covers this area, adding a burst of colour and creating a haven for pollinators.
Dead Hedges: These natural boundary lines are growing in popularity. Not only do they provide excellent habitats for insects and birds, but as the hedges rot down it feeds the soil underneath and they can be topped up with old prunings, turning garden waste into valuable resources; therefore this approach also reduces the need for artificial fertilizers. We’re planning to add another dead hedge along the Dean’s Walk to further expand
this sustainable initiative.
Dry Borders
Dry Borders
Falling Warrior
Falling Warrior
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