Big Butterfly Count – help take nature’s pulse

Here at Escot Estate we are proud of our work in land and estate management, supporting a biodiverse environment where native plants and wildlife can thrive. Butterflies are a crucial part of the ecosystem. They are important pollinators as well as contributing to the food chain. Sadly, their numbers have been decreasing since the 1970s. […]
Wild Bee Swarms

We recently spotted something a little odd on the terrace by Escot House. On closer inspection it turned out to be a huge group of bees, seemingly fixed to the stone wall! So we had a chat with Malcolm Crook, who keeps 14 beehives on the Estate, 2 in Escot’s gardens, 2 in neighbouring Wildwood […]
Himalayan Balsam on the River Tale 2022

Every year,Escot welcomes teams of volunteers to the Estate to help remove the invasive Himalayan Balsam. The report of this year’s activity was put together by Mish Kennaway. June 24: 3 volunteers covered from Tuck Mill to Cadhay Bridge. Disappointingly the stretch through Escot Park had proliferated, although less than 10 plants overall were in […]
Beavers at Escot

We recently posted a video on social media of a new wild beaver dam we’d come across on the Estate. There was a huge amount of interest! So we thought it would be helpful to explain more about beavers, their history and their reintroduction into Britain. There have been beavers on Escot Estate since 2007. […]
Cuckoos, black caps & flycatchers

Hearing the cuckoo at Escot used to be a given sign of Spring – but then about 15 years ago we stopped hearing its distinct call. Last year we heard it again, but just on a single afternoon. This year, however, we heard it over several days. Spending the winter months in Africa, cuckoos travel […]