Tucked away in the quaint Devonshire village of Tipton St John, you’ll find a small paradise connected to the country residence of Sundial Care Home. Sundial’s gardens offer a lush green haven that over the years has attracted many creatures to its grounds. From hard-working woodpeckers to herds of grazing deer, the sighting of wildlife always brings so much joy to our family members.
Recently, Sundial’s neighbour, Lisette Johnson, was returning
home late from one of her nursing shifts and noticed the gardens had some new, nocturnal residents. Lisette could hear owls hooting away in Sundial’s mature trees and realising the gardens are adjacent to farmland, had the lovely idea of asking us to be involved in her community group conservation project.
Not only is Lisette Johnson a nurse, but she is also a member of the Ottery St Mary council and founder of Eager Beavers, a community group in Tipton St John that carry out projects to benefit the community and are ambassadors for East Devon AONB. The group is on a mission to do their bit for the planet and organise many sustainable projects in the village, one of which was teaming up with The Men’s Shed, who made the boxes to suit the variety of owl species Tipton St John and surrounding areas is home to.
Boxes are essential to owl conservation in the UK and prevent baby owlets from falling from their branches. The owl box at Sundial is made to RSPB specification and was kindly put up in our garden by Ed Broughan, an active member of Eager Beavers who brings with him extensive knowledge of wildlife and conservation. The box will hopefully become home to tawny owls that visit the gardens and provide them with a safe and spacious nature spot to rest in. RSPB volunteers are monitoring the boxes with the results to be recorded in the Spring.
Sundial’s gardens means many different things to the people who live here. For family member Eve, it’s a place to pick flowers, swing, and spend birthdays catching up with family. For others, it is a place to dig their hands into the soil and take pride in the life that grows out of it. Some come here to find a quiet spot and take in the floral scents and gentle sounds of the wildlife that inhabit the grounds.
We have no doubt the owls and owlets will be warmly loved by family members. We have one gent living with us who used to enjoy hiking the Scottish highlands, where the tawny owl is the highest populated owl species, and so the tawnie’s in Sundial’s garden will no doubt spark reminiscence from long ago.
Thank you Eager Beavers and The Men’s Shed, for giving the owls a home, and our family members a new joy.
Read More about Sundial’s Gardens: Sundial’s Gardens in Bloom
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