Welcome!
Lower Bruckland Farm is an area of natural beauty situated just off the A3052 near Boshill Cross, Musbury, near Axminster, Seaton and Lyme Regis, on the border of East Devon and Dorset. It commands striking views over the beautiful Axe Valley. Its accessibility, and the shelter afforded by the brimming hedgerows around also ensures that time spent on the grounds will be in peaceful and pleasant surroundings, making the site ideal for artists and photographers, walkers, and people with an interest in nature.
For anglers, there are also a number landscaped fishing lakes, which at the same time are an important home to a plethora of species, all varied in size and aspect and quite distinct owing to the flowing, interesting contours of the land. Visitors who are around at sundown will appreciate the spectacular sunsets that can be seen from the lakeside.
Wildlife
For the most part, the habitat at the farm is comprised of indigenous trees, including varieties of willows, poplars and alder, planted to attract the local wildlife. However on numerous occassions there have been some surprising visitors from rarer species.
The effect of the lakes and the flora that grows around their edges is to increase the number of insects found at the farm. The plants which help these thrive (and in turn, keep the birds happy) are the iris, the small bullrush, and other assorted marginal plants and rushes.
In July 2006, the wetland habitat was noted for its abundance of interesting dragonflies, including a visit from the red veined darter, small red-eyed damsel, and lesser emperor. Of course, there are frogs and tadpoles dotted around the waters of the wetlands.
In March 2006, the farm came to the attention of birdwatchers nationwide when, an alpine swift was spotted. There have also been sightings of Egyptian geese and bean geese. Amongst the more common birdlife that make their home at the farm are the heron, canada goose, coot, moorhen, and dabchick. Swans and mallards are also regulars (not forgetting their cygnets and ducklings in the summer!).
In the summer, the farm is frequented by the goldfinch, swallow and swift, amongst others. The winter heralds a great variety of birds that rely on the lakes, including the shelduck, wigeon, teal, and pochard.