Wildlife in Whiteley

The animals, birds, and insects that share the town

Despite being a modern planned development, Whiteley supports a surprising amount of wildlife. The green spaces, gardens, hedgerows, and watercourses that run through the town provide habitat for a range of species, and the proximity to Swanwick Lakes and the surrounding countryside means that wildlife can move between the semi-natural areas and the suburban environment.

Birds are the most visible wildlife in Whiteley. House sparrows, blue tits, great tits, robins, and blackbirds are common garden visitors, and many residents put out bird feeders that attract a daily avian audience. Woodpigeons are abundant, as they are across suburban southern England, and collared doves are a familiar sight on rooftops and aerials. Green woodpeckers are seen on the larger green spaces, where they feed on ants in the turf, and their distinctive laughing call is a recognisable sound of Whiteley's outdoors.

The water features and wet areas within and around Whiteley attract grey herons, which can sometimes be seen standing motionless by garden ponds or drainage channels. Kingfishers are present on the watercourses, though seeing one requires patience and luck. Swallows and house martins arrive in spring and nest on the houses and buildings, departing again in autumn for their African wintering grounds. The annual arrival of swallows is one of the markers of the changing seasons that connects suburban Whiteley to the wider natural world.

Mammals include the ubiquitous grey squirrel, which is common in the gardens and green spaces. Foxes are present and occasionally seen crossing roads or gardens, particularly at dusk and dawn. Hedgehogs, though declining nationally, still occur in parts of Whiteley, and residents who create hedgehog-friendly gardens with connecting gaps in fences report regular visits. Badgers are present in the surrounding countryside and may visit gardens on the edges of the built-up area. Muntjac deer, a small non-native species, are seen in the Botley Wood area and occasionally wander into the fringes of the development.

Insects and invertebrates are less noticed but ecologically important. Garden butterflies including red admirals, painted ladies, large whites, and holly blues are seen through the summer months. Bees, including honeybees and various species of bumblebee, visit flowering gardens and the wildflower areas maintained within the green spaces. The health of the local insect population is important for pollination and for the food chain that supports the birds and other wildlife.

The design of gardens and green spaces in Whiteley influences the wildlife they support. Gardens with a mix of native plants, shrubs, and trees attract more species than those with predominantly artificial surfaces and exotic planting. The Wildlife Trust's advice on gardening for wildlife is relevant to Whiteley residents, and small changes such as leaving a wild corner, providing water, and planting native species can make a measurable difference.

The North Whiteley development will inevitably displace wildlife from the farmland and hedgerows that are being built over. The ecological mitigation required as part of the planning process includes habitat creation, wildlife corridors, and the protection of existing features, but the net effect of converting open farmland to housing is a reduction in the amount of habitat available. How well the new green spaces function for wildlife will depend on their design, management, and connectivity with the wider landscape.

Wildlife recording and monitoring is carried out by local naturalists and through citizen science projects such as the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch and the Butterfly Conservation transects. Whiteley residents who are interested in the wildlife around them can contribute to these projects and learn more about the species they share their town with.