Outdoor Adventurers
Go on an adventure at David Livingstone Birthplace
We’ve got acres and acres to explore!
Our Wild Meadow
Our wild meadow has been left to grow wild because:
- It will attract many insects including bees, butterflies and hoverflies.
- The insects and the seeds from the flowers and grasses will provide food for birds.
- It can capture carbon from the atmosphere, just as well as trees, and that’s important in our fight against climate change.
Our Woodland
Our trees provide the birds with shelter, food and nesting places. The woodland is also home to small mammals, such as squirrels, and large mammals too – such as roe deer!
What grows here?
Plants grow at different times of the year because different plants need different amounts of sunshine, warmth, water and food to grow. This means at different times of the year, you’ll see different things…
What lives here?
Many animals, insects and birds rely on plants and seeds to eat. You won’t see as many insects here in winter as there isn’t much for them to eat.
You will see some birds in winter however, such as Redwings who come over from Scandinavia to eat our berries.
From Africa to Blantyre
Many of the birds live here all year round, such as Robins and Blackbirds, but some spend their winters in Africa. They fly thousands of miles every spring, making the dangerous journey across deserts, mountains, seas and towns, to reach Scotland. In autumn, they fly back again to spend the winter in Africa. This movement is called migration.
Some of the birds that make this journey include Willow Warblers, Whitethroats, Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and Spotted Flycatchers.
Some may not nest here but can be seen feeding over the woods, river and meadow, such as Swallows and Swifts.
Many Swifts spend the winter in Zambia, a part of Africa where Livingstone spent much of his life.
