Fauna and Flora of the Old Orchards

The old orchards attract a range of special visitors accustomed to these habitats. The little owl, with its golden eyes, may nest in the cavities of old apple or pear trees. The fruit often attracts a few hungry birds: hawfinches for the cherries and European orioles for the figs. Many insects drawn to the flowers and fruit become preferred prey in the evenings for several bat species.

A fairly diverse but common array of orchids grows between the rows of fruit trees: Pyramidal Orchid, Goat Orchid, Purple Orchid, Bee Orchid, and Woodcock Orchid, with the slightly rarer Serapias with elongated labellum also present.