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The St.Ives Estate is a woodland area with several other habitats scattered around the grounds. Along the southern part of the grounds is a mature oak woodland, Cuckoo's Nest, which backs on to grazing pasture. The Oak dominated woods give way to plantations of Conifer (eastern side) and Larch (western side), whereas the centre is where the old Mansion House, stables and out buildings are. To the north is the Heather Park, a heather moorland area which undoubtedly was part of Harden Moor in the past, and the Race Course Plantation which is a mature conifer wood. In the middle of the grounds is a golf course, former grazing pastures and current horse grazing pastures. Not far from the western entrance is Coppice Pond, a small man made lake, and next to this is Coppice Bog (an upland acid bog SSI designated).
 
As the habitat is diverse so is the bird life. With the oak woods come species such as Nuthatch, Jay, all three woodpeckers (Lesser-spotted being very scarce), Stock Pigeon, Spotted Flycatcher, and occasionally Pied Flycatcher. The conifer plantations have the usual suspects, Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Chaffinch with winter visits from Redpoll, Siskin and Crossbill. Racecourse plantation is the best spot for Redstart but numbers have declined since the 1990s. Heather Park has plenty of Meadow Pipits and in some years, Tree Pipits. Coppice Pond attracts little in the way of waterfowl other than Mallard, Canada Goose, Moorhen and Coot. Little Grebes sometimes winter and Kingfisher has been known to visit.
 
St.Ives is basically a slightly poorer cousin to the Strid area but it does get most of the same species and occasionally one or two extras.
 
Rarities seen in the past have included Golden Oriole, Lesser-spotted Woodpecker, Firecrest, Black Redstart, Richard's Pipit, Honey Buzzard, and Hobby. Uncommon species to have occurred include Short-eared Owl, Whooper Swan, Common Buzzard, Merlin, Willow Tit, Pied Flycatcher, Wood Warbler (annually), and Yellowhammer.
 
To see what has wildlife has been seen recently within the estate grounds look at the latest news from St. Ives.
 
The council own and maintain the grounds and have encouraged a "Friends of St. Ives Group." to aid with future planning. Early in 2005 the "Friends" arranged for 100 nest boxes to be put up in Cuckoo's Nest Wood with the hope of encouraging Pied Flycatchers to breed once again. There are future plans for more nest boxes throughout the estate.