Tuesday 11th March 2025 - Forest of Dean

 

 Today we decided to visit the Forest of Dean as David had missed the Hawfinches at Newton St Loe earlier in the year, and the forest is probably the nearest we get them normally. We set off heading for Parkend on the way starting our day list with Rook and Collared Dove. On arriving at Lydney the road to Parkend was closed so we had to turn around and follow a diversion which took us all around the houses until we eventually reached Parkend. Parking by the cricket field we noticed birds under the Yew trees but in the shade, I did think they looked very chunky but as the binoculars were in the boot were unsure if they were Hawfinch, then 4 people moved in the our left and the birds flew into the trees so we got out and got all out kit together and walked under the trees only to discover that one of the other people was a birding friend Glen. After a short while 2 of the birds flew down on the ground and I was able to confirm that one was a Hawfinch with the other a male Chaffinch. A Blue Tit was in the top of one of the Yews. The 6 of us decided to walk to a nearby stream hoping for a Dipper but one did not show but we did see a Blackbird, Robin and Long Tailed Tit. Walking back towards the Yews 2 Carrion Crows were on the grass and on the ground under the Yews were several Hawfinch in all about 8 birds one a beautiful male was in the sunshine showing off all its finery. Time to split up as we wanted to visit New Fancy a good lookout spot for Goshawk when we got their people with long faces were walking away either dipping or seeing one very far away, well be did the former the only birds flying we identified were 2 Woodpigeons. It was quite breezy, and we think this was keeping the birds down, so we walked back to the car on the way we spotted 3 Bullfinch and a Coal Tit also a Buzzard drifted over. It was almost lunch time so we drove to Cannop Ponds where we could sit at the picnic tables and bird spot eating lunch. While eating we spotted Tufted Duck, Moorhen, Wigeon, Mallard, Coot and a Chiffchaff that was very active catching flies. 

Wigeon - Cannop Ponds (Bath Birdwatcher)

Female Tufted Duck - Cannop Ponds (Bath Birdwatcher)

David found a Nuthatch and a Mute Swan swam into view and 2 Little Grebe were close to the Wigeon. While eating lunch another birding friend appeared I’m not good with names, but he might have been Peter, sorry if you weren’t. One of the specialities of Cannop is their Mandarin Ducks and at last we found 2 swimming into the reeds. Having eaten lunch, we took the bags back to the car and walked to a feeding area on the way I found a Goldcrest and at the feeders a Marsh Tit and Grey Wagtail. 

Chaffinch at Cannop Ponds feeders (Bath Birdwatcher)

We then drove to Nags Head for our final stop to walk to the lower hide but a Treecreeper at the very start of the walk by the top pond were there were also a pair of Mandarins, and 2 Stock Doves close to the hide were the only birds of note and almost the only birds we saw. 

Mandarin - Nags Head (Bath Birdwatcher)

Time to call it a day and driving back home we added Herring Gull, Lesser Black Back Gull, Magpie, Grey Heron and Jackdaw, Not a day of many species, the Mandarin and Marsh Tit were year ticks.