Trip reports

Coach Trip to Attenborough Nature Reserve

Sunday, 17 February 2008

Twice a year we join forces with the RSPB Stevenage Local Group for a joint coach trip. The latest trip was a first visit for both groups to Attenborough nature reserve, a complex of gravel pits and woodland situated by the side of the River Trent, just south of Nottingham. The groups enjoyed bird-watching in beautiful sunshine and pleasant surroundings. Willow Tits (now, sadly, extremely rare in the UK) were seen by some of the group, as were several DEFRA-fleeing Ruddy Ducks, good numbers of Goosander, Water Rail and Kingfisher. A female Red-crested Pochard graced us with her presence and we all enjoyed good views of Tree Sparrows at the Kingfisher hide. Stoat, Brown Rat and Hare were also seen. The full bird list is as follows:

Blackbird, Blackcap, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Reed Bunting, Chaffinch, Coot, Cormorant, Crow, Collared Dove, Stock Dove, Ruddy Duck, Tufted Duck, Dunnock, Fieldfare, Gadwall, Goldeneye, Goldfinch, Goosander, Canada Goose, Egyptian Goose, Greylag Goose, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Greenfinch, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Heron, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Kingfisher, Lapwing, Linnet, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Nuthatch, Red-legged Partridge, Pheasant, Feral Pigeon, Wood Pigeon, Pochard, Red-crested Pochard, Redwing, Robin, Rook, Shelduck, Shoveller, House Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Mute Swan, Teal, Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Willow Tit, Treecreeper, Pied Wagtail, Water Rail, Wigeon, Green Woodpecker, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Wren.