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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Symonds Yat/ Cannop Ponds (1 Viewer)

P

Phil Owen

Well-known member
Going to Forest of Dean at the weekend...will start at Nagshead and also do Parkend to hopefully find Hawfinch. Just trying to put an itinerary together to get round before going for the Penduline Tits for mid afternoon.

Is Cannop ponds a large area? Is the Shrike site fairly straightforward? Target species for my partners's list are Hawfinch, Crossbill, Goshawk, Tawny Owl, Lesser Redpoll, Brambling, Mandarin, Great Grey Shrike.

Any info on sites would be appreciated bearing in mind we only have one day to get round so time being an issue.

Please feel free to PM if need be.

Cheers!
 
I use this Website, it is regularly updated: http://www.birder.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ I don't wish to put you off Nagshead but at this time of year you may find your time is better spent at Parkend (a single Hawfinch when I was there 2 weeks ago, worth also trying the Church for Hawfinch and Crossbill), Cannop Ponds ( normally good for Mandarin, Marsh tit, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Raven and more) and New Fancy View. I see Goshawks were seen displaying at N F View on Sunday. I was there a couple of weeks ago and had a very and I mean very distant sighting of a Goshawk!

Cannop Ponds is not a huge area but big enough for a decent mooch around, take wellies for the walk around as they were needed a couple of weeks ago, squelchy mud...lovely!
I hope others more familiar with the area will perhaps give you a few more pointers.

Good luck with your target species and especially so with the Goshawks!
 
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Personally I'd start at Parkend for the Hawfinches. I then go to the church where with luck you can get Crossbills and Brambling.

I find the Shrike in Forest very difficult. Dipped it 5 times but others have had it easy.

Cannop Ponds is fairly easy to walk. Sometimes the Mandarin are on the northern end on south pond on the banks by the reeds. Try here is you can't see them on main pool by the feeder. (Marsh Tit is regular sighting)

A nice day with good thermals will increase you chances of a Goshawk. New Fancy View or Symonds Yat are more common places they are seen.

Worth trying Wenchford Picnic Area for Dipper also.

Good Luck
 
Canop ponds - mandarin

Parkend - hawfinch by cricket pitch
Brambling by church

Fancy view point - Goshawk and Raven today.

Many thanks to all for their help with directions

Kind regards

Richard, Alex and Rob
 
richarddavis30 said:
Canop ponds - mandarin

Parkend - hawfinch by cricket pitch
Brambling by church

Fancy view point - Goshawk and Raven today.

Many thanks to all for their help with directions

Kind regards

Richard, Alex and Rob
Click to expand...


Great to see you connected with some good birds!:t:
 
Phil Owen said:
Going to Forest of Dean at the weekend...will start at Nagshead and also do Parkend to hopefully find Hawfinch. Just trying to put an itinerary together to get round before going for the Penduline Tits for mid afternoon.

Is Cannop ponds a large area? Is the Shrike site fairly straightforward? Target species for my partners's list are Hawfinch, Crossbill, Goshawk, Tawny Owl, Lesser Redpoll, Brambling, Mandarin, Great Grey Shrike.

Any info on sites would be appreciated bearing in mind we only have one day to get round so time being an issue.

Please feel free to PM if need be.

Cheers!
Click to expand...

Did you manage a Forest of Dean visit?
 
Hi,

I am thinking of visiting the Forest of Dean this weekend.

Is there a particular area around the Parkend cricket pitch that the Hawfinches favour and is early morning best?

I have seen a Lesser-spotted woodpecker has been reported a few times from Drybrook Road Station and a Great-grey shrike from Crabtree Hill. What is the best point to park up for access to these areas?

Any advice would be really appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Ian
 
Northern123 said:
Hi,

I am thinking of visiting the Forest of Dean this weekend.

Is there a particular area around the Parkend cricket pitch that the Hawfinches favour and is early morning best?

I have seen a Lesser-spotted woodpecker has been reported a few times from Drybrook Road Station and a Great-grey shrike from Crabtree Hill. What is the best point to park up for access to these areas?

Any advice would be really appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Ian
Click to expand...

On my visit last weekend a solitary Hawfinch was sighted a couple of times around and under the Yew trees along with numerous Chaffinch! Parkend Church is also well worth a visit. 3 Crosssbills (2m & 1 f) were sighted though distant on a walk to Woorgreens Lake.

Check here for recent sightings and locations:http://www.birder.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

Good luck.

Pam
 
They are obvious and are adjacent to the cricket pitch. Here is a link : http://www.wyedeantourism.co.uk/discover/About Us/t-1583|/ The area in the image is where you need to park, I believe it is called Crown Lane. No doubt there will be at least one car parked as you drive down the track alongside the pitch. It is best to park at the end closest to the road you will drive down on which I also believe is the B4234. I hope this makes sense.
 
Had a great day in the Forest of Dean today. Got the Great-grey shrike on Crabtree Hill first thing and also had Crossbills near here. Saw a couple of Goshawks from New Fancy View and finally connected with a Hawfincb at Parkend cricket pitch after missing it a few times during the day. Supporting cast of Goosander, Mandarin, Grey wagtail, Siskin, Bullfinch and the Peregrine at Symonds Yat were also nice to see. Tried for Lesser-spotted woodpecker at Drybrook Road Station but no luck.

Thanks for the help.

Ian
 
Northern123 said:
Had a great day in the Forest of Dean today. Got the Great-grey shrike on Crabtree Hill first thing and also had Crossbills near here. Saw a couple of Goshawks from New Fancy View and finally connected with a Hawfincb at Parkend cricket pitch after missing it a few times during the day. Supporting cast of Goosander, Mandarin, Grey wagtail, Siskin, Bullfinch and the Peregrine at Symonds Yat were also nice to see. Tried for Lesser-spotted woodpecker at Drybrook Road Station but no luck.

Thanks for the help.

Ian
Click to expand...

That sounds a good day!:t:
 
Hi Rob,

Crabtree Hill is in the middle of the Forest of Dean:

It is shown here:

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?...+Gloucestershire&searchp=ids.srf&mapp=map.srf

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?...+Gloucestershire&searchp=ids.srf&mapp=map.srf

At the bottom of these maps the orange road is the B4226 that runs between Coleford and Littledean. If you look at the second link (more detailed) I parked in the parking spot to the North of this road to the West of Woorgreens Lakes and to the East of Speech House. There are leaflets at this carpark which have a map showing the trails. You need to head Northeast towards Crabtree Hill. Due South of Crabtree Hill there is an open clearfell area with a few trees dotted inside and when I was there the shrike was perched up at the top of these trees.

Good luck if you go.

Ian
 
Glad I have been following this thread. I managed to see the hawfinch and also mandarin ducks.
Without this thread I would not have found them. Thanks to all who posted.
 
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