We shall be stopping in our caravan in this area for a couple of weeks from next Sunday and I wondered if anyone could point me in the direction of some pleasant places to go birding. Preferably without a long hike ( wife not well ) and also preferably with some sheltered car parking ( the dog gets a holiday as well ).
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Places to go in the Stamford Rutland Water area (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter bill lord
- Start date
Hi Bill,
Eyebrook Reservoir is a very good place and it very easy to cover. The northern part of the reservoir (where most of the birds tend to be) has a road going right around the shore, so you can see a lot without even walking. Blatherwycke Lake in the north of Northamptonshire (just off the A43) is a nice spot and can also be watched fairly easily from a very quiet road. As well as the usual waterbirds, it often gets Mandarin and the area is very good for Red Kites. There's some very nice woodland in the area and perhaps the best is Wakerley Great Wood (a few miles to the north of Blatherwycke). There's a sheltered car park there (I think you might have to pay though) and nice short or long walks through mixed woodland. You get a good range of woodland birds and sometimes Crossbills. Another very nice wood is the rather misleadingly named Glapthorn Cow Pasture near Oundle. It's a wildlife trust reserve and is quite small so can be covered without too much effort. It's good for Nightingales and is a stronghold of Black Hairstreak butterflies, which might just about be appearing.
Eyebrook Reservoir is a very good place and it very easy to cover. The northern part of the reservoir (where most of the birds tend to be) has a road going right around the shore, so you can see a lot without even walking. Blatherwycke Lake in the north of Northamptonshire (just off the A43) is a nice spot and can also be watched fairly easily from a very quiet road. As well as the usual waterbirds, it often gets Mandarin and the area is very good for Red Kites. There's some very nice woodland in the area and perhaps the best is Wakerley Great Wood (a few miles to the north of Blatherwycke). There's a sheltered car park there (I think you might have to pay though) and nice short or long walks through mixed woodland. You get a good range of woodland birds and sometimes Crossbills. Another very nice wood is the rather misleadingly named Glapthorn Cow Pasture near Oundle. It's a wildlife trust reserve and is quite small so can be covered without too much effort. It's good for Nightingales and is a stronghold of Black Hairstreak butterflies, which might just about be appearing.
POP
Registered User
Bill,you have two excellent places to bird,Eyebrook Reservoir and Rutland Water.Near to Eyebrook is a cafe "Sweethedges" who also have a touring caravan site,which is very nice.There are many car parks around Rutland Water,but you can if you visit the birding centre at RW sit and watch from there, and you could go off and bird the reserve while your wife stays at the centre.In the evening there are many local pubs which are very good and most do meals.Lthe dog in the car could be a problem,not a lot of shade in most of the car parks,but dont let that put you off.The area is really first class,( I would say that as it is my birding area).Just come down and enjoy yourself.
John
John
jthatch555 said:
We are booked onto the Caravan Club site called Top Lodge which is just off the A43 to the west of Stamford, but it's nice to know that there are other caravan parks about. I like the sounds of plenty of car parks around RW neither of us are very mobile and sitting in car parks birdwatching does for us. There are two birding centres at RW Egleton and the one on the South shore so we shall visit both. The dog is always a problem when we go awayand go birding,but we do lots besides and she enjoys the change just as we do, so we put up with the inconvenience. . I'm pleased to hear your description of the area and we certainly shall enjoy ourselves when we get there, all we need is just a little sunshine and we shall be happy. Thankyou for your help.
deboo
.............
Bill,
Just south of Stamford at Barnack there is an English Nature site...
"The Hills and holes".....is how I've always known it!
Should be great for Butterflies and rare Plants at this time of year..
and, if there are no sheep grazing the area,
the dog could have a good wander too..our dog loved the place!
A few miles nearer to Peterborough is "Castor Hanglands"...another Eng.Nat. site.
Good for, in no particular order!, Newts, Fallow Deer and Hornets!!
(Dog friendly place too)
Enjoy your stay, and try some 'Ruddles County' too...good beer! B
Dave.
Just south of Stamford at Barnack there is an English Nature site...
"The Hills and holes".....is how I've always known it!
Should be great for Butterflies and rare Plants at this time of year..
and, if there are no sheep grazing the area,
the dog could have a good wander too..our dog loved the place!
A few miles nearer to Peterborough is "Castor Hanglands"...another Eng.Nat. site.
Good for, in no particular order!, Newts, Fallow Deer and Hornets!!
(Dog friendly place too)
Enjoy your stay, and try some 'Ruddles County' too...good beer! B
Dave.
deboo said:Bill,
Just south of Stamford at Barnack there is an English Nature site...
"The Hills and holes".....is how I've always known it!
Should be great for Butterflies and rare Plants at this time of year..
and, if there are no sheep grazing the area,
the dog could have a good wander too..our dog loved the place!
A few miles nearer to Peterborough is "Castor Hanglands"...another Eng.Nat. site.
Good for, in no particular order!, Newts, Fallow Deer and Hornets!!
(Dog friendly place too)
Enjoy your stay, and try some 'Ruddles County' too...good beer! B
Dave.
That's another two for my list, I'm going to need more than a fortnight if suggestions keep coming at this rate. Than you.
Steve Lister
Senior Birder, ex County Recorder, Garden Moths.
bill lord said:
Top Lodge is actually right next to Fineshade Wood, a Forestry Commission (or whatever it is called now) woodland that is reasonable for an easy walk - birds such as Tree Pipit, Grasshopper Warbler and Hawfinch are seen from the main rides. Also, the buildings there house monitors for viewing Red Kite nests.
Have a good trip
Steve
Brian Stone
A Stone chatting
Rutland Water and Eyebrook really are the main places to visit but I was at Barnack Hills and Holes today and the Fragrant Orchids are giving a fine display. The Man Orchids are just going over but are still OK. Butterflies and moths everywhere: Chalkhill blue, Brown Argus, Large Skipper, Common Heath, Burnet Companion, Mother Shipton, etc.
The rich insect life means lots of birds: Yellowhammer, Whitethroat and Turtle Dove all abundant and you might get a Kite over.
Sheep don't go onto the site until the autumn so that shouldn't be an issue.
In addition to Dave's suggestions, Broad-bodied Chasers are among the many dragonflies at Castor Hanglands, which is better for birds but more walking required. Look out for Hawfinch, Crossbill, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Grasshopper Warbler and raptors if you go there.
The rich insect life means lots of birds: Yellowhammer, Whitethroat and Turtle Dove all abundant and you might get a Kite over.
Sheep don't go onto the site until the autumn so that shouldn't be an issue.
In addition to Dave's suggestions, Broad-bodied Chasers are among the many dragonflies at Castor Hanglands, which is better for birds but more walking required. Look out for Hawfinch, Crossbill, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Grasshopper Warbler and raptors if you go there.
gordon hamlett
Well-known member
If you are staying at Top Lodge, then you are at English Nature's Red Kite centre, complete with cctv images of a nest, display boards etc. That's not the best place to actually see them though.
As already mentioned, Blatherwycke Lake is a good site (also Buzzards, chance of Osprey etc).
A drive round any of the villages there - Kings Cliff, Bulwick Southwick etc should produce sightings. Peterborough Bird Club members usually go to the large layby on the minor road from Deenthorpe to Benefield. There, you get views over many different woods and can scan easily for raptors.
HTH
Gordon
As already mentioned, Blatherwycke Lake is a good site (also Buzzards, chance of Osprey etc).
A drive round any of the villages there - Kings Cliff, Bulwick Southwick etc should produce sightings. Peterborough Bird Club members usually go to the large layby on the minor road from Deenthorpe to Benefield. There, you get views over many different woods and can scan easily for raptors.
HTH
Gordon
Adey Baker
Member
brianhstone said:
Brian, that seems a remarkably early date for Chalkhill Blue butterfly
Adey
Brian Stone
A Stone chatting
Adey Baker said:
Its quite possible they aren't flying yet. I only saw two candidates and like most of the other insects present yesterday they were extremely fast and I didn't see them settled. My report was based on another chap present who said he had seen them. So you might have to wait a few weeks for these yet.
Adey Baker
Member
brianhstone said:
The 'Millennium Atlas' quotes '...Adults begin to emerge in early July in warm seasons...'
Are the Barnack Chalkhills err..'genuine' or are they there as a result of deliberate introductions? I've noticed, before, that Silver-washed Fritillaries that were introduced to a site not far from where I live are usually on the wing fairly early in the quoted flight-period despite being near to the northern end of their main populations.
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