Attenborough Nature Reserve

Our first outing for the Bird Watching group was to Attenborough Nature Reserve, Nottingham. On arrival the weather was dry and overcast with a chilling blustery wind. 

Our first group outing.

We gathered at the main car park entrance down Barton Lane. There were four of us braving the elements on this auspicious occasion. We made a sensible start by heading straight towards the visitors centre for a hot drink. On our way we were surrounded by mallard, Egyptian geese, mute swans and Canada geese, all expecting a feed. There were coots, tufted duck, black headed gulls, moorhen and great crested grebe further out on the water. A number of cormorants could be seen drying their feathers out on a distant island.

We made our way through the visitors centre to the Martins Hide. In the garden by the hide, we spotted tree sparrows and great tits. From the hide we could see little grebe in the distance with more tufted ducks and great crested grebes. 

              

                Great crested grebe

Tufted duck

We made our way back into the visitors centre for a welcome hot drink. We then walked over the bridge towards Tween and Clifton Ponds. Along the hedgerows we spotted blue tits, great tits, dunnock, long tailed tits, robins, blackbird and a magpie. At the screens we could see shelduck, and more tufted duck. When we reached the wheatear field we spotted a little egret, gadwall and more shelduck on the pond. We then visited the elevated hide overlooking Clifton Pond. Two colonies of black headed gulls could be seen, and heard! Goldeneye and lapwings were also spotted.

Egyptian goose

We then made our way back towards the visitor centre around the pond along the bank of the River Trent for a while. Goldfinch, starlings, wigeon, woodpigeon, and a “charm” of magpies were seen along the way. Several birds like great spotted woodpecker, song thrush and Cetti’s warbler were heard but not seen.

Little egret

The tally: 31

Dunnock, Egyptian goose, mallard, Canada goose, mute swan, coot, great crested grebe, blackbird, black headed gull, cormorant, moorhen, carrion crow, house sparrow, little grebe, tree sparrow, magpie, great tit, blue tit, shelduck, gadwall, little egret, greylag goose, long tailed tit, robin, goldeneye, lapwing, woodpigeon, starling, goldfinch, wigeon and a water rail.