After such wet and windy weather over the Christmas period, it has been nice to have some clear crisp winter days over the past week. Several bird species have been heard singing at Nagshead due to the mild weather, including Mistle Thrush, Song Thrush and Goldcrest. On Friday 10th January, Two-barred Crossbill was finally added to the reserve's list of avifauna. A lone male was very mobile and vocal around the car park and Nursery Meadows area during the afternoon, but unfortunately there has been no sign since. Despite the presence of a flock of 17 Two-barred Crossbills in the forest nearby for the past two months, it was still thrilling to see such a rare bird at Nagshead. The wintering Great Grey Shrike is still around Russell’s Inclosure on the east side of the reserve, but it can be hard to locate due to the patchwork of clearings it uses in the area.
Male Two-barred Crossbill, Brierley (c3 miles from Nagshead), January 2014 (photo: Lewis Thomson)
Hawfinches, Common Crossbills and Bramblings have continued to feature regularly in the recent sightings at Nagshead. The best place to look for Hawfinches and Bramblings at the moment is in the beech woodland along the hard forestry track on top of the ridge between Campbell Hide and the heath. Crossbills can be found feeding in conifers around the Nursery Meadows and the heath. If you are hoping to look for any of these species, we recommended familiarising yourself with their calls before visiting to give yourself the very best chance of locating them. A Kingfisher has also been a regular visitor to the ponds at Lower Hide due to the nearby streams being in flood.
Wild Boar have again been busy feeding outside the Visitor Centre and on the Nursery Meadows overnight, the animals themselves however remain very elusive during the day. A sounder (family party) of seven animals was seen along the Gloucestershire Way, just beyond the Short Trail, on a volunteer work party last week. Fallow Deer have been seen regularly on Long Trail, including a very large dark buck with an impressive pair of antlers. The paths remain quite muddy in places after the wet weather, but it can be great fun to see what animal prints you can find and identify in the mud on your way around the trails.
Lewis.