The recent frosts and a breezy day on Friday finally persuaded the trees at Nagshead to shed their leaves. A gust of wind now creates a blizzard of orange leaves and yellow larch needles. The reserve seems quiet again now, but winter birds have been arriving in good numbers. Redwings can be seen foraging with Blackbirds and Bramblings can be found amongst Chaffinch flocks feeding on beech mast on the Long Trail. Hawfinches and Common Crossbills have also been seen regularly in the Nursery Meadows area and on Long Trail.
As well as Common Crossbills, the forest is currently holding a flock of Russian Two-barred Crossbills, an incredibly rare species in Gloucestershire, and indeed Britain. If you are lucky enough to find a feeding flock of Crossbills at Nagshead, it is worth having a good look through them to see if any are even brighter red and green, with two broad white wing-bars.
The most exciting winter visitor to be seen at Nagshead so far is a stunning Great Grey Shrike, which was found on the eastern edge of the reserve in Russell’s Inclosure last week. Great Grey Shrikes usually migrate to Britain in small numbers from Scandinavia to spend the winter in our milder climate, but in some years we see an increase in numbers due to a productive breeding season for the species or a food shortage on their usual wintering grounds, forcing them to move further south.
Great Grey Shrike, Russell's Inclosure, 26th November 2013 (Photo: Lewis Thomson)
Great Grey Shrikes are only slightly larger than Blackbirds, but are ferocious predators, hunting small mammals and birds from prominent lookout posts around woodland clearings. The shrike family are also known as ‘butcher birds’ due to their habit of impaling prey on thorns, creating a larder which they will return to in lean times. The plumage of a Great Grey is a striking mix of white, grey and black, with a long tail and black mask around the eyes. Whilst walking the reserve over the winter, keep an eye out for this handsome hunter and please do let us know if you see it.
Our larger mammals are starting to be seen more regularly now the bracken has died back. Wild Boar, Foxes, Fallow and Roe Deer have all been seen recently, usually around the Long Trail. Boar have been very busy feeding around the Visitor Centre at night lately, the aftermath of which is quite an impressive sight. Despite looking a little untidy at the moment, it is great to look for footprints in the mud and come spring you will hardly know they had been there.
We have set up a Sightings page on the Gloucestershire reserves forum which will be updated regularly, please feel free to add your own sightings from Nagshead and Highnam Woods here as well as any photos you may have from the reserves.
Lewis.