Sign 6: A Closer Look ….

Birds of prey

In the sky over this area we often see a Buzzard or a Red kite….both species have recovered in this part of the country since the late 1900s.

The Red kite’s forked tail is the easiest way to tell them apart but it also has wider and thinner wings. 

Woodland birds

Great spotted woodpecker are often seen on the feeders in front of the bird Hide and in the Spring their loud drumming can be heard throughout the nature reserve. They are our most seen and most successful woodpecker.

The Lesser spotted woodpecker is a bit like a smaller version of the Great, roughly the same size as a sparrow, and this area was a good place to see them. But the bird has been in heavy decline in the UK and is now very rarely seen or heard in Cassiobury Park.

The Green Woodpecker is also in decline in some places. However It is often heard in the park by its ‘laugh like’ call which gives it another name: the ‘Yaflle’. They feed on the ground so are sometimes seen on garden lawns or in the park looking for ants and worms. 

Modern Invaders

The Ring necked (or Rose ringed) Parakeet is a noisy invasive species that was a rare escapist bird near Runnymede in the early 70s but has now spread over much of the country.  They use bird feeders a lot and attempt to squeeze other birds away.