Wild at Hull: Clumber Park

Friday 25 January 2019

Clumber Park

My first visit to this National Trust estate in Nottinghamshire in search of this year's hawfinches and some woodland birds. This is an extensive area, 3800 acres of ancient woodland, plantations, arable, heathland and a lake. I parked by the eastern end of the lake, by an area that has undergone recent subsidence and flooded, so trees have sunk in water and died.

Statuesque Cormorants and a Grey Heron sat on the dead trees. I heard the screech of a Jay, my first this year, and soon after the loud bubbling yelps of Nuthatches.

Nuthatch

I ended up walking on a long detour to the Chapel area -frequented by the Hawfinches - and I only got there about 10:15. After walking around and not seeing or hearing any I had almost given up and started photographing some bathing greenfinches on a puddle. Unexpectedly, a male Hawfinch alighted amongst them and proceeded to have a bath. Shortly after a female did the same. After a little while all birds were spooked and flew up the trees and couldn't reconnect with the Hawfinches again.

The pair of Hawfinches bathing with Greenfinches and Chaffinches, the female on the left.

Common Garden birds and Grey Squirrels were plentiful in the area though and came down to the ground when I scattered some seed.

Singing Robin.

After the wonderful encounter with the Hawfinches I carried on towards the bridge and walked around the lake by the heathland area. Goosanders, Tufted Ducks and plenty of Black-headed Gulls were in the lake, but I couldn't find the Smew.

I got to the car and drove to the main car park to search for the Hawfinches again. Some birdwatchers were about and had just seen them. After talking to them it appeared that the Hawfinches had been feeding on yew. The long line of mature Yews north of the chapel seems what is attracting them there. These seeds are highly toxic, but Hawfinches tolerate them - as Greenfinches do too - discarding the red aril and cracking the seed open.