Bestwood Country Park

(Also see Bestwood Mill Lakes for more info and site map)

Habitat: Bestwood Country Park is situated about five miles north of Nottingham. The park comprises c600 acres in three distinct areas.

Woodland: 250 acres - an area of mixed secondary woodland on an ancient woodland site. A management regime is in place to clear fell some areas with the intention to create woodland dells.

Open grasslands: 200 acres - an area of grassland with scrub edges and an area of marshy scrub on top of the old pit.

Mill Lakes and meadows: 150 acres - an area of water through which the River Leen runs which also includes a small reed bed. To the north of the lake there is an ancient water meadow to which there is strictly no access due to the presence of sensitive botanical species. The meadow can however be viewed from the boundary and, with care, from the railway embankment.

Access: 24 hours a day to pedestrians at either: Off Dunvegan Drive in the Rise Park Estate at SK557467 (parkland). Via a public footpath from Redhill to Bestwood Village at points SK571474 and SK561478 (parkland and grasslands). Once inside the park there are numerous tracks and trails to explore.

From Bestwood Village at either SK551462 or SK548475 for Mill Lakes.

Access for vehicles is either from:

Car park 1 at SK572464. To reach this car park turn off Oxclose Lane into Queens Bower Road. Take the first right into Bestwood Lodge Drive and continue for one mile before turning right towards the Bestwood Lodge Hotel.

Car park 2 at SK555476. This car park is situated at the Winding House and is located by turning off Moor Road (B683) into Park Road in Bestwood Village. Continue up Park Road for about half a mile and the car park is on the right hand side.

For disabled vehicle access telephone the rangers office (0115 9670042) for the gate to be opened and access at SK561478.

Birds:The park has all the woodland and grassland birds you might expect in such habitats, including all three species of woodpecker and six species of tit.

Mill Lakes has a selection of duck in winter and attracts passage warblers and chats. Birds of prey include Merlin in winter and Hobby in summer. Grasshopper Warblers occasionally breed and Bramblings appear most winters.

Spring: Typical migrants include Wheatear, Whinchat and Redstart. Hirundines also pass through in some numbers often feeding low over the lakes. Other migrants might include Little Ringed Plover, Turtle Dove and Cuckoo. In early spring there is a pronounced finch passage through Mill Lakes with Redpoll, Goldfinch and Siskin involved.

Summer: Breeding birds include Hawfinch (very scarce), up to seven pairs of Reed Warbler, Turtle Dove and Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.

In Autumn return passage can be varied with Hobbies regularly predating the martins and swallows. Siskins return to winter.

Terns occasionally appear including Common, Arctic and Black Tern.

In Winter up to ten species of duck can be present along with Little and Great Crested Grebe. In the woods the Nuthatches are easier to see and winter thrushes arrive in numbers.

Rarities: for such an 'out of the way' site Bestwood has produced a good selection of county rarities. The main focus of attention is around the Mill Lakes although the woodlands have produced some good birds.

The Mill Lakes list includes Black-necked Grebe, Leach's Petrel, Gannet, Squacco Heron (1871), Marsh and Hen Harrier, Arctic Skua, Mediterranean Gull, Waxwing, Black Redstart, Firecrest, Serin (the county's only accepted record) and Crossbill.

The parkland area added Scop's Owl to the county list in June 1973 although the provenance of this bird was never fully investigated. In the early part of 1996 up to three Arctic Redpolls were found amongst the wintering Redpoll flock.

Other wildlife: A good selection of commoner butterflies and dragonflies are to be found on the site and most of the species associated with woodland/grassland type habitats are to be found. Some areas are botanically rich and, as pointed out earlier, there is no access to the ancient meadow.

Contacts:

Mark Gash (Ranger)
The Rangers Office
Alexandra Lodges
Bestwood Country Park
Northern Drive
Bestwood Village
Nottinghamshire
NG6 8UH.
0115 9273674
e-mail: Bestwood Country Park

General: The Bestwood site, especially Mill Lakes, is watched by an enthusiastic group and many of their records are testimony to the hours of effort spent on site. The whole site is managed by Nottinghamshire County Council and suffers from the usual problems of illegal fishing, shooting and vandalism. The proximity of the park to some areas with high crime rates can put people off from visiting and care should be taken not to leave valuables in vehicles (a situation which applies to visiting any site these days). To cover the whole site thoroughly would take four to five hours with around 65 species possible. Facilities within the park include the Bestwood Lodge Hotel, toilet blocks and refreshments from vendors during the summer.

The Nottinghamshire Naturalist would like to thank Philip Burnham and Bob Moody for providing information on Bestwood Country Park. Also consulted was The Birds of Mill Lakes, Bestwood, 1991 by David Paxton and Paul Nunn.

From an article A Guided Tour Around Nottinghamshire courtesy of Nottingham Naturalist