Bradgate Park

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Location/Access

Bradgate Park is situated some seven miles north of Leicester near to Anstey and Cropston; there are three car parks at: Newtown Linford SK 52263 09807, nearest post code LE6 0HB; Hunt’s Hill, also known as Old John SK 52280 11678, LE6 0AL, and Hallgates/Cropston SK 54244 11383, LE7 7GB. Parking charges apply: www.bradgatepark.org/parking-charges.

Birds

Bradgate Park is a bit of an enigma. The 335 hectare deer park has remained relatively unchanged for hundreds of years. There should be much more ornithological interest but the sheer volume of visitors, especially at weekends and holidays, has a detrimental effect on their presence. It is best to visit early in the morning and keep away from the tarmac path where the majority of visitors and dog walkers can be found. There is no access to the walled woodlands or spinneys, but most can be viewed relatively easily.

The main birding interest is to be found in the upper part of the Park and its wet heathland and rocky outcrops, especially during both migration periods. The area below Old John and the Monument is worth looking around, and Ring Ouzel, Wheatear and Redstart can often be found along with the now resident Stonechats. There are good numbers of Meadow Pipit, Skylark and Yellowhammer in the area and small numbers of Tree Pipit can be encountered breeding nearby.

Barn, Tawny and Little Owls are all frequently heard and seen, the latter particularly in the old Oaks around the area of the ruins of Bradgate House (SK 534 102) and the Lodge. Flight views of Peregrine are regular along with Hobby in the summer, and increasingly Red Kite and Raven.

The Park is still a fairly reliable site for Cuckoo with two or three calling males noted each year. The wooded areas have the usual array of birds and, although elusive, there are still good numbers of Spotted Flycatchers to be found along with Great Spotted Woodpecker. Green Woodpeckers are much more obvious as they feed on old ant hills to the east of the Ruins at SK 536 104 and by Stable Pit Quarry over the bridge at SK 533 099.

Kingfisher and Grey Wagtails are found along the River Lin along with increasing numbers of Little Egret. Amongst the duck of the river, Mandarin can occasionally be seen now that they breed in the Park.

In autumn, the area commonly known as Cropston/Anstey gates (SK 53759 09744) is a magnet for migrants, especially Redstart that used to breed in the Park, plus an array of warblers, Spotted Flycatcher and the occasional Pied Flycatcher.

Winter can produce flocks of Siskin and Lesser Redpoll feeding in the Alders and Birches along the River Lin and the edge of Cropston Reservoir. Small parties of Crossbill are not unknown in the coniferous spinneys, whilst a few Woodcock can sometimes be seen coming out of the woodlands at dusk. Flocks of Fieldfare and Redwing often hang around the car park areas.

There are three viewing slots near the Deer Barn tea-rooms in the Park that overlook the inflow at Cropston Reservoir at SK 539 103. These are best when the water levels are low and particularly in autumn.