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Photos, directions and information of locations within the Wakefield area that may be of interest to bird watchers. Click on the thumbnail photos for enlargements.
Anglers Country Park
Location: At Wintersett in
between New Crofton and Cold Hiendley (countryside location, but signed by brown
information signs). Approx 3.5 miles SE of Wakefield as the crow files. 195/196
bus route from Wakefield.
Commoner species include: mute swan, pied wagtail, canada goose, tufted duck, mallard, coot,
cormorant, wigeon, ruddy duck, goldeneye, pochard, black headed gull, gadwall,
redshank, lapwing, grey heron, moorhen, great crested grebe.
Rarer species include: bittern, iceland gull, glaucous gull,
yellow
wagtail, smew, velvet scoter, whooper swan, garganey, hobby,
waxwing, oystercatcher, slavonian grebe, great black backed gull.
Our rating: 8/10. Well worth a visit - two hides, both well situated, one for
the summer, one for the winter. 1.5 mile walk around the lake is always
worthwhile. Just look what open cast mining can do for you...
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Wintersett Reservoir
Location: Stones throw from
Anglers (above) - the other side of Haw Park Lane. Access available from Ferry
Top Lane.
Commoner species include: tufted duck, mallard, coot, cormorant, grey heron,
wigeon, goldeneye, great crested grebe, pochard, black headed gull.
Rarer species include: gadwall, smew, bittern, scaup, glaucous gull, iceland
gull, slavonian grebe, black necked grebe, water rail.
Our rating: 6/10.
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Pugneys Country Park
Location: J39 of the M1.
Take the Wakefield road for half a mile, and it is on the roundabout. There are
three lakes - the main reservoir (used for water sports), the nature reserve lake (recommended), and the
back lake which also provides access to the river Calder.
Commoner species include: mute swan, canada goose, tufted duck, mallard, coot,
cormorant, grey heron, wigeon, great crested grebe, pochard, ruddy duck, black
headed gull, lapwing, redshank, goldeneye, golden plover, pied wagtail, herring
gull.
Rarer species include: shoveler, teal, red crested pochard, bittern, kingfisher,
common gull, snipe, barnacle goose, grey plover, shelduck, iceland gull, smew,
glaucous gull, yellow legged gull, scaup, black throated diver, stonechat,
redpoll, siskin, dunlin.
Our rating: 8/10. Well worth a visit - my local.
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Newmillerdam
Location: A61, 3
miles south of Wakefield (Barnsley Rd).
Commoner species include: mute swan, canada goose, tufted duck, mallard, coot, moorhen,
grey heron.
Rarer species include: tree creeper, long tailed tit, sparrowhawk.
Our rating: 5/10. Nice situation, pleasant stroll, lots of people, mainly common
species.
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River Calder
Location: Flows
through Wakefield! Stretches investigated to date are south of the city, around
Calder Island.
Species include: tufted duck, mallard, coot, moorhen, great crested grebe, teal.
Our rating: 5/10.
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Redlands Gravel Pits
Location: J39 of
the M1. Take the Wakefield road for 0.5 mile, and it is on the roundabout. The
other side of the roundabout from Pugneys (see above). The gravel workings are
private property, but there are several public rights of way right through the
gravel pits. Park your car in Pugneys car park.
Commoner species include: canada goose, tufted duck, mallard, coot, wigeon,
great crested grebe, pochard, black headed gull, herring gull.
Rarer species include: redshank, golden
plover, shelduck, teal, great black backed gull.
Our rating: 7/10.
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Walton Colliery Nature
Park
Location: Shay
Lane (by railway bridge) in between Walton and Crofton. Four stretches of water
here, and the Barnsley canal.
Commoner species include: canada goose, tufted duck, mallard, coot, pochard,
great crested grebe, black headed gull, grey heron, mute swan.
Rarer species include: water rail, smew.
Our rating: 6/10.
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Southern Washlands Nature
Reserve
Location: Park
Lodge Lane, Eastmoor, Central Wakefield. Be warned - this is not the easiest
venue to find, and you may need a map or A-Z. Go to the very end of Park Lodge
Lane, and then continue past the "no motorcycles" sign. Go over the
canal and then park. Two warnings. Firstly, this track is very muddy and
potholed. Secondly, this is a poor area of Wakefield, and you may not wish to
park your car here. That being said, the nature reserve is a hidden gem. I
recommend going when the kids are (or should be) at school.
Commoner species include: tufted duck, mallard, coot,
great crested grebe, black headed gull, mute swan, cormorant, woodland birds.
Rarer species include: yellowhammer,
goldeneye, partridge and no doubt others.
Our rating: 7/10.
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Thornes Park
Location:
Thornes Road - in between the A636 Denby Dale Rd & the Huddersfield Rd.
Species are: canada goose, tufted duck, mallard, black headed gull, grey heron
(occasionally), moorhen & mallard hybrids. Plenty of wildlife in the trees
and small nature reserve behind the pond too.
Our rating: 4/10. Lovely City pond, can be positively congested with Canada geese.
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