gosforth park nature reserve
an opportunity to learn about the fauna and flora of gosforth park nature reserve .
gosforth park nature reserve are offering an opportunity to learn more about the fauna and flora of their nature reserve at this special event .
find out about the save gosforth wildlife campaign and help us to protect gosforth park nature reserve and its wildlife from being surrounded by development .
enjoy this collection of photos and videos of the flora and fauna of gosforth park nature reserve which have been sent to us by society members .
access to gosforth park nature reserve is strictly on a ‘members only’ basis only. non - members can however purchase day passes from the nhsn office .
gosforth park nature reserve is one of the best places to see wildlife in newcastle and tyne & wear. on this page you can find out about some of the reserve’s wildlife .
we manage gosforth park nature reserve and one of our main aims is to encourage the study of natural history - something we have been doing for nearly 200 years .
gosforth park also boasts a local population of roe deer and remains a stronghold for red squirrels and badgers .
gosforth park nature reserve is open to nhsn members. non - members are also very welcome to visit by purchasing a day pass, and we hold an annual open day in the summer .
six members of tep’s north east office volunteered for a day’s hard labour at gosforth park nature reserve, a beautiful refuge in the north of newcastle managed by the natural history society of northumbria (nhsn) .
to design facilities suitable for a nature reserve and which meet the needs of the end users .
‘the wildlife doesn’t spend all of its time in the nature reserve, ’ james tells us. ‘the animals go outside the nature reserve to find food, so they need a bigger area than just the nature reserve to survive. if you start building on the land around it the nature reserve can’t support as much wildlife, so it has a direct impact on the reserve itself, even if you’re not building on the reserve. that’s what we’ve been fighting against. ’
gosforth park nature reserve provides a focus for the society’s conservation and research activities. the southern half of the reserve is designated as a site of special scientific interest (sssi) and the whole site is designated as a local wildlife site and wildlife corridor in recognition of its ecological importance .
reed warblers are a specialty of gosforth park nature reserve which holds the biggest breeding population this far north in the uk. ringing is the only way this species can be monitored effectively, and current trends suggest that the population is increasing as the area of reedbed is expanded .
arc hosts the all - weather championships across lingfield park, newcastle, southwell, wolverhampton, as well as chelmsford city and kempton park, culminating in the £1million finals day at lingfield park and £250, 000 race day at newcastle on good friday .
access to the society’s nature reserve is through the garden of lake lodge, a stone - built cottage, which belonged, like the reserve, to the high gosforth park company. lake lodge was put up for sale and purchased by the society in may 1970 in order to ensure access to the reserve and to provide accommodation for a volunteer on - site warden .
we are always looking for society members to help us manage and protect the nature reserve. to volunteer please click here .
our work on the reserve is guided by a 10 - year management plan which is approved by natural england. this plan also includes detailed information about the nature reserve and its history .
the society still maintains its magnificent natural history library and archives and the nature reserve at gosforth park as well as carrying out research and promoting the study of the natural sciences by providing lectures, field outings and education courses and publishing scientific papers. almost 190 years after its foundation, the society remains very active with over 1, 700 members .
the story begins in 1509, when the land of gosforth park, including the area on which the reserve now sits, was bought by the brandling family. they invested in coal production, made a fortune, and enclosed their land to create a private estate – gosforth house, built in the 18th century, now part of the racecourse facilities, became their home .
the reserve is part of an important wildlife corridor which stretches from the tyne and the ouseburn, through to jesmond dene and on to gosforth park. nearby there is also killingworth lake, wheetslade cp and within a short drive the rising sun cp and big waters .
one of the best wildlife watching sites in newcastle and tyne & wear, this private nature reserve is important for its rare fauna and flora .
the gosforth park nature reserve, a tiny patch of land adjacent to newcastle racecourse, with a shallow lake and lots of reeds, has been in the news lately (we’ll get to why in a minute), and we realised we knew almost nothing about it: what it is, why it’s important, and who its protectors, the natural history society of northumbria, actually are .
arena racing company includes: bath, brighton, chepstow, doncaster, ffos las, fontwell park, great yarmouth, hereford, lingfield park resort, newcastle, royal windsor, sedgefield, southwell, uttoxeter, wolverhampton and worcester racecourses .
this is a fantastic opportunity to see this private nature reserve on the edge of newcastle, which is one of the best wildlife watching sites in the area .
‘the history of the nature reserve is quite an interesting one, ’ says james, ‘and the society came to it by accident rather than by design. ’
this private nature reserve opens its doors for the day. local experts will be on hand to talk to visitors about birds, plants, mammals and insects .
gosforth park nature reserve is in the northern suburbs of newcastle - upon - tyne. it is a last oasis of wetland, reedbed and native woodland that provides a home to otters, bittern, kingfisher, red squirrel, badger, etc. in an area that was once subject to coal mining and more recently has provided land for homes and business. it is a fantastic wildlife refuge close to where people live .
‘charles brandling, who was head of the family, overindulged in coal speculation and they effectively went bust, ’ explains james, ‘so they sold the estate in 1852 and it was sold again in 1880 to the high gosforth park company which built a horse racing track. ’
a barely - known nature reserve adjacent to newcastle racecourse is being vigorously protected by a society of volunteers which dates back nearly 200 years. living north put their wellies on to find out why
the reserve is supported by a team of volunteers and an unpaid warden, whom lives adjacent to the main entrance. access to gosforth park nature reserve is strictly on a ‘members only’ basis only, however there is often at least one open day every year. non - members can also purchase day passes from the nhsn office. all the birding hides on the site are locked, and members can obtain keys for a small deposit. the nhsn office is in the great north museum in the centre of newcastle. for more information please visit urltoken
the nature reserve is also the focus of research by local naturalists who have made attempts to record the botanical, invertebrate and vertebrate species present on the reserve and in doing so improve our knowledge of the distribution and habitat requirements of species in the north east .
note to drivers: there are current road closures on the roads that lead from south gosforth to the reserve, which look to be completed in july 2018. you can find out more information on newcastle council’s website here .
come and enjoy this fantastic private nature reserve which will be open to the public for one day on saturday 30 june 2018. free. drop - in anytime between 10. 30am and 3. 30pm .
we welcome research and student projects on the reserve. if you would like to carry out a research project in the reserve please contact the society office .
for directions to the reserve and how to get there, please click here .
success will be local schools visiting the reserve regulary to study the natural sciences .
organised by the natural history society of northumbria in partnership with eric north east the event will have local experts on hand to talk to any visitors wanting to know more about the birds, plants, mammals and insects who populate the nature reserve .
there are 3 wildlife hides in the reserve, which provide a great opportunity for visitors and photographers to watch birds and animals in their natural habitat without disturbing them. download the reserve visitor leaflet for a map of the reserve, showing the hides and footpaths .
gosforth park has become legendary for impressive and regular views of bitterns. this uncommon and usually very secretive bird is rarely seen, which makes every experience that much more rewarding. other species to watch out for include common tern, great spotted and green woodpeckers, jack snipe and treecreeper. there is an area of wetland, adjacent to the reserve which at times has attracted bean and white - fronted geese. little egret has also been recorded on the rare occasion .
to create facilities at the reserve so that school groups can learn about the natural world .
back at gosforth park, the land’s new owners had built their race track but neglected the woods and lake. in 1924 a member of the society, we beck, bought the shooting rights for the land to protect its wildlife. when he died he bequeathed the rights to the society, who took it upon themselves to manage the site (now their primary role). that was in 1929 .
the reserve is managed mainly by society members working as volunteers. for the past 80 years they have been improving the habitat on the reserve to increase biodiversity and the numbers of uncommon species .
that schools do not want to use the nature reserve. we will work with schools and young people from the start to ensure it meets their needs and is what they want. this will also give them
ownership
of the project and their continued long term involvement .
the area of north newcastle is very mixed with areas of working class and low income households in parts of longbenton contrasting with the middle - class areas of gosforth. this project will benefit children from both backgrounds .
to improve habitats in the reserve for wildlife and so that they can better be used for study .
this small area of mixed woodland and wetland is situated next to a small tributary of the ouse burn, in whitebridge park. the woodland contains a mix of tree species including oak, ash, willow and lime .
the nature reserve is close to newcastle and several schools and is potentially a fantastic resource for young people to learn about the natural world close to where they live. unfortunately there are no facilities at the reserve, such as toilets, hand washing and shelter that are needed for study length visits. we also need to enlarge our small viewing hides so that they can be used by groups of children .
day passes are for non - members or groups who would like to make a single visit to the reserve. there are two ways to obtain a day pass: visit our office in the great north museum: hancock, or at the reserve by paying a small fee in an envelope provided in the reserve’s information hut .
the society bird ringing group carries out a programme of constant - effort ringing in the nature reserve. this involves using mist nets set in standard sites at intervals to catch and ring birds. the data collected contributes to a national database and helps to monitor changes in the abundance and productivity of british birds .
during the winter we supplement natural food at a feeding station so that the reserve can support more woodland birds .
the nhsn regularly organises guided walks and activities at the reserve. please click here to see what’s coming up .
once a year we open the reserve to the public. our next open day will be on saturday 30 june 2018 .
our project will design and build facilities at the reserve that will enable school groups to visit and study the natural world .
» improve existing facilities at the reserve so that they are suitable for school groups, for example creating bigger wildlife viewing hides .
if you encounter any problems at the reserve, please report them to the warden in lake lodge or contact the nhsn office on 0191 208 2790 .
schools having access to a local site to study the natural sciences and regularly taking pupils to learn in the outdoors. we will record the number of school visits and get feedback from schools and young people about their experiences and how it has helped their learning and appreciation of nature .
rare species are sometimes seen in the reserve, if you are fortunate enough to see one please get in touch to let us know before you release the news online .
there is also one more hide, which can be enjoyed as visitors travel around the freshwater and explore the woodland. this is located towards to the left of the reserve .
dogs are not allowed in the reserve, even on leads. the collection of any kind of plant or animal is forbidden. please take only photographs and leave only footprints .
the information hut is a small hut just past lake lodge inside the reserve entrance. the hut contains information about the nhsn, including a folder where you can record your wildlife sightings before you leave. this is also the best way to find out what wildlife has been seen recently, so it is good idea to check the sightings log before you head off into the reserve .
the reserve is very important for its insects, including species of beetle, bee and moth which are nationally and regionally rare. in summer 9 species of butterfly can usually be seen, including the purple hairstreak .
please enter your sightings in the logbook (in the members’ hut at the entrance) as this helps us to monitor changes in species over many years and helps us to protect the reserve and surrounding habitats from development .
wildfowl present can include gadwall, goldeneye, goosander, mallard, pochard, teal, tufted duck, scaup, shoveler and wigeon. little grebes also love the reserve and can be very entertaining in the spring / summer months .
the reserve has hides and boardwalks that enable visitors to view waterfowl, waders and reed bed birds at one of the best bird watching sites in the newcastle area. woodland trails and a feeding station provide an opportunity to see a wide range of woodland birds, mammals and flowers. there is also a small wildflower meadow. the reserve has a population of roe deer, red squirrel, fox and badger and if you are lucky you might see an otter .
the only entrance / exit to the reserve is through the garden of the cottage known as lake lodge, which belongs to the nhsn and is the home of our warden. there is parking in old salter’s lane near to the lodge .
on top of that we also have a programme of work to improve habitats on the reserve which include woodland regeneration and pond creation. finally, we have to maintain a system of trails and wildlife watching hides and discourage poaching, trespass and disturbance .
for details of facilities and hazards at the reserve, please click here. paths and boardwalks can often be wet, muddy and slippery, so wear appropriate footwear and clothing and take care. visitors with disabilities or access needs please click here for information .
roe deer are commonly seen and there are breeding red squirrel, fox, badger, stoat, weasel, wood mouse and bank vole. the reserve is an important site for bats with 7 species recorded including daubenton’s, noctule, nathusius pipistrelle and brandt’s .
woodland management to provide a diverse range of habitats and wide range of species, eg young, medium and old woodland stands; deciduous and coniferous. this includes planting new trees. the woodland is managed to encourage native species to thrive and to provide abundant dead wood for the population of uncommon invertebrates found on the reserve .
we keep a log book at the reserve for members to record their sightings and these records also prove valuable in building up a picture of population changes. these records are passed to the environmental records information centre (eric) north east to form part of our regional knowledge of the natural world and to help with conservation efforts .
next they did what estate owners do: they landscaped the grounds, created a 50 - acre lake for boating (the wreck of a victorian pleasure boat is still there today – it’s marked on archeological maps) and planted woodland (most of the trees in the reserve are between 150 and 200 years old). unfortunately, the victorian dream eluded the brandlings .
so we got in touch and an email came back from james littlewood, the society’s director, inviting us for a chat at his office in the hancock museum (the society owns the museum, which it leased to newcastle university in the 1960s, and which is now managed by tyne & wear archives). sitting in the boardroom, he told us about the society and the reserve .
it takes a lot of managing. one of the problems is that the lake is shallow, so it silts up quickly and requires regular dredging. also, reeds need to be cut, trees need pruning, and the three hides need to be maintained. doing all of this is a team of about 100 volunteers – ‘i would say the reserve is more or less managed by volunteers, ’ james tells us .
oh yes, we’ve gone this far and barely mentioned the wildlife. among the creatures that call the reserve home (or at least treat it like a hotel) are badgers, foxes, red squirrels, roe deer, otters, birds of prey such as buzzards and kestrels, waterfowl, waders, owls and rare insects – hence over half the site was designated a site of special scientific interest in the 1970s, and hence members have recently been battling against nearby development .
another important member of the team is the warden, who lives in a cottage at the entrance to the reserve, monitoring who’s coming and going. it’s not public land, it’s private, and only accessible to those with a family membership (£30 per year) or a day permit (£3. 50), although there is an open day when anyone can visit (saturday 11th july; 10. 30am to 3. 30pm) during which experts talk about the flora and fauna .
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registered in england and wales no. 07997040. registered office millbank tower, 21 - 24 millbank, london, sw1p 4qp
below you can read a selected history of the society. if you would like to learn more then why not visit our library and archives ?
marmaduke tunstall frs (1743 - 1790), a collector of natural history and ethnographic items from all over the world, inherited the family estate at wycliffe, a village on the south bank of the river tees in north yorkshire .
tunstall brought his museum from london to wycliffe - on - tees in yorkshire .
thomas bewick and marmaduke tunstall were never to meet, yet in 1789 tunstall commissioned one of bewick’s best known engravings, that of the chillingham bull .
edward sheldon inherited the tunstall estates when marmaduke tunstall died in 1790 (aged 47) and he sold the museum, library and pictures. tunstall’s friend george allan (1736 - 1800), a solicitor of blackwell grange near darlington in county durham, bought part of the contents of the museum in 1791 for £700 .
the collections occupied two large rooms at blackwell grange and allan opened his museum to the public in june 1792, receiving 7, 327 visitors in three and a half years. he added considerably to the wycliffe collections .
after tunstall’s death in 1790, bewick visited wycliffe to make use of the extensive collection of stuffed birds spending two months there in 1791. a number of drawings he made at the time are now in the great north museum: hancock although he only used a few of them to illustrate his history of british birds, preferring to draw from life if possible. some of the bird specimens he used can also still be seen on display in the museum today .
the newcastle upon tyne literary & philosophical society was founded in 1793 and, in its early years, members and friends gave a number of donations of natural history and ethnographical items .
this included the first ever wombat to reach britain from australia (preserved in spirit), a gift from john hunter, governor of new south wales. this species was first described by thomas bewick and the specimen can still be seen on display in the museum today. another notable donation was our mummy, bakt hor nekt, given by thomas coates of haydon bridge in 1821 .
george allan died, the allan museum, housed at blackwell grange, was left to his son .
the society of antiquaries was formed – the first daughter society of the literary and philosophical society of newcastle upon tyne .
george townshend fox was a businessman and a prominent member of the literary & philosophical society of newcastle upon tyne .
when the allan museum came up for sale in 1822 it was fox who advanced the £400 to the society for the purchase .
the magnificent collections made their way from darlington in a sprung glass - wagon, and despite a strong gale on gateshead fell arrived safely in newcastle. they were stored for a while until the literary & philosophical society’s new building opened in 1825 .
in 1827 fox published a catalogue of the collections called a synopsis of the newcastle museum .
by 1828 there were considerable differences between the members of the literary & philosophical society who were interested in natural history and the collections and those interested in the library .
in order to resolve this conflict, supporters of the museum met in february 1829 and drew up proposals for the formation of a separate society. on the 19th august 1829 the natural history society of northumberland, durham and newcastle upon tyne (now the natural history society of northumbria) was formed with the objectives of the pursuit of natural sciences and the development of the museum. it began with a membership of 134 .
the society’s first lecture was given on the 20th october 1829 at the literary and philosophical society, westgate road, newcastle. the subject was on the identification of a new species of swan, discovered by richard wingate, a taxidermist from newcastle. the swan was later given the name bewick’s swan cygnus bewickii in memory of the celebrated tyneside engraver and naturalist, thomas bewick .
by 1831 the new society’s collections has grown and they had to rent a storeroom .
in 1832 subscriptions were raised in order to build a new museum on land behind the literary & philosophical society’s building (now part of the central station), which was opened to the public in 1834 and was known as the newcastle museum .
the natural history society experimented with opening the museum to the public, one evening a month, free of charge. this was extremely popular and other museums in england copied the idea .
the collections grew and the popularity of the society’s museum increased with over 44, 000 visitors in 1848 .
in 1846 some members of the natural history society, who were interested in field outings (including john hancock), formed the tyneside naturalists’ field club within the society to record birds, plants and geology etc in the field .
in 1878 plans were announced for the building of an even bigger and better museum. john hancock, a local naturalist and taxidermist, was the main organiser and fundraiser for the project; the new building owed its existence mainly to his energy and personal influence .
john hancock died aged 83 years. the museum was renamed the hancock museum in memory of him and his brother albany hancock (d. 1873) in 1891 .
during the second world war the society had to make special arrangements to protect the museum and its collections from bombing. you can read about the hancock museum at war by following this link to our archives section click here .
following the development of british bird ringing in the first half of the 20th century, members of the society had been involved in catching and ringing seabirds on the farne islands. in 1949 the society became the official ringer for birds on the islands and this important research work continues today. in 1951 the society began a scheme to tag grey seals on the farne islands and to monitor breeding success. the result has been the longest period of continuous research in any british grey seal colony. the society still publishes an annual report for the farne islands in partnership with the national trust .
in 1961 - 62 the society played an important part in the birth of the northumberland and durham naturalists’ trust, which later went on to become the northumberland wildlife trust and durham wildlife trust. since then we have worked closely together and shared many trustees and members .
the hancock museum closed its doors to the public in april 2006 and was transformed into the award winning great north museum: hancock, which re - opened in may 2009. as a result of the redevelopment the society offices, library and archives are now located in a modern purpose built extension at the rear of the museum .
the natural history society of northumbria still owns the great north museum: hancock building, land and its many varied collections and continues to lease them to the university of newcastle on whose behalf they are administered by tyne & wear archives and museums .
to celebrate our 100th birthday the society’s then curator of the hancock museum, t. russell goddard, published a book, the history of the natural history society of northumberland, durham and newcastle upon tyne 1829 - 1929. you can now download this book in sections: pages 1 - 24, pages 24 - 61, pages 62 - 95, pages 96 - 131, pages 132 - 165, pages 166 - 195 and a new index. alternatively this book is available from our library .
to celebrate our 150th birthday, the society’s then honorary secretary, grace hickling mbe, published the natural history society of northumbria 1929 - 1979. this book is available from our library and we also have some copies for sale .
our archives contain thousands of letters, photos, notebooks, diaries and society documents dating back to the start of the 19th century. to find out more about our archive material please click here .
local experts will be on hand to talk to visitors about birds, plants, mammals and insects. there will be pond dipping, small mammals, wildlife spotting from hides and much more. drop in anytime between 10. 30am – 3. 30pm, suitable for all ages and abilities (sorry no dogs) .
please note that the ground can be wet, muddy and uneven, so please wear suitable footwear .
most of this work is carried out by volunteers and through funding that we receive from defra as part of a higher level stewardship grant. however we also rely on donations from society members and the public to support this work .
de - silting of ponds to improve habitat for open water species such as wildfowl, kingfisher, common terns and otters .
cutting of reeds on a rotational basis to ensure healthy reedbeds and increase the populations of reedbed species such as reed warbler, water rail and bittern .
restoration of lowland meadow to allow plant species such as marsh orchids to flourish and provide habitats for butterflies .
creating artificial habitats to help boost some species, such as a breeding platform for common terns and black - headed gulls. nest boxes are built, installed, cleaned and repaired to increase the breeding populations of hole nesting birds. bat boxes are installed to provide roosting habitat and carry out bat research .
removing invasive non - native species which have a harmful impact on our native wildlife. this includes rhododendron, himalayan balsam, sycamore, turkey oak, american mink and grey squirrel (we have the last remaining population of red squirrels in newcastle) .
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meanwhile, the natural history society of northumbria was evolving. james traces their history back to yorkshire’s marmaduke tunstall, an 18th century natural history collector. part of his collection was bought by newcastle’s lit & phil society in 1822, and in 1829 a splinter group of 134 members formed the natural history society of northumbria .
‘we took the museum collections with us, ’ explains james, ‘and we continued to add to them and set up a museum to house them in, which was opened to the public in 1834 and known as the newcastle museum – it was at the back of where the lit and phil is now. ’
it’s been demolished since. the society continued collecting artefacts and it became clear they needed a bigger building. so in 1884, using cash from the society’s members, including lord armstrong, they built what became the hancock museum (it was renamed in honour of john and albany hancock in 1891) and rehoused their collection there (they leased it to the university in the 1960s because they couldn’t afford to run it anymore) .
one of their most impressive achievements is a new hide, which was opened in may by one of the society’s famous members, matt ridley (the hide was named after his father, matthew ridley). the hide was funded from grants and contributions from members, and built entirely by members, who also laid 400 metres of boardwalk over the wetland .
‘we were very fortunate in that we had a former joiner and a current joiner, and a few others who’ve got some decent diy skills, ’ explains james. ‘and we had the designs drawn up by a local firm of architects who gave them free of charge – kiosk architecture & design and ec architects. they designed it so it could be built by volunteers and obviously we had some skilled volunteers to get all the angles right. ’
‘we have to keep it private, ’ explains james, ‘because it’s on the edge of newcastle and close to so many people. if it was open to the public there’d just be too much disturbance and damage to wildlife. it’s an important wildlife site. ’
one recent proposal for hundreds of homes didn’t go ahead, but they lost a couple of other battles – two nearby schemes, comprising several hundred homes and a leisure development, got the go - ahead. it’s a long fight though, and they won’t give up .
‘we’ve been fighting developments in this area for 30 or 40 years, ’ says james, ‘actually going back to the 1950s. ’
the guardians of this little patch of north east wildlife have been protecting it for nearly a century – good on them .
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over recent years, the site has benefited from some major restoration work which has seen the construction of a flagship new 2 - storey bird watching hide close to the waters edge and a wondrous new feeding station which can be found close to the visitors entrance .
in 2014 a ferruginous duck came to stay, much to the delight of the local birdwatchers. another major highlight during the year involved a short stay from a rare little bittern, which brought ‘twitchers’ from far and wide. in march 2017 a ferruginous was discovered again, which is thought to be the same wild bird which has been enjoying the facilities at wwt washington .
all the birding hides on the site are locked. nhsn members can obtain keys for a small deposit. for more information please visit urltoken
there is a new eco - toilet in the wood, which members can use, using the same key, they use to access the bird hides .
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urltoken
northumberland wildlife trust ltd - registered in england and wales, reg. charity number 221819, reg. company number 717813
local experts will be on hand to talk about birds, plants, mammals and insects .
the ground can be wet, muddy and uneven. please wear suitable footwear .
please keep to footpaths to avoid damaging the flora and always carry your membership card or day pass with you, or you may be asked to leave by one of our wardens .
a day pass costs £3. 50 per person aged 18 and over, and £1. 00 per person aged under - 18. visiting groups must make a booking in advance through the nhsn office. the office is open monday - friday 10am - 5pm, and can be contacted by phone on 0191 208 2790 or email at nhsn @ ncl. ac. uk .
a hide key gives visitors access to the three hides and the eco - loo, which are kept locked. hide keys can be hired from the office for a deposit of £30, which will be refunded on return of the key to the office .
creating education facilities at one of newcastle' s best wildlife sites so that young people in the region can be inspired by and learn about the natural world where they live .
» work with schools and young people to design facilities that they want and that have no impact on the environment .
» create new ponds for amphibians and so that young people can study pond ecosystems .
success will be new ponds created with study facilities, such as pond dipping access and positive feedback from teachers and pupils .
if you wish to remain anonymous during your research, the big give is happy to contact a charity on your behalf. please click here for further details about this service .
please note that the ground can often be wet, muddy and uneven. please ensure you are wearing suitable footwear .
wetland species include birds such as bittern, kingfisher, water rail, reed warbler, grasshopper warbler, reed bunting, common tern (breeding platform), grey heron, wigeon, shoveler, teal, pochard, snipe, grey wagtail and little grebe. at certain times of the year there are spectacular roosts of large flocks of starling, swallow and jackdaw .
otters are regularly seen and there are healthy populations of frog, toad and smooth newt but our water shrews are much harder to see. several species of dragonflies are present in the summer, including broad - bodied chaser .
unusual wetland migrants in recent years have included little bittern, ferruginous duck, marsh harrier, little egret, garganey, whooper swan, white - fronted goose and ruddy shelduck .
woodland species include birds such as green and great spotted woodpeckers, tawny owl, buzzard, sparrowhawk, nuthatch, jay, treecreeper, woodcock, siskin and garden warbler. our feeding station hide is a great place to see woodland birds up close from october to march .
england’s second largest colony of coral - root orchid is found in the wet woodland and a viewing area is created in late may - june for this rare species. other interesting plants include young’s helleborine, broad - leaved helleborine, northern marsh orchid, common spotted orchid and a range of meadow species. the woodland is a green carpet of ferns in the summer. in autumn there is a wide variety of mushrooms and fungi including some uncommon species .
these records are also passed to the north - east environmental records information centre to form part of our regional knowledge of the natural world and to help with conservation efforts .
the cheese loft café, blagdon - 3. 92 mile (s) away
the commissioners quay inn, blyth - 3. 23 mile (s) away
ghosts n ghouls disco, newcastle upon tyne - 4. 21 mile (s) away
wedding open days, newcastle upon tyne - 4. 21 mile (s) away
gosforth park nature reserve is a wildlife haven in tyne and wear , england . it includes a lake and woodland , and is managed by the natural history society of northumbria . it is part of gosforth park , the old estate of gosforth house . 
gosforth park nature reserve is a wildlife haven in tyne and wear, england. it includes a lake and woodland, and is managed by the natural history society of northumbria. it is part of gosforth park, the old estate of gosforth house.
gosforth park nature reserve is a wildlife haven in tyne and wear, england. it includes a lake and woodland, and is managed by the natural history society of northumbria. it is part of gosforth park, the old estate of gosforth house.