Lower Woods Nature Reserve: A Haven for Birds, Plants, and Insects

Leader:  Susanne  Zamze

Ron Knight from Seaford,CC BY 2.0, Great Spotted Woodpecker

Massive thanks to Susanne Zamze for leading this walk.  We’ll meet at the Reserve Car Park at 10:00am

Lower Woods Nature Reserve is a vast ancient woodland located in Gloucestershire, England. Although woodland birding can be challenge in the summer – when leaves tend to hide birds rather well – with a bit of luck we should see plenty of things to maintain interest.

Our targets will be woodland birds such as Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Redstart and Spotted Flycatchers along with birds of prey, such as Buzzard and Sparrowhawk.

The flourishing plant life in Lower Woods during July attracts a myriad of insects and butterflies. Several species should be on the wing including Brimstone, Gatekeeper, and various skippers. White admirals are a great species to see here and  our visit coincides with their peak flight period.  We’ll keep an eye for them in the shaded woodlands and forest rides, the dappled sunlight these areas provide makes it an ideal habitat.

The paths are generally considered easy to moderate in difficulty, although some parts may be uneven with the odd muddy patch. Boots with ankle support are recommended.