Sence Valley Forest Park
The Park has become a good site for birds at all times of year. There is normally a reasonable variety of ducks and other waterfowl and often a few waders, both by the water and in the adjacent fields. In winter stonechat is a usual visitor and short-eared owls can often be seen. It is a hotspot for birds migrating in spring where Wheatear and Whinchat can be seen most years.
Total species seen at this site: 114
This 60-hectare site is a former open-cast coal mine, which has been transformed with extensive tree planting and the creation of lakes, interlinked with a series of paths. There are good facilities for disabled visitors. At the centre of the site are a series of small lakes, some managed for wildlife and some for fishing. A hide overlooks one of the lakes. Large areas of conifers and mixed deciduous trees have been planted so this habitat should improve over time.
Latest records
| Common Name | Latin Name | Date Recorded | Recorded By | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gadwall | Anas strepera | 19/02/2019 | Margaret McLoughlin | |
| Lesser Black-backed Gull | Larus fuscus | 07/02/2019 | egaten | |
| Common Gull | Larus canus | 07/02/2019 | egaten | |
| Mute Swan | Cygnus olor | 07/02/2019 | egaten | |
| Moorhen | Gallinula chloropus | 07/02/2019 | egaten | |
| Tufted Duck | Aythya fuligula | 07/02/2019 | egaten | |
| Cormorant | Phalacrocorax carbo | 07/02/2019 | egaten | |
| Black-headed Gull | Chroicocephalus ridibundus | 07/02/2019 | egaten | |
| Buzzard | Buteo buteo | 07/02/2019 | egaten | |
| Gadwall | Anas strepera | 07/02/2019 | egaten | |
| Velvet Shank | Flammulina velutipes | 30/01/2019 | Melinda Bell | |
| Soft Shield Fern | Polystichum setiferum | 30/01/2019 | Melinda Bell | |
| Hart's-tongue | Asplenium scolopendrium | 30/01/2019 | Melinda Bell | |
| Hard Shield-fern | Polystichum aculeatum | 30/01/2019 | Melinda Bell | |
| Male-fern | Dryopteris filix-mas | 30/01/2019 | Melinda Bell | |
North of Ibstock on the A447 Ravenstone Road, LE67 6NW, North West Leicestershire.
