Gulls - Laridae
 |
 |
|
Black-headed gull - Larus ridibundus Photograph courtesy of David Morris Not really black-headed, more chocolate-brown, however for much of the year, it has a white head. The commonest inland gull but most definitely not a "seagull" and is found almost anywhere inland where there is plenty of food, often around reservoirs, ploughed fields, playing fields and rubbish tips. They eat worms, insects, fish and carrion and have a harsh "kree-aaa" call. Generally they can be seen all year round, however in the park, they are more common in the winter. |
Common gull - Larus canus Photograph courtesy of Sue Tranter It looks like a small, gentler version of the herring gull, with greenish legs and a yellow bill. They are seen more often in towns and on housing estates, playing fields, lakes, reservoirs and on open spaces especially during winter time. They eat worms, insects, fish, carrion and rubbish, their call is a mewing "kee-ya". Like the Black-headed gull they can be seen all year round but again in the park more commonly in winter. |
|
Long-tailed tit - Aegithalos caudatus Photograph courtesy of Jane Foxon The long-tailed tit is easily recognisable with its distinctive black, white and pink colouring and a tail that is bigger than its body, it has an undulating flight. Less frequent than other tits they can be seen in woodland, farmland hedgerows, parks and gardens. They eat insects and occasionally seeds in autumn and winter. They have high 'see see see' calls, and a trilled 'tsirrup'. Present all year round. |
 |
|
Female mallard inset |
Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos Photograph courtesy of David Gains The male has a dark green head, a yellow bill, is mainly purple-brown on the breast and grey on the body. The female is mainly brown with an orange bill. It is the commonest duck and most widespread. It may be found in large and small lakes and slow-flowing rivers, including park lakes and reservoirs. It feeds on seeds, acorns and berries, plants, insects and shellfish. The female has a variety of calls including the familiar "quack", the male makes a quieter, low, "crrib". Present all year round. |
|
Moorhen - Gallinula chloropus Photograph courtesy of David Morris The moorhen is a medium-sized, ground-dwelling bird which from a distance looks black but is actually olive-brown on it's back and head whilst underneath is blue-grey. It has a red bill with a yellow tip. There's a chance of seeing a moorhen anywhere where there is water, from a small ditch or a lake in a city park, to a large lake or reservoir. It feeds on water plants, seeds, fruit, grasses, insects, snails and worms. Its most familiar call is a loud, abrupt"kurr'uk". Present all year round. |
 |
 |
Pied wagtail - Motacilla alba Photograph courtesy of David Morris A delightful small, long-tailed and rather sprightly black and white bird. Often seen dashing about over lawns or car parks in search of food, repeatedly wagging their tails up and down. They are best looked for near water and can be found in most habitats, even town centres. Their call is a sharp 'chissick'; and their song is a quiet twittering. Present all year round. |
Pigeon - Columbidae
 |
 |
|
Feral pigeon - Columbia livia Photograph courtesy of David Gains This is the same species as the rock dove, originally kept to provide food. Feral pigeons come in all shades and combinations of black, grey, fawns, browns and whites while others look exactly like wild rock doves. The feral pigeon lives in towns and cities and breed almost everywhere with the highest density in the most populated urban and suburban areas. They feed on seeds and cereals. Their call is a gentle cooing. Present all year round. |
Woodpigeon - Columba palumbus Photograph courtesy of Peter M Henderson Britains largest and commonest pigeon, it is mainly grey with a white neck patch, white wing patches and a dark tail bar. Generally shy in the countryside it can be tame and more approachable in towns and cities where they frequent parks and gardens. It loves to eat vegetable crops like cabbages, sprouts and peas and also eats buds, shoots, seeds, nuts and berries. The most recognisable call is 'coo coooo coo cu-cu' They are present all year round |
|
Robin - Erithacus rubecula Photograph courtesy of David Morris With its bright red breast it is familiar throughout the year. Males and females look identical, and young birds have no red breast but are spotted with golden brown feathers. They are aggressively territorial and are quick to drive away intruders. Found across Britain in woodland, hedgerows, parks and gardens. They feed on worms, seeds, fruits and insects. The song is a sweet, high warbling; and the alarm call is a loud 'tic', Present all year round. |
 |
 |
Song thrush - Turdus philomelos Photograph courtesy of Viv Robertson Generally the commonest thrush; smaller and browner than the mistle thrush, with dark spots on a pale breast with warm brown upper parts. A popular garden songbird whose numbers are declining seriously making it an endangered species. Found in hedgerows, parks and gardens across Britain. It feeds on worms, snails (which it breaks into by smashing them against a stone) and fruit. It has a song of simple repeated phrases; its call is a soft 'sipp. Present all year round. |
Sparrows - Ploceidae
|
Female sparrow inset |
 |
|
House sparrow - Passer domesticus Main photograph courtesy of David Morris Inset photograph courtesy of David Gains The typical small brown bird, the male with a black throat, chestnut mantle, grey crown and rump, the female and young rather plain except for the single pale wing bar. Sociable and noisy they have colonised large parts of the world but are struggling to survive in Britain and are now an endangered species. They have vanished from the centre of many cities, but may still be seen in towns, villages, parks and gardens, usually nesting on buildings, in creepers, bushes and nest boxes. They feed on seeds and scraps. They have a chirping and chirruping call and may be seen all year round. |
Tree sparrow - Passer montanus Photograph courtesy of David Morris
Smaller than house sparrow and more active, with its tail almost permanently cocked. It has a chestnut brown head and nape white cheeks and collar with a contrasting black cheek-spot. They are shyer than house sparrows and are not as closely associated with man. The tree sparrow is mainly a bird of open land with hedgerows and free-standing trees or small isolated woods. It also inhabits parks and large gardens, especially where nest boxes are provided. Best looked for in hedgerows and around woodland edges. They feed on seeds and insects and their call is a distinctive 'chip'. They are present all year round. |
|
Sparrow hawk - Accipiter nisus Photograph courtesy of Sue Tranter Adult males have a slate grey back with white under parts that are closely barred with orange. Their grey tail has 4 to 5 dark bars. The females are larger, with brown upper parts, a white stripe over the eye and dark barring beneath. More recently they have spread into urban parks and are now regular garden visitors. Often to be seen flying fast and low in pursuit of prey, or soaring high on rounded wings. They feed on small birds. Their call is a harsh, chattering "kek-kek-kek". Present all year round. |
 |
 |
Starling - Sturnus vulgaris Photograph courtesy of David Morris Smaller than blackbirds, with a short tail, pointed head, triangular wings, looking black from a distance they are actually glossy with a sheen of purples and greens. Once a common garden bird but its general decline makes it an endangered species. Found in open woodland, hedgerows, parks and gardens. They feed on insects and fruit. Their alarm call is a short 'chip' and the song is a mixture of warbles, trills, whistles and rattles. Present all year round with large numbers arriving in Autumn to spend winter here. |
|
Swallow - Hirundo rustica Photograph courtesy of Steve Ansell Swallows are small slender short necked aerial birds with dark glossy blue backs, chestnut throats, pale under parts and long distinctive tail streamers. They are extremely agile in flight and spend most of their time on the wing. Breeds in open habitats; nests in buildings. They feed on a range of small invertebrates and may occasionally be seen skimming the pond. The call is a simple "tswit, tswit, tswit" and the song is a prolonged sweet twittering "feetafeet, feetafeet". They are present from March to October. |
 |
 |
Swift - Apus apus Photograph courtesy of Sue Tranter The swift is a medium-sized aerial bird, which is a superb flier, distinguishable from the swallow by a short tail and long curved wings as well as the all dark plumage apart from a whitish throat. You can see them if you look up in the sky in summer, often very high. They never perch on wires like swallows and even sleep on the wing. They eat flying insects and airborne spiders. They make a prolonged, shrill screaming call in flight. They are present from April to August. |
|
Wren - Troglodytes troglodytes Photograph courtesy of Jane Foxon The wren is a tiny brown bird, dumpy, almost rounded with a distinctive barred plumage, a fine bill, longish legs and toes, very short wings and a short, narrow often cocked-up brownish-red tail. They are found in woodland, farmland, parks etc. and are regular visitors to most gardens. They feed on insects and spiders. It has a remarkably loud voice with a loud ringing, warbling song; and a loud, rattling call. They are present all year round. The wren, commonly believed to be Britain's smallest bird is beaten to that title by the even smaller goldcrest. |
|
 |
...and finally Gladstone Park's own goose! Greylag goose - Anser anser Photograph courtesy of Carole Hoskins The ancestor of most domestic geese, the greylag is the largest and bulkiest of the wild geese native to the
Unfortunately our other goose, its pal, died of natural causes in the latter part of 2004. |
Don't forget if you spot any more unusual varieties e-mail us the species seen, time date and place spotted and we will try to get them listed on the website as soon as we can and credit you by name with the sighting.