Corsham Court Parkland, 8 February 2026

Above: Goosanders at Corsham Court © Mike Smith

Leader: Phillip Delve

We met at Corsham Cemetery car park. While nine of us assembled, Blue Tits, Goldfinches and Redwing were seen in the bare hedges around the car park and a small flock of Stock Doves landed in the field behind the cemetery. Under an overcast sky, we took the  gateway into Corsham Court Estate just across the road. Beyond a small belt of boundary trees, you could see the open parkland, with dark skeletal Oak Trees and the lake beyond.

On our way down to the lake, we stopped briefly to examine the fungi on a heap of decaying tree trunks.

It was here that Rebecca King spotted a small vole racing for cover.

I set my telescope up by the lake, so that everyone could have good views of the wildfowl; four pairs of Goosander along with Mallard, Moorhen and Canada Geese. Common and Black-headed Gulls were perched in a bare tree across the lake and in woodland to the east, there were  Rooks, Jackdaws and Redwings. More birds were located as we followed the line of Hawthorn hedges, along the south west shore.

A Grey Heron flew by, behind the hawthorns  where Long-tailed, Blue and Great Tits were feeding. A Buzzard and then a Red Kite were spotted overhead.  Willow and Alder trees grow on the island at the west end of the lake, where a pair of Goosander could be seen through reeds close by.  A few of us watched a Goldcrest as it headed off through trees here, and a Chiffchaff was in song but not seen.

At this point it began to rain and a change of plan was in order.

Instead of walking north on exposed ground, we headed towards St Bartholomew’s churchyard. From the church porch, we could hear a nuthatch calling. After searching, we eventually located the bird briefly on a tree top. 

It was raining heavily by this time, so we were grateful for the invitation, to not only shelter in the church, but to join the post service congregation for coffee and tea!  Before returning to our cars, we took a quick look around the yew trees in the church yard, adding Coal Tit and Green Finch to our bird list.

Phillip Delve