Trent Park

From Londonbirders

Map: [1]

The description below is based only on my own visits to this patch. If you have additions and updated information then by all means add to or change the below.

Trent Country Park

Trent Country Park is a broad area of mixed habitat whose main entrance lies off Cockfosters Road, approximately a 5 minute walk directly north from Cockfosters tube station on the Piccadilly line.

Picnic Wood - Upon entering the park a paved road takes you around to the car park, visitors centre and café, past which is a wood which serves as a picnic area and pathway to the rest of the park. This wood, despite the traffic of people passing through later in the day, attracts a great deal of birdlife, including Treecreeper, Goldcrest, regular tits and finches and the familiar Jay, Wood Pigeon, Magpie and Crow. North West Farmland - After walking through the Picnic Wood, turning left will take you around farmland to the North West of the park. This land is broad and well looked after and provides a nice contrast to the Picnic Wood. Partridges and Corvids can sometimes be found here.

Lakes - Turning right after reaching the end of the picnic wood will lead along a path towards a designated Nature Walk. Parallel to this walk are two medium to large sized lakes which prove successful in attracting many water birds such as Mallard, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Shoveler, Mute Swan, the familiar Coot and Moorhen, and in the winter, the striking Mandarin Duck. These lakes also attract Grey heron and Cormorant and a selection of Gulls.

Horse Pathway - Once past the lake, a short walk up the hill toward and through the wood will lead you to a horse pathway. Following this path will lead you through the wood at the northern edge of the Park. This wood is good for Goldcrest and raptors such as Kestrel.

East Farmland - Following the Horse pathway east will lead you to the perimeter of some broad farmland. There are many paths available to you hear, both inside the park and just outside of it around the farmland. This spot is good for Sky Lark, Pipits, raptors and the occasional partridge. The lanes near the farmhouses can also provide the odd Black Redstart.

South-East Wood - This wood borders a golf course and is a very healthy area for bird spotting. In early mornings it’s one of the most buoyant areas for bird song. The area has the added advantage of not only bordering a golf course (where occasional ducks can be seen in water traps) but also farmland. Long stints in this wood are always enjoyable and can sometimes provide a wide range of species.

2007 species to date -

• Blue Tit • Great Tit • Long Tailed Tit • Coal Tit • Chaffinch • Bullfinch • Robin • Dunnock • Treecreeper • Goldcrest • Jay • Crow • Magpie • Black Bird • Wood Pigeon • Grey Heron • Mallard • Tufted Duck • Pochard • Mandarin Duck • Moorhen • Coot • Mute Swan • Black Headed Gull • Kestrel

Last Visit to the Park: January 14th 2007

Please feel free to add to this list or amend any of the description above if you visit the park also.

James Arquette