Birds

The Hook is part of the wider Lady Bay area which has quite a diverse habitat from residential areas to open grassland and paddocks, from farmland to minor tree belts and then to open/dense bush areas with a canal and watercourses. It is bounded on the northern side by the River Trent, beyond which lies Colwick Park, itself a good bird area. The potential for bird species in the Lady Bay area is therefore significant whether as a route for passage migrants or as a breeding area itself. The scrub and woody areas of The Hook are therefore well placed to attract a wide variety of birdlife. 117 species have been recorded within or from the Lady Bay area of which 91 have been noted from The Hook Reserve itself. The species encountered are very varied, reflecting the habitat makeup.

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To date 10 out of the 11 national breeding species of warbler, all of the expected Corvid family including Ravens, Jays and Magpies, two species of woodpecker, the more common and winter thrushes, two species of owl, eight species of raptor, four species of tits and four species of finch have been recorded. Goldcrests, Robins, Wrens and Dunnocks are all present as well as small pockets of House Sparrows. Wood Pigeons are numerous and there are decent numbers of feral pigeons along the river corridor making their roosting areas in the new apartment developments. In winter both Common Snipe and Water Rail have been seen and heard on the odd occasion in the reserve ditch.

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It is difficult to accurately determine the number of breeding species on The Hook but it is estimated that approximately 20 species breed/have bred and in 2025 juveniles of Great Tit, Blue Tit, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, House Sparrow and Dunnock have been seen. Both Linnet and Garden Warbler have been seen and heard singing since May which would suggest they are breeding; this is also the case for Blackcap, Common Whitethroat and Common Chiffchaff.

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The adjacent River Trent acts as a conduit for the area and less common birds have been noted on more than one occasion. These include Goosander, Kingfisher and Common Sandpiper.

Sightings of birds on The Hook are reported in our regular newsletter. Find out more in our news section, or sign up to the newsletter to get updates in your inbox.

If you would like to find out more about birds in the area, Lady Bay Birdwatchers hold regular birdwatching walks around The Hook. More information can be found on their website: ladybaybirdwatchers.wordpress.com or from Keith Rainford at rainford194@gmail.com