A beautiful but chilly morning to meet at 6.55 am in Alwoodley Village Green carpark for our annual birdsong walk with Steve Joul.
The walk was attended by about twenty adults and three children and we raised £100 for Friends of Adel Woods funds – so thank you to all who attended.
Steve had visited the woods earlier in the week to plan the route and clear any vegetation which might hinder our passage.
Starting from the carpark, we made our way down the cycle path to the bottom of the village green where we could hear a chiffchaff; from there we went through the strip of woodland between the village green to the cricket pitch where we heard woodpigeons and robins.
On the cricket pitch we observed a pair of thrushes foraging for food. From their coloration they were almost certainly song thrushes, rather than the larger mistle thrushes. We often hear song thrushes in the woods.
We then made our way up to Alwoodley Plantation (the area north of Crag Lane) where a group of magpies were making a heck of a racket at the top of a Scots pine. The frenzied activity continued for perhaps half an hour. Steve managed to see more of what was going on than I did. His account of what was going on is:
“I believe I saw a carrion crow in or on a nest in the top of the tree. I only saw this bird when it moved to the edge of the nest when fending off several magpies which it did vigorously. Whether the crow was defending its own eggs, was defending the eggs of a woodpigeon which it was consuming, or was defending itself against magpies whose eggs it was consuming I cannot say for sure. However, the nest appeared to be too shallow for a magpie nest and more like a woodpigeon platform, though the amount of nesting material made it look most likely to be that of the carrion crow.”
Leaving the magpies to continue with their battle, we continued up to the northeastern edge of the plantation to look across the farmer’s field down to King Lane. There we were fortunate to see a kestrel hovering over the field.
We then went westwards towards the Hospice Woodland, before making our way back to Crag Lane and returning to the carpark.
Steve had organised a very interesting route through a variety of habitats – birch woodland, open field, pine plantation, beech woodland and scrub. So thank you Steve!
Last year we saw or heard twenty five species of birds, but today we only recorded sixteen. Nevertheless it was still a very beautiful, and uplifting walk. These are the birds we saw or heard (in approximate order):
- Chiffchaff
- Woodpigeon
- Robin
- Song thrush
- Crow
- Jackdaw
- Wren
- Blackbird
- Blackcap
- Magpie
- Kestrel
- Goldcrest
- Dunnock
- Great tit
- Nuthatch
- Blue tit
- Red kite
- Starling
Additional species which we noted last year (but didn’t see or hear today) were coal tit, goldfinch, great spotted woodpecker, greylag goose, heron, jay, mallard, redpoll, sparrowhawk, stock dove, and willow warbler.
Adel Woods are looking particularly lovely at the moment, with native bluebells in flower in many areas. Here are a couple of photos of bluebells and wild garlic photographed in the woods on the 6th May.
Friends of Adel Woods: get involved and make a difference!
Friends of Adel Woods is a group dedicated to protecting, preserving, and celebrating the natural beauty and biodiversity of Adel Woods, a treasured woodland area in North Leeds. Our mission is to ensure that this vital green space remains a thriving habitat for wildlife and a peaceful retreat for local residents and visitors.
Through conservation projects, guided walks, educational events, and collaborative efforts with Leeds City Council we work to foster a deeper connection between people and nature. Whether you’re a seasoned naturalist, a weekend walker, or someone who simply enjoys the calm of the woods, there’s a place for you in the Friends of Adel Woods.
Join us in caring for this special place—together, we can ensure its legacy for generations to come.
Our next “work party” is on Saturday the 17th May when we will be litterpicking and path clearing.
If you would like join us, come along. No experience necessary – just enthusiasm and a love for the natural world.
If you would like us to add you to our mailing list, please click on the comment button on this page.
Friends of Adel Woods 