Birds
The Park has many different types of habitat, including open waters and their banks, woodland and the woodland edge, scrub, marshland and open grassland, providing different types of protection and food sources. The Park is mostly surrounded by woodland and farmland and there also is a river nearby. It is not surprising therefore that a wide range of birds use these resources and are resident, come here to breed or visit the site. Over 200 species have been recorded in the past 5 years. Over 60 species breed on the site.
NACP is an excellent place for visible migration. There are excellent all round vistas. A total of almost 200,000 birds logged migrating or dispersing over the park since 2004. There have been some spectacular movements such as 14,800 Woodpigeons south on November 2nd 2016, 4950 Redwings SW on October 27th 2006, 4295 Fieldfares west on October 20th 2010, and 1205 Meadow Pipits SE on October 4th 2011.
Rarities
The site has a very respectable list of county rarities and nationally scarce birds, plus one major rarity- a WHISKERED TERN in 2010. This is the site’s only official national rarity.
The Park is known for being the best site in Nottinghamshire for Ring Ouzels (over 30 birds by spring 2016 including seven birds together in spring 2010!),
Other rare birds include Crane (2 records), Ring-billed Gull, Hoopoe, Richard’s Pipit (no less than four!), Rough-legged Buzzard, Great White Egret (3 records), Tundra Bean Goose, Arctic Skua (4 records), Red-necked Phalarope, Pectoral Sandpiper, Dotterel, Bearded Tit & Yellow-browed Warbler.
Residents, regular and annual visitors include:
Grebes and Herons
black necked grebe
little grebe
grey heron
Gamebirds
red-legged partridge
grey partridge
pheasant
Wildfowl
mute swan
whooper swan
Canada goose
greylag goose
shelduck
mallard
gadwall
shoveler
wigeon
teal
pochard
tufted duck
Cuckoo
Birds of Prey
common buzzard
kestrel
sparrowhawk
Pigeons and Doves
stock dove
woodpigeon
collard dove
Wrens and Accentors
wren
dunnock
Rails and Coots
water rail
moorhen
coot
Waders and Gulls
oyster catcher
little ringed plover
lapwing
woodcock
snipe
black headed gull
common gull
lesser black-backed gull
greater black-backed gull
herring gull
Swifts and Larks Martins and Swallows
swift
woodlark
skylark
sand martin
house martin
swallow
Pipits and Wagtails
tree pipit
meadow pipit
yellow wagtail
pied wagtail
Treecreeper
Chats and Thrushes
robin
wheatear
blackbird
song thrush
mistle thrush
fieldfare
redwing
Bunting
yellow hammer
reed bunting
Owls
tawny owl
barn owl
Warblers
grasshopper warbler
reed warbler
blackcap
garden warbler
lesser whitethroat
whitethroat
chiffchaff
willow warbler
goldcrest
Tits
long tailed tit
blue tit
great tit
coal tit
willow tit
Crows and Starlings
jay
magpie
jackdaw
rook
carrion crow
starling
Finches
chaffinch
greenfinch
goldfinch
siskin
linnet
bullfinch