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Description
The attraction of this route is that it takes the visitor through several areas of varying habitats. These include mixed woodland, permanent pasture and arable farmland. The reservoir has two small inflow streams and these areas have willows and reed fringe banks. The main body of the reservoir is always worth checking, as is the rocky dam. Thornton Reservoir is a trout fishery, with both bank fishing and boat anglers. The season runs from February to November and this obviously causes some disturbance. The reservoir has also become very popular with walkers, dog walkers, joggers and cyclists. All these activities can impact on the birding experience and likely busy times are best avoided.
A short visit can be productive as most of the reservoir is viewable from the main car park. Common species of water birds can be seen, including geese, duck, and grebes. A longer visit, involving a walk around the reservoir can present a wide range of farm and woodland species. This makes Thornton a suitable site for the novice.
In winter with less disturbance from anglers a small gull roost can develop. All of the five common gull species can be seen and čajka čiernohlavá is annual. Wildfowl numbers can be variable. In recent years flocks of bernikľa veľká and hus divá have taken to grazing the surrounding pasture and resting on the reservoir. bernikľa bielolíca, hus krátkozobá and húska štíhla have all been seen associating with these commoner species. Rarer ducks that are worth checking for include hlaholka severská, chochlačka morská, potápač malý and potápač veľký. Alder trees are found at both inflows and these regularly have small flocks of stehlík čížik and stehlík hnedkavý. Finch flocks have been increasing in recent years as stubble is often left until the spring. Although mainly pinka obyčajná, strnádka obyčajná and occasional pinka severská (ikavec) are also seen.
Spring passage can produce some variety. kalužiačik malý are regular on the dam, and the pasture along the east bank is worth checking for trasochvost žltý, skaliarik sivý and drozd kolohrivec. Two tern rafts were installed by LROS and rybár riečny has bred. Both rybár dlhochvostý and čorík čierny are seen on passage. čajka malá and čajka trojprstá can occasionally be encountered. In summer the common warblers breed, although trsteniarik bahenný, trsteniarik malý and svrčiak zelenkavý are now less frequent. trasochvost horský is a regular breeder and family groups can be seen in the spillway. Common raptors such as myšiak hôrny, jastrab krahulec and sokol myšiar (pustovka) can give great views, and sokol lastovičiar, haja červená and kršiak rybár are now more regular.
Unless water levels are low there is little wader passage at Thornton. However, the dam is always worth checking and has yielded šabliarka modronohá, močiarnička tichá, hvizdák malý and pobrežník hrdzavý in recent years. Autumnal storms can deliver surprises, and víchrovnícek severský, sula biela and čorík bielokrídly have been recorded. chriašteľ vodný is often encountered at the Markfield inflow and the single chriašť bodkovaný record was in this area.
With past records of bučiačik močiarny, kaňa popolavá, čegrava veľkozobá and ležiak úhorový, Thornton has produced some good county rarities. More recently chochlačka bielooká, chavkoš nočný, ľadovka dĺhochvostá, hltavka chochlatá and lyžičiar biely have been added. Grey-headed Wagtail, a Leicestershire first and červenák karmínový, a Leicestershire and Rutland first, have also been recorded.
Details
Access
Thornton Reservoir lies to the east of the village of Thornton. The main car park is located at SK470074. A gravel path allows visitors to walk around the reservoir, a distance of 2.7 miles. Click on the P in the map to get directions.