New Fancy - Forest of Dean (3 Viewers)

[Francinho567]

Hi there

Apologies if this is not in the correct place, I am happy to move if someone could advise where to!

I am heading to the New Fancy viewpoint in the Forest of Dean over the weekend, with the hope of seeing goshawks. I was just wondering whether anyone had any advice to try and improve the chances of this happening please?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[delia todd]

Hi Francinho and a warm welcome to you from all the Staff and Moderators. I was taken round the beautiful forest many years ago but only got distant views of a Goshawk from leaning over a field gate beside a church, but can't remember for the life of me where we were now. But I still have the image in my mind LOL.

Someone will no doubt be along soon with some advice for you, but meantime you might like to have a look at our Opus article on the forest: Forest of Dean - BirdForum Opus

I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I look forward to hearing your news.

 

[Farnboro John]

No, if you cant see a Goshawk from New Fancy View nothing can help!

However, it's not always a bowl up and tick. Be prepared to stay all day and be happy if it takes ten minutes or an hour.

Scan the full horizon including the areas where trees on the slopes get in the way.

The birds are not always close, so a scope will be very useful to check out distant silhouettes.

Don't forget the area most often ignored by birders (including me): the sky directly overhead.

Siskins and Crossbills are among small birds likely to come past the viewpoint or even perch in the conifers there.

Keep an eye out for Adders on the way up and down between the viewpoint and the car park.

Good luck!

John

 

[Francinho567]

Hi Francinho and a warm welcome to you from all the Staff and Moderators. I was taken round the beautiful forest many years ago but only got distant views of a Goshawk from leaning over a field gate beside a church, but can't remember for the life of me where we were now. But I still have the image in my mind LOL.

Someone will no doubt be along soon with some advice for you, but meantime you might like to have a look at our Opus article on the forest: Forest of Dean - BirdForum Opus

I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I look forward to hearing your news.

Thank you! I shall check out the article! Definitely more than happy to lean over a gate if that is needed! aha

 

[Francinho567]

No, if you cant see a Goshawk from New Fancy View nothing can help!

However, it's not always a bowl up and tick. Be prepared to stay all day and be happy if it takes ten minutes or an hour.

Scan the full horizon including the areas where trees on the slopes get in the way.

The birds are not always close, so a scope will be very useful to check out distant silhouettes.

Don't forget the area most often ignored by birders (including me): the sky directly overhead.

Siskins and Crossbills are among small birds likely to come past the viewpoint or even perch in the conifers there.

Keep an eye out for Adders on the way up and down between the viewpoint and the car park.

Good luck!

John

Thank you John!

Aha that is quite a promising response!

Yeah, I am going to be there for as much of the day as I can! Going to walk a bit of the area first as well, hoping to see deer etc as well, but then will be camped up and constantly spinning around with my binoculars!

I have a very strong memory on missing out on seeing an osprey because I wasn't looking directly above, so always very conscious of that!!

Is the walk from the car park to the view point easy to find/follow? It looks fairly straightfoward, but always hard to tell on google maps!

 

[Farnboro John]

Thank you John!

Aha that is quite a promising response!

Yeah, I am going to be there for as much of the day as I can! Going to walk a bit of the area first as well, hoping to see deer etc as well, but then will be camped up and constantly spinning around with my binoculars!

I have a very strong memory on missing out on seeing an osprey because I wasn't looking directly above, so always very conscious of that!!

Is the walk from the car park to the view point easy to find/follow? It looks fairly straightfoward, but always hard to tell on google maps!

The viewpoint looms over the car park and the path upwards to it is obvious from within the car park. There are Fallow, Roe and Muntjac Deer throughout the Forest of Dean and don't forget the Wild Boar population, either. Any of them can be encountered anywhere by walking quietly. Many of the main tracks are gravelly and it is best to keep to their green verges to avoid every step crunching loudly.

Cheers

John

 

[Francinho567]

The viewpoint looms over the car park and the path upwards to it is obvious from within the car park. There are Fallow, Roe and Muntjac Deer throughout the Forest of Dean and don't forget the Wild Boar population, either. Any of them can be encountered anywhere by walking quietly. Many of the main tracks are gravelly and it is best to keep to their green verges to avoid every step crunching loudly.

Cheers

John

Perfect, thank you! Yeah, I would quite like to see any of the types of deer, or wild boar! So will definitely being trying to walk around as quietly as possible!

Just need the weather to hold out now! 🤞

 

[Francinho567]

The viewpoint looms over the car park and the path upwards to it is obvious from within the car park. There are Fallow, Roe and Muntjac Deer throughout the Forest of Dean and don't forget the Wild Boar population, either. Any of them can be encountered anywhere by walking quietly. Many of the main tracks are gravelly and it is best to keep to their green verges to avoid every step crunching loudly.

Cheers

John

Also, do you know if there is much chance of spotting tawny owls in the woods there? I know they are very difficult to spot anyway, but just had a thought!

 

[Farnboro John]

Also, do you know if there is much chance of spotting tawny owls in the woods there? I know they are very difficult to spot anyway, but just had a thought!

As much as anywhere I suppose. I think young will be branching - clambering about outside the nest while still not airworthy - and they hiss a lot while doing that, which gives them away a bit. If you find them while wandering about, look around carefully and there will be an adult on overwatch.

John

 

[Punkist86]

Hello everyone!! I have just signed up to ask your (far more informed!) Opinions on what juvenile BoP I saw whilst driving to Beechenhurst Lodge...

It was flying very low, literally right in front of our windscreen, it was brown with slightly spotted underwing (tentative on this, it was a quick glimpse before he flew into the trees).

I think it may have been a juvenile goshawk, I can see that they're relatively regularly spotted here. But, looking at my "British birds" book, it looks like it may have been a Hobby, are these known to be in the area?
Thanks!!
Holly

 

[delia todd]

Hi Holly and a warm welcome to you from all the Staff and Moderators. If no-one responds in this thread during the next 24 hours, let me know and I'll move your post to the ID forum, where they're probably better placed to help you.

I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I look forward to hearing your news.

 

[KC Foggin]

Hi Francinho and welcome aboard

 

[Farnboro John]

Hello everyone!! I have just signed up to ask your (far more informed!) Opinions on what juvenile BoP I saw whilst driving to Beechenhurst Lodge...

It was flying very low, literally right in front of our windscreen, it was brown with slightly spotted underwing (tentative on this, it was a quick glimpse before he flew into the trees).

I think it may have been a juvenile goshawk, I can see that they're relatively regularly spotted here. But, looking at my "British birds" book, it looks like it may have been a Hobby, are these known to be in the area?
Thanks!!
Holly

Given your location and what I understand of the habitat you were in (inside woodland below canopy) I'm thinking juvenile Goshawk is more likely than Hobby. However, any clue about size might help to resolve it.

Also, have you considered juvenile or indeed adult Buzzard?

John

 

[Dr.Boletus]

No, if you cant see a Goshawk from New Fancy View nothing can help!

However, it's not always a bowl up and tick. Be prepared to stay all day and be happy if it takes ten minutes or an hour.

Scan the full horizon including the areas where trees on the slopes get in the way.

The birds are not always close, so a scope will be very useful to check out distant silhouettes.

Don't forget the area most often ignored by birders (including me): the sky directly overhead.

Siskins and Crossbills are among small birds likely to come past the viewpoint or even perch in the conifers there.

Keep an eye out for Adders on the way up and down between the viewpoint and the car park.

Good luck!

John

I was also interested in this place, it is closer to where I live and from what I gather, much better than the other place