High Woods Country Park
1 ha
Plan your visit
🦅Birds🦉Wildlife🦋Insects
Public accessFree entryDogs welcome1 ha
Getting here
51.91283, 0.91455
Open directionsv
Visiting this summer
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
- 🐦66+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Woodpigeon and Magpie
- ☀️Summer family visits work well here — arrive early and plan for a longer stay
- 🛝Playground on site — built-in entertainment for younger visitors alongside the wider site
🌤️ Visiting this summer
- 🐦66+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Woodpigeon and Magpie
- ☀️Summer family visits work well here — arrive early and plan for a longer stay
- 🛝Playground on site — built-in entertainment for younger visitors alongside the wider site
- £Free to visit — no entry charge
- 🐕Dogs welcome
🦅Bird watching
Very strong match
Birds — Woodpigeon, Magpie, Robin +63 more · last seen 2026
Free
Birds — Woodpigeon, Magpie, Robin +63 more · last seen 2026
Free
🦋Insect spotting
Strong match
Insects — Azure Damselfly, 7-spot Ladybird, Harlequin Ladybird +109 more · last seen 2026
Free
🛝Family friendly
Strong match
playground; Urban park — family destination
Free
Dogs allowed with public access
Free
Trails nearby
Within roughly 5 km16 signed routes nearby · 23 public paths nearby
Signed route nearbyPublic paths
Colchester Orbital West BWalking route▾
Named routeLocal walking route
Colchester Orbital West AWalking route▾
Named routeLocal walking route
Colchester Orbital Spoke (North)Walking route▾
Named routeLocal walking route
Colchester Orbital Spoke (West)Walking route▾
Named routeLocal walking route
Colchester Orbital Spoke (South)Walking route▾
Named routeLocal walking route
148 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
NCN 51Cycling route▾
Named routeRef 51National Cycle Network
Greenstead to North StationCycling route▾
Named routeLocal cycle route
EuroVelo 2 - Capitals Route - part United Kingdom 8Cycling route▾
Named routeRef EV2International cycle route
Colchester Orbital CycleCycling route▾
Named routeLocal cycle route
Colchester Orbital Cycle Spoke (South-East)Cycling route▾
Named routeLocal cycle route
Colchester Orbital Cycle Spoke (North East)Cycling route▾
Named routeLocal cycle route
Photos
Shorne Woods Country Park
Weather for this location
Next 14 daysNearby places
Useful places within 5 km
Events & activities nearby
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Wildlife to spot
28,326 records · National Biodiversity Network
Wildlife to spot
28,326 records · National Biodiversity Network🐦Birds40 species
winterautumn
2026▾
Magpie · Woodpigeon · Blue Tit · Robin · Great Tit +35
- MagpiePica pica
- WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
- Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- RobinErithacus rubecula
- Great TitParus major
- Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
- RedwingTurdus iliacus2025
- Coal TitPeriparus ater
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
- Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
- StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- BlackbirdTurdus merula
- GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
- WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
- TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
- Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
- Canada GooseBranta canadensis
- Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
- Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis
- GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
- NuthatchSitta europaea2025
- Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
- KingfisherAlcedo atthis2025
- Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
- BramblingFringilla montifringilla2025
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
- DunnockPrunella modularis2025
- FieldfareTurdus pilaris2025
- Corvus corax coraxCorvus corax corax2025
- JackdawColoeus monedula2025
- RavenCorvus corax2025
- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
- ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
- SwallowHirundo rustica2025
- BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2025
- House MartinDelichon urbicum2025
🦌Mammals6 species
winterspringautumn
2026▾
Grey Squirrel · Badger · Brown Rat · Muntjac · Red Fox +1
- Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis
- BadgerMeles meles
- Brown RatRattus norvegicus
- MuntjacMuntiacus reevesi
- Red FoxVulpes vulpes2025
- HedgehogErinaceus europaeus
Common Lizard
- Common LizardZootoca vivipara
🐸Amphibians2 species
winterspringautumn
2026▾
Smooth Newt · Frog
- Smooth NewtLissotriton vulgaris
- FrogRana2025
🐝Insects46 species
summerautumn
2026▾
7-spot Ladybird · Harlequin Ladybird · Emperor Dragonfly · Azure Damselfly · Eristalis pertinax +41
- 7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata
- Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridis2025
- Emperor DragonflyAnax imperator2025
- Azure DamselflyCoenagrion puella2025
- Eristalis pertinaxEristalis pertinax
- Varied Carpet Beetle
Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot
28,326 records · National Biodiversity Network🐦Birds40 species
winterautumn
2026▾
Magpie · Woodpigeon · Blue Tit · Robin · Great Tit +35
- MagpiePica pica
- WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
- Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
- RobinErithacus rubecula
- Great TitParus major
- Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
- RedwingTurdus iliacus2025
- Coal TitPeriparus ater
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
- Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
- StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- BlackbirdTurdus merula
- GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
- Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2025
- WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
- TreecreeperCerthia familiaris2025
- Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
- Canada GooseBranta canadensis
- Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
- Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis
- GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
- NuthatchSitta europaea2025
- Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
- Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
- KingfisherAlcedo atthis2025
- Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
- BramblingFringilla montifringilla2025
- Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
- DunnockPrunella modularis2025
- FieldfareTurdus pilaris2025
- Corvus corax coraxCorvus corax corax2025
- JackdawColoeus monedula2025
- RavenCorvus corax2025
- Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
- ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita2025
- SwallowHirundo rustica2025
- BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2025
- House MartinDelichon urbicum2025
🦌Mammals6 species
winterspringautumn
2026▾
Grey Squirrel · Badger · Brown Rat · Muntjac · Red Fox +1
- Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis
- BadgerMeles meles
- Brown RatRattus norvegicus
- MuntjacMuntiacus reevesi
- Red FoxVulpes vulpes2025
- HedgehogErinaceus europaeus
Common Lizard
- Common LizardZootoca vivipara
🐸Amphibians2 species
winterspringautumn
2026▾
Smooth Newt · Frog
- Smooth NewtLissotriton vulgaris
- FrogRana2025
🐝Insects46 species
summerautumn
2026▾
7-spot Ladybird · Harlequin Ladybird · Emperor Dragonfly · Azure Damselfly · Eristalis pertinax +41
- 7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata
- Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridis2025
- Emperor DragonflyAnax imperator2025
- Azure DamselflyCoenagrion puella2025
- Eristalis pertinaxEristalis pertinax
- Varied Carpet Beetle
Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
2025
2025
Anthrenus verbasci
Anthrenus verbasci
Hairy ShieldbugDolycoris baccarum2025Hairy ShieldbugDolycoris baccarum2025Marmalade HoverflyEpisyrphus balteatus2025Marmalade HoverflyEpisyrphus balteatus2025Helophilus pendulusHelophilus pendulus2025Helophilus pendulusHelophilus pendulus2025Brown HawkerAeshna grandis2025Brown HawkerAeshna grandis2025Dark-edged Bee-flyBombylius majorDark-edged Bee-flyBombylius majorField Damsel BugNabis (Nabis) ferusField Damsel BugNabis (Nabis) ferusSylvicolaSylvicolaSylvicolaSylvicolaMealybugPseudococcidae2025MealybugPseudococcidae2025Issus coleoptratusIssus coleoptratus2025Issus coleoptratusIssus coleoptratus2025Southern Oak Bush-cricketMeconema meridionale2025Southern Oak Bush-cricketMeconema meridionale2025Strawberry Seed BeetleHarpalus rufipes2025Strawberry Seed BeetleHarpalus rufipes2025Syritta pipiensSyritta pipiens2025Syritta pipiensSyritta pipiens2025Batman HoverflyMyathropa florea2025Batman HoverflyMyathropa florea2025Rhopalus (Rhopalus) subrufusRhopalus (Rhopalus) subrufus2025Rhopalus (Rhopalus) subrufusRhopalus (Rhopalus) subrufus2025Lagria hirtaLagria hirta2025Lagria hirtaLagria hirta2025Phaonia signataPhaonia signata2025Phaonia signataPhaonia signata2025Eristalis tenaxEristalis tenax2025Eristalis tenaxEristalis tenax2025EupeodesEupeodes2025EupeodesEupeodes2025Parent BugElasmucha grisea2025Parent BugElasmucha grisea2025Humming-bird Hawk-mothMacroglossum stellatarum2025Humming-bird Hawk-mothMacroglossum stellatarum2025Hawthorn ShieldbugAcanthosoma haemorrhoidale2025Hawthorn ShieldbugAcanthosoma haemorrhoidale2025Willow Emerald DamselflyChalcolestes viridis2025Willow Emerald DamselflyChalcolestes viridis2025CommaPolygonia c-album2025CommaPolygonia c-album2025Pine LadybirdExochomus quadripustulatus2025Pine LadybirdExochomus quadripustulatus2025Common EarwigForficula auricularia/dentata agg.2025Common EarwigForficula auricularia/dentata agg.2025Blue-tailed DamselflyIschnura elegans2025Blue-tailed DamselflyIschnura elegans2025Ruddy DarterSympetrum sanguineum2025Ruddy DarterSympetrum sanguineum202522-spot LadybirdPsyllobora vigintiduopunctata202522-spot LadybirdPsyllobora vigintiduopunctata2025Small CopperLycaena phlaeas2025Small CopperLycaena phlaeas2025Common DarterSympetrum striolatum2025Common DarterSympetrum striolatum2025Corizus hyoscyamiCorizus hyoscyami2025Corizus hyoscyamiCorizus hyoscyami2025SphaerophoriaSphaerophoria2025SphaerophoriaSphaerophoria2025Molanna angustataMolanna angustata2025Molanna angustataMolanna angustata2025SyrphusSyrphus2025SyrphusSyrphus2025Volucella inanisVolucella inanis2025Volucella inanisVolucella inanis2025Vine WeevilOtiorhynchus sulcatus2025Vine WeevilOtiorhynchus sulcatus2025Cuckoo-Spit InsectPhilaenus spumarius2025Cuckoo-Spit InsectPhilaenus spumarius2025LeptocerusLeptocerus2025LeptocerusLeptocerus2025Meliscaeva auricollisMeliscaeva auricollis2025Meliscaeva auricollisMeliscaeva auricollis2025Melanotus castanipesMelanotus castanipes2025Melanotus castanipesMelanotus castanipes2025