Watermead Ecological Park
🦉 Wildlife🦅 Birds🦋 Insects
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Public access Free entry Dogs welcome
Places › England › East Midlands › Leicester Getting here
52.66595, -1.11624
Open directionsv Visiting this summer
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
▾ 🌞 Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings 🐕 Early mornings are best for dog walks in summer — visit before 9am to avoid the heat and find quieter trails 🅿️ Parking 375m away — 4 car parks within reach 🌤️ Visiting this summer
🌞 Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings 🐕 Early mornings are best for dog walks in summer — visit before 9am to avoid the heat and find quieter trails 🅿️ Parking 375m away — 4 car parks within reach £ Free to visit — no entry charge🐕 Dogs welcome🦉 Wildlife
Very strong match
Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals; Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals
Free
🦅 Bird watching
Very strong match
Birds — Woodpigeon, Robin, Magpie +52 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Woodpigeon, Robin, Magpie +52 more · last seen 2026
Free
🦋 Insect spotting
Strong match
Insects — Large Yellow Underwing, Light Brown Apple Moth, Setaceous Hebrew Character +231 more · last seen 2026; Insects — Large Yellow Underwing, Light Brown Apple Moth, Setaceous Hebrew Character +231 more · last seen 2026
Free
Dogs allowed with public access
Free
🍄 Mushroom foraging
Strong match
Fungi — Chewing Gum Lichen, Physcia tenella, Physcia caesia +3 more · last seen 2026; Fungi — Chewing Gum Lichen, Physcia tenella, Physcia caesia +3 more · last seen 2026
Varies
🍂 Seasonal nature
Good match
Plants — Caucasian Wingnut, Red Bartsia, White Poplar +13 more · last seen 2026; Plants — Caucasian Wingnut, Red Bartsia, White Poplar +13 more · last seen 2026
Free
Trails nearby Within roughly 5 km 186 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
Route 63 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 63 National Cycle Network
Show on map Leicester 'Route 2' Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 2 Local cycle route
Show on map West End Way Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref West End Way Local cycle route
Show on map Fosse2 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 48 National Cycle Network
Show on map Inner Ringway Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref Inner Ringway Local cycle route
Show on map Leicester 'Route 4' Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 4 Local cycle route
Show on map Photos Paths at the southern edge of the Watermead Country Park
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Weather for this location Next 14 days Nearby places Useful places within 5 km
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id: c63d49f2-483a-4604-b976-5fc81100ad2d
UK green spaces mapped from open public data — so anyone can find the woodland, trail, or nature reserve closest to them.
© 2026 Glade · Made with care for UK green spaces
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Wildlife to spot
81,148 records · National Biodiversity Network
▾
Wildlife to spot 81,148 records · National Biodiversity Network Blackbird · Woodpigeon · Robin · Magpie · Blue Tit +35
Blackbird Turdus merula Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Robin Erithacus rubecula Magpie Pica pica Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Great Tit Parus major2025 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Little Egret Egretta garzetta Carrion Crow Corvus corone House Sparrow Passer domesticus Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Canada Goose Branta canadensis Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula Greylag Goose Anser anser Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus Rock Dove Columba livia Starling Sturnus vulgaris Jackdaw Coloeus monedula Mute Swan Cygnus olor Coot Fulica atra Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Coal Tit Periparus ater2025 Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto2025 Dunnock Prunella modularis2025 Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis2025 Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus Kingfisher Alcedo atthis Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Goosander Mergus merganser2025 Common Gull Larus canus2025 Gadwall Mareca strepera2025 Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo2025 Teal Anas crecca2025 Lapwing Vanellus vanellus2025 Green Woodpecker Picus viridis2025 Grey Squirrel · Red Fox
Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis Red Fox Vulpes vulpes Common Quaker · Hebrew Character · Clouded Drab · Twin-spotted Quaker · Small Quaker +23
Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta Twin-spotted Quaker Anorthoa munda Small Quaker Orthosia cruda Brindled Beauty Lycia hirtaria Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis Chewing Gum Lichen · Physcia caesia · Physcia tenella
Chewing Gum Lichen Protoparmeliopsis muralis Physcia caesia Physcia caesia Physcia tenella Physcia tenella 🌿 Plants 4 species
winter spring
2026 ▾
Caucasian Wingnut · Butterbur · Pointed Spear-moss · Hazel
Caucasian Wingnut Pterocarya fraxinifolia Butterbur Petasites hybridus Pointed Spear-moss Calliergonella cuspidata Hazel Corylus avellana Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot 81,148 records · National Biodiversity Network Blackbird · Woodpigeon · Robin · Magpie · Blue Tit +35
Blackbird Turdus merula Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Robin Erithacus rubecula Magpie Pica pica Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Great Tit Parus major2025 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea Little Egret Egretta garzetta Carrion Crow Corvus corone House Sparrow Passer domesticus Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Canada Goose Branta canadensis Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula Greylag Goose Anser anser Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus Rock Dove Columba livia Starling Sturnus vulgaris Jackdaw Coloeus monedula Mute Swan Cygnus olor Coot Fulica atra Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Coal Tit Periparus ater2025 Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto2025 Dunnock Prunella modularis2025 Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis2025 Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus Kingfisher Alcedo atthis Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Goosander Mergus merganser2025 Common Gull Larus canus2025 Gadwall Mareca strepera2025 Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo2025 Teal Anas crecca2025 Lapwing Vanellus vanellus2025 Green Woodpecker Picus viridis2025 Grey Squirrel · Red Fox
Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis Red Fox Vulpes vulpes Common Quaker · Hebrew Character · Clouded Drab · Twin-spotted Quaker · Small Quaker +23
Common Quaker Orthosia cerasi Hebrew Character Orthosia gothica Clouded Drab Orthosia incerta Twin-spotted Quaker Anorthoa munda Small Quaker Orthosia cruda Brindled Beauty Lycia hirtaria Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis Chewing Gum Lichen · Physcia caesia · Physcia tenella
Chewing Gum Lichen Protoparmeliopsis muralis Physcia caesia Physcia caesia Physcia tenella Physcia tenella 🌿 Plants 4 species
winter spring
2026 ▾
Caucasian Wingnut · Butterbur · Pointed Spear-moss · Hazel
Caucasian Wingnut Pterocarya fraxinifolia Butterbur Petasites hybridus Pointed Spear-moss Calliergonella cuspidata Hazel Corylus avellana Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Dotted Border Agriopis marginaria
Dotted Border Agriopis marginaria
Pale Pinion Lithophane socia
Pale Pinion Lithophane socia
Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
Tortoise Bug Eurygaster testudinaria
Tortoise Bug Eurygaster testudinaria
7-spot Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata
7-spot Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata
Corizus hyoscyami Corizus hyoscyami
Corizus hyoscyami Corizus hyoscyami
Pale Mottled Willow Caradrina clavipalpis
Pale Mottled Willow Caradrina clavipalpis
Hairy Shieldbug Dolycoris baccarum
Hairy Shieldbug Dolycoris baccarum
Stomis pumicatus Stomis pumicatus
Stomis pumicatus Stomis pumicatus
Elaphrus cupreus Elaphrus cupreus
Elaphrus cupreus Elaphrus cupreus
Pterostichus minor Pterostichus minor
Pterostichus minor Pterostichus minor
Astenus pulchellus Astenus pulchellus
Astenus pulchellus Astenus pulchellus
Lathrobium impressum Lathrobium impressum
Lathrobium impressum Lathrobium impressum
Acupalpus dubius Acupalpus dubius
Acupalpus dubius Acupalpus dubius
Lathrobium geminum Lathrobium geminum
Lathrobium geminum Lathrobium geminum
Agonum micans Agonum micans
Agonum micans Agonum micans
Limodromus assimilis Limodromus assimilis
Limodromus assimilis Limodromus assimilis
Early Grey Xylocampa areola
Early Grey Xylocampa areola
Oak Beauty Biston strataria
Oak Beauty Biston strataria
March Moth Alsophila aescularia
March Moth Alsophila aescularia
Satellite Eupsilia transversa
Satellite Eupsilia transversa 