Short birdwatching visit · Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust
Prior’s Coppice
- Tier
- Good stop nearby
- Best season
- Spring; Pied Flycatcher and Redstart are rare visitors
- Headline birds
- Pied Flycatcher · Redstart
- Parking
- The nature-reserve car park is reached from the Braunston–Leighfield road, before the gate across the road.
- Hides
- Not stated by the operator
- Step-free
- Not stated by the operator
Braunston, near Oakham
Prior’s Coppice is an ancient woodland south of Braunston, with old coppice stools, mature trees and broad wet rides. Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust highlights Pied Flycatcher and Redstart as rare spring visitors, alongside Nuthatch, Blackcap and Garden Warbler. Public paths allow a woodland walk from the reserve car park, with spring flowers and autumn colour adding seasonal interest alongside birdwatching. The rides remain wet throughout the year and access starts through a kissing gate. The Trust does not control shooting rights at the reserve, so visitors should follow any operational signs encountered during a visit.
Birds and seasons
- Pied Flycatcher · Headline bird — Spring Source for Pied Flycatcher
- Redstart · Headline bird — Spring Source for Redstart
- Nuthatch — Season not stated by source Source for Nuthatch
- Blackcap — Season not stated by source Source for Blackcap
- Garden Warbler — Season not stated by source Source for Garden Warbler
Plan your visit
- Hides and viewpoints
- Not stated by the operator – check before travelling
- Paths
- Access is through a kissing gate, with wet rides throughout the year. Follow current signs; shooting may take place at any time of year.
- Toilets
- Not stated by the operator – check before travelling
- Parking
- The nature-reserve car park is reached from the Braunston–Leighfield road, before the gate across the road.
- Dogs
- Dogs must be on leads.
- Access notes
- Wet rides and the kissing-gate entrance affect access; the operator does not establish an accessible surfaced route.
- Step-free access
- Not stated by the operator – check before travelling
Getting there: From Braunston take the road towards Leighfield, then the signed turn towards Leighfield Lodge. Continue about 800 metres to the reserve car park. The pin uses the Trust’s published reserve reference.
Sources
Social preview: original typographic artwork by Does Your Duck Quack.
Nearby special trips
- Ouse Fen · 39.8 straight-line miles
- Budby South Forest · 41.6 straight-line miles
- Kingfishers Bridge · 48.5 straight-line miles
Continue birding nearby
Nearest full guide: Rutland Water Nature Reserve, 3.2 miles away in a straight line.
- Stoke Wood End Quarter · 11.8 miles in a straight line
- Glapthorn Cow Pastures · 14.1 miles in a straight line
- Old Sulehay Nature Reserve · 14.4 miles in a straight line