The park is situated approximately 5 miles north west of the City Centre in the Kelvindale Ward and is bounded by the River Kelvin, an active railway line, Bearsden Road and Dalsholm Road. It is owned by Glasgow City Council and is open at all times.

The park can be accessed by regular bus services operating between Glasgow city centre - Anniesland Cross – Bearsden Road, serving the western side of the park, and Glasgow city centre - Maryhill Road services, which provide access within reasonable walking distance of the north eastern part of the park.

The park is a firm favourite with bird watchers and naturalists alike. It is patrolled regularly by the Ranger Service and has:

The Park consists mostly of policy and plantation woodland and is principally important for the birdlife the woodland habitat supports. The River Kelvin runs along the northern boundary and the southern boundary consists of three fields managed for their grassland and hawthorn scrub. There is an extensive network of well used public footpaths within the park's wooded areas.

The woodland element of the park extends to approximately 14 hectares. It consists of mixed mature trees such as beech, sycamore, oak, cherry, larch, yew and pine, with extensive rhododendron understorey in places. Some species, in particular beech, yew and rhododendron, cause dense shading. This has restricted the woodland herbs, but bluebell, foxglove and wood sorrel are present in areas. The riverbank vegetation is much more diverse including garlic mustard, great wood-rush and round-leaved saxifrage.

The Grey squirrel is common in the woodland. This North American species does not hibernate and in winter can be seen foraging for acorns or beech nuts which they will have hidden the previous autumn. If you are lucky you could also come across the Red fox patrolling one of the many woodland trails.

Grey Squirrel                                                                                                 Red Fox

Hawthorn and hornbeam hedgerows bound the overgrown pasture and hawthorn scrub fields to the southwest and south of the woodland. These provide nesting habitat and invertebrate food for birds such as Wren, Dunnock and Blackbird during the breeding season, and in winter the berries are eaten by thrushes, including winter visitors such as the Redwing.

Originally part of a mini golf course, an area of mainly hawthorn scrub has been encouraged to develop, south of the woodland, over the last 5 years or so. This area provides nesting and foraging habitat for birds such as Wren, Dunnock, Blackbird, Robin, Willow Warbler and, more notably, Grasshopper Warbler during the breeding season. In the winter, the berries provide a rich feast for thrushes. Roe deer are also known to frequent this area.

Much of the Park was declared a Local Nature Reserve in May 2007 by the City Council.  Currently the Council is undertaking rhododendron removal on a phased basis and improving the paths throughout the Park with the help of a grant from Forestry Commission Scotland. Highland cattle have also been introduced as a grassland management tool to encourage wildflowers.

Elsewhere, in the park wildflowers have been planted or are coming through as a result of positive management.

It is hoped that this will have a positive impact on butterflies and other insects.

 Dawsholm Park 18 July 2009

The Park is an excellent place to see common woodland birds and, if you are lucky, the Kingfisher can be spotted on the River Kelvin. Surveys carried out over the summer months in 2007, as part of the BIG Project (Biodiversity in Glasgow), found a minimum of 31 species of bird – including an escaped Harris Hawk - recorded in the Park.

Typical bird species include Grey Heron, Mallard, Goosander, Moorhen, Sparrowhawk, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Kingfisher, Stock Dove, Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Robin, Wren, Dunnock, Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Treecreeper, Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Goldcrest, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Greenfinch and Bullfinch.

Long-tailed Tit

More unusual records include Greylag Goose (flying over the Park), Buzzard, Common Sandpiper, Waxwing, Pied Flycatcher, Grasshopper Warbler and Raven.

Other fauna include Roe Deer, Grey Squirrel, Red Fox and Common Blue Damselfly whilst butterflies include Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Orange Tip, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Small Tortoiseshell, Red Admiral and Peacock. If you are really lucky you may also see an Otter.

Sightings

Your wildlife sightings at Dawsholm Park can be e-mailed to me at j.coyle13@ntlworld.com

All photographs copyright Jim Coyle.