BBC Springwatch bird expert Jack Baddams leads guided walks around Haddon Hall's Medieval Park

A hidden gem in the heart of the Peak District, the Medieval Park comprises 187 hectares of organic ancient pasture, woodlands, water meadows and river banks. Largely untouched for more than 900 years with a diverse mosaic of habitats, it is home to an incredible variety of wildlife, including 58 different species of birds, of which 12 species are on the Conservation Red List and 11 are on the Conservation Amber list.

Jack, who is a researcher for the popular TV series Springwatch, will guide wildlife walks on April 19 and 21 and a dawn chorus walk on April 27 to explore the bird life of the Medieval Park. He will take visitors behind the scenes into the private parkland that surrounds Haddon Hall. For approximately two to three hours, walking at a gentle pace with plenty of opportunities for observation, Jack will escort visitors around the different habitats within the Medieval Park to discover and appreciate its rich bird life.

A licensed bird ringer with the British Trust for Ornithology, Jack works with organisations like the RSPB and local landowners to survey bird populations. He has worked on scientific expeditions across the world to publish research on the birds of under-explored regions. Jack loves sharing his passion with others – regularly giving talks, leading walks or posting on social media to each and inspire others to enjoy the wonders of birds.

Tickets are £38.50 per person. The Wildlife Walks begin at 10.30am, and the Dawn Chorus starts at 7am. Tickets have to be booked in advance and are available on Haddon’s website, www.haddonhall.co.uk

Parkland tours, river walks and bat watching evenings are included in the 35 events scheduled for 2024 in the Medieval Park which reopened to the public for the first time in 2021.

In the 14th Century, deer hunting was an aristocratic sport and to own a deer park was considered the ultimate status symbol. The Vernons at Haddon were one of the first applicants for a licence to enclose land for the pursuit of deer.

After the Civil War deer parks were no longer popular and many estates opted for more profitable agricultural ventures with their land. However, Haddon’s Medieval Park stayed intact until 1782 when the majority was converted into fields by the Dukes of Rutland.