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Ornithologically, Berkshire is an amazing place. No coast or marshland, cliffs or moor-land, but nonetheless a healthy 300 species have been recorded whilst birding in the Royal County. In fact, there is a fairly wide range of habitat. From above, the county resembles a piece of railway cake! The M4 and the Thames effectively cut it into three long slices in between which is a rich assemblage of farmland, heath, mixed woodlands, gravel pits and parks. Although this section of the Thames Valley has no major reserves, sympathetic land-owners and keen field ornithologists and birders have worked together to create some very interesting results. The west of the county hosts our down-land (home to a remnant colony of Stone Curlew) and our highest hillscape. Here Buzzards play out their seasons and the area is renowned for passage raptors. The London-bound visitor will next encounter the Newbury and Kennet Valley area with its reed beds and canal systems playing host to numerous Nightingales, Cetti's Warblers and wintering Golden Plovers. This area merges into the huge complex of gravel pits near Reading where just about anything turns up. South of the motorway, a large expanse of heath-land, home to Nightjar, Tree Pipits and increasing numbers of Dartford Warblers and Woodlarks, creep into the huge expanse of the Windsor Forests, with Firecrest, Redstarts and Woodcock to be encountered. Then the immense west-London water complexes of Reservoirs and Wraysbury Pits become prominent for a wide range of species in their seasons, especially healthy populations of Smew in winter. Armed with a copy of Where to Watch Birds in Berkshire, (available from Brian Clews on 01628-525314); the visiting bird-watcher will probably want to visit the following hot-spots:- |
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Dinton Pastures and Lavells Lake
InformationSatellite View
Dinton Pastures Country Park are restored gravel workings flanked by the rivers Loddon to the West and smaller Emm Brook to the East. Lavell's Lake is the most Northern pits with Dinton and is designated a nature reserve. Whilst it is a small lake, it also offers two small scrapes, closely overlooked by the 'Teal Hide' at the West end and an impressively large 'Bittern Hide', these areas attract winter Water Rail, which also often appear under the feeders, Kingfishers are frequent. Also wintering are Little Egret, Snipe and Lapwing, Jack Snipe sometimes drop in. On Dinton the best place for passage waders is Lavell's Green and Common Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit, Greenshank, Dunlin, Little-ringed & Ringed Plover are all more or less annual. Rare birds here include Purple Heron, Wilson's Phalarope, Marsh Warbler and Red footed Falcon.
Due to the Phragmites reed bed expansion (2005 and 2010) our star winter visitor, Bittern(s) have graced us each year since 2000 and with up to 4 other birds being seen at White Swan Lake a 15 minutes walk south, it really is the best place to see them in Berkshire if not even further afield.
As Dinton offers a mixture of lakes and old hedgerows, there is very good diversity of species, winter and summer. 4-5 pairs of Nightingale breed, 30 pairs Reed Warbler, 15 pairs of Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat. The main lake 'Black Swan Lake' gets a lot of the wildfowl, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Wigeon, Gadwall, 30-40 Goldeneye and can attract interesting more rare wildfowl and terns on passage, plus Mediterranean Gulls do turn up.
Lea Farm Gravel Pit
Satellite ViewThe lake is a young gravel pit with shallow edges and shingle and floating islands which attract a colony of around 30 pairs of breeding Common Terns, it is quite good for passage waders like Green & Common Sandpiper, Greenshank, Redshank, Little-ringed Plover and gathering winter flocks of Lapwing, wintering Snipe hide in the lake edges. Wildfowl like Wigeon, Gadwall, Shoveler and Teal all have good numbers, Garganey are nearly annual spring and autumn as are passage Marsh Harrier. Great rarities since 2000 include Eider 2003, Great White Egret 2009, 2 Spoonbill & a Cattle Egret 2007 and Gannet 2010.
Lower Farm Gravel Pit - Newbury
WebsiteThe site is part of an active gravel pit, with lakes, reed beds and scrub occupied by a wide range of waterfowl, Common Terns, Reed and Sedge Warblers (with occasional Cetti's Warbler) in summer and large numbers of gulls, grebes and ducks in winter, when there is an occasional daytime roost of over 1000 Golden Plovers. It has an excellent reputation for scarcer visitors and is a very popular site for members of Newbury District Ornithological Club.
Moor Green Lakes
WebsiteSatellite View
Gravel workings, sensitively restored, and surrounded by farmland guarantee nesting Common Terns, Little Ringed and Ringed Plover, occasional Mandarin, Little Owls and Stonechat on the reserve and regular happenings which have included Hoopoe and Shore Lark.
Thatcham Moor
Satellite ViewA large area of reeds and fishing pools, river, canal, worked gravel pit and mature reserve woodland. Cetti's Warbler, three woodpecker species, Nightingale, Little Ringed Plover plus typical wintering species.
Theale Pits and adjacent complexes
Satellite ViewFox and Hounds pit particularly well managed and observed. Huge additional expanse north and south of adjacent M4. Breeding terns and Redshanks, rare duck in winter (Great Northern Diver, Long-tailed Duck, Smew).
Wraysbury and Horton Pits
Satellite ViewNumerous pits and wasteland encouraging a wide range of typical species which in recent years have included breeding Nightingales and Grasshopper Warblers, over-wintering Snipe, huge numbers of pre-roosting Parakeets (several thousand at their nearby main roost) and the aforementioned Smew in winter, often accompanied by Long-tailed, Ruddy and Goosander relatives.
Chris Heard
3 Waterside Lodge, Ray Mead Road, Maidenhead, Berks SL6 8NP
01628 633828
chris.heard@virgin.net
Number of bird species: 309
Berkshire Bird Bulletin
Monthly publication of sightings in the county. (Brian Clews ? 01628-525314)Birds of Berkshire
Complete county avifauna with foreword by HRH Prince Philip (Brian Clews ? 01628 525314)ISBN: 0952929708
Buy this book from NHBS.com
County Annual Report
Available from: ROC chairman (Colin Wilson) - 01252 837411Where to Watch Birds in Thames Valley and the Chilterns
Brian Clews & Paul Trodd, Christopher Helm 2002ISBN: 071365953X
Buy this book from NHBS.com
Birdline Southeast
09068 700240
Proact
Coordinator: none (why not apply?)
see http://www.proact-campaigns.net/coordinators
Members: 2
Join us at http://www.proact-campaigns.net/team
BBO Wildlife Trust
WebsiteBBOWT is the local Wildlife Trust for Berks, Bucks and Oxon which aims to protect wildlife across the three counties. BBOWT is one of a network of 47 Wildlife Trusts across the UK which work to protect wildlife in town and country. With more than 2200 nature reserves in their care The Wildlife Trusts are dedicated to achieving a UK richer in wildlife.
Berkshire Ornithological Club
WebsiteThe Berkshire Ornithological Club is a long established club, having celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2007 (previously known as Reading Ornithological Club). With a membership approaching 300 it boasts an impressive calendar of events. Its winter programme of indoor meetings take place at Reading University and feature an interesting variety of illustrated talks by leading ornithologists and photographers. The club caters for both experienced and novice birdwatchers. Field trips take place throughout the year and visit a variety of birding spots locally, around the South of England, with weekend trips further afield. With close links with the British Trust for Ornithology and local Conservation Groups the clubs members are actively involved in bird census work as well as practical conservation work to improve sites of ornithological interest. The club produces the annual Berkshire bird reports and maintains a charitable fund for Berkshire birds...
Secretary - Renton Righelato 01189264513 Mailto:renton.righelato@berksoc.org.uk
Friends of Lavells Lake
WebsiteWe are a registered charity (297074) with nearly 300 members and we hold monthly volunteer work parties to help manage the habitats to maximise the biodiversity. Lavell's Lake has two scrapes, Phragmites reed beds and scrub habitats and in co-operation with Dinton Pastures Countryside Service (DPCS), we have worked together to build 2 excellent public hides overlooking Tern and Teal scrapes and from January 2010 F.O.L.L. built a 'members only' hide at Lea Farm GP...
Newbury District Ornithological Club
WebsiteFounded in 1959, the Club promotes all aspects of birdwatching, and currently has around 110 members. Field trips are arranged throughout the year to local sites and further afield, with weekend stays to more distant parts. During the winter months, indoor meetings are usually held at the Thatcham Nature Discovery Centre, where invited speakers talk on a variety of bird subjects, including ID workshops. Novice and experienced birders alike are encouraged to join, and visitors are always welcome. Some members take part in local and national surveys, and all are encouraged to submit sightings to be included in our annual report of records taken wihin an approximate radius of 10 miles of Newbury Museum. The Club is closely linked to the Newbury Ringing Group. For further details visit our membership section
Newbury Ringing Group
WebsiteAll the members of Newbury Ringing Group are volunteers who are enjoying a constructive hobby and contributing to the national bird ringing scheme organised by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO). The scientific aims and results of our efforts are explained together with some of the highlights of our work over the last 30 or so years...
RSPB Wokingham & Bracknell Members Group
WebsitePatrick Crowley (01344 776473)
A list of committee, meetings and outings etc. It also has links to other RSPB member groups. A site in its early stages.
RSPB East Berks Members Group
WebsiteWe are a local group of over 200 members and promote the RSPBs national objectives within our local area of about 12 miles around Maidenhead, Berkshire. As well as supporting local conservation issues we also aim to enjoy ourselves and between September and July we organise talks, walks and field trips which are open to everyone - particularly beginners or people new to the area. Everyone is welcome. You don`t have to be a member - just turn up or phone one of us on the committee for more details. Ken Panchen (01494 675779)
RSPB Reading Members Group
WebsiteThe Reading Local Group, is a local branch of the RSPB, we not only meet together to listen to interesting lectures on Birds and Wildlife, or go on Walks in the surrounding countryside. But we also Fundraise and raise awareness of the work the RSPB is doing throughout the United Kingdom. If you would like to know more about us, then please contact either myself or one of the committee...
Theale Area Conservation Group
WebsiteBrian Uttley (0118 983 2894)
The group is dedicated to the habitat conservation of the gravel pits complex located either side of the M4 motorway near Junction 12 to the South of Reading, Berkshire. The group is actively involved in habitat management including both creation and maintenance. in addition the group monitors the local bird populations through survey work. Through it`s endeavours a gravel pit, Hosehill, has now been granted nature reserve status by Newbury District Council...
Moor Copse Nature Reserve
WebsiteSatellite View
This Berkshire reserve is a part of a Sulham and Tidmarsh Woods and Meadows Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The ancient woodland is a place of character, variety and great beauty, with its 70 acres comprising a series of three wet woodland copses, a small meadow and a healthy chalk stream...
Moor Green Lakes Nature Reserve
WebsiteSatellite View
The existing Reserve occupies 36 hectares (90 acres) north of the River Blackwater and lies in the boroughs of Bracknell Forest and Wokingham, in Berkshire, England. It comprises three lakes: Colebrook North, Colebrook South and Grove Lake... Grid reference OS805628.
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BerksBirdNews
Mailing ListTo register for this news group (you can state the level of news you would like to recieve) go to the website at http://www.berksbirds.co.uk the click the Profile link and enter your Primary email address. Tick the Enable alerts to your primary email address check box. You can then select a rarity level. Then click Save and the service is set up.
BerksBirds
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Discussion group - A group for the discussion of Berkshire-related birding matters primarily for birdwatchers resident in Berkshire, England, but to which other birders are welcome to subscribe.
Thames Valley Bird Forum
ForumLocal forum for anyone with an interest in birds and wildlife…
Birding over my head
BlogJust another blog by a local patcher, probably with fewer excursions than most. Where I live, there are no views like that above. Beautiful, isn’t it? But most of us can’t stand on windswept headlands as often as we would like. So we have to get our birding fulfillment closer to home, and that’s what I try to do with Birding Over My Head...
Diary of a Young Birder
BlogFirst of all thank you very much for visiting my blog. I'm Alex and I am a 14-year old birder based in NE Hampshire. I am not a serious twitcher although I will go and find some local rarities if they are around!! I am also a keen photographer and although I will photograph anything, my main focus is on birds! Thank you once again for visiting my blog, I hope you like it!
Berks Birds
WebsiteBerksbirds.co.uk is a free resource about birding in Berkshire. It is run by local birder, Marek Walford...
Birds of Berkshire
WebsiteBerkshire isn't as bad as you might think! There's heathland, downland, one of the largest reed beds in southern England, coniferous & deciduous forest and loads of gravel pits. This website has information, including maps and species lists, of all the major sites - with Jerry O'Brien's digiscoped pics of many of the rare and scarce birds at the sites over recent years...
Wyseby House Books
WebsiteSpecialising in rare and out-of-print books... Shop premises in Newbury, Berks, UK
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This site was last updated on Sunday, 29th January 2012.
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