birding...

Braydon Forest

Satellite View
A remnant of ancient woodland, with the resulting range of species. This wood is a Wiltshire Wildlife Trust reserve, though the others nearby are also worthy of a look. The wood also contains a small lake that has been known to attract rarities on passage.

Cotswold Water Park

Information
Satellite View
This collection of water filled gravel pits lies on the border between Wiltshire and Gloucestershire. Disturbance from water-sports can be a problem, but mostly the birds move from one pit to another so a continual sweep will generally produce a good variety of waterfowl and waders, including the occasional rarity.

Great Ridge

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Satellite View
Ancient oak woodlands which contain a better than average selection of woodland birds including nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus, woodcock Scolopax rusticola and nightingales Luscinia megarhynchos.

Grovely Woods

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Satellite View
Ancient oak woodlands which contain a better than average selection of woodland birds including nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus, woodcock Scolopax rusticola and nightingales Luscinia megarhynchos.

Marlborough Downs

Satellite View
This area of chalk downland takes up (along with Salisbury Plain) most of the area of Wiltshire. This site is more easily accessible of the two but suffers relatively more form human disturbance and contains less species.

Salisbury Plain

Satellite View
This area of chalk downland (along with malborough Downs) takes up most of the area of Wiltshire. It is used extensively by the army for gunnery ranges and tank training grounds and as a result access is heavily restricted. Species include hen harriers Circus cyaneus, great grey shrike Lanius excubitor during winter and breeding quail Coturnix coturnix and stone curlews Burhinus oedicnemus.

The By Brook

Satellite View
A picturesque valley much visited by tourists, but which contains some great woodland birds. The main attractions are the dippers Cinlus cinlus and kingfishers Alcedo atthis that breed here and that can afford some marvellous views. (The map ref here is for Castle Combe, just one of the places on the brook. but the one most likely to have parking)

Woods around Stourton

Satellite View
The woods by the National Trust village of Stourton are still relatively unexplored, but have been shown to contain a large selection of birds rare elsewhere in the county. Crossbills Loxia curvirostra, woodcock Scolopax rusticola, nightjars Caprimulgus europaeus, lesser spotted woodpeckers Dendrocopos minor, grasshopper warblers Locustella naevia and firecrests Regulus ignicapillus can all be found at various times of the year, though patience and thorough searching may be required!