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England Worcester

Jackdaw Corvus monedula �Sue & Andy Tranter http://www.suesbirdphotos.co.uk/

Despite being further from the coast than most counties in England, Worcestershire still possesses a wide range of habitats. The Severn valley runs from the north to the south of the county and is joined by the river Teme from the west, and the Salwarpe and Avon from the east. The county is surrounded by hills with the Suckley and Malvern Hills in the west, Bredon Hill and the start of the Cotswolds in the south and the Clent and Lickey Hills in the north. All of these hills have good access and are worth exploring at any time of the year.

The major woodland in the county is the Wyre Forest on the Shropshire border to the north west, but despite much of the county being good farmland there are quite a number of smaller woods holding good birdlife. Many of these are managed by the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, such as Pipers Hill Common, Monkwood and Chaddesley Wood all of which contain populations of common woodland birds and summer warblers. There are even a few remnants of heathland on the sandstone deposits in the north west of the county, such as Hartlebury Common and The Devils Spittleful. The only remaining common of any size in the county is at Castlemorton in the southwest.

The only sizeable reservoirs in the county are at Bittell in the northeast but there are a great many smaller lakes and pools holding good numbers of wildfowl, such as those at Upton Warren and Bredon`s Hardwick.

top sites

Avon Valley

(SO922422)Park at Eckington bridge and walk west along the riverbank. Kingfisher, Cormorant, Grey Wagtail, Reed Bunting. Summer: Sedge and Reed Warblers, Yellow Wagtail. Passage waders. Winter: Ducks, Lapwing, Golden Plover.

Bittell Reservoirs

(SP017744)Park on unclassified road off the B4120 south of Barnt Green. View reservoirs from surrounding lanes and footpaths. Great Crested Grebe, Grey Heron, Tufted Duck, Sparrowhawk. Summer: Blackcap, Whitethroat. Passage waders including Greenshank and Common Sandpiper. Winter: Teal, Gadwall, Pochard, Goldeneye, Goosander, Siskin.

Bredon Hill

(SO983410)Car park at Elmley Castle. Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Grey and Red-legged Partridge, Tawny Owl, Little Owl, Stock Dove, Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker, Skylark, Nuthatch, Jay, Yellowhammer. Summer: Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Whitethroat, Redsatart, Spotted Flycatcher. Possible Pied Flycatcher. Recent spring and autumn migrants have included Dotterel, Whinchat, Wheatear, Merlin and Red Kite. Winter: Fieldfare, Redwing, Redpoll, Siskin, Brambling.

Bredons Hardwick

(SO912353)Gravel pits and meadows between the village and the river Avon. View the main pit from the B4080. View water meadows by parking by the river Avon at the end of Fleet Lane. Little Grebe, Cormorant, Tufted Duck. Summer: Hobby, Oystercatcher, Common Tern, Yellow Wagtail. Passage waders. Winter: Wigeon, Teal, Pintail. Golden Plover, Dunlin. Possible Scaup, Smew, Bewicks Swan, White-Fronted Goose, Peregrine.

Castlemorton Common

(SO780390)Rough pasture with gorse and bramble. Sparrowhawk, Stonechat, Linnet, Yellowhammer. Summer: Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Grasshopper Warbler. Whinchat on passage. Winter: Snipe, Redwing, Fieldfare. Possible Jack Snipe, Water Rail and Great Grey Shrike.

Chaddesley Wood

(SO914736)Mixed woodland three miles west of Bromsgrove. Sparrowhawk, Woodcock, Willow Tit. Summer: Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Tree Pipit. Winter: Fieldfare, Redwing.

Christopher Cadbury Wetland Reserve

(SO936677)Arguably the premier birding site in the county. Situated at Upton Warren on the A38 between Bromsgrove and Droitwich. It is owned by the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust and access is limited to members and permit holders. Permits are available from wardens on site for �1. Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe, Tufted Duck, Pochard, Gadwall, Shoveler, Teal, Lapwing, Grey Heron, Kingfisher, Reed Bunting, Water Rail. Summer: Cuckoo, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Cettis Warbler, Redshank, Little Ringed Plover, Oystercatcher, Common Tern, Hobby. Passage waders, including Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Dunlin, Ruff. Winter: Goldeneye, Snipe, Jack Snipe. Rarities possible at any time during the year.

Clent Hills

(SO943802)Grass covered hills with mixed woodland. Signposted for the A456 Halesowen to Hagley road. Sparrowhawk, Stock Dove, Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker, Skylark, Jay, Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Grey Wagtail, Yellowhammer. Summer: Cuckoo, Tree Pipit, Blackcap, Wood Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Meadow Pipit, Linnet. Ring Ouzel and Wheatear on passage. Winter: Fieldfare, Redwing, Redpoll, Siskin.

Devils Spittleful

(SO807747)Heathland. Worcs Wildlife Trust reserve west of Kidderminster. View from public footpath. Sparrowhawk, all three woodpeckers, Yellowhammer. Summer: Cuckoo, Redstart, Wood Warbler, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Tree Pipit, Spotted Flycatcher. Winter: Siskin, Redpoll, Fieldfare.

Grimley and Holt

(SO840607)Gravel pits and marsh on the west bank of the Severn north of Worcester. View from roads and public footpath. Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Tufted Duck, Kingfisher, Reed Bunting. Summer: Hobby, Little Ringed Plover, Sand Martin, Reed and Sedge Warblers, Yellow Wagtail. Winter: Shoveler, Teal, Pochard, Wigeon, Lapwing, Snipe.

Hartlebury Common

(SO820705)Heathland. Local nature reserve south east of Stourport. Sparrowhawk, all three woodpeckers, Willow Tit, Stonechat, Redpoll. Summer: Cuckoo, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Spotted Flycatcher. Winter: Redwing, Fieldfare, Siskin.

Lickey Hills Wood

(SO997754)Mixed woodland. Visitors centre signposted from the B4096 Rednal to Bromsgrove road. Sparrowhawk, Tawny Owl, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Jay. Summer: Cuckoo, Tree Pipit, Wood Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher. Possible Pied Flycatcher. Winter: Flocks of tits and finches including Siskin and Brambling. Possible Crossbill.

Malvern Hills

(SO762402)The hills are managed by the Malvern Hills Conservators and access is excellent. Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Little Owl, Tawny Owl, Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker, Skylark, Raven, Meadow Pipit, Linnet, Yellowhammer. Summer: Wheatear, Stonechat, Tree Pipit, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Wood Warbler. Ring Ouzel on passage. Winter: Fieldfare, Redwing, Redpoll, Siskin.

Monkwood

(SO804806)Deciduous woodland north west of Worcester. Worcs Wildlife Trust reserve. Woodcock, all three woodpeckers, Stock Dove, Little and Tawny Owl, Nuthatch ,Treecreeper. Summer: Blackcap, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Tree Pipit. Winter: Siskin, Redpoll.

Pipers Hill Common

(SO960649)Beech and oak woodland south east of Bromsgrove. Little and Tawny Owl, Stock Dove, Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Jay. Summer: Redstart, Wood Warbler, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Spotted Flycatcher. Winter: Flocks of tits and finches including Siskin, Redpoll and possible Brambling and Crossbill.

Shrawley Wood

(SO810655)Mixed woodland and stream west of the Severn between Worcester and Stourport. Partly Forestry Commission. Keep to public paths. Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, all three woodpeckers, Nuthatch, Treecreeper. Summer: Blackcap, Garden Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher. Winter: Thrushes, Brambling, Siskin ,Redpoll.

Suckley Hills

(SO739538)Wooded hills to the north of the Malverns. Park at the Worcs Wildlife Trusts Ravenshill Wood reserve. Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Tawny Owl, Raven, all three woodpeckers, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Willow Tit. Summer: Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Tree Pipit, Pied Flycatcher. Winter: Redpoll, Siskin.

Wyre Forest

(SO753740)One of the best remaining native woodlands in Britain. Park in Bewdley or at the visitors centre at Callow Hill on the A456. The best area for birding is around Dowles Brook. Sparrowhawk, Woodcock, Little Owl, Tawny Owl, Kingfisher, all three woodpeckers, Grey Wagtail, Dipper, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Raven, Hawfinch. Summer: Cuckoo, Tree Pipit, Redstart, Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Wood Warbler, Spotted and Pied Flycatcher. Winter: Redwing, Siskin, Redpoll, Crossbill.

contributor

Andy Thomas
West Midland Birding
andy@thomas1976.freeserve.co.uk
http://www.thomas1976.freeserve.co.uk/

county recorder

Andy Warr
14 Bromsgrove St, Worcester WR3 8AR
01905 28281
worcs-recorder@westmidlandbirdclub.com

numbers

Number of bird species: 293

useful reading

The New Birds of the West Midlands

- covering Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, and the former West Midlands County - Graham Harrison and Janet Harrison 496 pages, colour photos, line drawings, maps. West Midlands Bird Club 2005 ISBN: The New Birds of the West Midlands - covering Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, and the former West Midlands County - Graham Harrison and Janet Harrison 496 pages, colour photos, line drawings, maps. West Midlands Bird Club 2005
ISBN: 0950788120
Buy this book from NHBS.com

Where to watch birds in West Midlands

- Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and the Former West Midlands - F Gribble, G Harrison, H Griffiths, J Winsper and S Coney Series: WHERE TO WATCH BIRDS IN BRITAIN AND EUROPE: HELM SERIES 312 pages, 53 maps, 24 line drawings. Christopher Helm due June 2007
ISBN: 9780713664195
Buy this book from NHBS.com

useful information

Proact

Coordinator: Bevan Craddock (Salop, Staffs., Warks., West Midlands and Worcs.)
Members: 2
Join us at http://www.proact-campaigns.net/team
Contact your coordinator via mailto:info@proact-campaigns.net

clubs

West Midland Bird Club

http://www.westmidlandbirdclub.com
e-mail: secretary@westmidlandbirdclub.com - The West Midland Bird Club offers the widest range of indoor and field meetings for its members. Probably more than any other provincial bird club in the whole of the UK. Local pages for: Kidderminster: http://www.westmidlandbirdclub.com/kidderminster

Worcestershire Wildlife Trust

http://www.worcswildlifetrust.co.uk/
Lower Smite Farm, Smite Hill, Hindlip, Worcester, WR3 8SZ 01905 754919 enquiries@worcestershirewildlifetrust.org - We care for more than 70 nature reserves which include many of the best wildlife habitats in Worcestershire. The Trust`s ownership guarantees they are protected for ever. They include: Pools and marshes - providing refuges for otters, dragonflies and birds such as kingfishers, wildfowl and wading birds. One of our highest priorities is to conserve, restore and recreate marsh, reedbed and open waters of which so little remains...

museums

Museum of the Worcestershire Natural History Society

http://www.worcestercitymuseums.org.uk/coll/natural/natind.htm
The Natural History Collections are very important in the history of the City Museum as their origins go back to the Museum of the Worcestershire Natural History Society in the 1830s. In the nineteenth century specimens of animals, birds and plants were collected from all around the world, but any current acquisitions are made in collaboration with local wildlife trusts and are restricted to Worcestershire. Today, the local material in the collection is valuable as comparative with the biological records produced by the Worcestershire Biological Centre at the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust...

trip reports

Travelling Birder
http://www.travellingbirder.com
The Travellingbirder.com birding trip report search engine guides you to 7,000+ birding trip reports on the Internet. You can search for trip reports from a specific country and time of year. Not all these reports are in English. So, if you can�t find the trip report you want on this Fatbirder page� give them a try!

places to stay

Bowers Hill Farm

http://www.smoothhound.co.uk/a52261.html
Bowers Hill is a large secluded Victorian farmhouse set within 80 acres of a mixed working farm. If you are lucky you may see the green woodpecker but you had better be quick, or you could even catch a glimpse of a fox or badger as evening draws to a close. Look around you, the Cotswold hills, Meon hill and Bredon hill make up the surrounding panorama.

Forest View Retreat

http://www.forestviewretreat.com/
Stay right on the edge of the Wyre Forest in one of our exclusive luxury self catering Log Cabins. Just bring yourselves and we will take care of everything else!!

Leasow House B&B

http://www.leasow.co.uk/
Leasow House is superbly located for touring in the Cotswolds. It is well placed for visiting Shakespeare`s Stratford; the pomp of Winston Churchills birthplace, Blenheim Palace; Warwick and Sudeley Castles, wonderful country walks, the Cathedral cities of Gloucester and Worcester, and the gardens of Hidecote and Kiftsgate.

Oaklands B&B

http://www.ukbed.com/heart-of-england/oaklands.htm
Oaklands B&B is an attractive cottage residence in a rural location, yet only minutes from the motorway (M5 Junction 6) and from the centre of Worcester. All rooms are en suite with tea and coffee making facilities. There is plenty of off-road parking, as well as gardens and in-house snooker. It is an ideal centre for touring. Children and pets are welcome.

mailing lists

WMBC-Worcs

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WMBC-Worcs
To post to list:WMBC-Worcs@yahoogroups.com
List contact:WMBC-Worcs-owner@yahoogroups.com
To subscribe to list:WMBC-Worcs-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
This mailing list is for discussion of birds and birding in the English county of Worcestershire, especially notable sightings and site reports, and the activities there, of the West Midland Bird Club (WMBC):

Birds of the Malvern Hills

http://www.malvernhills.org.uk/visiting/birds_and_botany.aspx
The best period to see passing migrants is from September through to mid-November. Mid-March and April produce smaller numbers of the same species that occur in autumn. From dawn to mid-morning gives the best results. Winds with an easterly element tend to increase the variety of birds...

BLOG - Worcestershire Source - Reg the Birder & Kay

http://worcestershiresource.blogspot.com/
I first became interested in birds when I spotted a nuthatch in my garden several years ago. Having learned to identify the more common garden birds, I began heading out into the countryside near Wythall where I live to see what I could find...

Camera Shop

http://www.camera-shop.co.uk/index.html
...we sell a large range of binoculars and monoculars...

Gulls in the West Midlands Region

http://www.deanar.btinternet.co.uk/
This is a personal website which presents data and images relating to gulls in the West Midlands Region (the counties of Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and the metropolitan county of the West Midlands).

West Midland Birding

http://www.thomas1976.freeserve.co.uk/
Welcome to West Midland Birding, my new web page dedicated to birdwatching. This website describes some of the best birdwatching sites in the West Midlands area. A description is given of how to find them and which birds you are likely to see at different times of the year. Covers some sites in Worcestershire too.

Worcestershire Biodiversity Action Plan

http://www.ukbap.org.uk/lbap.aspx?id=498
The nightingale is a Summer visitor to Britain, almost entirely to south-east England. Worcestershire is on the edge of its range. Nationally nightingales reach their greatest densities in wet woodlands or willow scrub by gravel pits, but these habitats are very limited in extent in Worcestershire...

Worcestershire Biological Records Centre

http://www.wbrc.org.uk
New Bird Recording Scheme The next newsletter will include the launch of a new Bird Recording Scheme for Birds of Conservation Concern - those on the Red and Amber lists...

Worcestershire Source

http://worcestershiresource.blogspot.com
�run by a few like-minded birders to share news of bird sightings in the county of Worcestershire. Our aim is to provide a free news service for the county, but the success of this depends entirely on contributions from others. We would like to hear from Worcestershire birders with your sightings, news, photos and articles, please email us at worcestershiresource@hotmail.co.uk many thanks�

Worcestershire Wildlife Consultancy

http://www.worcestershirewildlifeconsultancy.org/
The commercial arm of the Wildlife Trust... not to be confused with the WWT listed below, a new website for the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust.

artists

Photographer - Mark Hancox

http://www.markhancoxbirdphotography.co.uk
I have a small woodland in Worcestershire and now run workshops to photograph various wildlife in the wood ,and also rent my various hides , please see the workshop heading for further details...

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