Royal County of Berkshire

• 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

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  The 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. A Sand Martin bank has been installed and a hide erected, but access is available to members only. 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

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  The 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. A huge extension of the site is nearing completion and day-today sightings are recorded on Angus McDonald’s BLOG

• Thatcham Moor

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  A 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

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  Fox 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

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  Numerous 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 (up to 2000 at their nearby roost opposite Slough Sewage Farm) and the aforementioned Smew in winter, often accompanied by Long-tailed, Ruddy and Goosander relatives.

• Brian Clews

  | brian.clews@btconnect.com

  http://www.berksbirds.co.uk

• Marek Walford

  records@berksoc.org.uk

• Number of bird species: 319

• The Birds of Berkshire: Atlas and Avifauna

  | By Neil Bucknell, Brian Clews, Renton Righelato & Chris Robinson | Birds of Berkshire Atlas Group | 2013 | Hardback | 520 pages, 200+ colour photos, 332 b/w illustrations, 300 distribution maps | ISBN: 9780952929710 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• Where to Watch Birds in Thames Valley and the Chilterns

  | By Brian Clews & Paul Trodd | Christopher Helm | 2002 | Edition 3 | Paperback | 368 pages, B/w illustrations, maps | ISBN: 9780713659535 Buy this book from NHBS.com

• Birdline Southeast

  09068 700240

• Berkshire Downs Ringing Group

  Observatory WebsiteSatellite View
  Mr J Swallow 07909118825 jts_birding@mybtinternet.com

• Newbury Ringing Group

  Observatory WebsiteSatellite View
  Duncan Long duncanflong@aol.com All 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

• Runnymede Ringing Group

  Observatory WebsiteSatellite View
  Dave Harris daveharris1040@gmail.com

• BBO Wildlife Trust

  Website
  BBOWT 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

  Website
  The 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…
  

• Friends of Lavells Lake

  Website
  We 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

  Website
  Newbury District Ornithological Club (NDOC) was founded in 1959 with the aim of promoting interest in birds and all aspects of their behaviour and habitats. Today the Club has a membership of around 90 and is open to all, expert or novice, with beginners particularly encouraged. Visitors are always welcome at Club events.

• RSPB East Berks Members Group

  Website
  We are an active, lively and friendly local group that promotes the RSPB's national objectives. Our local area is twelve miles radius centred on Maidenhead, which includes Windsor, Slough and High Wycombe. With about 200 members, we support local conservation issues while also aiming to enjoy ourselves. Between September and July we organise indoor talks, bird watching walks and coach trips which are open to everyone - particularly beginners or people new to the area. Full details on our website

• RSPB Reading Members Group

  Website
  The 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…

• RSPB Wokingham & Bracknell Members Group

  Website
  (07963 076940 or EMail)A list of committee, Meetings and outings etc. It also has links to other RSPB member groups. A site in its early stages.

• Theale Area Conservation Group

  Website
  Brian 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…

Abbreviations Key

• BBOWT - Greenham Common

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  Situated just a few miles south east of Newbury in the county of West Berkshire, Greenham Common and adjoining Crookham Common (to the east) together form over 1000 acres of heathland. Greenham Common was returned to natural habitat back in 2000 when the former US Air Force Base closed.

• 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. However, it is being extensively enlarged with additional scrapes and lakes to the west.

• BerksBirdNews

  Mailing List
  To 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

  Mailing List
  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

  Forum
  Local forum for anyone with an interest in birds and wildlife

• Birding Pal

  Information
  Local birders willing to show visiting birders around their area

• Berks Birds

  Website
  Berksbirds.co.uk is a free resource about birding in Berkshire. It is run by local birder, Marek Walford

• Birds of Berkshire

  Website
  Berkshire 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

• Feathers and Fur Falconry Centre

  Website
  Feathers and Fur Falconry Centre is a Berkshire based collection of Hawks, Falcons and Owls used to allow people the opportunity to experience falconry and the unique and wonderful bond between man and bird. (Not my cup of tea but I guess it will help new birders with future ID - Fatbirder)

• Primrose

  Website
  Primrose offers a wide selection of birdbaths for the garden

• P Bright-Thomas - Birding over my head

  BLOG
  Just 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…

• Pete Walkden - Pete's Birding Blog

  BLOG
  Last updated 2011 - As a wildlife photographer I try to get out and about as much as possible, and as such keep this blog as a record of what I saw, when, where and any mishaps along the way.

• Photographer - Michael McKee

  Gallery
  Some excellent photographs taken within the county