Wiltshire birding sites
Details of some good birding sites in Wiltshire are provided here. Click on the numbered list to read brief information on the relevant site.
Details are currently only available for some of the sites — more information will be added soon. If you wish to add sites or a bird list for a site, please contact Peter Collier.
1. Braydon Forest
2. By Brook
3. Corsham Lake
4. Cotswold Water Park
5. Fonthill Lake
6. Great Ridge Wood
7. Grovely Wood
8. Jones’s Mill
9. Langford Lakes
10. Liddington Hill
11. Marlborough Downs
12. Salisbury Avon
13. Salisbury Plain
14. Savernake Forest
15. Shear Water
16. Southwick Country Park
17. Westbury Ponds
18. Wilton Water
1. Braydon Wood
Grid reference: ST9987
A large shallow pond is in mixed woodland. In winter there are various ducks. Heron, warblers in spring and summer, swallows and house martins.
2. By Brook
Grid reference: ST8377 to ST80
The By Brook valley offers attractive scenery on the edge of the Cotswolds and is the best place in Wiltshire to see Dippers.
The By Brook valley offers attractive scenery on the edge of the Cotswolds and is the best place in Wiltshire to see Dippers.
You can park in Box in the Cricket Ground car park north of the A4 near the junction with the A365 (ST825686) near the Selwyn Hall. The access to the car park is not far from the Queens Head pub.
From the car park, you can use footpaths following the By Brook northwards towards Castle Combe or southwestwards towards Bath. Several pairs of Dippers breed along the river which is also home to Grey Wagtail, Kingfisher and Reed Bunting. A good range of woodland and farmland species can also be found in the valley including Woodpeckers, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Buzzard, Yellowhammer and Stock Dove. The riverside can be very muddy.
3. Corsham Lake
Grid reference: ST8870
The lake is in parkland belonging to Corsham Court.
Wildfowl and grebes, Goosander, Wigeon, Teal, Shoveler, Gadwall, Goldeneye, Reed Bunting.
4. Cotswold Water Park
Location map provided by Streetmap
Grid reference: NE & E from SU0093
Due to the central location of the CWP and the vast area of wetland habitats, bird monitoring and ringing studies are showing that the CWP is an important stop-over for feeding for migrating birds, both during the spring and the autumn. Almost anything can turn up, amongst the 20,000 wintering waterbirds, the 21,000 wintering gulls, the vast numbers of breeding warblers along with Nightingales, Little Ringed Plover and Common Tern.
There are 147 lakes and associated wetland habitats so it is a good idea to start by looking at the birdwatching website which has useful links to recent sightings — www.waterpark.org/society/birdwatching.html
The Cotswold Water Park Gateway Centre is just off the Swindon to Cirencester A419. Here you can collect collect a map or guide to the area.
Lakes 34 and 84 and 68c are good lakes to start looking. The best places in the Autumn are lakes 95, 68C and 74.
Lake 74 is known as Twitchers Gate and is best when there are storms driving seabirds inland or when there are low pressure systems from the continent pushing species such as Black Terns through. This is the best lake to see Black Tern in the right conditions.
Lake 68C is accessed from Waterhay Bridge car park just south of Ashton Keynes. Most of the area is covered in reeds but this site has a proven track record for producing waders and is by far the best site to see Green Sandpipers. The reedbeds play host to large numbers of warblers from April until September.
Lake 95 is a private site but a permissive footpath runs along its north side. This lake is new and thus has low water levels with little vegetation and is the spot to see waders at the moment. This is the most likely site to produce something different.
5. Fonthill Lake
Grid reference: ST9331
The lake was created by damming a tributary of the river Nadder. It is in the grounds of what was once Fonthill Abbey, built by the 18th century eccentric, William Beckford.
Various rarities have been recorded here. The usual waterfowl include Mandarin Duck, Mallard, Tufted Ducks, Pochard, Coot, Great Crested Grebe, Little Grebe. Also woodland species such as Chiffchaff, Robin, Chaffinch Nutchatch, Treecreeper.
6. Great Ridge Wood
Grid reference: ST9336
7. Grovely wood
Grid reference: SU0534
8. Jones’s Mill
Grid reference: SU1661
Wiltshire Wildlife Trust nature reserve near to the Kennet & Avon Canal. Little Grebe, Tufted Duck, Kingfisher, Heron, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Green Woodpecker, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Bullfinch, Treecreeper plus various warblers.
9. Langford Lakes
Grid reference: SU0436
The site belongs to Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and is open from 9am until dusk throughout the year. All facilities are designed to be fully accessible. The reserve consists of three lakes, formerly gravel pits, and a half mile stretch of the River Wylye. No dogs are allowed on the reserve, except guide dogs.
A Visitor Centre is close to the entrance in Duck Street, Steeple Langford and toilets are available there at SU036370. Parking is nearby. There are disabled parking spaces further into the reserve at the Education Centre. As you walk towards the lakes, Great Spotted Woodpecker and Treecreeper can sometimes be seen in the Poplars.
There are four fully accessible hides from which the lakes can be observed. The riverside walk is not generally open to the public. In winter, large numbers of wetland birds congregate at the lakes. Significant numbers of Gadwall, Tufted Duck and Coot are present and other species including Pochard, Wigeon, Shoveler, Goosander, Goldeneye and Mandarin regularly occur. Kingfishers and Little Egrets are often seen and Great Egret has been recorded. The Brockbank lake has a small reedbed which occasionally attracts a Bittern in January or February. Siskins, Redpolls and Bramblings feed in the lakeside trees.
In Spring and Autumn, large numbers of hirundines and Swifts feed at the lakes and Hobbys are also attracted. Ospreys on passage regularly fish and Common Sandpipers are sometimes seen in summer. Common Terns have bred on a raft on Long Pond and Black Tern and Little Gull visit on passage. A good range of warblers, including Garden, Sedge and Reed Warbler, breed in the reserve and the song of Cettis Warbler is regularly heard.
As well as watching birds from the hides, there are two walks which you can enjoy. Within the reserve, the Glebe Walk is a 400 metre circular route crossing the Little Langford Channel providing the chance of Snipe and Stonechat in winter and warblers such as Whitethroat in summer. Outside the reserve, opposite the entrance in Duck Street, you can walk through the water meadows alongside the river to Hanging Langford with the chance of recording Little Grebe and a variety of other birds.
10. Liddington Hill
Grid reference: SU2179
This ancient fortification lies between Swindon and the Marlborough Downs and can be seen from the M4. From the M4, head south towards Marlborough. Just as you leave the village of Chiseldon turn left at SU193794 and park at SU218804. Follow the footpath south-west up to the castle and then explore the whole area. This area is good from July onwards for Redstarts, Wheatears and Yellow Wagtails but is best known locally as THE place to see Ring Ousels. Tree Pipits are often heard flying over and there is also a very healthy population of Yellowhammers, Linnets and a few Corn Buntings.
11. Marlborough Downs
Grid reference: SU1375 to SU1775
The Marlborough Downs offer spectacular scenery and are home to many species that are scarce elsewhere.
Walks 1 and 2. From Barbury Castle
You can park at Barbury Castle Country Park. The park has toilets and a cafe. The car park (SU157761) is accessed via a road running south from Wroughton. Remember to check the shrubby areas around the car park for Tree Sparrow and Yellowhammer.
Walk out of the car park onto the road and turn right, heading south-east past Upper Herdswick Farm with Smeathes Ridge on your left. You have a good chance of seeing Corn Bunting, as well as Northern Wheatear and Whinchat on migration. In winter, up to early April, you may spot a Merlin, Hen Harrier or Short-eared Owl hunting over the hillsides. At Four-mile Clump (SU165746) look for Linnet and Reed Bunting in the copse.
For a shorter walk, turn off right just before getting to the copse, head down to Ogbourne Maizey Down and then follow the gallops north past the race course back to Barbury Castle.
For a longer walk (seven miles), continue until you come to the road leading into Rockley (SU161718). After passing through the village, look for an old byway heading north-east and turn right onto it. At the next byway sign, turn left at the stile and head north-west. Grey and Red-legged Partridges may be skulking in the fields to your left. As you walk along the valley towards Hackpen Hill, scan the slopes above for raptors and Ravens andcheck the hedgerows for Tree Sparrow. From Hackpen, join the Ridgeway back to Barbury Castle.
Walk 3. Fyfield Down
Map of starting point provided by Streetmap
This walk takes you round the Fyfield Down National Nature Reserve, a wild area scattered by sarsen boulders. Migratory Ring Ouzel and Northern Wheatear and Whinchat forage among the stones and Barn Owls hunt over the area at dusk.
Park in Lower Fyfield, cross the A4 and follow the footpath north up to the reserve. On the Down, head west and pass by Wroughton Copse and Delling Copse, where Common Redstarts often stop on passage. Look for Green Woodpeckers fossicking in the grass for ants.
Just past Delling Copse, turn south and follow the path along the earthworks to Down Barn and then follow the Pickledean Valley back to Fyfield. You can expect to see European Stonechat, Skylark and Meadow Pipit. Corn Bunting and passage Northern Wheatears are possible. Raptors and Ravens are often seen (or heard) overhead and there is the chance of a Short-eared Owl in winter or early spring. Between Fyfield Down and Avebury, you may also see Little Owl and Tree Sparrow. Yellow Wagtails arrive in the area in late April.
Walk 4 Pewsey Downs
Parking is available at SU116633, just off the road between Alton Barnes and Lockeridge. From there, you can follow the White Horse Trail west towards Tan Hill or eastwards to Knap Hill. The trail follows the top of the escarpment and offers spectacular views and the chance to see birds such as Whinchat, Northern Wheatear and Merlin. Dotterel have been spotted here on migration.
12. Salisbury Avon
Grid reference: SU0858 & SU1861
13. Salisbury Plain
Please note that whilst many parts of this site can be viewed from public roads, large areas of Salisbury Plain are used by the MOD for training exercises and are subject to access restrictions. Please read the following guidelines before visiting the site.
14. Savernake Forest
Grid reference: SU2266
15. Shear Water
Grid reference: ST8542
Take the Crockerton turn off the A350 and turn into Clay Street by the Bath Arms. Look for a carpark on your left opposite the entrance to the lake. A paved track leads round the lake itself and a number of trails lead into the woods, to which there is open access. The lake itself is much used by fishermen and sailors. Great Crested Grebe breed here and there are populations of Mallard, Coot and Moorhen . Grey Heron, Little Egret, Cormorant and Kingfisher may be seen. Goosander sometimes visit in winter. In the woods, you may see Buzzard, Sparrowhawk, Stock Dove, Nuthatch, Treecreeper, Goldcrest, Marsh Tit, Crossbills and Siskin. Firecrest is also a possibility.
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16. Southwick Country Park
Grid reference: ST8355
17. Westbury Ponds
Grid reference: ST8651 to ST8652
Several small lakes, originally ironstone pits, on the north-western outskirts of Westbury near the railway station, where wetland and other species can be seen.
Several small lakes, originally ironstone pits, on the north-western outskirts of Westbury near the railway station, where wetland and other species can be seen.
You can park in small laybys on Frogmore Road alongside Frogmore Pond (ST867522). The two largest lakes are Frogmore Pond and Station Pond, the latter of which adjoins the approach road to the railway station. There are smaller ponds towards the Sewage Works in Slag Lane.
The Ponds are well used by anglers and, in the case of Station Pond, a sailing club but they nevertheless attract a good range of species. In winter, wildfowl including Tufted Duck, Pochard and occasionally Goosander, Shoveler and other species arrive. Gulls wash and roost at the ponds and the flock has included Mediterranean and Yellow Legged Gulls and Kittiwake. Kingfisher and Little Grebe are usually present and Great Northern Diver has been recorded.
The Ponds are a good area to look for early migrants and, in summer, Common Terns stop by on passage and Black Terns have been recorded. Great Crested Grebes are regular breeders. With it’s scrubby railway embankments, it is a good area for warblers including Lesser Whitethroat and sometimes Nightingale. A search of the area around the Sewage Works can be rewarding. Wintering Chiffchaff can often be found there and Firecrest has been recorded.
18. Wilton Water
Grid reference: SU2661
Reservoir next to Kennet & Avon Canal. Little Grebe, Canada Goose, Mallard, Tufted Duck, Kifngisher, Mute Swan, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Heron are regulars. Occasionally Great Crested Grebe, Cormorant, Goosander, Shoveler amongst others.
