Places to see birds
Cotswold Water Park
As the gravel runs out in each area the lakes are left behind, with many given over to leisure activities whilst others provide quiet areas for birds and wildlife. The countryside provides the setting for relaxation and discovery for adults and children alike - perfect for a family day out, walkers, birdwatchers, photographers and outdoor enthusiasts.
The Water Park is a nationally recognised area for wildlife, with plenty of parking and access to a network of footpaths, cycleways and bridleways.
With this number of lakes it is helpful that they are all numbered to ease access. Three of the lakes (34, 84 and 68c) currently contain bird hides and information on recent bird sightings is available at these hides, from the two visitor centres, or via the Cotswold Water Park Society Website (See Links page) from where a map of the area can be downloaded. .
A birdwatcher can start from anywhere in the Water Park, but as a guide the following lakes are recognised as favourite sites for local birdwatchers. Please keep to the well marked paths as some of the lakes are silted up or still being worked, and as such can be dangerous for anyone attempting to get too close.
Swillbrook Lakes: (Lake 46/48) is managed for wildlife by the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. Park on the minor road from Neigh Bridge to Minety, and walk through this area where in Spring and Summer one of the major attractions is the number of singing nightingales that can be heard. This (with lake 57) is also one of the main areas where Hobbies can be seen at relatively close quarters.
Waterhay: Situated on the minor road from Ashton Keynes towards Cricklade, make use of the car park at Waterhay. From here a track leads around several lakes in the Cleveland Farm complex. Lake 68c has a bird hide overlooking a silted up and overgrown lake but keep walking and you will pass several areas of open water. This site has recently held passage Avocet, although with 20 years since the last sighting you may not be that lucky.
Keynes Country Park: This is one of the two visitor centres open in the Water Park and car parking is available for payment. This site is useful for families, and the area contains a well maintained beach area for children whilst their birdwatching parent can walk around the complex, visit the hide at Lake 34 and the newly created wildlife refuge at Shorncote (lakes 84 and 85).
Spring & Summer
The Water Park is on an important migration route for birds and there the area is particularly interesting for breeding warblers and nightingale. Other breeding birds include Hobbies, Herons, Little Ringed Plover, Sand Martins, Great Crested and Little Grebe, Tufted Duck, Gadwall, Shoveler, Red Crested Pochard, Shelduck and Oystercatcher.
Winter
During winter the Water Park is nationally important for the number of wintering wildfowl attracted to the area, and the park hosts over 20,000 waterfowl of at least 40 different species. These include Pochard, Gadwall, Wigeon, Tufted Duck, Mallard, Coot, Goldeneye, Teal, Shoveler, Pintail, Goosander and Red Crested Pochard with good populations of Smew. Some lakes are beginning to attract wintering Bittern on a regular basis.
Passage migrants
Ospreys, Black Tern, Garganey and over 30 species of wader.
Rarities:
Squacco Heron, Gull-Billed Tern, White Winged Black Tern, Whiskered Tern, Common Scoter, and Pied-Billed Grebe have all been sighted. The area is recognised as a potential site for Red-footed falcon arriving with Hobby.
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