Ashleworth Ham

Leader: Colin Greenfield

Meet: at the bird hide on Ham Road, Ashleworth Ham, at 08:30
Venue: Ashleworth Ham (Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust), Ham Road, between Ashleworth and Hasfield, GL19 4LD (grid ref SO 828 264)

About the day
A morning in the hides at one of Gloucestershire’s best winter wetlands. Ashleworth Ham sits beside the Severn north of Gloucester, and its low-lying meadows flood in winter, drawing large flocks of wildfowl, waders and winter thrushes. The reserve itself is closed to the public, as it’s a sensitive breeding site, so we’ll watch from the bird hide and the roadside viewing screens along Ham Road. They give a wide view across the meadows without disturbing the birds. How much water is lying will decide what we see, and after a wet autumn it can be spectacular.

What we might see
Very likely (if the meadows are flooded): wigeon, teal, pintail, shoveler, mallard, mute swan, Canada goose, lapwing, snipe, curlew, grey heron, little egret, cormorant, black-headed gull, buzzard, kestrel, fieldfare, redwing

Good chance: white-fronted goose, golden plover, ruff, green sandpiper, pochard, gadwall, great white egret, peregrine, sparrowhawk, reed bunting, stonechat

Possible: Bewick’s swan, whooper swan, merlin, marsh harrier, short-eared owl, water pipit, dunlin

Look out for the winter thrush flocks too: up to 4,000 fieldfare have been counted here.

Cost and booking
There’s no event fee.

Car sharing
Car sharing will be arranged on the group’s WhatsApp channel in the week before the trip. Please post if you can offer a lift or need one. From Stroud, allow about 45 minutes to reach the reserve. Parking is very limited, so please share cars where you can.

Parking
Park on the roadside verges along Ham Road, near the hide and viewing screens. Space is limited, so please park considerately and don’t block field gates.

Facilities
There’s a bird hide (reached by a short flight of steps with handrails) and roadside viewing screens. There are no toilets or other facilities.

Practical information
Bring binoculars and a telescope, as many of the birds will be distant across the flooded meadows. Wear warm layers, as it’s cold standing still in a hide in late November. Bring a hot drink. There’s no public access to the meadows, and dogs aren’t permitted. When the Severn is high, floodwater can cover the local roads, so check conditions before setting out.

If the trip has to change
Cancellations, weather changes or road flooding will be shared on the group’s WhatsApp channels.

Further reading
Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust: Ashleworth Ham