Chew Valley Lakes

Leader Simon Ashley

Chew Valley is a magnet for birds and can often contain huge numbers of wildfowl, waders and egrets.  We can expect in excess of 50 species, and a visit to the hides can increase this number.

This is one of our most popular trips – a morning at Chew Valley Lakes, including a visit to the Ringing Station (CVRS). It’s always exciting to see birds so close and to appreciate the vital contribution that ringing makes to our understanding of populations and migration patterns. Our bird clubs’ grant scheme was used by CVRS earlier this year to invest in new mist nets and equipment. This will be a good opportunity to see our funding in action.

To attend the Ringing, a donation of £5 per person is required.

After this session, there are a couple of options depending on the weather, bird sightings and enthusiasm.  There are a number of hides and vantage points around Chew Valley; there may also be the option to visit the nearby Cheddar Reservoir,  which has had some spectacular visitors in recent months. The low water levels have meant extensive mudflats and scrapes that have proved irresistible to passing waders – including two species of phalarope, curlew sandpipers and glossy ibis.

This will be a car share leaving Stroud at 7:30am – logisitics arranged via our WhatsApp group.