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At some 123,000 hectares Bedfordshire is one of the smallest counties in England, though it can boast of being the home of both the RSPB and for many years of British Birds. Its geology, with four main strata of chalk, gault clay, lower greensand and Oxford clay traversing the county roughly from south-west to north-east ensures that it supports a diverse range of habitats even in a predominantly agricultural context, though some, such as heath-land, now occur only in small, isolated fragments. A total county list of some 280 species includes between 110 and 120 regularly breeding species: on average around 200 species are recorded in all each year. Bedfordshire's speciality bird must be Lady Amherst's Pheasant, which occurs on the greensand having spread from its original introduction at Woburn (also occurring just into Bucks). Sadly, the population of this extremely secretive and more often heard than seen bird has declined rapidly and the number of calling males may now be down to single figures. Some popular sites for birdwatching - not implying any order of preference - are given below. |
Blow's Downs
WebsiteSatellite View
Famous for its migrant Ring Ousels in spring, as well as several other scarce migrant species, the details of which can be found regularly updated on the site's own website.
Dunstable Sewage Treatment Works
ReportDunstable Sewage Treatment Works are open to all on the first Sunday of the Month only, from 08:00 to 12:00. Paul Trodd of the Bedfordshire Bird Club is the honorary warden. The site has four settlement lagoons and a wader scrape overlooked by a hide. There are plenty of bushes and scrub to attract a variety of birds. During migration the level of one of the large lagoons is lowered to attract any over flying waders.
Harrold/Odell Country Park
WebsiteSatellite View
for a variety of water birds and migrants.
Priory Country Park
WebsiteSatellite View
where sightings in past years include Ferruginous Duck, Radde's Warbler and Yellow-browed Warbler...
The Marston Vale Brick Pits
InformationSatellite View
(from Brogborough to Elstow) which hold large numbers of roosting gulls, often including several white-winged gulls, in winter.
Additional Material
Philip Tyler
pipit@globalnet.co.uk
Andy Banthorpe
Webmaster - Beds Bird Club
webmaster@bedsbirdclub.org.uk
Steve Blain
34 Southill Road, Broom, SG19 9NN
07979 606300
Please Submit records through the Beds Bird Club website
records@bedsbirdclub.org.uk
Number of bird species: 291
County Bird - Hobby Falco subbuteo
County Bird - Hobby Falco subbuteo
An Annotated Bedfordshire Bird Bibliography
by David Kramer - Published Jan 2005 by David KramerAn Atlas of The Breeding Birds of Bedfordshire
R A Dazley & P Trodd, The Bedfordshire natural History Society 1994ISBN: 0950652148
Buy this book from NHBS.com
Bedfordshire Bird Atlas
by B.D.Harding - Bedfordshire Natural History Society 1979ISBN: 0950652105
Buy this book from NHBS.com
The Bedfordshire Bird Report
Published by The Bedfordshire Natural History Society, the annual bird report forms part 2 of The Bedfordshire Naturalist which has documented the wildlife of Bedfordshire annually since 1946. Copies of the bird report are distributed free to members of the Society and the Bedfordshire Bird Club and may be purchased from:- Mrs Mary Sheridan, 28, Chestnut Hill, Linslade, Leighton Buzzard, Beds, LU7 7TR. Full details of cost and postage at http://www.bedsbirdclub.org.ukThe Birds of Bedfordshire
by Paul Trodd & David Kramer, Illustrated by AP Chick - Castlemead Publications 1991ISBN: 0948555157
Buy this book from NHBS.com
Where to Watch Birds in Thames Valley & The Chilterns
by Brian Clews and Paul Trodd 3rd Edition Helm 2002ISBN: 071365953
Buy this book from NHBS.com
Your Guide to Nature Reserves in Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire
Edited by Sarah Wroot, 165 pages, col photos, illus, maps. Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire Wildlife Trust 1993ISBN: 0952078805
Buy this book from NHBS.com
Proact
Coordinator: Darren Oakley-Martin (Beds, Bucks. & Herts.)
Members: 3
Join us at http://www.proact-campaigns.net/team
Contact your coordinator via mailto:info@proact-campaigns.net
BCNP - Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Peterborough Wildlife Trust
WebsiteWe are the largest charity working for the conservation of wildlife and wild spaces within the three counties (including Beds). Based in five offices, the Trust campaigns for the sensitive and sustainable management of wildlife in the countryside and the urban landscape, manages thousands of hectares of land for wildlife and people, and carries out extensive educational work...
Bedfordshire Bird Club
WebsiteThe Bedfordshire Bird Club was set up in 1992 by birdwatchers, from both inside and outside The Bedfordshire Natural History Society, to cater for their specialist needs. Its main functions are to record and document the avifauna within the County and to provide a forum for local birdwatchers....
Bedfordshire Natural History Society
Websitehe BNHS was founded in 1946, its main function to record the fauna and flora of Bedfordshire. The society is here to help, encourage and support those with an interest in wildlife. We endeavour to cover all branches of natural history particularly in relation to Bedfordshire...
Bird and Nature Reserves in Bedfordshire
WebsiteLocation and access details etc.
Blow's Down Nature Reserve
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Blow's Downs is now a well-known birdwatching site, particularly renowned for the regular appearance of Ring Ouzel on spring passage. Despite this species traditional use of the site many people visit Blow's but go away having not seen this elusive thrush. These notes aim to pass on some of the expertise that the locals have gained in locating them.
Gre at Bramingham Wood
WebsiteSatellite View
Bramingham Wood is an area of natural woodland, located immediately to the north of the town of Luton in the County of Bedfordshire. In 1985, the Woodland Trust, a nation-wide charity now with in excess of 100,000 members, took over the management and subsequently the ownership of Bramingham Wood from the then private owners. Consisting of approximately 45 acres, the wood is classified as an ancient woodland in that it has known to have been in existence for at least 400 years and has probably been a woodland for much longer.
RSPB Reserves - The Lodge
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This reserve is a mixture of woodland, heathland and includes the formal gardens of the RSPB's UK headquarters...
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Birding Pal
InformationLocal birders willing to show visiting birders around their area...
Orchard Cottage - Sandy
AccommodationJoan and Owen Strong welcome you to Orchard Cottage. A charming 16th Century thatched cottage with modern extension. Formerly the village bakery. Offering comfortable accommodation with pleasant rooms overlooking countryside or the large secluded garden.
bedsbirds
Mailing ListTo post to list:bedsbirds@yahoogroups.com
List contact:bedsbirds-owner@yahoogroups.com
To subscribe to list:bedsbirds-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
A groups that brings together all Bedfordshire birders and sightings from around the county.
Allan's Travels
BlogAllan Cutts is a Bedfordshire birder with 35 years experience – his work takes him all over the UK and he birds whenever he can…
Back in Birdland
BlogMike Lawrence's birding Diary…
Bedsbirds Images
BlogPhotoblog from a whole raft of good Beds photographer/birders...
Dan's Wildlife Daniel Trim
BlogHello, I do most of my birding in Hampshire as I'm at Uni in Southampton and love the New Forest and surrounding area. However my home is Bedfordshire and birding is great there too despite most rareties turning up when I'm at Uni!! It's not just birds I'm in to, I enjoy all aspects of wildlife be it birds, insects, mammals, fish or plants. Hope you enjoy the blog!
Dave's Birding Diary
BlogBLOG from a Bedford birder...
Nigel Blake’s Bird BLOG
BlogA bird photographers diary blog page…
Robin Edwards - Birds, Butties & Bugs
BlogA selection of Digiscoped and more recently DSLR'd images, from around Bedfordshire and further afield. Leica APO77, Nikon Coolpix995, Canon 30D + 100-400mm IS and Fuji F31d. All Images Copyright Robin Edwards…
Beds Garden Wildlife
WebsiteWelcome to the Beds Garden Wildlife website, a site about the wildlife in my back garden. The site has been up and running since September 2010, although I have been filming the wildlife since 2007...
Birdline East Anglia
WebsiteBirdline East Anglia What's about? Simply phone 09068 700245 Please report your bird sightings to phone/text 07941333970 or e birdnews@birdlineeastanglia.co.uk - Calls to 09068 700245 cost 60p/min from a BT landline other networks may vary...
Naturenet - Bedfordshire
WebsiteArticles on reserves etc.
Opticron
WebsiteOPTICRON - P.O Box 370, Unit 21, Titan Court, Laporte Way, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU4 8YR, UK Telephone 01582 726522 Fax : 01582 723559 Email: info@opticron.co.uk
Photographer - Nigel Blake
GalleryWelcome to my website! I have been photographing wildlife for about 25 years. I have traveled extensively throughout Europe and Africa in search of subjects to photograph. Whilst birds are my preferred quarry I am attracted to anything that catches my eye, be that people, landscapes or anything with exceptional aesthetic appeal.
Photographer - Steve Blain
GalleryWelcome to my images section of my web site. Here you will find pictures I`ve have taken myself (mostly) using my Canon EOS 500 and 75-300mm IS lens. I have also just purchased a digital video camera and an EOS 30. I have had the camcorder around four months not and the EOS 30 around a month but have already got some great stuff. Please check out my video section, all problems should now be fixed but please send me an e-mail if you come across any more.
Photographer – Chris Gomersall
GalleryChris’s photography is probably best known to the one million members of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds where he had the enviable job of staff photographer for some fourteen years, before leaving to pursue a solo career in November 1998...
Photographer – Simon Knight
GalleryWelcome to my web site, hopefully you will find something of interest, whether it be rare birds, butterflies, dragonflies, moths or landscapes…
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This site was last updated on Sunday, 29th January 2012.
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