Where to go in Wiltshire?

[smallblueplanet]

Hi
we've just moved to the Vale of Pewsey, were are the local sites? We've got quite a good garden list already (comparatively?).

[mcdowella]

Obvious ones are Caen Hill locks, Devizes, Coate Water Park Swindon, and the Cotswold Water Park. North Wilts Rspb meets in the Jennings St Community centre, Swindon - or will do after their summer break. Their website is http://www.communigate.co.uk/wilts/nwiltsrspb/index.phtml.

[smallblueplanet]

Thanks for that, unfortunately I can't get the website to load because Spybot stops the download of tracking cookies that the site use.
Swindon's quite a way away really - or so it seems now we live in the middle of nowhere!!

oh - what would you expect to see at Caen Locks? (other than barges!!)

[mcdowella]

In winter, Smew (with luck). At Caen HILL locks there are something like 40 locks running down a hill - quite a view. By most of the locks there are pools - I presume so that they can run more than one barge through a time when it is busy. These attract a decent variety of waterfowl - I noticed it when a couple of the rarity postings in ?Birdwatch/Birdwatching? quoted Caen Hill locks. If you walk down past all the locks you get out into a stretch of open countryside, which you have a good long-range view over from the hill.

[Brambling]

There is a nice little tea room near the locks too - it is managed and worked by CARE, a small community of adults with learning disabilities.

I am lucky enough to live within five miles of the locks, and even wheelchairs can access quite a distance along the towpaths.



Brambling

[smallblueplanet]

thanks Brambling and mcdowella - I particularly like it when sites have teashops and toilets!! its my age you know! ;)

any more spots roundabout (oops thats swindon, isn't it?) that make good days out?

[moose1991]

drive towards marlborough about 4am and you'll see plenty of barn-owls.
The closest I got to one was literally the other side of the windscreen.
I slammed the brakes on, I'm sure I missed it.
also I've seen Red Kite near Aldbourne.

[mcdowella]

It might be a bit far west for you, but the only other mix of birds and facilities I can think of is Bowood House, close to Chippenham http://www.bowood-house.co.uk/. This is a minor stately house - with a large adventure playground, if you have kids. Its grounds, and the lake, turn up in guides such as the Wiltshire Bird Report. I thought it was a nice place to walk round, but expensive to get in, though if you get very keen on it there is some sort of season ticket available. (There is a second park in Swindon, Lydiard Park, but I haven't heard of it being as good as Coate Water for birds).

[mcdowella]

Cotswold water park is a well known site - unfortunately not that well known by me. You should be able to get more detailed info on this from other birders - but be careful! Some part that people used to visit has been declared a conservation area by the new water park trust, so some areas people used to wander into they should really respect the signs and keep clear of (there is working machinery in some areas, anyway, so there are good practical reasons to keep to the marked areas).

There is nothing there yet, but there are plans by the local RSPB group to put more local info on their website at http://www.communigate.co.uk/wilts/nwiltsrspb/page3.phtml once they get it organised - but they've only just asked members for info so don't hold your breath.

I know nothing about them, but there is a Wiltshire Ornithological Society that meets in Devizes. I have a flyer from them because I bought the 2002 Wiltshire Bird report, which came out a month or so ago. If you PM me I'll see if I can find an address for you - I don't know if they are on the web yet.

[Andrew Rowlands]

Here is a snippet from the North Wilts RSPB website for you - indoor and outdoor meetings etc.

Andy.