Bough Beech (West Kent) (1 Viewer)

Thought I would put this in here, but feel free to move to another location

Site: Bough Beech Reservoir and Nature Reserve

Location: TQ 49445 49370 Around 5 miles SE of Sevenoaks

Contact Details: Kent Wildlife Trust
Bough Beech Visitor Centre
Winkhurst Green
Ide Hill
Sevenoaks
Kent TN14 6LD
Phone: 01732 453880
http://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/kwt-visitor-centres/bough-beech-visitor-centre.html

Opening Times: March until November: 11am - 5pm on Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays. Parking at the visitor centre, or along the road bordering the reservoir.


Bough Beech is a local site to me, bit until recently I wasn't aware of the nature reserve or visitor centre. The reservoir is used for a variety of other activities including sailing, the reserve forms one end and includes a variety of habitats other than open water. If your in the area its well worth a visit to see an interesting contrast between the concrete lined reservoir, and the reed beds, and generally much more natural appearing landscape that makes up the reserve. Todays visit was curtailed by some typically English spring weather, so my exploring was limited to the area around the visitors centre and the road separating the two bodies of water which is used for viewing the main reservoir and the northern reserve.

What to see?
A surprising variety of bird life, mainly due to the different habitats that have been created. Todays list included the usual suspects for waterfowl and garden birds, the latter due to a number of feeding stations around the visitor centre. My favourite photographs of the day were of the great spotted woodpeckers feeding in the orchard, other birds of note were the shelduck on the pond, possibly a pair of pintail, and a large number of swallows feeding over the smaller lake.

Hope this helps if your looking for someplace to visit locally, will try and shove some photos up.

All the best
Jon

We went to Bough Beech nature reserve over the weekend.Rather wet sadly but a very nice place.Needed the Tom Tom to find it,hope to go back very soon.

It's a good site, Jon. It's one of my regular sites, don't get there that often as it's an hour or so away from me but it's definitely worth a visit especially in the summer.

Oooh! my sister used to live near there, so I went a few times when visiting her, so it's nice to see a thread about it.

I remember my sister finding a Green Sandpiper there, which was a first for her.

I've linked this thread to the Opus article, any chance you could cast your eye over it and update if necessary?B

A picture or two of the habitat would be great as well.

I'm looking forward to reading more about your visits.

D

I went there recently and was amazed that I saw 20 Grey Herons; on a island, by the water and even in the trees (10 of them in one tree). I have been back there three times sadly this spectacle was not repeated.

I spent a couple of hours at Bough Beech yesterday and saw 39 species. The Common Terms have arrived and I had fantastic views of Nightingale in full song.

Loads of migrants altogether: Willow Warbler, Whitethroat, Swallow, House Martin, Cuckoo (which I scared out of a tree) as well as the ubiquitous Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs.

I missed Hobby and Swift, which had been seen, and there were unconfirmed reports of Pied Flycatcher.

It will no doubt be packed over the holiday weekend but yesterday was quiet.

Pat

pstraughan said:

I spent a couple of hours at Bough Beech yesterday and saw 39 species. The Common Terms have arrived and I had fantastic views of Nightingale in full song.

Loads of migrants altogether: Willow Warbler, Whitethroat, Swallow, House Martin, Cuckoo (which I scared out of a tree) as well as the ubiquitous Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs.

I missed Hobby and Swift, which had been seen, and there were unconfirmed reports of Pied Flycatcher.

It will no doubt be packed over the holiday weekend but yesterday was quiet.

Pat

Click to expand...

What's the what level like at the moment?

Also have sand martins teken up residence in the new 'cliff' by the pond near the visitors centre. (Last time I was there the visitors centre was closed due to flooding - about 3 - 4 months previous)

Stevie babe said:

What's the what level like at the moment?

Also have sand martins teken up residence in the new 'cliff' by the pond near the visitors centre. (Last time I was there the visitors centre was closed due to flooding - about 3 - 4 months previous)

Click to expand...

The level is what I consider to be normal. Not much shoreline. At the end of last summer the smaller part of the reservoir and the area near the visitor centre were both completely dry.

No sign of sand martins. Visitor centre is now re-opened and restocked.

pstraughan said:

The level is what I consider to be normal. Not much shoreline. At the end of last summer the smaller part of the reservoir and the area near the visitor centre were both completely dry.

No sign of sand martins. Visitor centre is now re-opened and restocked.

Click to expand...

Thanks

I was there again yesterday. Sand Martin was reported on the board but I didn't see any and the cliff still seems to be unused. Nightingales still in full song and fairly easy to see. Swallows and House Martins have increased in number. There were a couple of Buzzards, a Cuckoo and a few Swifts. My tally for a couple of hours was 36.

Pat