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Local Sites Of Interest

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(1) Lambourn and Sheepdrove Organic Farm

You really feel you are on the rooftops of the Downs here.

Fieldfare, Redwing, Buzzard, Red Kite

(3) Churn & Compton Downs

A good area either side of the Ridgeway is Churn between the villages of Compton and Blewbury:

Short-eared Owl, Corn Bunting, Yellow Wagtail, Stonechat

(5) Freemans Marsh

West of Hungerford are just under 40 hectares of old water meadow, rough grazing and reed-beds with alder and willow carr.

Little Grebe, Cetti's and Grasshopper Warbler, wagtails, Reed Bunting, Water Rail

(7) Fence Wood

Fence Wood and its adjoining area to the north of the Marlston Road is a large block of commercial woodland, with hardwood and softwood plantations of varying ages.

Woodpeckers, Tawny Owl, Marsh Tit, Crossbill

(9) Padworth Lane Gravel Pit

Gravel extraction has finished at this pit near the A4 east of Aldermaston and it has since become overgrown.

Sandpipers, whitethroats, wagtails, Siskin, Redpoll, Shoveler, Goldeneye, Pochard

(11) Lower Farm Hide

Lower Farm is situated behind Newbury Racecourse between Thatcham Reedbeds nature reserve and BBOWT's Bowdown Woods, and north of Greenham Common.

Terns, Little Ringed Plover, sandpipers, Redshank, Greenshank, Snipe.

(13) Bowdown Woods & Baynes Reserve

Bowdown Woods is a varied nature reserve of 55 acres on the south side of the Kennet Valley.

Woodpeckers, Treecreeper, Nuthatch, Siskin, Marsh Tit, Lesser Redpoll.

(15) Crookham Common

Extending eastwards from Greenham Common, Crookham has many of the features of the former, gorse, heather and low cover for ground nesting birds.

Skylark, Meadow Pipit, warblers, Nightingale, Nightjar, Woodcock.

(17) Inkpen Common

Heathland (with bog) and woodland covering 10.4 hectares, the reserve is a remnant of the former Inkpen Great Common and is now managed by BBOWT.

Willow Warbler, Cuckoo, Woodcock.

(19) Walbury Hill & Combe Gibbet

This ridge of high ground above Inkpen and Combe is always worth a visit at any time of year.

Wheatear, Whinchat, Redstart, owls, Yellowhammer, Grey Partridge, Redwing, Fieldfare, Ring Ouzel, Spotted Flycatcher. 

(2) Cow & Bury Downs

Situated close together the Ridgeway above the village of West Ilsley.

Barn Owl, Little Owl, Yellowhammer, Skylark

(4) Holy Copse

Holy Copse is a National Trust reserve, an area of chalk downland near Streatley with areas of ancient coppiced woodland and light scrub.

Buzzard, Kestrel, Red Kite

(6) Snelsmore Common Country Park

Comprising some 250 acres (100 ha) Snelsmore Common represents one of the largest tracts of lowland heath remaining in Berkshire.

Nightjar, Woodcock, Hobby

(8) Bucklebury Common

Heathland with surrounding woodland between Upper Bucklebury and Chapel Row.

Nightjar, Woodlark, Tawny Owl, Woodcock, Garden Warbler

(10) Kennet & Avon Canal

The River Kennet and the Kennet & Avon canal pass through the centre of NDOC's recording area from west to east.

Kingfisher, owls, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Wagtails

(12) Thatcham Nature Discovery Centre and Reedbeds

Lake, reedbeds, damp woodlands and river situated off Lower Way in Thatcham.

Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warbler, Nightingale.

(14) Greenham Common

Greenham Common, once a US airbase and the storage site for the notorious cruise missiles, has now reverted back to the heathland which it once was.

Woodlark, Meadow Pipit, Nightjar, Dartford Warbler, Linnet, Stonechat, Nightingale, plovers.

(20) Watership Down and Ashley Warren

The northern escarpment of the North Downs between Ladle Hill and White Hill forms part of the Wayfarer’s Walk long distance path and give far-reaching views.

Swallows, martins, Meadow Pipit, Curlew, farmland birds.

(18) West Woodhay

This rural area nestling beneath the downs on the borders of Hampshire and Berkshire has a diverse mix of parkland, woods, permanent pasture and arable fields.

Owls, Buzzard, Kestrel, Red Kite.

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