Where To Watch Birds in Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire: (Where to Watch Birds)

The ultimate resource for birders visiting the ornithologically rich counties of Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. These countries are among Britain's finest in terms of habitat diversity, and their avifaunas are comparatively rich as a result. Much has changed in the region since the previous edition of this book – the famous Avalon marshes, for example, have become one of Britain's finest hotspots for wetland birds, for example – but this brand-new fourth edition offers a completely updated review of all the major sites, and many more lesser known ones, with new text and fully revised maps throughout. Where to Watch Birds in Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire is indispensable for any birder looking to head out into this ornithologically special corner of England.

Table of Contents:
Key to Sites Introduction Using this Book 1 Exmoor 2 Porlock, Hurlstone Point & Minehead# 3 Dunster Forest & Croydon HIll 4 Dunster Beach 5 Wimbleball Lake 6 Clatworthy Reservoir 7 Langford Heathfield 8 The Blackdown Hills 9 The Quantok Hills 10 Chard Reservoir 11 Sutton Bingham Reservoir 12 Ashford Reservoir 13 Steart Marshes & Bridgwater Bay 14 Durleigh Reservoir 15 Bridgwater Brickpits 16 The Somerset Levels a) West Sedgemoor, Curry & Aller Moors b) Wet Moor & Witcombe Bottom c) Central Levels, including Greylake, King's Sedge Moor & Great Breach Wood d) Ham Wall & the Avalon Marshes e) Westhay, Tealham and Tadham Moors 17 Berrow 18 Brean Down 19 The Axe Estuary 20 Steep Holm 21 Cheddar Reservoir 22 The Mendip HIlls 23 Torr Reservoir 24 Orchardleigh Lake & Rodden NR 25 Chew Valley Lake 26 Litton Reservoirs 27 Compton Dando Area 28 Blagdon Lake 29 Barrow Gurney Reservoirs 30 Goblin Combe 31 Backwell Lake 32 Sand Point 33 Clevedon/Yeo Estuary 34 Gordano Valley & Portbury Wharf 35 Leigh Woods & the Avon Gorge 36 City of Bristol 37 Marshfield 38 Severnside 39 Lower Woods, with Inglestone and Chipping Sodbury Commons 40 Oldbury-on-Severn 41 The West Bank of the Severn 42 The Forest of Dean & the Wye Valley a) The Forest of Dean b) Tidenham Chase c) The Wye Valley & Symonds Yat 43 Walmore Common 44 Highnam Woods 45 May Hill & Newent Woods 46 Slimbridge & the New Grounds 47 Frampton-on-Severn 48 Ashleworth Ham & Coombe Hill Canal 49 The Severn & Avon Valleys 50 The Central Cotsworld Scarp 51 Pittville Park 52 Cleeve Hill & Common 53 Guilting Wood 54 Bourton Pits 55 Chedworth & Withington Woods 56 Cirencester Park, Overly, Oakley & Hailey Woods 57 The Cotswold Scarp South 58 The Cotswold Water Park 59 Blakehill Farm 60 Woodlands west of Swindon 61 Coate Water 62 Other sights in and around Swindon 63 Marlborough & Fyfield Downs 64 The Kennet Valley east of Marlborough 65 Savernake Forest 66 Wilton Water & Jone's Mill 67 Collingbourne & Coldridge Woods 68 West Woods 69 Bowood & Spye Parks 70 Corsham Lake 71 The By Brook 72 Woodlands near Trowbridge & Westbury 73 Westbury Ponds 74 Smallbrook Meadows 75 Shearwater Lake & Woods & Southleigh Wood 76 Woodlands of the Somerset/Wiltshire border 77 Salisbury Plain Army Ranges 78 Langford Lakes 79 Grovely and Great Ridge Woods 80 Fonthill Lake 81 The Avon south of Salisbury 82 Bentley Wood & Blackmoor Copse 83 Woodlands fringing the New Forest List of Organisations, with Abbreviations Used in the Text Key to Map Symbols Code of Conduct for Birdwatchers Acknowledgements

About the Author :
Ken Hall has lived near Bristol from shortly after graduating from its university. He has thoroughly explored the surrounding areas over many years, and has taken part in many nationally- and locally-organised surveys of the birds of the region. These include the BTO's Breeding Bird Atlases, their local offshoots for Somerset and for Avon, and surveys of some of the Somerset Wildlife Trust's reserves on the Mendip Hills. A member of the Bristol Ornithological Club since its foundation, he has served on its Committee for long periods, including having held the post of Chairman, and is also one of the team that compiles the Avon Bird Report. In addition to these more local birding activities, he has travelled widely in the Americas, Africa and Europe, with a particular interest in the birds of Spain and France, and has led privately-organised trips to both countries on several occasions. He is the representative in the UK, on a voluntary basis, for the LPO (Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux), the RSPB's equivalent in France.

Review :
All three counties' best birding spots get excellent coverage, with detailed descriptions of each site... There's lots of practical information as well as birding content. There are clear but very useful maps, too, making it an invaluable resource for anyone birdwatching in these counties. Ken Hall's long experience and wealth of knowledge make him the ideal guide.