Report highlights the importance of the Lower Windrush Valley for wintering wildfowl

A recent Lower Windrush Valley Project report looks at data collected by volunteers as part of the BTO Wetland Bird Survey for the five years up to 2015/16. The report finds that numbers of wintering Gadwall and Shoveler exceed the agreed 1% threshold for national importance and Coot are approaching the 1% threshold. 

Full report can be viewed here: https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/cms/sites/default/files/folders/documents/environmentandplanning/countryside/protectedspecies/WeBSCounts.pdf

Gadwall at Standlake Common (Pit 60)

There are around 60 gravel pit lakes in the Lower Windrush Valley and of these only 24 are currently counted as part of the WeBS survey. We need more volunteers to take part in the survey to get a full picture of how wetland birds are using the lakes.

If you would like to take part in the Wetland Bird Survey in the Lower Windrush area, contact the Lower Windrush Valley Project on lwvp@oxfordshire.gov.uk.

If you are interested in training, BTO are running a course at Farmoor Reservoir in January: https://www.bto.org/news-events/events/2019-01/winter-bird-id-and-webs-2-day-non-residential-%E2%80%93-farmoor-reservoir-nr

Shoveler at Standlake Common (Pit 60)

To purchase a key for the bird hides visit the Lower Windrush Valley Project website: www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/lowerwindrushvalleyproject