BIRDWATCHERS and those interested in observing other wildlife are invited to purchase a permit to ender reservoir enclosures, not normally open to the public, and to use access roads, paths and bird hides as described below.

PERMITS
Permits to enter the reservoir enclosure and to use the access road, path and bird hides are only available to members of recognised ornithological and naturalist societies.

Permits may be obtained from our Recreations Department at Woodford Lodge which is open from Monday to Friday in winter (15th October until 1st April) and on all seven days in summer. Blagdon Lodge will also issue permits in summer. You may also obtain a permit by post from Woodford Lodge (Woodford Lodge, Chew Stoke, Bristol BS40 8XH). Cheques should be made out to Bristol Water plc. Permits run from the first of January (for yearly) or from the first of July (for half yearly). We also sell day permits for visitors to the area. Permits should be carried when you visit the reservoirs.

BIRD HIDES
There are six bird hides at Chew Valley Lake and a bird blind (open to all) on the Bittern Nature Trail. The hides at Wick Green, Nunnery Point and Moreton Bank are available in the winter, but the Stratford hide offers the best all-year viewing. At Blagdon Lake there are hides at Home Bay Point and at Top End. Locations, access routes and car parks are shown on the maps.

DISTURBANCE
Permit holders should not walk down to the water margins and at all times take care not to disturb birds, thus interfering with observations of other birdwatchers, or damage any wildflowers.

BLAGDON
At Blagdon Lake, during the summer, permit holders are welcome to walk on tracks along both sides of the lake, through it should be noted that the North Shore track is a dead end and does not link up with the Butcombe Bay footpath.
In winter the south shore track remains open but the north shore track (Nempnett Thrubwell side) is strictly out of bounds since walkers on both sides of the narrow lake would cause significant disturbance to wintering wildfowl.

PARKING
Permit holders may park at the areas indicated on the maps. In winter, access gates at Blagdon are locked but cars can be parked on the roadside. Please note that you park on company property at your own risk and we advise you not to leave any valuables in your vehicle.

DOGS
Dogs are not permitted in the reservoir enclosures.

NATURE RESERVE
Permit holders are not granted access to the nature reserve at the Southern end of Chew Valley Lake. Bird ringers are permitted to enter parts of the reserve north of Herriots Bridge but this does not extend to bird watchers.

WARDENS
Full-time company rangers patrol the lakes and will ask to see your permit. In addition volunteers act as honorary wardens and will war a white armband marked "BWW Warden". They too will ask to see your permit and will also give advice on best viewing places and interesting bird arrivals. Please cooperate with rangers and wardens and report any unauthorised behaviour or any maintenance needed at hides. You can also report to Woodford Lodge, or out of hours to our operations room on 0117 9665881

GENERAL
Lavatories are located at the picnic areas at Chew and at no. 1 picnic area there is an indoor tea shop serving refreshments and snacks. At Blagdon you may use lavatories at the Lodge. Please take all litter home with you.

INFORMATION
There is an information Centre attached to the tea shop and our bird wardens will record interesting bird sightings on an information board. There are also diaries in Stratford hide (Chew) and Top End hide (Blagdon) where experts record good sightings.

GUIDED TOURS
Notices in the Information Centre will give dates and times of guided bird watching tours of the Chew nature trails.

BIRDS AT CHEW AND BLAGDON
Over 260 species of birds have been recorded at Chew, and the lake is the third most important site in Britain for wintering wildfowl. It is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Protection Area (SPA). From late July to February up to 4000 duck, of twelve different species, may be present, including internationally important numbers of shoveler and gadwall. Some 400 great-crested grebes gather on the lake in autumn.

Numerous other birds can be seen, especially during the spring and autumn migrations. Sandmartins arrive early at Chew and can usually be seen hawking over the water for insects in the second or third week of March. Mixed flocks of tits and warblers forage in the willows, and swallows, terns and little gulls swoop or flutter over the water. A multitude of waders, such as lapwing, dunlin and snipe, are attracted to the muddy shores as the water level drops in autumn. Top End at Blagdon can attract both bar-tailed and black-tailed godwits as well as a section of sandpipers. By midwinter up to 40,000 gulls mostly black-headed and common, may be roosting on Chew Lake. Good numbers of reed and sedge warblers nest in the fringing reeds, along with grebes and coots., Much of the management work carried out in the nature reserve is aimed at encouraging duck to breed and small numbers of tufted, pochard, shelduck, gadwall and shoveler raise broods most years. Recent breeding successes also include bearded tit, water rail and cetti's warbler. A new wedland reserve has been created at Herons Green on the opposite side of the causeway to the lake. A large shallow pool, fringed with sedges, rushes and reedgrasses and surrounded by lightly grazed rough grassland should prove attractive to snipe, lapwing and redshank.

WEB LINKS

Chew Lake bird sightings

Blagdon Lake Birds