• Sightings in bold are marked as such to note either rarity, a high number counted, or an unusual date
• 2025 finished on 130, 2026 has started well, a complete Excel spreadsheet list of the 85 species seen so far in 2026 is here.
• Bird Sightings, including your pictures, can be reported to this page using the LWT WhatsApp group, LWT Facebook page or via berksbirds.co.uk
• Click on photos for a larger version.
• FOR OLDER SIGHTINGS GO TO THE ARCHIVE HERE

January 18th

Lavell’s Lake – Tawny Owl calling near green bridge
Sandford Lake – Two pairs of Goosander 08:00 (FJC)

January 17th
Lea Farm Lake – Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, 8 Snipe on the far shore (Steve Clarke); Cetti’s Warbler showing under the feeders (Brian Bennett)
Lavell’s Lake – 3 Pochard (Ian Young); Barn Owl just poked his head out of the box and then went back in (Steve Clarke)
Lavell’s Car Park Field – Coal Tit heard to the east, 20+ Fieldfare headed in from the east but turned back (FJC)
Landfill View Point – 500+ Lapwing in two flocks one of 200+ over Lavell’s/LFL and a flock further north of about 300+, 60+ Fieldfare heading over Lavell’s (FJC)
Aviation Museum Car Park – Goldcrest, Coal Tit, Treecreeper, Green Woodpecker, Mistle Thrush singing near the Mill, 7 Redpoll in tall Birch in middle of paddock (FJC)

January 16th
Lea Farm Lake – 3 Snipe settled on far bank opposite Ron’s hide (Peter Driver)
Lavell’s Lake – 2 Barn Owl one at the box entrance with the first one flying out a few minutes earlier, Water Rail calling and showing from Bittern hide (Brian Bennett); Chiffchaff near Bittern hide (Alan Rymer)

Chiffchaff at Lavell’s Lake – Alan Rymer

January 15th
Lea Farm Lake – 4 Snipe mobile around the lake (Peter Scudamore)
Lavell’s Lake – 4 female Reed Bunting at the back of Bittern hide, 10+ Redwing by the wooden bridge from Lavell’s car park (Philip Giles)

January 13th
Sandford Lake – 2 Goosander male and female beside the islands (Tim James)

January 12th
Lea Farm Lake – 200+ Black-headed Gull, 120+ Lapwing, Teal, Widgeon (Simon Huggins); Sparrowhawk made two unsuccessful passes on the feeders at Ron’s hide (Keith Seymour)
Lavell’s Lake – Bittern from Bittern hide seen towards the right hand part of the reed bed, Buzzard on the bottom right in a tree from Bittern hide (Gethin Craig); Barn Owl looking out of the box (FJC)
Sandford Lake – 2 Goosander male and female (Dave Rimes); 6+ Siskin near large concrete sluice on way to Sandford Mill (Pete Lunn)

January 11th
Lea Farm Lake – Pair Mandarin Duck flew downstream on the Loddon calling near Ron’s hide, 150+ Lapwing flew in from landfill (FJC)
Lavell’s Lake – Cetti’s Warbler, Water Rail from Teal hide (Marek Walford)
Sandford Lake – Siskin now at large concrete sluice on way to Sandford Mill (Peter Scudaamore)
Black Swan Lake – 3 Goldeneye male and two females, 70+ Shoveler, 400+ Widgeon spread across the west side of lake highest count in many years, 450+ Gadwall spread across the west side of lake highest count in many years (FJC); Kingfisher showing well along north shore from the Activity Centre seen from path (Peter Scudaamore)
White Swan Lake – 20+ Siskin just west of reed bed in Alder’s (FJC)

January 10th
Lavell’s Lake – Snipe on the top of left and largest reed pile (Pete Lunn); Water Rail near the feeder’s by Bittern Hide, 2 Nuthatch on the feeder’s (Sally Bryson-Bond); 2 Barn Owl at the box (FJC); 2 Water Rail under the feeder’s, Bittern hunched up at the back left reed bed by the Wood from Teal hide (Paul Bright-Thomas)
Landfill View Point – 2 Raven in from the north west heading south east over Sandford Lake, 4 Fieldfare on a landfill hedgerow, 80 Redwing over landfill but staying local, 70+ Lapwing in from the east towards Lea Farm Lake (FJC)
Sandford Lake – Coal Tit singing and showing just east of Park Cottage viewed from park boundary (Brian Bennett); 3 Goosander male and 2 females (Paul Bright-Thomas); Coal Tit singing and showing from garden of Sandford Mill Cottage (Dave Rimes)
Black Swan Lake – Goldeneye female, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1500+ Black-heading Gull, 40 Commonn Gull all on the east side visible from the Activity Centre, 2 Herring Gull (FJC); Firecrest in ivy covered trees on the road side of car park at the Activity Centre (Jack Jones); Goldeneye male on the west side (Philip Giles); 3 Goldeneye west of gap between the islands (Paul Bright-Thomas)

January 9th
Lea Farm Lake – 4 Meadow Pipit briefly on fence behind rough grass left side of the far bank, Stonechat on the rough grass below fence (Jack Jones); Peregrine over the south west putting up everything (FJC)
Black Swan Lake – Kingfisher flew past towards the north end (Philip Giles)

January 8th
Lea Farm Lake – Shelduck swimming in front of north bank near the new hide, 2 Goosander both female on the east bank (Tim James); Reed Bunting under feeder’s, 6 Snipe near new hide (Alan Jackman); Great White Egret in the north west corner (Brian Bennett)
Lavell’s Car Park Field – Redwing, Fieldfare both on a Hawthorn (Alan Jackman)
Black Swan Lake – Goldeneye male present in ice free patch between islands (Dave Rimes); 2 Goldeneye male and female (Alan Jackman)

Shelduck at Lea Farm Lake – Alan Jackman

Pair of Goldeneye at Black Swan Lake – Alan Jackman

January 7th
Lea Farm Lake – Great White Egret, Barnacle Goose, Goldcrest along the Loddon path (Brian Crathorne)
Lavell’s Lake – 2 Chiffchaff near Teal hide, Sparrowhawk male sitting on cut reeds on far side of scrape from Bittern hide (Brian Crathorne)
Sandford Lake – 3 Snipe just above the water level on south west end of the most easterly island seen from the hide (Michael Hubbard)
Black Swan Lake – 10+ Siskin in Alder on path north of Goat Island, Goldeneye male on the west side of Goat island (Philip Giles); 2 Goldeneye male and female diving together west side of the island (Michael Hubbard)
White Swan Lake – 3+ Siskin in Alder’s, Sparrowhawk appeared hunting at treetop level (Michael Hubbard)
Middle Marsh – Water Rail called twice (Michael Hubbard)

January 6th
Lea Farm Lake – 2 Goosander male and female (Jack Jones)
Lavell’s Lake – Woodcock along the Loddon path at the back of Teal hide flushed it from beside the path to Ron’s hide, Woodcock flew low over path to Bittern hide going east (Brian Bennett); Tawny Owl called from opposite the Green bridge (FJC)
Black Swan Lake – 2 Goldeneye male and a females on the west side of the island (Jack Jones)

January 5th
Lea Farm Lake – Goldeneye female in open water, Sparrowhawk on a fence post to the left of Ron’s hide, Snipe foraging in the grass between Ron’s hide and Renton’s screen (Colin Holmes); Great White Egret flew from Lodge Wood low over Landfill and went down on Lavell’s Lake (Trevor Guyatt); Snipe just beyond the feeder’s, 2 Great White Egret one to the right on the frozen water and one perched high in a tree near the Green bridge (Keith Seymour); 70+ Redwing, 8 Fieldfare heading towards Lavell’s Lake (FJC)
Lavell’s Lake – Woodcock a brief view by the fence at the start of the path to Teal hide (Brian Crathorne)
Sandford Lake – 2 Ravens flew over Sandford Mill calling (Trevor Guyatt)
Black Swan Lake – 3 Goldeneye male and 2 females in open water on the back side of island viewed from path by Swift tower (Philip Giles); Kingfisher along the Emm Brook near the Activity Centre (Brian Crathorne)

January 4th
Lea Farm Lake – Little Grebe, 60 Mallard, 89+ Tufted Duck, 3 Pochard, 118 Teal, 2 Goosander on the old shingle island (FJC); 3 Snipe to the right of Renton’s screen, Reed Bunting (Daniel Ellerby); Mandarin male in front of the Sand Martin bank (Adrian Bull)
Lavell’s Lake – Sparrowhawk from Teal hide (Daniel Ellerby); 3 Chiffchaff feeding on the ground between the stacked logs and Holly in Jack’s garden, Grey Wagtail landed briefly, 4+ Siskin in and around the Alder’s above where the Chiffchaff are in Jack’s garden (FJC); Water Rail under the feeder’s at Bittern hide (Adrian Bull); Woodcock called twice from Teal Hide but I didn’t see it!, Cetti’s Warbler, Water Rail heard (Marek Walford)
Landfill View Point – Grey Wagtail over towards Lavell’s Lake (FJC)
Sandford Lake – Siskin 100m south of Sandford Lane Bridge (Brian Bennett)
Black Swan Lake – 2 Kingfisher seen from the Activity Centre beach (Steve Clarke); 4 Goldeneye male and 3 females in gap in ice on the other side of island from the Activity Centre (Jack Jones)
White Swan Lake – Little Egret over heading towards Black Swan (Jack Jones); Great White Egret flying towards Sandford Lake (FJC)

January 3rd
Lea Farm Lake – 2 Snipe near Renton’s screen (Pete Lunn); 3 Snipe close to Renton’s screen (Don Broadbridge)
Lavell’s Lake – Snipe by pile of cut reeds, Little Grebe (Philip Giles); Sparrowhawk attempting a dive for a Snipe (Pete Lunn)
Lavell’s Car Park Field – Linnet (Jack Jones)
Black Swan Lake – Redwing in the Activity Center car park, Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail on the jetty (Philip Giles)

January 2nd
Lea Farm Lake – Cetti’s Warbler in the reeds in front of Ron’s hide, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Greenfinch both in trees around feeder’s (Pete Lunn); 4 Chiffchaff opposite Ron’s gate but mobile (FJC); 3 Snipe on the island close to hide (Paul Bright-Thomas)
Lavell’s Lake – 10+ Siskin in Alder’s opposite the Green bridge, 4 Chiffchaff opposite side of Loddon left of where ditch exits adjacent to Teal hide (FJC); Sparrowhawk female (Jack Jones); Water Rail calling from Bittern Hide reed bed (Paul Bright-Thomas)
Lavell’s Car Park Field – Fieldfare, Greenfinch both in the Hawthorn Bushes (Alan Jackman)
Landfill View Point – 3 Snipe out on landfill just visible (Paul Bright-Thomas)
Sandford Lake – Goosander female just flown in (Dave Rimes); Firecrest in holly at the east end of Sandford Lane (Tim James); Water Rail under Willow’s, 2 Goosander male and female (Jack Jones); 29 Pochard (Paul Bright-Thomas)
White Swan Lake – Grey Wagtail on bank (Jack Jones)

January 1st
Lea Farm Lake – 2 Goosander male and female on river between Ron’s hide and the Green bridge (Tim James); Kingfisher along the Loddon by Ron’s hide, 2 Nuthatch between Green bridge and Ron’s hide, Siskin outside Ron’s hide, Chaffinch male (Don Broadbridge)
Lavell’s Lake – Water Rail, 2 Snipe, Barnacle Goose on the Landfill (Marek Walford); 3 Snipe landed by the left pile of cut reeds (Philip Giles)
Landfill View Point – 15+ Fieldfare flew to Lavell’s, Mistle Thrush landed on Oak behind scrape, 2 Rook heading east (FJC)
Sandford Lake – Goosander female on the island nearest the hide (Jane Campbell); Firecrest along Sandford Lane in holly 20m west of lay by parked cars at the east end (Paul Bright-Thomas)

December 31st
Lea Farm Lake – Water Rail on opposite bank near out flow oposite the Green bridge and Ron’s, Chiffchaff on this side (Peter Scudamore); Reed Bunting by the feeder at Ron’s hide (Treflyn Lloyd-Roberts)
Lavell’s Lake – Goosander male in front of Bittern hide (Philip Giles); Sparrowhawk on far right pile of cut reed, Goosander now in the bay to left of Bittern hide (Alan Rymer); 120 Teal, 24 Shoveler, 19 Gadwall, 8 Wigeon, 16 Tufted Duck, Little Grebe, 5000+ Starling in murmuration this evening, Sparrowhawk female sat in the tall Poplar the whole time and didn’t move once (Michael Hubbard)
Lavell’s Car Park Field – Woodcock flew east to west just above fence level then went high around trees continuing west along path towards Bittern Hide (Michael Hubbard)
Sandford Lake – Kingfisher in flight, 2 Goosander male and female in circling the lake (Jack Jones)
Black Swan Lake – Grey Wagtail on the DAC beach, Kingfisher flying low over the water near Nora’s bench (Paul Miller)

December 30th
Lea Farm Lake – Goosander female flew over north to roost on Twyford GPs, Stonechat on fence line; 3 Snipe, Cetti’s Warbler heard (Dave Rimes); Tawny Owl heard at the Green bridge coming from the hollow Alder on opposite bank (Keith Boseley)
Lavell’s Lake – 3 Sparrowhawks attracted by the Starling murmuration from Teal hide, Kingfisher, 4 Little Egrets over to roost (Dave Rimes)
Sandford Lake – Goosander female asleep on an island (Jack Jones)
Black Swan Lake – Green Woodpecker in the car park (Gladys Perrier)

December 29th
Heron’s Water – 5+ Siskin in Alder on west side of lake (FJC)
Black Swan Lake – 182+ Wigeon (FJC)
White Swan Lake – 15+ Redwing in trees west of the reed bed at north end of the lake, Kingfisher flew by, 75+ Wigeon, 20+ Gadwall (FJC)

December 28th
Lea Farm Lake – Lesser Black-backed Gull, 60+ Lapwing on the central island, 55+ Teal in the south west corner (Steve Clarke); 2 Stonechat on fence line near silver gate, 80+ Lapwing, 54+ Teal, 44 Tufted Duck, 2 Common Gull, Mistle Thrush singing from Lodge Wood, 400+ Canada Geese, 34+ Greylag Geese, Barnacle Goose have landed on the lake (Michael Hubbard)
Lavell’s Lake – Little Grebe in front of Bittern hide to left, Siskin, Goldfinch, Goldcrest, Redwing along the Loddon by the little bridge near Teal hide (Peter Scudamore)
Landfill View Point – 5 Fieldfare in Hawthorn by the Old Oak (FJC)
Sandford Lake – Great White Egret just did a lap and landed in the reeds Sandford lane side (Pete Lunn)
Black Swan Lake – Kingfisher on the west side, 190+ Wigeon, 120+ Gadwall both split between the west and east sides, 1000+ Black-headed Gulls, 10+ Common Gull (FJC)

December 27th
Lea Farm Lake – Great Spotted Woodpecker in trees near Renton’s screen, 2 Snipe on the central island (Pete Lunn)

December 26th
Lea Farm Lake – Siskin landed briefly in Alder, 2 Chiffchaff one near the Loddon opposite the gate to Ron’s hide another near Green bridge with small tit flock, 4 Common Gull, 60 Teal, 80 Lapwing on the large shingle island but flighty, 3000+ Woodpigeon moving as one elongated group, Cetti’s Warbler calling (FJC)
Lavell’s Lake – Tawny Owl calling near Teal hide (FJC)

December 25th
Lea Farm Lake – Great White Egret between Ron’s hide and Renton’s screen, 2 Common Snipe in front of the new hide build (Philip Giles)
Lavell’s Lake – Common Snipe on the Bund left of the centre reed pile (Philip Giles)

December 24th
Lea Farm Lake – Barnacle Goose on the Landfill (Paul Bright-Thomas)

December 22nd
Lavell’s Lake – Sparrowhawk on a pile of cut reeds at the far end of the scrape (Tim James)
Black Swan Lake – 2 Mistle Thrush, 10 Redwing all on the Old Golf Course (Tim James); Collared Dove on the Old Golf Course (Philip Giles)

December 21st
Lea Farm Lake – Great White Egret mobile around lake, 2 Stonechat around east fence and the long grass, 50+ Teal, 50+ Wigeon, 20+ Shoveler (FJC)
Lavell’s Lake – Kestrel on the tree at the end of the path to Bitten hide (Pete Lunn)

December 20th
Lavell’s Lake – Barnacle Goose from Bittern hide (Philip Giles)

December 19th
Lea Farm Lake – Barnacle Goose in the south west corner (Pete Lunn); Reed Bunting female (Ken Green)
Lavell’s Lake – Water Rail in the cut right side of the Bittern hide (Pete Lunn)
Lavell’s Car Park Field – Kestrel with breakfast see photo (Alan Jackman)

Kestrel with breakfast in the Car Park Field – Alan Jackman

December 16th
Sandford Lake – 6 Snipe on the island in front of Lin’s bench (Alan Jackman)

December 15th
Lea Farm Lake – 2 Stonechat on fence line, Barnacle Goose on the Landfill (Philip Giles)
Lavell’s Lake – 2 Little Egret from Teal hide (Steve Brooker)

December 14th
Lea Farm Lake – 2 Goosander on the Loddon opposite Lea Farm, Kingfisher (Ella Wheeler); Barnacle Goose on the Landfill (Paul Miller)
Lavell’s Lake – Barnacle Goose from Teal hide (Pete Jeffery);2 Goosanderflying south over Loddon gaining height near Teal hide (FJC)

December 13th
Lea Farm Lake – Great White Egret by the reeds in front of new hide (Pete Lunn); Reed Bunting female under the feeder’s, Snipe, Green Sandpiper near Renton’s screen, Goldfinch on the feeder’s (Adrian Bull)
Lavell’s Lake – Little Grebe by reeds by large Poplar (Philip Giles); Barnacle Goose from Bittern hide (Pete Jeffery); Cetti’s Warbler, Barnacle Goose from Teal hide, Sparrowhawk just picked off a Starling (Steve Clarke)

December 11th
Lea Farm Lake – Great White Egret landed on the north east island, 50+ Teal around the lake, Nuthatch on the feeder’s (Bob Bennett); Green Sandpiper on waters edge directly below 5 bar gate at Ron’s hide, 2 Stonechat on the fence line, Chaffinch calling by feeder’s, Sparrowhawk by feeder’s (Nick Kightley)
Lavell’s Lake – Treecreeper close to gate near Teal hide (Pete Jeffery); 3 Snipe from Bittern hide, Great White Egret over heading towards Lea Farm Lake (Nick Kightley)
Lavell’s Car Park Field – Kestrel male, 5 Greenfinch, 3 Song Thrush singing in the area (Nick Kightley)
Sandford Lake – 4 Snipe on the islands (Nick Kightley)

Blue Tit at Lea Farm Lake – Ken Green

December 10th
Lea Farm Lake – Great White Egret fishing around the southern islands (Pete Lunn); 3 Fieldfare towards Lodge Wood, Redwing in trees along path by Loddon before Bailey bridge (Peter Scudamore)
Lavell’s Lake – Water Rail mooching in right-most newly cut path in reeds at Bittern hide (Rupert Woodman); 3 Snipe one in cut reed channel at the back with two further along main reed bed together, 2000+ Starling in murmuration over main island before dropping into reeds at Teal hide seen from Bittern hide, Sparrowhawk female flew in that direction (Michael Hubbard)

December 9th
Lea Farm Lake – 2 Stonechat on the fence line from Ron’s hide (Nick Kightley)
Lavell’s Lake – Barnacle Goose from Teal hide, 2 Siskin, Chiffchaff both along the Loddon, Water Rail, 2 Snipe in cut through to the right of Bittern hide, Redwing flocks over (Nick Kightley)

December 8th
Lea Farm Lake – Great White Egret on the north island, Herring Gull on central island (Pete Lunn)
Lavell’s Lake – 25 Teal, 6 Snipe on far end of the Bund, 6 Gadwall, Great Crested Grebe, Barnacle Goose with 2 Greylag Geese, Sparrowhawk male flew past Bittern hide to feeder’s (Simon Huggins); Kestrel in the trees just in front of Bitten hide (Pete Lunn); Water Rail in right hand cutting through reeds on the scrape (Peter Scudamore)

December 7th
Lea Farm Lake – 2 Stonechat on the fence, 60+ Teal, Raven flying left beyond far trees, Snipe flew to north west corner, Little Egret over south, Common Gull adult landed with 90+ Black-headed Gulls on old shingle island, Cetti’s Warbler calling near Ron’s hide (FJC); Great White Egret, Little Egret, 2 Snipe (Brian Crathorne)
Lavell’s Lake – 2 Chiffchaff, Water Rail seen from Bittern hide (Brian Crathorne); Barnacle Goose presumed feral from Teal hide (FJC)
Sandford Lake – 45 Tufted Duck, 27 Pochard, 3+ Redwing flying about, 3+ Song Thrush singing (FJC)
Black Swan Lake – 100+ Gadwall, 85+ Wigeon (FJC)

December 6th
Lea Farm Lake – Reed Bunting in the reeds to the left of Ron’s hide and around the feeders’s (Pete Lunn); Green Sandpiper in between Ron’s hide and Renton’s screen (Steve Clarke); Sparrowhawk successfully taken a Tit at the bird feeder’s (Pete Jeffery)
Lavell’s Lake – Water Rail from Teal hide, Sparrowhawk sat on a post on the Bund, Tawny Owl heard from the back of the Bund, 2000+ Starling, 2 Sparrowhawk came down after the Starling and for 15 minutes they were hanging around, Meadow Pipit on the wires, Great White Egret in the south corner, Buzzard on the Kestrel box (Steve Clarke); Kestrel female on wires between the car park and Bittern hide (Tim James)

December 5th
Lea Farm Lake – Great White Egret flew north island, Nuthatch around the feeder’s (Pete Lunn)
Lavell’s Lake – 3 Snipe by centre pile of reeds, Grey Wagtail on the iced scrape, Water Rail in cut reed channel right of the hide (Philip Giles)
Sandford Lake – Great White Egret by the reeds to the left of the hide (Pete Lunn)
Black Swan Lake – Treecreeper by gate onto old Golf Course (Philip Giles)

December 3rd
Lea Farm Lake – 2 Goosander male and female in front of Ron’s hide, Chiffchaff, Redwing, 2 Chaffinch male and female near the feeder’s at Ron’s hide (Keith Seymour)

December 2nd
Lavell’s Lake – 5 Siskin on the path along the Loddon near Teal Hide, 2 Redwing also on the path along the Loddon near Teal Hide (Brian Crathorne); Water Rail by the reed piles seen from Bittern hide, Sparrowhawk flew in spooked everything then flew to a tree on the island, Lapwing, 2 Snipe (Tim James)

December 1st
Lavell’s Lake – 4 Snipe on Bund between left and centre piles of cut reeds (Philip Giles)
Sandford Lake – 8 Snipe on large island by Lin’s bench viewed from the hide (Philip Giles)

FOR OLDER SIGHTINGS GO TO THE ARCHIVE HERE