- Sightings in bold are marked as such to note either rarity, a high number counted, or an unusual date
- A complete Excel spreadsheet list of the 89 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
February 28th
Lea Farm Lake – 35 Wigeon, 3 Oystercatcher, 3 Pochard, 2 Goosander over dropping towards Lodge Wood Lake, 2 Mandarin Duck male and female along the Loddon came from north low calling then back, Chiffchaff singing both 40m before Renton’s gate, 25+ Siskin around Alder’s beyond river junction, 11+ Chiffchaff probable more along the Loddon with 5+ near Ron’s hide 2+ further down 2 more upstream, 7+ Redpoll in fallen trees opposite Ron’s gate (FJC)
Sandford Lake – Chiffchaff (FJC)
February 27th
Lea Farm Lake – 2 Oystercatcher on the shingle island in front of Ron’s hide (Philip Giles)
Lavell’s Lake – 2 Barnacle Geese just flown in from Lea Farm direction, Snipe on bund both from Bittern hide (Philip Giles)
Sandford Lake – 2 Goosander on the central island (Alan Jackman)
Goldfinch at Lea Farm Lake – Gethin Craig
February 25th
Lea Farm Lake – Reed Bunting male under the feeder’s at Ron’s hide (Peter Scudamore)
Lavell’s Lake – 2 Goosander male and female on the opposite bank of the Loddon from Teal hide, Barnacle Goose flew in with some Greylag’s (Don Broadbridge)
Sandford Lake – 2 Goosander male and female, 2 Oystercatcher just flown in (Philip Giles)
February 24th
Sandford Lake – 2 Goosander male and female from Lyn Singer’s bench (Philip Giles)
Black Swan Lake – 2 Siskin, Goldcrest both by the small path joining Black Swan and White Swan (Paul Miller); 2 Oystercatcher on the Tern raft opposite the Activity Centre (Philip Giles)
February 23rd
Lea Farm Lake – 10+ Siskin outside of Ron’s hide, 2 Stonchat on opposite fence line, 5 Chiffchaff catching flies near Ron’s hide (Stephen Clarke); 2 Oystercatcher flew in on to Landfill bank (Don Broadbridge); 2 Ring-necked Parakeet on the feeder’s at Ron’s Hide (Chris Conry); 2 Redpoll on the way up to Ron’s hide, Goldcrest (Gethin Craig)
Lavell’s Lake – Great Spotted Woodpecker in tree on the gravel path entering Teal Hide, Green Woodpecker in a tree at Teal Hide to the right of the Sand Martin wall (Chris Conry); Barnacle Goose in front of Teal hide (Alan Jackman); Water Rail, Cetti’s Warbler calling from northern reed bed, 2 Wigeon both males, Treecreeper climbing tree (Michael Hubbard)
Sandford Lake – 5 Oystercatcher very active around the lake (Stephen Clarke); Grey Wagtail near bridge (Michael Hubbard); 2 Goosander male and female still present on the big island (Gethin Craig)
Redpoll at Lea Farm Lake – Gethin Craig
February 22nd
Lea Farm Lake – Mediterranean Gull mixing with a large Gull flock (Simon Huggins); 2 Stonechat on fence line (Philip Giles); Barnacle Goose just landed on the landfill with the Canada’s (Marek Walford); 2 Goosander male and female flew in (Peter Scudamore)
Lavell’s Lake – Grey Wagtail on bridge between the Car Park and Bittern hide (Philip Giles); Little Egret sitting bottom left corner in the trees from Bittern hide, Wigeon, Little Egret both from Teal hide (Jon Jackson)
Lavell’s Car Park Field – Greenfinch in the central copse (Nick Kightley)
Sandford Lake – 2 Goosander male and female (Alan Rymer); 2 Oystercatcher on small island from Lin Singer bench (Philip Giles)
February 21st
Lea Farm Lake – Mediterranean Gull adult on left hand end of the shingle island, 13+ Meadow Pipit on far landfill moving to the fence, 2 Stonechat male and female, 3 Skylark (FJC)
Lavell’s Lake – Goosander on the Loddon near Teal hide (Pete Lunn); Snipe from Bittern hide at the far end of bund (Philip Giles); 2 Snipe (Paul Bright-Thomas)
Sandford Lake – 235 Tufted Duck, Pochard, Goosander female, 2 Oystercatcher (FJC); 2 Goosander male and female on Loddon by the fisherman’s car park (Alan Jackman); 4 Goosander (Paul Bright-Thomas)
Black Swan Lake – 2 Oystercatcher on the raft opposite the Activity Centre (Alan Jackman)
Mediterranean Gull at Lea Farm Lake – Dave Rimes
February 20th
Lea Farm Lake – Stonechat male on fence line, Siskin around the feeder’s at Ron’s, Chiffchaff near the feeder’s (Gethin Craig); Kestrel opposite Ron’s hide (Don Broadbridge); 3 Redpoll, 16+ Siskin near Ron’s hide (Suren Akkaraju); Peregrine over left to right quite high (Philip Giles); Redwing along Loddon (Alan Jackman)
Lavell’s Lake – 4 Wigeon, 5 Teal, 7 Pheasant flew into reeds behind old Sand Martin wall, 20+ Redwing, Cetti’s Warbler calling from left hand reed bed all seen from Teal hide (Michael Hubbard)
Sandford Lake – 2 Oystercatcher (Alan Jackman); Kingfisher flew south upstream whistling as it went, 10 Pochard, 42 Tufted Duck, 25 Shoveler, 8 Great Crested Grebe, 2 Little Egret (Michael Hubbard)
February 19th
Lea Farm Lake – Red-legged Partridge on the path behind Ron’s flew north around the corner (Dave Rimes); 2 Stonechat on fence line, Sparrowhawk flew right to left (Philip Giles); 8 Chiffchaff at least low in trees opposite side of Loddon, 4+ Redpoll in Alder on Ron’s side often very low, 57 Lapwing, 4 Common Gull, 10+ Teal, 6 Wigeon, 50+ Siskin, Redpoll, 13+ Chiffchaff from Ron’s hide to Renton’s screen (FJC); Linnet female in hedgerow at Ron’s, Water Rail below hedgerow walking towards feeders, 3 Redpoll along Loddon towards Renton’s screen, 2 Goosander on Loddon level with Lodge wood, 2 Grey Wagtail, 20+ Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Treecreeper between Ron’s hide and Renton’s screen, 4 Greenfinch in bushes by the feeder’s (Nick Kightley)
Sandford Lake – 2 Goosander male and female (Roger Powell)
February 18th
Lea Farm Lake – Mediterranean Gull seen on east shore with many Black-headed Gulls (Andy Tomczynski)
Lavell’s Lake – Little Grebe seen from Bittern hide (Philip Giles)
Black Swan Lake – Grey Wagtail, Pied Wagtail both on the beach at the Activity Centre (Philip Giles)
February 17th
Lea Farm Lake – 4 Oystercatcher, Meadow Pipit, 2 Stonechat male and female on fence (Brian Bennett)
Lavell’s Lake – Redpoll, 10+ Siskin feeding in Alders in Jack’s garden (Brian Bennett)
Sandford Lake – 4 Goosander two males and two females on island by Lin Singer bench (Philip Giles); Bullfinch female near to Yellow gate (Tim James)
February 16th
Lea Farm Lake – Oystercatcher, 8+ Chiffchaff hawking for insects in bushes just to south of the hide (Tim James)
Lavell’s Car Park Field – 2 Green Woodpecker, Greenfinch calling (Alan Jackman)
Sandford Lake – 2 Oystercatcher just flown in then landed on a small island, 4 Little Egret from the hide (Philip Giles); Siskin in trees opposite fishermen car park on the Loddon, 2 Goosander male and female (Alan Jackman)
Old Golf Course – Mistle Thrush by the Archery area (Philip Giles)
February 15th
Lea Farm Lake – 2 Stonechat on the fence line (Stephen Clarke)
Lavell’s Lake – Snipe far end of the bund (Philip Giles)
Sandford Lake – 2 Oystercatcher on island (Philip Giles)
February 14th
Lea Farm Lake – 2 Stonechat (FJC)
Lavell’s Lake – 3+ Redpoll in Alders on the island from Teal hide (Paul Bright-Thomas)
Lavell’s Car Park Field – Bittern possible seen briefly in flight over the meadow behind Bittern hide (Tim James)
Sandford Lake – Siskin singing in Alders by the bench (Paul Bright-Thomas)
Old Golf Course – 2 Greenfinch male and female on the Old Golf Course (Paul Etherton)
Black Swan Lake – 2 Goosander flew towards Sandford lake, 2 Oystercatcher on raft (FJC)
February 13th
Sandford Lake – 2 Goosander (Stephen Clarke)
Lavell’s Lake – 2 Water Rail heard, 1 seen after (Stephen Clarke)
Old Golf Course – 20 Siskin, 10 Redwing (Stephen Clarke)
February 12th
Lea Farm Lake – Great White Egret, Oystercatcher on East shore, c10 Siskin and 2 Redpoll in Alders nearby (BTB)
February 11th
Lea Farm Lake – 1 male Stonechat, 3 Meadow Pipit, Siskin on feeders, Chiffchaff nearby (BTB)
February 10th
Loddon – 2 Goosander (pair) near Sandford Mill (Alan Jackman)
Lea Farm Lake – Great White Egret, 2 Goosander (Alan Jackman)
White Swan Lake – Small flock of Siskin along Loddon (Alan Jackman)
February 9th
Lea Farm Lake – Great White Egret, 2 Oystercatcher, 1 Stonechat, 2 Chiffchaff along Loddon (Nick Kightley), 230 Lapwings later
Lavell’s Lake – 4 Treecreeper across Loddon in Jack’s garden, pair of Bullfinch LCPF (Nick Kightley)
February 8th
Black Swan Lake – 3 Oystercatcher flying around, Grey Wagtail & Kingfisher flew by DAC beach (FJC)
Sandford Lake – 160+ Tufted Duck, 20 Shoveler, 10 Pochard
February 7th
Sandford Lake – Oystercatcher on large island (TGJ)
February 4th
Black Swan Lake – 6 Siskin North end (Phil Giles)
Lavell’s Lake – Barn Owl in box 17:06, then both came out 17:30 (Alan Jackman)
February 2nd
Sandford Lake – c50 Pintail over North high 09:50 (Nick Kightley & Tim James), 15 Siskin
Loddon – Pair Goosander (Brian Crathorne)
Lea Farm Lake – 2 Stonechat (Nick Kightley)
February 1st
Sandford Lake – c30 Repolls again in Birch and Alder along North side (Stephen Clarke & Brian Bennett), plus 10+ Siskin, pair Goosander later (Paul Bright Thomas)
Aviation Museum / Colemansmoor Road – Coal Tit singing
DAC – 3 Grey Wagtail, 3 Goldeneye, 1 male (Phil Giles), Kingfisher (Simon Huggins)
Lea Fam Lake (LFL) – 2 Stonechat (Brian Bennett)
January 31st
Sandford Lake – Pair Goosander (Stephen Clarke), 32 Redpolls along North side 09:25 (Dave Rimes)
Lea Farm Lake – 2 Meadow Pipit on fence (Stephen Clarke), 1 Skylark up briefly 08:00, 50+ Lapwing SE
January 30th
Black Swan Lake (BSL) – 2 Goldeneye – pair (TGJ)
Lavell’s Lake – 2 Snipe back of flooded scrape, Barn Owl looked out of box briefly 14:30 (Gladys Perrier)
January 28th
Black Swan Lake (BSL) – 4 Goldeneye, 2m (Colin Holmes), 5 later (Don Broadbridge)
Old Golf Course (OGC) – A mobile mixed group of Siskin & Goldfinch
Mortimer’s Meadow – 50 Siskin + 1 Redpoll in Alder copse 75m South of WSL footbridge (BTB)
DAC/BSL – Oystercatcher heard (Mike Hubbard), Mistle Thrush singing nearby
January 26th
Black Swan Lake (BSL) – 5 Goldeneye (2m) (Nick Kightley)
Middle Marsh – 20 Siskin + 2 Repoll in Alders, 2 Chaffinch (Nick Kightley)
Sandford Lake – 2 Goosander (pair) (Nick Kightley)
Loddon – At least 7 Chiffchaff between Ron’s hide and Renton’s screen (Peter Scudamore), Cetti’s Warbler showing well
January 25th
Lavell’s Lake – Grey Wagtail at bridge by lay-by (BTB)
Landfill View Point (LVP) – Skylark over landfill, 4-5 Fieldfare, Coal Tit heard to East
Aviation Museum Car Park – 3 female Chaffinch
January 24th
The Moor – Nuthatch, 2 Siskin, 2 Goldcrest, 2 Collared Dove, 1 Treecreeper, 1 Chaffinch over (FJC)
January 19th
Sandford Lake – 4 (2 pairs) of Goosander 13:45 (Nick Kightley), 10 Siskin over
Lavell’s Lake – Barn Owl at doorway of box visible from near Bittern hide
January 18th
Lavell’s Lake – Tawny Owl calling near green bridge 07:23, Barn Owl came out of box 17:01 (MFW)
Sandford Lake – 4 (2 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 Scudamore)
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 Common 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)
FOR OLDER SIGHTINGS GO TO THE ARCHIVE HERE
