CHEDDAR RESERVOIR
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MAP REFERENCES
O.S. Landranger 182 Weston-super-Mare & Bridgwater area
O.S. Explorer 4 Mendip Hills West
O.S. Pathfinder 1198 ST45/55 Cheddar
INTRODUCTION
Cheddar Reservoir is well known to most keen UK birders and has attracted some exceptional birds, yet is compact enough (about 3.5km in circumference) to be covered in a couple of hours or so. Many find this its major attraction, and an easy circular walk around the reservoir with the Mendips as a background should allow the viewing of most birds present. A telescope is, however, an almost essential accessory.
ACCESS
There are no longer any access restrictions, though visitors should keep to the perimeter bank. Ample free parking, shared with other recreational reservoir users, is available from Cheddar on the eastern bank and from the main Axbridge - Cheddar road to the north. If walking the whole perimeter, there is little to choose between them. The Axbridge and Cheddar 'towers' do, however, provide useful landmarks if a rarity is present and may on these occasions (especially if time is pressing) dictate the best place to park. Car parks are at approx ST438543 (Axbridge) and ST446534 (Cheddar).
SPECIES TO BE SEEN
Cheddar is nationally important for wintering wildfowl, numbers of which build up rapidly from late summer, though these are often disturbed by weekend water sports. Winter gull roosts frequently contain scarcer species, such as yellow-legged and Mediterranean gulls. If water levels fall in late summer, the reservoir attracts passing waders and on such occasions usually a rarity or two. These have included marsh, buff-breasted, white-rumped and pectoral sandpipers and American golden plover. Situated as it is, on a 'lead in' from Brean Down and the Mendips, the reservoir offers a temporary haven for 'wrecked' seabirds (petrels, skuas and phalaropes) after severe gales. Cheddar has a large list of rarities to its credit, too many to mention, but just take a look at the Somerset List for a flavour. The article by Terry Box in the autumn 2000 edition of Somerset Bird Notes gives an excellent flavour of the possibilities, as well as a lively history of this site.
TIMING
Mid-summer is the quietest time. Autumn wader passage is heavily dependent on falling water levels in late summer, so the weather is a factor. Winter visits rarely disappoint, and visiting divers and grebes, when present can sometimes be observed very closely. Birdwatching at weekends, and on summer evenings can be badly disrupted by other reservoir users, particularly yachtsmen and windsurfers. Some may find joggers and dog-walkers a nuisance, but they do not usually seriously disturb interesting birds.
AN ALTERNATIVE ROUTE (Paul Fletcher)
When visiting Cheddar Reservoir, it is often rewarding to have a look along some of the lanes and footpaths that surround the Reservoir. These are particularly well shown on the 1:25000 scale map (Explorer 141) from which the place names below are taken. Many of the fields in the area are still small and rough and there is an intricate network of a hawthorn hedges, larger oaks and rhynes which provide good habitat for the commoner birds. At various points it is also possible to nip up the bank and scan the reservoir for the gulls, wildfowl and waders that Brian has mentioned. The area to south and west, towards the line of the Isle of Wedmore, offers fair opportunities for longer walks. It is not the most exciting habitat but is well worth a look. Look for regular kestrels; meadow pipits and skylarks are often to be seen, though few of the latter seem to sing in the spring these days. I have watched peregrine, sparrowhawk and hobby hunting over this low-lying land, and have put up green sandpipers along Broadmoor Drove (ST 4351). Snipe come into the rhynes in hard weather.The car park down the lane to the sailing club (ST438543) is a good place to start a 'parallel circuit' of Cheddar Res. The old strawberry and sheep fields alongside this approach road can hold good flocks of common finches in winter. Scan the trees by the car park for tit flocks and goldcrests; it is also a fine place to watch hirundines hawking for insects later in the year. A walk through the trees brings you out across a field behind the pumping station. Great spotted and green woodpeckers are often present in this area, as are mistle thrushes.Another stile brings you on to Portmead Drove, which follows the west side of the reservoir. It is along here that I have most recently seen little owls. You may surprise a kingfisher along any of the rhynes in the area, especially on Ellenge Stream and Cheddar Yeo further to the west. Over-wintering warblers can be found along the lane, especially towards the Axbridge end. Look out for reed buntings in this area, too, and let me know if you find a yellowhammer! There is usually plenty to delight here, be it scavenging flocks of long-tailed tits in winter, or chortling song thrushes in spring. The slightly higher field to the west - fringed with phragmites - is the site of the old council tip. Lower land near here flooded this autumn and attracted flocks of gulls; Lapwing come in during colder weather. Winter thrushes can be abundant and I have seen an eared-owl moving south over the levels.At the end of Portmead Drove the path runs along the base of the reservoir banks. Go through the metal gate to get to this; the field here is rough and rushy. It has so far seemed to promise more than it has delivered, but it is a good place to look for flocks of pied wagtails and the odd migrating yellow wagtail. They can be found feeding on the banks of the reservoir - along with pipits and linnets. Stonechats are occasional here. The path ends at another metal gate. Ahead of you are more rough fields and the tangle of willows that surround the reed-fringed Clay Pits. These are private. Magpies often roost up in the willows.If you fancy a longer walk, Stubbington Drove offers a good route out to the Cheddar Yeo.To continue on a circuit that follows the reservoir, go past the small fishermen's car park and ahead on to Middle Moor Lane. Again, these small fields attract woodpeckers, tits, finches, thrushes and warblers. At the end of the lane it is easy to turn back through the gates and along the tree-lined lane to the reservoir itself - or continue ahead to the disused railway line which will take you back towards Axbridge. In season, look for yellow wagtails on the playing fields here and keep your eyes open for ravens above along the line of the Mendips, or, even a migrating osprey.At ST448539 the railway line is crossed by another footpath. Look for the path that continues on round the north side of the reservoir here. A damp, scrubby area here is well worth exploring - it is another good place for over-wintering warblers and firecrest has been seen. The brambles here provide good feeding and basking places in summer for the commoner butterflies and the place is often alive with bird song. The path crosses a long field usually grazed by sheep; follow it behind the sailing club building and boat yard and you will eventually come out back at the car park.A walk round here, or a similar circuit, can be rewarding at any time of the year. It can add some variety to a haul round the reservoir track. Some of the nearby fields are surprisingly rich botanically, and something of interest is invariably to be found in them - from foxes to clouded yellow butterflies. If you are walking in the evening listen out for tawny owls; later in the year watch the swifts spiral above Axbridge - June is a good time to see noctule bats hunting with them.
Over the years, an impressive range of rarities has been found at Cheddar Reservoir but not all on or over, the water itself. There are certainly plenty of goodies to be found near the reservoir, and it is also a good place to see many of the commoner species, some of which we can no longer take for granted.
OTHER THINGS OF INTEREST
Cheddar Reservoir is easily combined with nearby Mendip sites, such as Wavering Down, Crook Peak and Shute Shelve (not to mention the famous gorge) all of which have interesting Natural History, as well as great beauty.
Brian Hill & Paul Fletcher