
Nature Discovery Centre
Please note: It is with regret that due to Covid-19 restrictions, the Nature Discovery Centre is CLOSED until further notice. This includes the café and toilets. Our main car park will be closed, but the two smaller car parks will remain open during this period. Please help us by taking your litter home with you.
Location
Know before you go
Entry fee
Donations to help support our work for local wildlife are welcome via our donation stations in the car parkParking information
car parkWalking trails
Colour-coded waymarked walking routes
Access
Flat and level around the lake.
Dogs
Facilities
When to visit
Opening times
The Nature Discovery Centre is currently CLOSED until further notice due to Covid-19 restrictions. We look forward to welcoming our visitors back soon.Best time to visit
All year roundAbout the reserve
The Nature Discovery Centre is surrounded by a mosaic of different habitats with fantastic wildlife to see all year around. Wander along the paths beside the lake, visit the internationally important Thatcham Reedbeds nature reserve or explore some of the nearby woodland. There is large network of footpaths, perfect for family days out or for the more adventurous.
Birds
During the autumn and winter, large groups of wintering wildfowl congregate on the lake, whilst the reedbeds and surrounding woodland and hedgerows host birds like fieldfare and redwing.
In spring and summer purpose-built rafts attract breeding common terns. House martins, swallows and swifts are a common sight over the lake and surroundings.
Throughout the year, one of our volunteers surveys the species of bird found on site. Below is a list showing the trend of different species and numbers of each throughout the year.
Nature Discovery Centre bird list
Our volunteer also leads regular walks around the reserve to help visitors learn about what they can see and hear during their visit and to learn more about each species.
Plants
In summer there are glorious displays of purple loosestrife, yellow-flag iris, reeds and sedges on the floating island, the lake shore and in the reedbeds.
All year around look out for the willow and alder around the edge of the lake, and hawthorn, blackthorn, spindle and bullace in the hedgerows.
Invertebrates
A variety of moths and butterflies can be seen, including garden tiger, butterbur, waved black, holly blue, and gatekeeper. There are dragonflies and damselflies including beautiful and banded demoiselles, emperor and four-spotted chaser. A range of beetles such as bloody-nosed beetle and rhinoceros beetle have been recorded on site.
Thatcham Reedbeds
Visit the nearby Thatcham Reedbeds, one of the largest areas of inland reedbed in Southern England and home to some of the country's rarest reed specialists, including Desmoulin's snail.
Species
- Lesser redpoll
- Goldfinch
- Shoveler
- Pochard
- Bittern
- Cetti's warbler
- Sand martin
- Common tern
- Great Crested Grebe
- Swift
- Reed warbler
- Grey heron
- Kingfisher
- Cormorant
- Grey wagtail
- Holly blue
- Common blue
- Speckled wood
- Banded demoiselle
- Emperor dragonfly
- Four-spotted chaser
- Hemp-agrimony
- Common reed
- Brooklime
- Purple-loosestrife
- Daubenton's bat