Herts Bird Club – making the most of local birdwatching

Welcome to the Herts Bird Club website. We promote the study and recording of birds in Hertfordshire and encourage a wider interest in natural history including the conservation of wildlife habitats.

Avian Flu advice

Latest news

Winter Bird Survey WINBS

The BTO is running a Winter Bird Survey aimed at collecting important information on the numbers and distribution of the UK’s wintering birds, information which will help to inform land management approaches so they better benefit birds.

Though the dates for the first site visit are past, there is still an opportunity to take part in December through February.

Interested?
Contact martinketcher@gmail.com or sign up directly with BTO here > Winter Bird Survey | BTO

For more information on this survey plus others you can get involved in go to Herts Bird Club | Surveys and Projects

Embankment strengthening works at Wilstone Reservoir

A 15 month program to strengthen the embankment at Wilstone Reservoir is underway. Further details can be found in the links below but key impacts are:

- no access around the bank; pedestrians will be diverted through the field next to the reservoir

- car park is fully closed for several months from September

- the road alongside the car park (B489) is closed for several weeks from September between the junctions for Drayton Beauchamp and Wilstone.

- the hide remains fully open

Alternative parking options are limited but include the Mead's Farmhouse during business hours, or Startop's End Reservoir and walking along the dry canal.

Wilstone Embankment Work

Wilstone works Q&A

Latest Hertfordshire Bird Report

The Hertfordshire Bird Report 2024

The Hertfordshire Bird Report 2024 was published and circulated to members in November 2025. (Transactions of the Hertfordshire Natural History Society Vol 57 (2) pp. 89-168 ISSN 0375 3409)

Contents

Editorial (Clifford Smout)

Guidelines for observers - a checklist of the birds of Hertfordshire

Review of the year (Clifford Smout)

Read more

Latest HNHS publication

 

Herts Invertebrate Project

Read here about how to join this new recording initiative.

Herts Atlas of Mammals, Amphibians and Reptiles

Please submit sightings and field signs of mammals, amphibians and reptiles to our countywide survey, full details at the Herts MARA website.

Hertfordshire Bird Atlas

All the results from the most recent Atlas (2007-12) and both previous atlas surveys available here.

Bird records

Please send us your Herts bird sightings through the records submission page. Use the Breeding status dropdown where applicable and Comment field to add notes of interest.

Latest sightings of interest are published on the right hand side of this page, once they have been checked by a moderator. Search for older published records by month/site/species in Sightings Archive. 

 

See details of some great places to visit in Hertfordshire at this time of year.

Take part in our  projects and surveys.

Buy a book, most HNHS books are now for sale at half price or less.

The success of the site depends on you, the users, entering your records and sending in interesting information, not only sightings which can be entered online but also reports on trips and additional site guides. We also welcome feedback on what you would like to see on the site: email birdweb@hnhs.org

Injured or orphan birds ? advice here.

The Herts Bird Club is part of the Hertfordshire Natural History Society and our websites are integrated. We hope this will encourage those of you who have not investigated other aspects of wildlife in Hertfordshire to have a look around the HNHS website, discover what is available. Please submit your records of other wildlife, including mammals, amphibians, reptiles and dragonflies through the HNHS website.

Who's who in the Herts Bird Club.