Hosehill Lake is a 23.6-hectare (58-acre) Local Nature Reserve west of Reading in Berkshire. It is owned by West Berkshire Council and managed by the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust.[1][2][3]

Hosehill Lake
Map
TypeLocal Nature Reserve
LocationReading, Berkshire
OS gridSU 649 696
Area23.6 hectares (58 acres)
Managed byBerkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust

Geography and site

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To the east and south of the lake is meadowland.[3] The eastern meadow is cut and then grazed by wild Exmoor ponies for a short period in the spring and autumn, and the south meadow is a butterfly meadow.[3]

The site features a one-mile circular walk around the lake.[4]

History

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Hosehill Lake was given its nature reserve status in 1997 by Newbury District Council.[5] Since it became a nature reserve, an island has been created in the lake, along with Tern Rafts, a Sand Martin Bank and the Butterfly Meadow.

In 2013 the management of the nature reserve was transferred from West Berkshire Council to the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust.[6]

Fauna

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The site has seen 168 different bird species.[1] Some of the more common birds seen are listed here:[5][1][3]

Birds

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Hosehill Lake". Local Nature Reserves. Natural England. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  2. ^ "Map of Hosehill Lake". Local Nature Reserves. Natural England. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d "Hosehill Lake". Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  4. ^ "Parks in Newbury, West Berkshire | Waterways in Newbury, West Berkshire". Archived from the original on 25 March 2017. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  5. ^ a b Theale Area Bird Conservation Group. - Theale Sites
  6. ^ Wildlife trust set to run West Berkshire nature reserves – Get Reading

51°25′19″N 1°04′03″W / 51.4220°N 1.0676°W / 51.4220; -1.0676