West Midland Bird Club 
Studying Birds in Staffordshire, Warwickshire, 
Worcestershire and the West Midlands since 1929
Ladywalk Reserve
Access to Ladywalk Reserve is by Inclusive Club Membership only.
Visits can be made to this reserve by bona fide groups. Individual day permits are not issued.
Arrangements for group visits can be made using the Reserve Management Team contact address on this page.
To purchase your group permit please contact the WMBC Permit Secretary: permits@westmidlandbirdclub.org.uk

Ladywalk reserve is owned by E.on - formerly Powergen - and is leased to and under management of the West Midland Bird Club. The reserve is located behind the Hams Hall Distribution Park and sits in a loop formed by the River Tame. This reserve is an integral part of the important wildlife area known as the Middle Tame Valley and the site is comprised of lagoons that are the result of flooded gravel extraction workings. The large area of reedbed has become an important feature not just to this reserve but to the whole Middle Tame Valley and the entire region too. This area of reed has become associated with the occurrence of wintering Eurasian Bittern and the reserve has been identified as one of the foremost sites in the country to observe this bird. Tracts of Birch and Alder woodland add to the diversity of habitat and this attracts winter finch flocks. The reserve is also an excellent place to see Water Rail, Hobby is also a frequent summer visitor. A wide range of birds species can be found here year round and wetland birds are the predominant feature.

Reserve Management Team Contacts

Reserve Details
Access for those travelling by vehicle - a gated car park is located at the end of Faraday Avenue, Hams Hall Distribution Park - just beyond the entrance/exit to the Sainsbury Distribution warehouse and further still beyond the road island - gate entrance O/S Grid ref SP209914. From the car park take the Tame Valley Footpath in a northerly - downstream with the River Tame direction until you reach the metal gated entrance to the reserve. Alternatively if you are walking the Tame Valley Footpath in a southerly - upstream with the River Tame direction - continue along this path until you reach this gated entrance. The entrance is adjacent to the southern end of the Sainsbury Distribution warehouse - site entrance O/S Grid ref SP211916 - Please remember that the West Midland Bird Club gate code is time sensitive - running for the twelve month period ending 28th February; please check your Inclusive membership card for gate code details.

If there are difficulties using the padlock to access or leave the car park please telephone 07874 193255 or 07976 966569

Ladywalk Reserve Location Map
Directly at rear/east of the distribution centre - off Faraday Avenue. At the final roundabout on Faraday Avenue, follow the signs to the reserve.
Ladywalk Reserve is renowned for its wintering Bittern
Photo - Peter Lichfield

Please Note:

Anyone who wishes to enter the Ladywalk Reserve will need to add a zero after the first 4 digits.

A Chiffchaff and a Cuckoo photographed by Brian Selby at Ladywalk in 2021.

Attempt to eradicate Himalayan Balsam from our Ladywalk Reserve
by use of biological control with Rust Fungus
In collaboration with Tame Valley Wetlands the West Midland Bird Club have taken up the initiative to attempt the removal of this non-native invasive plant from the reserve. This was the first attempt of this kind to take place in the Midlands and the first applications of the fungus onto the balsam was carried out in 2017 with subsequent applications in the following years.
Project updates and results will be posted here.

The accompanying links dating from 2017 provide explanations and the involvement procedure.
TVW project description - Himalayan Balsam Background document - Rust release and monitoring methology
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