Cryptic crossword clue
Castles surrounding lake where birds nest 9

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word ROOKERIES

I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
R
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "where birds nest" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case where birds nest = rookeries.
The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.
This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.

What does ROOKERIES mean?

ROOKERIES noun
  1. A colony of breeding birds or other animals.
  2. A crowded tenement.
  3. A place where criminals congregate, often an area of a town or city.

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