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Home Birding Hobbies World Trip Photos Links |
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My top 5 Bird Watching Sites Around Britain |
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An area close to my heart is Ceredigion. This area has some very special species and with a variety of habitats it's understandable. Aberystwyth itself holds med gulls, choughs, thousands of starlings in winter and peregrines very close to the town centre.
The RSPB reserve Ynys hir is in my view the best reserve in Britain. It could be because while I was learning about birds I went to this reserve often, while my parents went to Aberystwyth and Borth. Species to look out for are pied flycatcher, greenland white-fronted goose, hen harrier and goshawk
Ynyslas is an estuary near borth and during spring and autumn can produce some very unusual species. Species to look for are sandwich tern, shore lark, brent geese and hen harrier. |
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The Farne islands has to be one of the top five due to the diversity and range of species that are found on the farnes every year. It is possible to see as many as 188 species on these islands, ranging from seabirds like the Roseate and black tern, to the migrating birds like Brambling and Red-backed shrike.
There is a population of about 4000 Grey seals on the islands, which hall out onto the beaches and in the winter time give birth to fluffy white seal pups.
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In birding terms you have to visit east anglia particularly Norfolk & Suffock once every year at least. I haven't been there during the migation season yet but just by visiting a few key nature reserves you can see quite a few special birds that are harder to find normally. Species like twite, black-winged stilt, black tailed godwit and marsh harrier are here in good numbers (apart from sammy the black-winged stilt but he has been there for seven years now). |
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A nature reserve a bit more closer to home is Dolydd hafren, owned by the Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust. It is a reserve on banks of the river Severn and has two hides and attracts birds and insects and the odd otter as well. Species to look out for are tree sparrow, osprey, greenshank and peregrine. |
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The Outer Hebrides has given me plenty of birds that I have never seen in amongst some breath taking scenery. The islands make up a lot of area (c130m long) but going to the right locations can produce very good birds. This year has produced great sightings of Snowy owl, Lesser yellowlegs, White billed diver, Great and Cory's shearwater, Ring-billed gull, White tailed and Golden eagle, Storm and leach's petrel. There are also good numbers of Twite, Corncrake and on the southern islands Hen harrier, Short-eared owl and Corn bunting. |
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One site that I am in the stages of getting to know is the New forest. Covering woodland, heathland and some waterways and lakes. This year and last year has produced some very nice birds, for example there is a great white egret at Mockbegger lake, great grey shrike and dartford warblers at Pitswood and several Hawfinches at Blackwater Arboretum. This site is very big but can produce alot if you are willing to put in the time to find the areas. |
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