Bird Watching Spots

[Bekki :)]

Hello!
I'm quite new to bird watching so I'm not all that sure on the best places to go; I've got a couple of places that I've found; Arne and Radipole Lake in Dorset. I was just wondering if anyone knew of any great places to go around the south of the UK?
Thankyou

[jcyprus]

The new forest is a great place .

[thebeard]

check out your local wildlife trust website and rspb reserves too, and this is just for reserves. anywhere can be a good 'spot'. any habitat can produce good birds. one of my favourite places to birdwatch in nottinghamshire is a place called clifton grove, where the mix of river, wetland, farmland and woodland habitat has resulted on me seeing nearly 100 species there in around a year of visiting.

check your local bird clubs/societies for good birding sites too!

[aeshna5]

Portland (near Weymouth) is a top migration site with observatory (also excellent for butterflies) + some breeding seabirds, Lodmoor also nearby.

You've found Arne but also explore the other heaths around you. Hengistbury Head (not sure about the spelling) is another good site.

Poole Harbour can be excellent for wildfowl/waders + worth a trip across to Brownsea Island (where there's the bonus of Red Squirrels too).

Going west to Devon you have excellent birding along the River Exe with lots of wildfowl + waders in the winter + there are reserves such as Topsham + Dawlish Warren + the RSPB do Avocet cruises along the river. Aylesbeare Common for heathland species, Berry Head for seabirds/migrants + the famous Cirl Buntings now more widespread but good at Wembury + Prawle. Dartmoor has a few specialities too.

Going east as suggested above you have the New Forest + other sites such as Farlington in Hants.

[davecatt]

Hi Bekki
Here are some useful links. The first for birdguides.com lists many sites in Dorset,just click on the link and register for free. The others are contacts who may be of interest.

Birding Sites

Christchurch Harbour Ornithological Group
CHOG | Homepage

County Recorder
Kevin Lane, 42 Twin Oaks Close, Broadstone, Dorset BH18 8JF
07901 614629

Dorset Bird Club
Index Page 2

Dorset Wildlife Trust
DWT Redirect

Portland Bird Observatory and Field Centre
Warden: Martin Cade, Old Lower Light, Portland, Dorset DT5 2JT
01305 820533
click here to email
Portland Bird Observatory - index

Good luck
Dave

[Bekki :)]

Thankyou very much guys!
Got some exploring to do now

[rossy]

yes ive been to hengistbury head, and poole, christchurch, while i was staying in sittingbourne, and its very good, hengistbury head has a very large colony of sand martins, i think you would enjoy it, rossy.

[Hobjob]

There is a series of books "where to watch birds in ....."

Amazon does them. If you stick to the country level there are all sorts of nooks and crannies described, rather than just the big sites.

[wint]

One of my favourite Dorset sites is Durlston - particularly good for sheltering you from cold north winds.

[Bekki :)]

oooo thankyou hobjob ... I'll look into that. Sounds like quite a useful book!