going to the Isle of Wight...

[leifus]

...and need to know if there are any wildlife hotspots (i know a few like brading marshes or hanover point) or special wildlife to look out for around please...

[sanderling]

There's nice chalk downland at Culver Down and Brading Down along to Ashey Down and Arreton, also west of Carrisbrooke. The Medina estuary along from Newport to Cowes is good for birds. For saltmarsh habitats head for Newtown and Shalfleet creeks.

Just to the west of Ryde is Puckpool Park and a little further along the coast you come to the Hersey Nature reserve where there is a good bird hide overlooking a brackish lagoon.

For Water Voles try along the Eastern Yar from Sandown to Alverstone where there is also a bird hide, also to be seen there are Red Squirrels, Other good places to see Red Squirrels are Firestone Copse near Wootton. Parkstone Forest near Newport and Osborne House gardens at East Cowes.

The heathland around Mottistone down and along towards Afton down and Freshwater Golf course is good for seeing reptiles like Adders.

Yarmouth creek and harbour is very good for bird watching.

The national trust land at Wroxall down and Bonchurch has areas of varied habitats including a combination of chalk downland and areas of chalk heathland - quite a rare habitat in UK.

The undercliff from Ventnor along to St Catherines lighthouse is a special habitat, particularly for insects such as certain bees and wasps that favour eroding landslip conditions. Blackgang Chine is an extreme example of this eroding undercliff habitat.

Also at Ventnor is the Botanic Gardens and the coastal centre and HQ of the Isle of Wight Natural History and Archaeologcal Society at Salisbury Gardens.

[leifus]

Originally Posted by sanderling

There's nice chalk downland at Culver Down and Brading Down along to Ashey Down and Arreton, also west of Carrisbrooke. The Medina estuary along from Newport to Cowes is good for birds. For saltmarsh habitats head for Newtown and Shalfleet creeks.

Just to the west of Ryde is Puckpool Park and a little further along the coast you come to the Hersey Nature reserve where there is a good bird hide overlooking a brackish lagoon.

For Water Voles try along the Eastern Yar from Sandown to Alverstone where there is also a bird hide, also to be seen there are Red Squirrels, Other good places to see Red Squirrels are Firestone Copse near Wootton. Parkstone Forest near Newport and Osborne House gardens at East Cowes.

The heathland around Mottistone down and along towards Afton down and Freshwater Golf course is good for seeing reptiles like Adders.

Yarmouth creek and harbour is very good for bird watching.

The national trust land at Wroxall down and Bonchurch has areas of varied habitats including a combination of chalk downland and areas of chalk heathland - quite a rare habitat in UK.

The undercliff from Ventnor along to St Catherines lighthouse is a special habitat, particularly for insects such as certain bees and wasps that favour eroding landslip conditions. Blackgang Chine is an extreme example of this eroding undercliff habitat.

Also at Ventnor is the Botanic Gardens and the coastal centre and HQ of the Isle of Wight Natural History and Archaeologcal Society at Salisbury Gardens.

wow i'll be busy...thanks a lot. We are staying in Ryde and have been to Hersey NR where we've seen water rails and kingfishers and are planning a trip to Ventnor and Tenyson down so im looking forward to it....thanks again

[RobinP]

The landslip is the location for the rare Glanville Fritillary and there is a colony of Wall Lizards at the Botanic Gardens. For birds also visit Newtown NR.

[Non native]

Are there any good sites to photgraph Red Squirrels feeders etc.

I recall Wildlife Calendar going there somewhere and seeing them quite close

Thanks

Mark