Wildlife centres

[kshotton45]

My trip to the coming bird fair has been scuppered by family commitments. So it's plan B !
My next short break will be to The Lake District. I shall start from here in the sunny West Midlands and visit Martin Mere on the way up. Whilst there I shall be visiting the owls at Muncaster and the Lakeland Bird of Prey centre at Lowther Castle.
Is there any other wildlife centre I ought to know about in the area ?

Thanks Keith.

[almostnormal]

Originally Posted by kshotton45

My trip to the coming bird fair has been scuppered by family commitments. So it's plan B !
My next short break will be to The Lake District. I shall start from here in the sunny West Midlands and visit Martin Mere on the way up. Whilst there I shall be visiting the owls at Muncaster and the Lakeland Bird of Prey centre at Lowther Castle.
Is there any other wildlife centre I ought to know about in the area ?

Thanks Keith.

you could try leighton moss (just south of the lakes), whinlatter forest nr Penrith has the video link to the ospreys - its welll sign posted from the m6- but that might be finished depending on when you are going. st bea's head is good for sea birds during the summer, so again might be finished by then. other than that there's formby and ainsdale for red squirrels and sand dune related wildlife goodies. there's also the aquarium of the lakes at windemere which deals with fresh water aqautic life. off the top of my head i can't think of any others! hope this heps

sarah

[kshotton45]

Thanks ! I'll probably include Whittlater Forest into the trip, as I hope to be staying just outside of Keswick.

Thanks again , Keith.

[eeyore]

Cumbria wildlife trust has two reserves near keswick - Ivy crag wood (great name) and boat house field

more info here Cumbria Wildlife Trust

[kshotton45]

Thanks eeyore, I'll have a look at them.

Keith

[derekmc]

Keith -

I know it's a bit out of your way, but there are also some good wildlife sites just over the Solway, in Dumfries and Galloway. The obvious one would be the WWT reserve at Caerlaverock, and the neighbouring RSPB reserve at Mersehead. Both are at its best in the winter when the Barnacle Geese come in, but there should be plenty of hirundine/wader activity. There's also quite a few woodland reserves for red squirrels, coal tits, redstart, wood warbler and pied flycatcher (the one I tend to go to is the Wood of Cree near Newton Stewart, but there are others around Dumfries that'll be easier to reach from Cumbria)

Have a good trip - hope the weather brightens up for you!
Derek

[kshotton45]

Thanks derek, I've just found it on Autoroute, it's about 70 miles from where I'm staying.
I may consider going there instead of Muncaster, as I've been there.
Thanks again. Keith.

[derekmc]

My pleasure, Keith.

Here's a link that might give you some more ideas for Galloway sites - the booklet mentioned (if it's the one I'm thinking of) is well worth getting.

http://www.dumfriesandgallowaynaturalhistory.co.uk/wildlifeSitesAll.asp

All the best,
Derek