Birdwatching in the South West

From rugged coastal cliffs and moorland to rolling farmland and muddy estuaries, the South West offers some of the best opportunities to watch birds in the country. In winter, the stunning wetlands of the Somerset Levels, Exe Estuary and Poole Harbour attract teeming thousands of water birds. In summer, you can experience the beautiful song of skylarks on Dartmoor and Exmoor, the eerie churring of nightjars on the heaths of Dorset and East Devon, and the noisy bustle of seabird colonies on Lundy and Berry Head.
 
The South West is home to many of our rarest birds. The Isles of Scilly is the only place in England where the secretive storm petrel nests. One of Britain’s rarest birds, the bittern, can be seen in the reedbeds of the Avalon Marshes in Somerset and Radipole Lake in Weymouth. The rolling farmland along the coasts of South Devon is the only place in Britain where the cirl bunting is found.
 
Above all, the South West offers visitors some unique ways to experience birdwatching through high quality events and the latest camera technology. A network of beautiful nature reserves offer trails, hides and viewing points, such as at RSPB’s Arne reserve. Knowledgeable guides run special events, walks, and boat cruises so that you can learn more about birds and the landscape, such as the famous avocets on the Exe Estuary. Powerful cameras beam live images of birds - such as nesting peregrine falcons, the fastest animal in the world, right in the heart of Exeter, or nesting barn owls at the Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall.
 
Whatever your level of interest in birds, the South West has something to offer you all year round.