Bird Watching in and near Berwick-upon-Tweed

Birds of Holy Island

Any time in spring, autumn and winter is good for seeing birds on this beautiful island. We should see large numbers of waders, duck and either one of the UK's fastest hunters - the Merlin and the Peregrine Falcon. ... more

Bird Watching in England is a feast for anyone wanting to spot rare and beautiful birds in stunning and well-conserved habitats. Pack your binoculars and field guide and head out to one of England's scenic nature reserves, where you can spot some of the country's 230-odd bird species.

Common birds in England include the red robin, tit family, chaffinch, blackbird and thrush. England is also a temporary resting place for 200 migrating birds, which adds an interesting dimension to bird watching.

Bird watching's popularity in England is reflected in the prevalence of 'twitching' in the country: an English activity involving the observation of a previously located rare bird. The point of twitching is often to accumulate a list of rare species and some bird watchers compete with one another to create the longest species list.

If you'd like to try out your own twitching in England, make sure you're au fait with birding slang, you don't want to seem like a 'dude' (non-twitcher). If you don't see a rare bird you've 'dipped out' and if other twitchers do see the bird, you might feel 'gripped off'. They may be guility of 'Suppression' - concealing the news of a rare bird from other twitchers.

Twitching's popularity in England is evident in the huge crowds that often gather to see unusual species of birds: A group of around 5000 people came to view a rare Golden-winged Warbler in Kent.

The best places to spot and indentify birds are in the excellent nature reserves maintained by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). There are over 150 of these reserves all over the country, and some of them offer a wide range of facilities while others are more remote, but equally enjoyable for their birding potential.

One of the great things about bird watching in England is that the reserves are generally free, although a donation is encouraged, and you can contribute to the conservation of these fragile ecosystems with their incredible birdlife.

The variety of birding sites in these reserves is also a huge draw, and whether you are a novice bird watcher or a more expert birder with the latest spotting scope and photographic equipment, you will not be disappointed by the splendour and diversity of England's bird species.

The countryside around Canterbury in Kent is an birding hotspot, with diverse bird species and wonderful reserves. High Halstow reserve, for instance, is made up of scrub and woodland habitats, and the scrub is an especially excellent bird watching spot, as it is home to long-eared owls and nightingales.

Elmley Nature Reserve, in Sittingbourne near Canterbury, consists mainly of flat, open grazing marsh at or below sea level but protected from the sea by clay walls. The reserve is significant for its large numbers of wintering waterfowl and for birds of prey. Elmley also provides a breeding site for many different birds.

The Swale Nature Reserve, also near Canterbury, is predominantly a grazing marsh supporting important wintering populations of waterfowl. Apart from the waterfowl, gargany, marsh harrier, avocet and short-eared owl also breed on the reserve and the area is a hunting ground for barn owl and Montagu's harrier.

One of the best places to go bird spotting in England is The Wash - a large estuary on the east coast near King's Lynn. It's a Special Protection Area, made up of large salt marshes, banks of sand and mud, shallow water and deeper channels. The Snettisham reserve is right at the hear of The Wash, and is a birder's paradise. High tides at times force thousands of birds off the mudflats where they normally feed, and close to the bird hides around the lagoon, where you can sit and simply enjoy the unique spectacle. If you visit the reserve at dawn in mid-winter you can also view thousands of pink-footed geese flying inland.

Freiston Shore nature reserve is also situated on the Wash close to Skegness, and offers a wide range of wetland habitats, which means great bird watching potential. The reserve is one of the most important sites in the UK for wintering birds and the seawall has been breeched in places to provide an extra habitat for water birds.

All you need is patience, a keen eye, a good field guide and perhaps a pair of binoculars... bird watching in England is an endlessly rewarding experience.