Favourite Reserves

Here are details of some of my favourite reserves and birds seen at these reserves. Please click on the reserve name for further information.

DEVON
Aylesbeare Common RSPB
This reserve is primarily heathland but also has some wetland and woodland areas. It’s known for the Dartford Warbler. Some other notesble species that can been seen here are Lesser Redpoll, European Nightjar, Tree Pipit and Yellowhammer.

Bowling Green Marsh 
This reserve has a great track record for producing wetland and estuary rarities. It’s s great place for wader species in the winter. Pied Avocet is probably the most noteable wintering wader. Some of the best birds I have seen here are Ross’s Gull, Black-necked Stilt, Temminck’s Stint, Red-breasted Goose, Eurasian Penduline Tit, Eurasian Bittern and Black Tern. I amazingly missed a Whiskered Tern by a few minutes.

Bystock Pools
This reserve has a multitude of habitats, from wetland, heathland, woodland and grassland. Great for European Nightjar, Butterflies and Dragonflies in the Summer and a delightful place at anytime of the year. Some of the best birds I have seen here appart from European Nightjar are Ring Ouzel, Jack Snipe and Firecrest.
Map and location

Exminster and Powderham Marshes
The Exminster reserve is primarily marshland and wetland habitats which attracts large numbers of Wildfowl and waders in the winter and Eurasian Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler in the summer. Whist Powderham is mainly arable field aimed at farmland birds like Cirl Bunting and Yellowhammer. Both sites also hold Cetti’s Warbler. Some of the birds I have seen here includes. Purple Heron, American Golden Plover, Red Phalarope and Sardinian Warbler.

Yarner Wood
A delightful woodland reserve that is part of the East Dartmoor Reserve and best known for Lesser Spotted Woodpecker and Mandarin Duck supplemented with European Pied Flycatcher, Wood Warbler, Tree Pipit and Common Redstart in the summer. I have also seen a Wood Duck at this site of unknown origin.

SOMERSET
Ham Wall
A huge marshland reserve. My favourite time to visit is the summer as the reeds are alive with Warblers. However, winter can be enjoyable as wildfowl and waders visit the reserve at this time. This reserve has a number of special species. These include Eurasian Bittern, Bearded Reedling, Western Marsh Harrier, Great Egret and Cetti’s Warbler. Other species I have seen here includes, Collared Pratincole, Pied-billed Grebe, Little Bittern and Red-footed Falcon.

Shapwick Heath
A very similar reserve to Ham Wall (it’s across the road) the only thing I can add is that this reserve is great for Common Cuckoo in the summer, good for attracting rarer Tern species and its recently gained a large number of colonising Western Cattle Egret. My best bird seen here is Hudsonian Godwit.

DORSET
Radipole Lake
Another marshland reserve. I do love my marshes! This reserve is also good for Bearded Reedling, Western Marsh Harrier and Cetti’s Warbler but winter is very good for various Gull species. Good species I have seen here are Red-backed Shrike, Glossy Ibis and the resident (real or fake) Hooded Merganser.

Lodmoor
A saltmarsh and wetland reserve. Known for its Common Tern colony in the summer and waders in the winter. Turning up species like Least Sandpiper, Stilt Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs, Long-billed Dowitcher and Short-billed Dowitcher all of which I was lucky enough to see.

CORNWALL
Hayle Estuary
An estuary reserve with some saltmarsh areas. Great in the winter for wildfowl, waders and Gull species. I was lucky enough to see American Herring Gull and Dalmatian Pelican at this site.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE
Slimbridge
This reserve speaks for itself. The winter spectacle of wildfowl is amazing! With Whooper Swan, Tundra (Bewick’s) Swan, Greater White-fronted Goose, Barnacle Goose and the odd Pink-footed Goose or Tundra Bean Goose and Common Crane. I always have a yearly winter visit to this site to witness this spectacle. Other species I have seen here includes. Semipalmated Sandpiper, Red-necked Phalarope and Green-winged Teal