British Wildlife and Nature - Location Gazeteer.

I thought it might be a good idea to start a thread here for the places around Britain that we've been to which have provided a great location for wildlife or nature in general. To include cliffs, nature reserves, sssi's, country parks, your local park!, woods/forests, lakes, moors, quarry's.....etc etc anything, in fact, if it regularly provides wildlife interest of any kind. This section can also include marine life, wild botanical interest, rock pool life, you know - anything that will give the amateur naturalist a good reason to go and visit. Try and include photos and tell us how to find the place in question. What do you think? Kath.

 

SLAPTON LEY NATURE RESERVE

I visited here March 2009 and was fortunate enough to see Great Crested Grebes going through the mating ritual. We also saw Tufted Duck, Moorhens and Coots but didn't stay very long on this occasion.











A lovely nature reserve to visit and plenty of scope for a 2.5km walk around the lake and great amenities at Torcross for loos and pubs!

http://www.english-nature.org.uk/sp...ocal_team=0&spotlight_reserve=0&X=&NNR_ID=142

http://www.slnnr.org.uk/

Located in South Devon at Torcross.

 

CHEW VALLEY LAKE, BATH & N.E.SOMERSET

This is a fantastic place for easily accesible bird watching on a grand scale - lots of birds being frequently close to car parking but for those who wish seclusion there are hides dotted around the lake. It is set in beautiful scenery and is close to Bristol and Bath if you want to combine a visit with some city life too. Cheddar Reservoir and Blagdon Lake are also nearby and great for birds and wildlife.

http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=51.336755&lon=-2.619156&z=14.1&r=0&src=msl

















http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chew_Valley_Lake

http://www.cvlbirding.co.uk/

http://www.riverchew.co.uk/chew_valley_lake.htm

 

Radipole Lake RSPB Reserve, Weymouth.
Little Egrets and Cettis Warblers all year round, many waders and ocassional rarities.
Cattle Egrets.


Hooded Merganser

 

Farne Islands. Northumberland.
Best in July/early August for Puffins and other sea Birds.


Shags.


Arctic Tern.


Seals.

 

What a fantastic write up Periwinkle, thank very much for your input to this thread - can't wait to see some photos when you are all fixed up with a camera! You certainly got to see an awful lot of species in one trip

We were out all day yesterday on the North Cornwall Coast Path.

BOSCASTLE and TREVALGA BAY, North Cornwall

This is a fantastic stretch of coastline for seabirds in the spring. We saw Herring Gulls, Greater Black Backs, Fulmars, Guillimots, Razorbills, Cormorants and Oystercatchers.

On the headland we saw many small birds such as wren robin and stonechat and we got a spectacular display from a hunting kestrel. The wildflowers were lovely with primrose, campion, wild violets and thrift and the gorse was tremendous.

A lovely day and Boscastle is a fabulously pretty little village with a natural harbour and tasteful shops, fab restaurants and pubs and if you are in spooky mood a museum of witchcraft!

Can't recommend this part of Cornwall enough.

 

STOVER COUNTRY PARK/NATURE RESERVE, NEWTON ABBOT, SOUTH DEVON

Visited this lovely country park for the first time today - only 20 mins from where I live. It was teeming with wildlife and on a warm sunny day was idyllic. Even with lots of noisy children and Bank Holiday volume of people, there was still enough wildlife not frightened away to fill a lovely 2 hour stroll around the reserve. There are many different habitats created - running water, lake, marsh, deciduous woodland, coniferous forest, ponds etc..... A Wonderful effort by Devon County Council.

I saw, mute swans, great crested grebes, moorhens, coots, mallards, grey herons, a nuthatch, grey squirrels, a common toad, numerous butterflies, plenty of bumblebees, wood pigeons, blue and great tits, chaffinches, a buzzard and probably missed 100's of others! A definite for a revisit at dawn.

 

Cann't wait for you to get that camera Periwinkle with that report along with the pictures we will be on a winner.:gnthb:
Cookie fabulous pictures as usual thanks for sharing.:thumb:

 

Some new places to visit.:thumb:
Great pics Cookie.:gnthb:

 

A true diary of a naturalist periwinkle - thanks once again for a wonderfully detailed report

I can almost feel as if I went on that walk too, it is so thorough.

Looking forward to hearing lots more from you Kathy !

I tried to take my OH back to Stover Country Park today for another walk but very sadly the A38 through our area was closed due to a tragic car accident with fatalities - the traffic queues were so long and the country lanes around got so gridlocked that we just had to come home again.

Look after yourselves everyone and especially take care on the roads :(

 

Thanks fellas for your great encouragement. It means a lot :luv:

 

Wow just loved the pics cookie. My ideal day out.:D To be at one with nature, you just cant beat it.:thmb: 02

 

Thanks once again Kathy - you two are obviously a very dedicated to wildlife couple ! You should document every visit you do and soon Bedfordshire will be a hotspot for us wildlife watchers

I bet those quarries will be seething with wildlife once they are left to develop and mature.

I am envious at you seeing Hares - I have yet to see a wild one.

The only report I have is seeing some deer, 100's of rabbits and a fox while driving up from Devon to Bristol last night to see my mum! No photos !!

 

I love the way you have thrown yourself, body and soul into this thread Kathy. Thank you.

Another very interesting read - a person after my own heart!

Well done. Your walks sound a veritable feast for all the senses.

 

You obviously love your walks (as we do), :thumb:
I wish we had Red Kites around here, just Buzzards, Kestrels and the occasional Marsh harrier.
It's a great time for birdsong, I love to hear Skylarks although not so common now unfortunately.

Missed a Hoopoe and Blue Headed Wagtail at Portlland bill yesterday.:(