Bird Watching

Bring your binoculars and go bird watching! Somerset is one of the best places in the country for birdwatching with its wide range of habitats from coastline to the levels and from woodland to moorland. The county also plays host to a real wildlife spectacular as well.

Weston’s Old Town Quarry

The old quarry has been reclaimed by nature and now provides a good refuge for birdlife including kestrels, buzzards and jays. And if you want to give your binocular arms a rest for a while, there is a café and shop on site as well.

Ham Wall Nature Reserve

Whisper it quietly…. but Somerset is home to one of nature’s best kept secrets and one of the truly natural wonders of the world and if you’re here between October until March make sure you don’t miss it. The starling murmurations, which are best viewed from the Ham Wall Nature Reserve, which is in the heart of Avalon Marshes, are an awesome wildlife spectacle and a sight that will stay with you for years. The wetland, which offers great views across to Glastonbury Tor, is packed with wildlife and waterfowl but, for many, the highlight comes just before sunset during the winter months when thousands of starlings gather together. They congregate en-masse, turning the sky dark, before flying in, oscillating and swooping in formation to roost in the reed beds for the night. The best time to watch it is when the starling numbers are at their greatest in December and January, however large numbers of birds can also turn up from the end of October until the start of March. Early birders can enjoy an equally spectacular wildlife show in the mornings when the starlings rise up again from the reed beds and take to the sky again. The best time to see this is 30 minutes before sunrise. You can phone the starling hotline on 07866554142.

Cheddar Complex

The Cheddar Complex is made up of three nature reserves; Long Wood, Black Rock and Velvet Bottom. As well as being great countryside walks, they are also home to millions of summer visitors. Chiff chaff and willowwarblers are joined by Blackcap, Garden Warblers and Whitethroat. Meanwhile, in the reedbeds, Reed and Sedge Warblers are found along with the Cetti Warbler.

West Sedgemoor Reserve

The West Sedgemoor Reserve is in the heart of the Somerset Levels and home to large populations of breeding waders in the summer and wildfowl in the winter. It has the largest lowland population of breeding wading birds such as curlew, redshanks, snipe and lapwings in the South of England. In the winter, its wet meadows attract thousands of birds such as wigeons, teals, shovelers, pintails and mallards as well as wading birds, such as golden plovers, snipe and lapwings. At the heart of Somerset lies a beautiful area called the Avalon Marshes, a vibrant, working landscape, celebrated for its rich wildlife, heritage and culture.  Rich meadows, small woods, reed-beds, lakes, pools and scattered villages all contribute to its evocative character.  The mystical Isle of Avalon, with Glastonbury Tor standing sentinel, looks out over the surrounding moors, which are criss-crossed by a myriad of ditches, rhynes and waterways, dug to re-claim the land through the ages.

Avalon Marshes

At the heart of Somerset lies a beautiful area called the Avalon Marshes, a vibrant, working landscape, celebrated for its rich wildlife, heritage and culture.  Rich meadows, small woods, reed-beds, lakes, pools and scattered villages all contribute to its evocative character.  The mystical Isle of Avalon, with Glastonbury Tor standing sentinel, looks out over the surrounding moors, which are criss-crossed by a myriad of ditches, rhynes and waterways, dug to re-claim the land through the ages. The Avalon Marshes is internationally important and one of the finest remaining lowland wetlands left in Britain. Throughout the year the visitor may see kingfishers, bitterns and great white egrets, in spring the reed-beds come alive with bird song and in winter the star attractions are the massive murmurations of starlings and flocks of wildfowl You can also see birds of prey such as buzzards, peregrines and marsh harriers. However it is a site where you do need to book in advance and be on a special guided tour. Call 01458 252805.

Swell Wood

This nature reserve extends for ten miles along the ridge from Langport to the Blackdown Hills and is home to the largest colony of breeding grey herons in South West England. It is where more than 100 pairs make their nests between March and June. It’s also a place to see the great spotted woodpecker and the nuthatch.

Steart

This reserve is part of the 6,200-acre Bridgwater Bay National Nature Reserve and subsequently offers excellent birdwatching. Its area consists of the Parrett Estuary, the Huntspill River and Steart Island. In the winter, you can see Merlin and Short-eared owl alongside hundreds of Dunlin, Grey Plover and Knott. The area is also teeming with Shelduck in the late summer. To catch the waders, high tide visits are recommended. The River Parrett flows into the bay at Steart Point and autumn sea birds often take shelter at the mouth of the river.

Brean Down

The limestone headland is an excellent migration watchpoint in spring and autumn. The open ground on the top is popular with wheaters and pipits while the thorn bushes and sycamores are favoured by Phylloscopus warblers and crests.

The Axe Estuary

This area just to the south of Weston is best visited in winter. Its salt marshes are popular with the Jack Snipe and Water Pipit.

Cheddar Reservoir

The man-made concrete bowl may not initially look like a place for birdwatching, but looks can be deceptive. It is actually one of the county’s premier sites for waterbirds and regularly attracts scarce birds too. During the winter it is home to around 3,000 coots as well as large flocks of Tufted Ducks and Pochards. The Great Northern Diver and Black-necked Grebe are winter visitors; while late winter and spring are the best time for gull watchers. It is also a good site to catch passing terns.

Chew Valley Lake

This Bristol Water reservoir Chew Valley Lake is very popular with bird watchers who come to see species such as the great crested and little grebe, gadwall, tufted duck, shoveler and pochard. Another big draw is the winter gull roost which involves up to 50,000 black-headed, common and Mediterranean gulls. Hobbies are found feeding in late summer and when the water drops, the mud becomes a favourite retreat for waders such as dunlin, ringed plover and green sandpipers. Shoveler, gadwall, teal and tufted duck. Goosander, great crested grebe and cormorant also occur in large amounts.

Bleadon Levels Nature Reserve

The reserve, which is just outside of Weston and part of the Brean Down walking and cycling route, provides saltmarsh, grassland and tidal creek habitat for a number of species. There are two hides to the north and south of its lagoon. Waders feed on the marsh and the reeds are popular with reed bunting and the cetti warbler.