Bird watching England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland
Bird watching became a popular leisure pursuit in the 19th century. Britain has a rich variety of bird life in various landscapes which can be seen throughout the year. British residents can be seen all year with passage migrants typically seen in spring and autumn.
Holidays and short breaks in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland can provide marvellous opportunities for observing bird life. Depending on the types of birds you want to observe there are inland waters, marshland, muddy coasts, estuaries, woodland, cliffs and shores to explore. Some good places to enjoy bird watching are the many nature reserves around Britain which can be run by local authorities, voluntary groups or national organisations.
There are 47 Wildlife Trusts throughout the British Isles who manage more than 2,000 nature reserves. National Trust locations are good for bird watching with open access land. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has over 150 reserves in some of the most beautiful parts of the country which offer excellent bird observation.
The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) is a specialist wetland conservation charity with a network of visitor centres and manages 4,000 acres of land. In Britain and Eire there are several bird observatories which play a major role in the study of migration and bird movements, many of which can offer overnight accommodation. There are also 14 National Parks with some of the most spectacular scenery in Britain a great place to watch birds in the wild.
