Great RSPB birdwatching spots to visit in the UK

Birdwatching is a pastime that can be enjoyed by anybody of any age. You can also enjoy it no matter how outgoing you are. The UK has birdlife in abundance all year round whether sedentary or migratory and there are many ways to see them go about their daily business. Keeping things simple, you could set up a bird table in your back garden, hang up a few bags of seeds and nuts, and see who turns up. 

The UK has some of the most spectacular and diverse habitats in which to see them. The reserves in this guide are regulated and land managed by the RSPB and are also protected Sites of Specific Scientific Interest (SSSI). Here is a small selection of great public bird reserves around the country that you can visit to observe our feathered friends. Some of the reserves have a visitor centre and good amenities that offer a series of events and ranger walks, whilst others are facilitated to cater to dedicated twitchers. If you are new to birdwatching, read our guide to the best times of year to go birdwatching.

Why not stay at one of our self-catering holiday cottages near one of the UK's bird reserves? We're very proud of our association with the RSPB who protect our birdlife for future generations.

Birdwatching cottages

Skip to

RSPB reserves in the South West

Exminster Marshes and Bowling Green Marsh, near Exeter, Devon

This is a great spot for novice birders. There are two large bird reserves on opposite banks of the River Exe Estuary near Exeter in Devon – one is Exminster and Powderham Marshes and the other is Bowling Green and Goosemoor Marsh. It is possible to visit both in one day, but they are a reasonable drive apart (20 mins/5.5 miles). Both offer the best habitats for optimal birdwatching. Estuarine locations like these attract waders like avocets, wigeons and black-tailed godwits, to name a handful. In the summer, there’s a foot ferry that links the two reserves, and also a boat tour run by Stuart Line Cruises to help you to see and enjoy more of the stunning scenery of the Exe Estuary. For food and drink, on the Bowling Green Marsh side, there’s a nice pub called The Turf and an RSPB shop at Darts Farm for info and gifts.

South West cottages

RSPB reserves in the South East

RSPB Dungeness Nature Reserve, near Lydd, Kent

RSPB Dungeness in the garden county of Kent is the oldest RSPB reserve in England and it's a unique spot. Set on Europe's largest shingle bank, if it wasn't for the level of annual rainfall, it would be classified as the country's only desert. The headland juts out into the English Channel and is an important waypoint for migrating birds. With a circular walking trail out across Denge Marsh and around several lakes, you can visit approximately ten hides dotted around the vast reserve. The stark and flat landscape is quite beguiling as there is a thriving ecosystem here where you can find rare butterflies and colourful wildflowers. After your visit, head to The Pilot Inn or The Britannia in beautiful Dungeness for a cosy and warming spot of lunch!

South East of England cottages

RSPB reserves in the Lake District

Haweswater Nature Reserve, near Penrith, Cumbria

RSPB Haweswater near the valley town of Penrith is situated close to the eastern edge of the Lake District National Park. It is home to a reservoir and managed woodland trails set against a backdrop of craggy hills. Other natural habitats to be found at RSPB Haweswater are moorlands, heath and bog, and a network of fresh streams. Keep a watchful eye out for redstarts, wood warblers and pied flycatchers. Once home to the UK's only pair of golden eagles, you can still see birds of prey like merlins, peregrines and kestrels. 

Lake District cottages

RSPB reserves in the Peak District

Coombes Valley Nature Reserve, near Leek, Staffordshire

RSPB Coombes Valley is a woodland reserve close to the market town of Leek which is just outside of the Peak District National Park; it's the oldest RSPB reserve in the Midlands. It's a lovely spot for quiet birdwatching and it's here that you can see migratory birds like wood warblers, redstarts, willow tits and pied flycatchers on their way south every summer. Come back in the winter to see finches, fieldfares and redwings. Other common sightings are ravens and great spotted woodpeckers. There are some lovely walking trails around the reserve too where you can enjoy some exhilarating walks to atmospheric spots like Ghost Ridge and Spiritholes Wood that offer up some excellent photo opportunities with your friends and family. 

Peak District cottages

RSPB reserves on the South Coast

Arne Nature Reserve, Poole Bay, Dorset

RSPB Arne is situated near Poole in Dorset and is a diverse area of open heathland and ancient oak woodlands. A sheer haven for birds, it's also home to all six species of reptile found in the British Isles. There are several trails around the reserve including Shipstal Beach, which is great for a picnic. You can see seals here on occasion too. We'd recommend keeping a keen eye out for spoonbills and curlews, they love it here. With views of the distant ruins of Corfe Castle, take the Coombe Heath Trail for more opportunities to see waders, harriers, osprey and wildfowl in the Middlebere Channel which fills up every winter to give haven to wintering species. 

South Coast cottages

RSPB reserves in the East of England

Minsmere Nature Reserve, near Southwold, Suffolk

The Guardian once reported that more species of bird, insect, plant and mammal have been spotted at Minsmere near Southwold in Suffolk than at any other RSPB reserve. Minsmere is close to the coast, so one of the trails runs near the beaches of Suffolk. It consists of areas of reed bed, lowland heath, lowland wet grassland, and shingle vegetation. Central to the reserve are its four bodies of water called East and West Scrape, and North and South Girde. 

There are seven bird hides along the network of trails for you to view the visiting and resident birdlife. A common yet interesting sight is the Polish Konik horses and Highland cattle. Grazing of animals is prolific throughout Minsmere Reserve to prevent the growth of scrubland and reed beds. Visitors from far and wide like to visit Minsmere because it is one of a small number of sites within the UK at which great bitterns breed.

East of England cottages

RSPB reserves in Yorkshire

RSPB Blacktoft Sands, near Kingston-upon-Hull, East Riding

RSPB Blacktoft Sands near Hull in the East Riding of Yorkshire is situated in the Humber Estuary. Much of the reserve is covered by reedbeds making it the country's largest area of such a habitat (122 hectares). Lots of wild birds find sanctuary at the beautiful low-lying intertidal reserve, such as warblers and sparrows that love the scrub that lines the reed marshes. The lagoons give shelter to marsh harriers, bearded tits, avocets and bitterns, and the mudflats and grazing marshes attract golden plovers, lapwings, and lots of waders. 

Yorkshire cottages

RSPB reserves in the North of England

RSPB Saltholme, near Middlesborough, Cleveland

RSPB Saltholme, near Middlesborough in the North East of England, is a very popular bird reserve close to the North Sea with the distinctive Big Blue (Tees Transporter Bridge) on the horizon to the south. Making up a part of the larger Tees and Hartlepool Foreshore and Wetlands Site SSSI, as well as the Cleveland Special Protection Area, RSPB Saltholme is a vast reserve made up of reedbeds and lakes. You can spot wintering wildfowl and waders from one of the many hides. The reserve is also home to the largest inland breeding colony of common terns in the UK. It is close to other reserves such as Dorman's Pool, Greatham Creek, and Saltern Wetlands if you wanted to spend your whole holiday birding on the Cleveland coast. 

North of England cottages

RSPB reserves in Scotland

RSPB Glenborrodale, near Fort William, Argyll

RSPB Glenborrodale in picturesque Argyll is home to most of the UK's temperate rainforest which makes it a very interesting place to visit. It's also a much-protected area of wild woodlands and lochside habitats for birds and Scottish wildlife. Set on the shores of Loch Sunart on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula, birders will be happy to find spotted flycatchers, redstarts, merlins, skylarks, wood warblers, fieldfares, and if you're very lucky, a golden eagle. There are some important conservation projects at RSPB Glenborrodale in effect to protect the rare mosses and lichens that grow here, as well as a thriving butterfly community, by managing the invasive species on the estate. 

Scotland cottages

RSPB reserves in Wales

RSPB Mawdacch Valley – Arthog Bog, near Barmouth, Gwynedd

RSPB Mawdacch Valley – Arthog Bog near Barmouth on the west coast of Wales is a very attractive prospect for birdwatchers from all over the world. This 'secret' corner of the Welsh coast is a real gem if you care about seeking out lesser-travelled parts of the UK. Just a short drive from the seaside town of Barmouth, this reserve is comprised of a fen and mire habitat which is home to a happy family of wildflowers shouldered by a flank of alder and willow copses. Star species of bird to see at RSPB Mawdacch Valley – Arthog Bog are the cuckoo, grasshopper warbler, the lesser redpoll, reed bunting and siskin. Keep an eye out for grass snakes basking on the pathways whenever it's a warm and sunny day. 

Wales cottages

Top tips when visiting a nature reserve

Here are some handy tips and best practice pointers if you are visiting a nature reserve for the first time. 

• Keep noise to a minimum. Conversation and noise can startle the birds and wildlife
• Respect other bird watchers
• Dogs, on the whole, are not allowed into nature reserves, even at heal or on the lead. However, some allow dogs into the visitor centre. Check details before planning your day
• Dress as if you are going on a hike (good footwear, avoid bright colours)
• Take drinking water
• Turn your mobile phone off or put it on silent
• Take a bird guide, map, binoculars, waterproof pen and notebook, extra socks
• No flash photography, avoid using a noisy model of camera
• Be prepared and have fun!

Where to find these RSPB reserves

Check out our handy map to discover where the RSPB reserves in this guide are located.

Stay at a birdwatching holiday cottage

Plan your next birdwatching holiday and stay in one of our great self-catering holiday properties. We think we have the best birdwatching cottages all across the UK either on bird reserves or close to one. You can often find a telescope at our birdwatching cottages so you can train the lens on any passing specimens that happen on by. Browse our collection of UK holiday cottages today by clicking on the button below.

Browse cottages