UK birding hotspots

Autumn is a busy time for many bird species as they start to up sticks and head off to warmer climes. Here are four of the best places in the UK to spot migrants on the move.

You can’t guarantee anything in life, but these locations will almost certainly deliver birding bliss

Norfolk

We make no apologies for including Norfolk again – at this time of year, with birds on the move, you want to spend at least a couple of days there. There are the many great spots along the coast road between Hunstanton and Cromer, but don’t forget the likes of Breydon Water, for huge numbers of waders, quite possibly with some rarities in the mix.

East Yorkshire

If there’s one place to go to see autumn migration in action, Spurn Point is it. Explore slowly, and you’ll find good numbers of commoner species such as Redstart and Wheatear on the move, plus ‘guaranteed’ rarities. But don’t forget other spots along the East Yorkshire coast, such as Hornsey Mere, for possible ‘falls’ of migrants.

The Wirral

This peninsula, between the Mersey and Dee estuaries, is great for birding at most times of year – reserves such as Burton Mere Wetlands RSPB are excellent for waders, herons and egrets. But, in autumn, gales can push seabirds inshore, especially Leach’s Petrels – visit the likes of Hoylake and Hilbre to look for them.

The South East

The coasts of Hampshire, Sussex and Kent will be lined with departing migrants at this time of year, plus passage migrants coming from Scandinavia and central Europe. The marshes and estuaries around the Solent and Chichester Harbour are great places to look, or further east, Rye Harbour NR, Cuckmere Haven, and, of course, the Dungeness pensinsula.