A guide to the wildlife and nature reserves of the UK.

Wildlife and bird watching in the UK

You don't need to go far to see some great wildlife, there is some near you. There are very well known sites across the UK, National Parks, National nature reserves, RSPB reserves and WWT (Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust) reserves, but there are many other great wildlife spots all over the place. Every county has a wildlife trust that will run a series of local reserves, county councils have their own nature reserves and there are plenty of other places where there is ample wildlife.

We will point you in the direction of all the best sites in any given area, though we have no doubt that there are plenty we don't know about (please let us know by emailing us about anywhere that you can recommend).

For information and recommendations on whale and dolphin watching in the UK.
Read about Damselflies and Dragonflies in the UK.

Region by region

Recent UK & Ireland Wildlife news

More UK & Ireland Wildlife news

Planet Earth Live - What is the point?

Another Goshawk nest destroyed in the Derwent Valley

The crime is the latest in a long-running series of attacks on birds of prey in the Peak District. It leaves only one active goshawk nest in the entire Derwent Valley, which previously has held six pairs of these birds of prey.

IUCN quotas

There is much ado about the illegal wildlife trade, but there is also a huge amount of legal trade in wildlife products, some very rare indeed, that is permitted by CITES. Elephant tusks, rhino horn, chameleons, leopard tortoises, and cheetah, lion, & leopard hunting trophies all had CITES export quotas the 2011.

Osprey chicks in UK

'Lady' is back - for her 22nd breeding season. The remarkable female osprey at the Loch of the Lowes has, against all the odds, returned once again. Probably aged 26 years old now, few realistically thought that she would manage two more huge migrations and yet another breeding season, but she has already mated with an unknown osprey. Her regular mate has not showed up - yet anyway.

Exotic beetle pest outbreak threatening UK broadleaved trees

An outbreak of the Asian longhorn beetle (ALB), an exotic beetle pest which could have severe consequences for British trees, has been found in Kent the Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA) have confirmed. This is the first time an outbreak of this pest has been found in the UK and it is being treated extremely seriously. Fera and the Forestry Commission are taking urgent steps to try to eradicate the outbreak before it has the chance to spread further afield.

Albino bat photo

A white, probably albino (we are debating whether it is albino or leucistic) bat photographed by Doug Mackenzie Dodds

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Winners of The UK Wildlife Photography Awards 2011

The Wildlife Extra UK Wildlife Photography Competition 2011 has been won by Peter Denness with his stunning image of a hare. We don't usually go for black and white images, but Peter's hare was just too good.

CATEGORY WINNERS

- Agnieszka Dymek - Bugs

- Peter Denness - Mammals

- Howard Booty - Birds

- Matthew Oxley - Reptile, Amphibian & Marine Life

- Martin Sothcott - Landscapes

- Lisa Clyma - Under 16s

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UK wildlife photography competition 2011 - Finalists

Every year, an unexpected theme appears amongst the photos that we are sent. Last year it was all seals and deer, but in 2011 many of the best photos are of feeding, or feeding behaviour.

Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year winners 2012.

The winners of the internationally respected Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition 2011 have been announced. Young Wildlife Photographer of The Year - 10 Years and Under winner. Alien - By Hui Yu Kim (Malaysia)/ Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2011.

First record of a Dwarf sperm whale in UK waters

A small whale spotted in Mounts Bay next to the Cornish town of Penzance is thoughtto have been a dwarf sperm whale - tropical/subtropical species that has never before been recorded off the UK coast.

Killer cats - But it is avoidable

Cats kill an estimated 55 million birds in Britain every year and such predation could be contributing to long-term declines of garden birds like House Sparrows.

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4 Goshawks poisoned in Devon

Devon and Cornwall Police and the RSPB are appealing for information after four goshawks and one buzzard were found dead in woodland to the west of Exeter.

First ospreys fledge at Cors Dyfi in over 400 years

This is the first time that ospreys have successfully bred on the Dyfi since 1604 and marks a milestone in the conservation of ospreys in Wales.

Sei whale spotted off Scotland

Aerial photos taken by a Scottish paramedic of a large whale between Islay and Gigha off the west coast of Scotland have intrigued international scientists on both sides of the Atlantic. On balance they believe the sighting is most likely to be of a very rare Sei whale.

New butterfly species discovered in Ireland

Second osprey pair breed successfully at Kielder Water

The Northumbrian wilderness becomes the only location in England for over 170 years where more than a single pair of naturally re-colonising ospreys have bred successfully at the same time. The new birds have nested on an artificial platform erected by the Forestry Commission on top of a tall spruce tree.

Fierce fire destroys Upton Heath wildlife

On what will be remembered as a black day for wildlife, an estimated one third of one of the most important wildlife sites in England was devastated by fire. Dorset Wildlife Trust's Upton Heath nature reserve, recognised internationally for the extreme rarity of habitat and wildlife, was engulfed by the biggest heath fire in decades just at the peak of the bird and reptile breeding season.

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Leatherback turtle seen off Scotland

During a routine cetacean research survey, researchers and volunteers from the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust were treated to an unusual encounter between Skye and Harris when they spotted a massive Leatherback turtle, measuring about 1.5 metres.

21 Fin whales spotted in Irish Sea

One of the largest ever known gatherings of Fin whales in British waters has recently been observed in the Celtic Deep, 50-70 nautical miles off the coasts of north Cornwall and south west Pembrokeshire.

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Largest ever attempt to remove mink from Scotland is underway

The largest ever initiative to remove breeding American mink from north Scotland is now underway, covering 20,000 square kilometres, from rural Tayside across Aberdeenshire, Moray, the Cairngorms and the Highlands.

GARDENING FOR WILDLIFE

Lorraine Kelly launches the 'Wild about gardens' campaign in conjunction with the Royal Horticultural Society and the UK Wildlife Trusts. More.

Plants recommended for a wildlife garden

The RSPB and RHS have got together to create a list of plants recommended for wildlife gardening.
See the full list.

The Book of Shells

We've all picked up a shell or two on the beach, but outside the very most common ones, we have no idea what we are handling. The glorious 652 page book will be able to answer that question for you, no matter where in the world you are.
Read full review »

Top recommendations for wildlife watching activities in the UK.

National Trust Coastal Wildlife Walks.

A Year of Wildlife Walks with the National Trust.

National Trust's top wildlife walks.

Chris Packham's thoughts

Latest competitions

UK wildlife photography competition.
Enter the latest Wildlife Extra competition. Click here

British Moth ID

British Moths and Butterflies - A photographic guide

The book covers 1420 species of moth, 850 macros and 500 micros, as well as 314 caterpillars, pupae and eggs and 74 butterflies.
Read full review »

Why is Herefordshire ignored by national conservation bodies? RSPB, we need you.

There are no RSPB reserves, no WWT reserves, and no National Parks. To my surprise, I have discovered that there are 3 National Nature Reserves in Herefordshire, covering just 200 hectares between them, but 2 of them are permanently closed to the public.

Why is Herefordshire ignored by national conservation bodies? RSPB, we need you.

Articles about the wildlife of the UK

Music Festivals- Green events for hippies, or Land-fill nightmares?
Red squirrel walks with the National Trust
Urban foxes in Bristol
Where to see the deer rut.

Where to Watch Birds in Britain - Second edition

The familiar format contains 34 new sites, giving a total of 454, now including 5 sites on the Isle of Wight. Each site now has a grid reference to aid those of you who are GPS dependent, and there is also a list of 100 birds you might want to see and the best places to see them.
Read full review »

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Great British Marine Animals - 3rd Edition

Many people think of the waters around Great Britain as cold, grey and fairly lifeless. This book will put you right (though noone can argue about the water temperature).
Read full review »

Britain's butterflies

Comprehensive photo field guide to the butterflies of Britain.

Click Britain's Butterflies to find out more.

Butterflies

This isn't just a guide to British butterflies, it is a lot more. Matthew Oates is the National Trust's, and one of Britain's, leading experts. He fell in love with butterflies, and particularly the purple emperor, at an early age, and has been following them all around Britain ever since.

Highly recommended.

Read full review »

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Garden wildlife photos

Having taken 2-3 photos, I walked back towards the office, but just before I reached the door, I notice something buzzing around in front of the flowers. The buzz was actually the hum of the very distinctive Hummingbird Hawkmoth, the first we have seen here.

A top 10 minutes.

Click 10 top minutes of garden wildlife

England nature

Read about the nature of England, and see a guide to nature reserves in England.
Click here to see more about English Nature

Region by Region

Safari of the week

A guide to the wildlife and nature reserves of the UK.

Wildlife and bird watching in the UK

Region by region

Recent UK & Ireland Wildlife news

More UK & Ireland Wildlife news

CATEGORY WINNERS

Top wildlife and bird watching in the South East

GARDENING FOR WILDLIFE

Plants recommended for a wildlife garden

The Book of Shells

Top recommendations for wildlife watching activities in the UK.

Chris Packham's thoughts

Latest competitions

British Moth ID

British Moths and Butterflies - A photographic guide

Why is Herefordshire ignored by national conservation bodies? RSPB, we need you.

Articles about the wildlife of the UK

Where to Watch Birds in Britain - Second edition

Great British Marine Animals - 3rd Edition

Britain's butterflies

Butterflies

Garden wildlife photos

England nature