Wildlife and bird watching in the South East of England
Despite being the most densely populated part of the country, there is still plenty of wildlife viewing available. Even within London there are surprising opportunities for wildlife watching, from some of the great parks at Richmond, to fantastic birding sites on reservoirs, along the Thames and also in the Lee Valley and the Marshes of the Thames Estuary.
County by county
Recent South East news
- The snail that’s remained hidden for 100 years
- British kids clueless when it comes to nature – the shocking results of TV survey
- Red kite joins Scottish ‘staycation’ trend
- Churchill’s many talents - War leader, Nobel laureate… butterfly enthusiast
- Sand martins’ ingenious concrete ‘burrow’
- Leucistic starling in East End of London
- First sighting of purple heron chicks confirm UK wildlife first
- Pearl-bordered fritillary thriving against the odds on Isle of Wight
- Leucistic Egyptian goose in Oxfordshire
- Rare spider rediscovered in Essex
- Record number of nightjars in Kent's Blean Woods
- Pearl-Bordered fritillary reintroduced to sites in Kent and Sussex
- Absent damselfly re-discovered in Britain after 57 years
- A great breeding season for UK’s avocets
- Fox rescued from sea off Eastbourne
More South East news
- Rare Emerald moths discovered in Kent
- Marine conservation zone map needs your input
- Swift response: Londoners’ help needed to spot iconic birds
- Purple herons breed for the first time in the UK
- Small oil spill in the Solent
- The nature of London - wildlife film-makers take on the capital
- Man-made London habitat is a rare success
- Ringing at BT office: Keeping track of London’s peregrines
- Watch out for ticks & Lyme disease now the warm weather is here
- Toxic frogs breeding in Portsmouth
- Elusive Little Thorn moth reappears after 150 years
- First Purple herons ever to nest in the UK at Dungeness
- Wildlife beyond nature reserves: RSPB thinks big to save UK wildlife
- Roe deer stuck in school gates
- Endangered cricket reintroduced in South East England
First sighting of purple heron chicks confirm UK wildlife first It's a sight wildlife lovers have been waiting for - the first purple heron chick ever to be raised successfully in the UK has taken its first flight and is learning to fend for itself. But is this news good or bad as it is further evidence of global warming?
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Purple herons breed for the first time in the UKThe first purple herons ever to breed successfully in the UK have hatched their chicks on the RSPB's Dungeness Nature Reserve in Kent. It is not yet known how many chicks have hatched and confirmation will only be possible when the young fledge in a few weeks time.
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Queen of Spain Fritillary butterfly breeding in SussexA rare migrant butterfly from Europe, the Queen of Spain Fritillary, has been breeding at a location on the Sussex coast.
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First ever recorded Humpback in Thames found dead. A 28ft (9.5m) Humpback whale has been found dead in the River Thames near the Dartford Bridge.
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Albino Fallow deer spotted in SussexVolunteer rescuers had a surprise when they went to rescue a deer that was caught in a rope swing in some Sussex woods. To their amazement the deer, a male fallow deer, was completely white and is thought to be a very rare albino.
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Court approves destruction of marshes and its protected wildlifeThe three-year battle to save West Thurrock Marshes from destruction suffered a massive set-back when the Court of Appeal judged that the decision to build on the site was lawful.
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'Extinct' dove breeds at London Zoo.A Socorro dove, extinct in the wild for 30 years, has bred for the first time at London Zoo.
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Campaign of cruelty to Birds Continues in East SussexAfter last week’s report of 5 gulls being shot in Sussex, we have today (April 21st) received 2 further reports of appalling cruelty from the Hastings/Eastbourne area.
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Rare Waders Successfully Breed in LondonFour rare Avocet chicks hatched on Saturday 17 June 2006 at the WWT London Wetland Centre .in Barnes, South West London – the closest breeding location to central London since records began.
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Squacco heron in LondonA Squacco heron, a very unusual sight in the UK, has taken up residence in London.
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