Wildlife and bird watching in the South West of England
County by county
Recent South West news
- 120 slow worms moved to make way for houses
- Long-eared owls in South West England
- 75 starlings die in mystery crash landing
- Huge Fin whale strands in Cornwall
- Severn Barrage could bring floods, destroy wildlife and livelihoods
- Are Sea eagles coming back to Suffolk? Vote on what you think should happen
- Rare Bewick’s divorce observed at Slimbridge
- Loch of the Lowes most visited nature reserve – On Wildlife Extra
- Rare white-beaked dolphin strands in Cornwall
- Three new tree species discovered at Cheddar Gorge
- Once thought extinct hoverfly discovered in Forest of Dean
- Reedbeds in the UK – Scarce and endangered
- Tracking Greater horseshoe bats in the Forest of Dean
- Dorset dairy farmer spots endangered butterflies on his farm
- 13,400 species on RSPB reserves – Less than 3% are birds
More South West news
- 700+ whales and dolphins seen from Scilly ferry
- Painted lady butterfly migration mystery solved
- Rare winter marsh warbler in first for Slimbridge
- £700,000 cash boost for urban wildlife oasis
- Record year for Bitterns in UK
- Basking shark strands in Cornwall
- Pearl-bordered fritillary butterflies boost in Devon
- Sand lizards thriving in Dorset
- Second brood of Duke of Burgundy butterflies raises hopes for species survival
- 19 more Russian Great Bustards now in the UK
- Silver Studded Blue butterfly found on Devon reserve for first time in 20 years
- UK dolphins travel much further than previously thought
- Cornwall beach-goers warned to watch out for Portuguese man-of-war
- Smooth snakes to be reintroduced to Devon
- Eight species reported in UK national whale and dolphin watch week
75 starlings die in mystery crash landing Mystery surrounds the death of 75 starlings which crashed to the ground and died on a single driveway in Somerset.
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Huge Fin whale strands in CornwallThe body of a huge whale has been found on the north coast of Cornwall; The Cornwall Wildlife Trust believes it to be a Fin whale, which had been reported floating close to the shore off Pendeen.
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Are Sea eagles coming back to Suffolk? Vote on what you think should happenIn any debate about conservation, it is always important to discount 10% of the arguments at either end of the range, as some people will support all conservation, no matter what the cost or practicalities, and others would complain about spending 5 Euros to save the last elephant. Somewhere in the middle is a rational debate and, usually, the right answer.
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Basking shark strands in CornwallA young basking shark, which stranded on a beach in west Cornwall in August, was the first of its kind in England to be examined by veterinary pathologists. At over four metres long, the fish was so huge it wouldn't fit on the examination table and was too heavy to be weighed on their scales.
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The First Great Bustard chicks hatch in the UK for 177 yearsFor the first time since 1832, the Great Bustard - one of Europe's most threatened birds - has nested in the UK with two separate females successfully hatching chicks.
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UK Seahorse tagging project at Studland Bay in DorsetSince the discovery of Seahorses at Studland Bay, the site has proven to be internationally important and has thrown up some amazing surprises. The bay has a surprising concentration of Seahorses; with more than 40 in recorded in 2008. This density has made it a site of international importance as nowhere else in the British Isles, or indeed for that matter in the world; except the Rio Formosa in Portugal is there this concentration of Seahorses.
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Unusual whale and dolphin wash up on the Scilly IslesTwo highly unusual marine mammals, a Sowerby's beaked whale and a Risso's dolphin, have been washed up on the western shores of the Isle of St Agnes within days of one another.
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Mass dolphin stranding in Cornwall - at least 26 dolphins deadOn Monday 9th June, 26 common dolphins stranded and died near St Mawes in Cornwall.
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Lyme Bay Reefs devastated.
Devon Wildlife Trust has collected evidence that the Reefs in Lyme Bay have been trashed by some fishing techniques.
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Great bustards released on Salisbury PlainThe Great Bustard Group released 19 birds on Salisbury Plain at the end of September, the fifth annual release that is part of the UK reintroduction project scheduled to continue until 2013.
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DEFRA announces protection for Lyme Bay Reefs - one of the UK’s top marine wildlife sitesOne of the finest marine wildlife sites in the UK's is to be protected from damaging scallop-dredging, thanks to the introduction of a new 60sq mile exclusion zone in Lyme Bay.
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Adonis unexpectedly reappears in the CotswoldsThe beautiful Adonis Blue butterfly has unexpectedly reappeared in the Cotswolds having become locally extinct more than 40 years previously.
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Glossy ibis flock arrives at Slimbridge.Usually only seen in the UK every 5 years, a flock of seventeen have recently settled at Slimbridge.
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Minke whale stranded in CornwallA 7 metre long Minke whale washed up on Porthcothan beach. Minke sighting are unusual at this time of year.
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Great Bustards nest again in UK after 175 years waitEarlier this spring a female Great Bustard from the Great Bustard Group (GBG) reintroduction trial in Wiltshire nested and laid two eggs. Due to fears of egg thieves and disturbance from bird watchers, the announcement was delayed and the location of the nest is being kept secret.
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Cirl buntings re-introduced into Cornwall.The rare Cirl bunting was reduced to just a few hundred pairs in south Devon, but they have now been re-introduced into Cornwall.
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Basking shark sighting and a code of conduct
With the recent surge in basking shark sightings off the UK coast, especially Cornwall and the Isle of Man, the Marine Conservation Society has devised a code of conduct as to how to behave when near the sharks, whether in a boat or swimming (not advised). More.Lyme Bay Reefs devastated by fishing.
Lyme Bay Reefs devastated by fishing.
Devon Wildlife Trust has collected evidence that the Reefs in Lyme Bay have been trashed by some fishing techniques. To see the full story, and to see a video of the destruction, Click here.
Devon Wildlife Trust has collected evidence that the Reefs in Lyme Bay have been trashed by some fishing techniques. To see the full story, and to see a video of the destruction, Click here.
Large blue butterfly ‘open day’
On Sunday 20 June staff and volunteers will be showing visitors round taking them to the best places to see these little blue beauties during their short life.
Wildlife of the Jurassic Coast
If you are visiting the southern coast of England, anywhere between Exmouth and Swanage, and you are vaguely interested in wildlife, you should get your hands on this book.Read full review »
