20th October 2020
The Isle of Wight is an amazing place for birdwatching, with nature reserves, wildlife sites and over 150 kilometres of spectacular coastline to explore.
We are now entering the autumn migration period and are excited at the expectation of seeing good numbers of winter visitors including ducks and geese, right down to our smallest migratory bird, the gold crest, weighing just 5 grams, and the less common, fire crests. A good spot to view both is along the Yarmouth causeway.
Here are our tips on which birds to find where on the Island:
Yarmouth
Winter waders, ducks, geese and possibly marsh harriers, spoonbills and eagles
RSPB Nature Reserve at Brading Marshes
As Yarmouth but also reed specialists eg bitterns, various warblers, resident marsh harriers, hobbies, peregrine falcons, white fronted geese, little egrets, great white egrets and occasionally, cattle egrets.
National Trust – Newtown Nature Reserve
Grey seals, kingfishers, eagles and winter population of spoonbills (about 11 individuals were recorded last winter). Highlights include pintail ducks, wigeon and teal, Goldeneye, grey and golden plovers, Greenshank, Redshank and good numbers of Curlew.
