recommendations for uk bird watching destinations

[simonduck]

hi having a week away either 2nd or 3rd week in august possibly going to norfolk but can anyone suggest a good uk destination for migrants etc

[Ted Parker]

Hi Simon,

Outside of the Northern Isles (Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland) there probably aren't many better places in autumn than Norfolk and Suffolk for both waders and passerines, so your intiial choice is a good one.  Other excellent mainland locations nationally include Spurn Point (Humberside), Flamborough Head (Yorkshire), Cornwall (particularly the western end of the peninsula centred on St Ives or Penzance, for seabirds (at Pendeen or Porthgwarra), waders and passerine migrants (in the coastal valleys, such as Cot and Nanquidno).  Dungeness (Kent) and Portland Bill (Dorset) on the south coast are also excellent destinations.  Obviously, there are no guarantees wherever you go that you will hit a 'fall', as much depends on weather conditions and whether birds are moving at the time, but, to my mind, this uncertaintly is what makes birding so unpredictable and exciting.

Ted Parker

[simonduck]

thanks very much Ted,am now thinking between Orkney isles and Norfolk.We've just returned from outer,inner hebrides and speyside,had some great views of red necked phals,corncrake,white tailed eagle golden eagle,osprey,slavs,seo,plus well over a hundred more species,otter and 2 species of dolphin.
Cheers for the reply and i think the lure of scotland will pull me to orkneys,with dumfries in december and norfolk spring time next year.

[StewH]

Not sure how restricted you are in your travel plans but one option Ted has missed is a sea watching trip to Bridges of Ross in Co. Clare.  By the third week in August the seabird passage is usually breathtaking!

Not too much in the way of other migration there though, probably a nearctic wader or two to be twitched nearby.

[simonduck]

no restictions at all,just me my tent,scope n bins thanks for reply my missus keeps telling me i should check ireland out