The Lake District National Park, which comprises almost all the Lake District, is the UK’s most visited national park with many opportunities for bird watching.
Lakes, forests, and mountains provide spectacular scenery as well as important wildlife habitats and it is a perfect location for a day out to watch birds or for a bird watching holiday.
Lake Windermere is the largest natural lake in England and home to over a thousand ducks, geese and swans that live there all year round. At any time of year, you’ll be able to spot coots, Canada geese, cormorants, mergansers, mallards, and swans sheltering in the reed beds or swimming across the water as they forage for food.
In winter, the population more than doubles as birds fly in from their breeding grounds in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. Keep your eye out for goldeneyes, great-crested grebes, pochards, and tufted ducks.
Grizedale Forest, east of Coniston Water, is the largest forest in the Lake District and home to numerous birds of prey. Red kites were introduced to the forest in 2010 to replenish the north-west of England’s population and can now be seen all over the UK. Buzzards, barn owls, honey buzzards and goshawks can also be spotted in the area, as well as crossbills, siskins, lesser spotted woodpeckers, hawfinches, grouse, and wood warblers.
Walking and cycling trails will help you explore the variety of scenic woodland and give you the opportunity for plenty of other wildlife encounters with deer, squirrels, badgers, and foxes. And don’t miss the sculptures and artwork sited within the forest which have been created by artists over the last 30 years, the largest collection of its kind in the UK.
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For many years, RSPB Haweswater was home to England’s only golden eagle, but it hasn’t been spotted since 2015 and its probable death. However, you can still see other birds of prey circling overhead including buzzards, merlins, and peregrine falcons.
By the lake dippers, gulls, and a variety of waterfowl can be seen, while the oak woodlands are home to many small birds including redstarts, stonechats, and pied flycatchers. At the south end of Haweswater look out for mountain-dwelling birds, such as ravens and ring ouzels nesting on the edges of the fells.
The RSPB host many events and activities throughout the year including breakfast with red squirrels, pony adventures, and wilderness escapes, and there are hides available to spot pied flycatchers and badgers.
Dodd Wood is situated a few miles north of Keswick. It’s managed by the Forestry Commission who have set up the Lake District Osprey Project in collaboration with the RSPB. Ospreys are currently breeding in trees near Bassenthwaite Lake which is a favourite fishing location of the birds, and viewing stations set up with scopes are available to give you a chance to spot the nesting birds.
There are plenty of marked trails throughout the woods and as well as some breath-taking views over the surrounding fells, look out for sparrowhawks, kestrels, tawny owls, oystercatchers, great crested grebes, barnacle geese, redstarts, and blackcaps.
Tarn Hows, managed by the National Trust, is one of the most popular areas in the Lake District. Once owned by Beatrix Potter, it’s a beauty spot surrounded by dense woodland with majestic mountain views.
A short circular trail will take you around the tarn with the opportunity to spot blackbirds, tree pipits, bramblings, buzzards, chaffinches, bullfinches, and barn owls. Rare Belted Galloway cattle and hardy Herdwick sheep can be seen grazing nearby.
Derwent Water is just a 10 minute walk from the centre of Keswick. It’s surrounded by wooded fells and to its south is the entrance to the beautiful Borrowdale Valley.
In early spring you can hear tawny owls hooting to each other as they search for a mate, and during breeding season listen out for peregrine falcons calling to their young from nearby Falcon Crag. Later in the year, cuckoos arrive for their short summer visit. You’ll also have the chance to see green woodpeckers, house martins, ravens, kingfishers, and long-tailed tits. In winter look out for the tracks of wild deer and rabbits who are joined by fieldfares, redwings, and occasionally snow buntings.
As well as an abundance of birdlife, the Lake District is also home to the largest population of red squirrels in England, as well as red and roe deer. Butterflies such as meadow downs, orange-tips, and marsh fritillaries have been reintroduced and there are important colonies of liverworts and mosses, and two carnivorous plants; sundew and butterwort.
