John Cantelo
Well-known member
Partly out of a disinclination to twitch long distances stemming from a positive dislike of driving, but largely, I suspect, sheer idleness, I rarely bird far from home these days. I doubt, however, if I could take such a laid back attitude if I didn’t live where I do, but that is the point I fumbling towards. Where in the UK (or elsewhere if you want to join in) is the best base for the most varied and productive birding given only a modest amount of driving? (You can cycle if you want as I did for a dozen years!) I should add at this point that, since most of us actually have to make a living and have partners/family to placate, I don’t mean which island on the Shetlands or the Scillies would you rather live on! Since it more or less fits my habits, I have arbitrarily decided in defining radius of action should be no more than 20 miles or 30 minutes drive from your home base.
I nominate my Canterbury. A rough (but pretty accurate) estimate suggests I’ve seen c340 species within 30 minutes of the city. For each site mentioned I’ve indicated some of the ‘key’ species for and rarities seen there (although for the sake of brevity I note only a small selection). This area also embraces a good range of habitats including farmland, wetland, woodland and coastline (plus bird observatory), but it lacks moorland/mountains.
Within 30 minutes (and often rather less), I can get to the following sites:-
CANTERBURY ‘RING’ WOODS (Blean) (3 miles – 9 mins) – woodland species – Nightjar, Woodcock, Nightingale, LSW, etc. Rarity – Arctic Redpoll
STODMARSH (5.5 miles – 13 mins) – Bearded Tit, Bittern, harriers, etc. Rarities – American Coot, Isabelline Shrike, Penduline Tit, etc
GROVE FERRY (7.5 miles – 17 mins) – As above plus waders, etc. Rarities – Cattle Egret, Marsh Sandpiper, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Slender-billed Gull, etc.
RECULVER (8.6 miles – 19 mins) – Migrants and seabirds (inc Leach’s Petrel, 4 skuas, shearwaters etc). Rarities – Arctic, Booted, Pallas’s, Hume’s Y-b, Dusky & Radde’s Warblers, etc
SEASALTER (8.9 miles - 22 mins) – Waders Rarities – Lesser Grey Shrike & Blyth’s Pipit
LYMINGE – (10 miles – 10 mins) – woodland species. No rarities … yet!
OARE MARSHES (13.8 miles – 26 mins) – Waders. Rarities – Squacco Heron, White-rumped & Semi-palmated Sandpipers, Long-billed Dowitcher, etc
SANDWICH BAY BIRD OBSERVATORY (14.8 miles– 30 mins) – Migrants. Rarities – Pallas’s, Dusky & Radde’s Warblers, Isabelline Shrike, etc.
BOCKHILL, Dover (19 miles – 30 mins) – Migrants. Rarities – RF Bluetail, Siberian Stonechat, Tawny Pipit, Pallas’s, Booted, Paddyfield & Radde’s Warblers
All times & distances above taken from Google Maps. Oddly enough, very early one Sunday a few weeks ago we (a friend drove) managed to get to West Hythe (17.6 miles) in rather less than the 34 minutes Google suggested. Can’t think why!
So does anyone have an equally good (or better) home base? I’ve an idea as to where in the UK might better this total, but I still reckon Canterbury must be one of the best,
John
I nominate my Canterbury. A rough (but pretty accurate) estimate suggests I’ve seen c340 species within 30 minutes of the city. For each site mentioned I’ve indicated some of the ‘key’ species for and rarities seen there (although for the sake of brevity I note only a small selection). This area also embraces a good range of habitats including farmland, wetland, woodland and coastline (plus bird observatory), but it lacks moorland/mountains.
Within 30 minutes (and often rather less), I can get to the following sites:-
CANTERBURY ‘RING’ WOODS (Blean) (3 miles – 9 mins) – woodland species – Nightjar, Woodcock, Nightingale, LSW, etc. Rarity – Arctic Redpoll
STODMARSH (5.5 miles – 13 mins) – Bearded Tit, Bittern, harriers, etc. Rarities – American Coot, Isabelline Shrike, Penduline Tit, etc
GROVE FERRY (7.5 miles – 17 mins) – As above plus waders, etc. Rarities – Cattle Egret, Marsh Sandpiper, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Slender-billed Gull, etc.
RECULVER (8.6 miles – 19 mins) – Migrants and seabirds (inc Leach’s Petrel, 4 skuas, shearwaters etc). Rarities – Arctic, Booted, Pallas’s, Hume’s Y-b, Dusky & Radde’s Warblers, etc
SEASALTER (8.9 miles - 22 mins) – Waders Rarities – Lesser Grey Shrike & Blyth’s Pipit
LYMINGE – (10 miles – 10 mins) – woodland species. No rarities … yet!
OARE MARSHES (13.8 miles – 26 mins) – Waders. Rarities – Squacco Heron, White-rumped & Semi-palmated Sandpipers, Long-billed Dowitcher, etc
SANDWICH BAY BIRD OBSERVATORY (14.8 miles– 30 mins) – Migrants. Rarities – Pallas’s, Dusky & Radde’s Warblers, Isabelline Shrike, etc.
BOCKHILL, Dover (19 miles – 30 mins) – Migrants. Rarities – RF Bluetail, Siberian Stonechat, Tawny Pipit, Pallas’s, Booted, Paddyfield & Radde’s Warblers
All times & distances above taken from Google Maps. Oddly enough, very early one Sunday a few weeks ago we (a friend drove) managed to get to West Hythe (17.6 miles) in rather less than the 34 minutes Google suggested. Can’t think why!
So does anyone have an equally good (or better) home base? I’ve an idea as to where in the UK might better this total, but I still reckon Canterbury must be one of the best,
John
