A couple of weeks ago Ed Swan had asked for info about birding in the London area. I forwarded this on to Karla Grimwood who has been in the London area for 2-3 years and was a birder. That is when I found out that she and her husband were being transferred back to the U.S. This explains the delay in passing this info on to Tweeters.

Hugh Jennings
Bellevue, WA
hughbirder AT earthlink.net


Here is a short list of places that might be helpful to a visiting birder in London:

London Wetlands Centre - www.wwt.org.uk/visit/wetlandcentre - there is information on the website about how to get there using public transportation

Hampstead Heath - http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/living_environment/open_spaces/hampstead_heath.htm - a local favorite of famous British birder, author, and television presenter Bill Oddie (quite a likeable character too!)

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) http://www.rspb.org.uk/ is the British version of the Audubon Society. They offer nice facilities (large blinds, gift shop, maintained trails, etc.) and a lot of reserves. Unfortunately, public transportation can usually only get you so close. Here are some that I've either been to or heard of:

Dungeness (yes, like ours in Washington state!) http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/d/dungeness/index.asp On a nice day, you can see France from the lighthouse on this peninsula. You may also be lucky enough to see some sea birds, as well as, scrub brush birds. When I was here in May 2004, I saw the following: Common Tern, Black Tern, Wheatear, Linnet, Meadow Pipet, Oystercatcher, Lapwing, and Greylag Goose. The terns were feeding in the warm water that was being released behind the power station. The Wheatear, Linnet, and Meadow Pipet were all in the field across from the lighthouse. The Lapwing was seen from the visitor's center and the Oystercatcher and Greylag Geese were feeding in a pasture along the road.

Minsmere - http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/m/minsmere/index.asp - I haven't been here, but it's quite famous to British birders.

Dinton Pastures - http://www.wokingham.gov.uk/your-community--district/countryside-service/countryside-sites/dinton-pastures - This was one of my favorite spots, mainly because it was close to my house and offered a lot of different habitats for a variety of birds. The trails are nice and there is a little caf for snacks and coffee. The RSPB often offers walks here. There is plenty of parking. The nearest train station is Winnersh in Berkshire county, but from there it is a walk or you might be able to catch a bus. There is further info. on the website.

I hope this helps some and that you have a wonderful visit. If you ever decide to go birding abroad again, I highly suggest exploring the Skellig Islands off the coast of Ireland. It was an experience I will never forget. If I can be of any further assistance, you can contact me via email on p_grimwood at msn