Low carbon birding and wildlife

I don’t like thinking about climate breakdown. It’s scary. It’s much better to be doing something about it. I am not writing this from the standpoint of virtue – I have done a lot of travelling including flying to see wildlife[1]. And we now have an electric car so I feel a bit less guilty about driving too. But I really enjoy seeing a lot of birds and other wildlife without flying or driving. And I’d like to encourage others to do the same.

I sometimes wonder at the impacts of rare birds. How many thousands of people drove how many miles to see the Black-browed Albatross that hung around the Yorkshire coast in 2022? How many tonnes of CO2 did they emit? Yet Bempton railway station is a mere 20 minute walk from the RSPB reserve, and vanishingly few people came that way. People jump on planes to the Shetlands or drive hundreds of miles to see rarities.

I am lucky in that I live in a flat overlooking the Walthamstow Wetlands – arguably that’s what got me into birding in the first place. But I have found ways to explore much further, with bike and train and often both. I can easily get trains up the Lea valley, and to Cambridge and beyond; or to the Essex coast, or down into Kent on the high-speed Javelin trains..

Trains aren’t always cheap, especially for birding in Europe – usually it’s the Eurostar leg that is most expensive. I am lucky in being retired so have Freedom Pass and a Senior Railcard, and I’m reasonably well off, so I can afford to jump on trains.

Here I will set out some of the opportunities there are, starting nearby and extending outwards…..

London and surrounds

Walthamstow Wetlands and around

Without stirring from my balcony, I have seen Bittern, Bar-tailed Godwits, Common Scoters, Little Gulls, Black Terns, Kingfishers, Wheatear and many more species. For some months there was a Little Bunting less than 100m away, but the pesky trees in the way meant I had to walk round into the wetlands to see it.

The Wetlands are a well-known destination, and easily reached by National Rail or Victoria line to Tottenham Hale, or Overground to Blackhorse Road. As well as birds, there’s rabbits, weasels, and a good range of butter- and dragon-flies.

Going down the Lea valley, there’s Walthamstow Marshes, good for warblers in spring and occasional rarities (Dusky Warbler, Common Rosefinch), the waterworks reserve, and the Olympic Park.

Up the Lea Valley

Going up the river, there’s King George V reservoir (permit required) a short bike ride from Ponders End station. Good for Goosanders, Smew, rarer grebes and occasional divers and phalaropes.

Further up, Cornmill Meadows, a dragonfly sanctuary, is a ride from Waltham Cross. Fishers Green, well known for wintering bitterns and nightingales, is a walk or ride from Cheshunt station. Amwell Nature Reserve (wintering Smew, Little Ringed Plovers, Bittern, Barn owl) is easily reachable from St Margaret’s Station.

A longer cycle from Broxbourne station will get you to Broxbourne Woods, regular for Woodcreeper and Nuthatch, but a special place for butterflies – Purple Emperors are regular, along with White Admirals, Silver-washed Fritillaries, Purple Hairstreaks. There’s a pond with Great Crested Newts. I have seen wintering flocks of 100s of Siskin, and occasionally Crossbills. Plus there’s the thrill of hearing exotic animals in Paradise Park howling at dawn, a weird experience in an English wood.

From Hertford, it’s about 3 miles cycle to Bramfield, which in recent winters has hosted a number of Hawfinch, mainly seen in the churchyard.

Across London

Rainham Marshes RSPB is well known, and a short walk from Purfleet station (trains from Fenchurch Street or Barking). Most people still seem to drive… but a bike gives you the option of covering the marshes or the riverfront between Purfleet and Rainham stations too. I’ve never seen a Dartford Warbler in Dartford but I once saw one here with Dartford Bridge in the background…

For a bit of extra excitement, you can get your bike – and you – carried over the Dartford crossing – so you can do Rainham then cross to Dartford Marshes and beyond.

I don’t know Beddington Farmlands well, but trains from Victoria to Hackbridge take just 25 minutes. https://wandlevalleypark.co.uk/wandle-valley-regional-park/ .

Out west, Staines Moor (water pipits, SE Owls etc) is a ride from Heathrow Terminal 5 (now on Elizabeth line as well as Piccadilly), while Staines Reservoirs are 10 minutes from Ashford (Middx) station, trains from waterloo or Vauxhall. The reservoirs usually get BN Grebes, and divers in winter, plus occasional rarities.

Barnes WWT is a short ride or a 10 minute walk from Barnes station, or a bus ride from Hammersmith station. It’s expensive to visit if you’re not a member (but if you are there’s Welney [see below] and other reserves around the country). It’s a good place to see Bitterns, Jack Snipe and Water Pipits in winter, often Siskins as well, and later on you can watch the House Martins close-up at their nesting site.

Further out – South East

Cliffe RSPB on the Thames Estuary is a 15 minute ride from Higham station though the trains are stoppers and it can take longer than Oare. It gets a share of wader rarities like BW Stilt.

Oare (Kent WT) is further but easier, just a 12 minute ride from Faversham accessed by high speed trains from St Pancras or Stratford. Again, very good for waders, Common Seals (tho usually distant) and Turtle Doves and Cuckoos.

Elmley, on the Isle of Sheppey, is a 20 minute ride from Sittingbourne, on the same high speed line. Or you can take the hourly train and get off at the (Kent’s least used) Swale station which is only a few hundred metres from the reserve entrance (NB you have to pay to enter). Grove Ferry and Shellness are at the far end of the isle – the former is good for raptors, Shellness winter waders and maybe Scoter offshore.

Sandwich bay. The last time I saw Twite was on the shore near Sandwich – about quarter of a mile from Thanet Parkway station.

Dungeness This takes a bit more doing – high speed to Ashford then slower train to Lydd – and cycle across the flats - or Rye, and cycle along the coast road. There’s the RSPB reserve, the bird observatory, the nuclear power station (Black Redstarts often on the fence but security might check why you’re staring at the plant) and the beach which has great sea-watching at The Patch, where cooling water from the power station comes up.

Rye Harbour Same route as Dungeness, but only a mile or so from the station to the excellent Susses Wildlife Trust reserve – great for waders, passage migrants, Mediterranean Gulls, sometimes seals. Last time I visited, an Osprey was hanging around the rivermouth giving fantastic views.

West

Farnham Heath Train from Waterloo or Vauxhall to Farnham, then about 3 miles to the RSPB reserve – a bit hilly but not too bad. I make an annual visit between April and June to see Nightjars, often Woodcock too, and if I get there by day I usually get Dartford warbler, Tree Pipit and Wood Lark. A chance of see Sand Lizards too, though I never have.

New Forest There are good sites for Lesser-spotted Woodpeckers, Marsh Tits, Wood Warblers, Honey Buzzards and Goshawks.as well as heathland birds. Bolderwood Lodge about 6 miles from Ashurst station is a good area with a mix of habitats. I haven’t tried the new-ish RSPB Franchises Lodge reserve but it’s supposed to be good. X7 bus from Salisbury, roughly hourly, takes an hour.

Arne RSPB A longer trek from Waterloo, then a great cycle from Wareham, about 4 miles to the visitor centre. Similar birds on the heathland as Farnham, rather more chance of seeing Sand Lizards, but coast as well, now with breeding Osprey….

Bustards! The Great Bustard reintroduction project isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I think it’s amazing to see big groups of these huge birds on British soil. Train to Swindon or Salisbury (cheaper when I did it) and then a bus to Enford. You can go and try your luck along the tracks past Enford farm or Compton, and over towards Lavington Folly. But I have always booked a tour from the project – they know where the birds are likely to be and can give you other info. In winter Hen Harriers also possible.

Slimbridge WWT Cam and Dursley station – from Gloucester or Swindon. Like Barnes, you have to pay to entre or be a member. But great in winter for Bewicks Swans, some Whoopers too, and a whole range of other birds. Cranes have been reintroduced and are often visible.

Forest of Dean A longer train trip, change at Gloucester to Lydney, then a bit of cycling over hills to Parkend. I have camped in the site there. Wild Boar are often seen in and around the village. Nearby is RSPB Nagshead where there are still Pied Flycatchers, though numbers have declined, and maybe a few Wood Warblers. There are Dippers on the streams.

Llanelli Long ride but direct from Paddington, then a short ride or walk to WWT site. I haven’t been.

Others I have been to Castle Carey and then cycled to Collard Hill to see the Large Blue butterflies. Well worth it.

Then of course there are all the other sites in the Somerset Levels, RSPB Ham Wall etc, and WWT Steart Marshes, good for rarer herons, waders, raptors, starling murmurations and otters.

East

Whew, much nearer Two Tree Island (EWT), very near Leigh-on-Sea station (from Fenchurch Street or Barking). The winter high tide roost is not as big as Snettisham’s but you can often have it all to yourself – and it is much easier to get to! Hundreds/thousands of Knot pour over the seawall to join Dunlins, Ringed Plovers, Godwits, Avocets and a variety of ducks, and there can be Rock Pipits along towards the jetty.

Also in the Southend direction, RSPB Wallasea, just 20 minutes from Rochford (about 50 mins from Liverpool Street), a big new site created with waste from Elizabeth Line tunnelling. Great for ducks and waders, and in winter, Short-eared Owls and sometimes hen Harriers.

Wrabness is an annual visit – change trains at Maningtree, then a couple of stops, and a 5 minute cycle or longer walk to the Essex WT reserve. On a good day in spring you can hear cuckooo, nightingale and turtle dove all singing at the same time. And see them! And you can walk to Grayson Perry’s extraordinary Essex House v near the station/.

Abberton Reservoir – to Colchester, then about 4 miles from the station to the Essex WT visitor centre and the causeway. All sorts of waders, ducks, grebes and divers can turn up, and Spoonbills have nested near the road.

North

Sandy RSPB HQ You’ve guessed – train to Sandy from St Pancras/Thameslink and a ride, up a bit of hill, to the RSPB reserve around the HQ building. Again, a mix of heathland and woodland birds, and Natterjack toads in the ponds in early spring.

Watercress NR is less than 2 miles from St Albans City station, but is a lovely community-run site alongside the River Vere, and may have Bullfinch, Redpoll, Brambling and Siskin in winter.

Fowlmere – best to get train from Kings Cross to Foxton, or a slightly longer (6.8miles) and less pleasant ride from Whittlesey Parkway on the line from Liverpool Street. No longer seems to have Turtle Doves but can have Spotted Flycatcher, Corn Bunting, Grey Partridge, and good for Water Voles.

Welney WWT – 7.7 miles from Littleport station, on the Cambridge-Kings Lynn line, sadly only hourly. But once across the A10 the route can be very enjoyable, with hundreds of Whooper Swans out on either side of the road, sometimes hares, Barn owls. One of my favourite visitors’ centres – good soup while looking out maybe at Barn and SE Owls, Chinese Water Deer, Hares

Weeting Heath NWT is 2.4 miles from Brandon railway station (Cambridge to Norwich line), and is easiest place in UK to see Stone Curlews. The woodland hide can have a variety of birds inc Marsh Tits, Siskins, and the heath across the road Woodlarks and Tree Pipits.

Lakenheath RSPB is another couple of miles beyond Weeting (trains only stop at Lakenheath once a day or something silly so best come from Brandon) – great for breeding Bitterns, Cranes, Hobbies, Marsh Harriers.

Snettisham RSPB is the best high tide roost site, but it’s 13 miles from Kings Lynn, nearest station. You can get the bus but still have to walk from the A149 to the beach. If it’s an early morning high tide I’d suggest staying in a pub in Snettisham village. Well worth it.

Frampton RSPB is a great spot for ticking rarer species, especially waders but also Merlins in winter. Boston is the nearest station, an interesting place to spend an hour or so, and the reserve is about 5 miles away by bike, a flat road between fenny fields. Good café in visitors’ centre.

I could go on. I have recently been to the Isle of Man by ferry, and then used my folding bike and buses to get around, seeing Chough, Hen Harrier, Hooded Crow, Purple Sandpiper and Black Guillemots.

Everyone will have different transport opportunities and ability to walk or cycle. I would just urge you to get out, enjoy nature and keep your emissions to a minimum.

[1] Some argue that wildlife travelling is positively beneficial. Many guides in Africa, Asia and Latin America say – please come, you are helping us conserve wildlife and its habitats. Does that outweigh the carbon costs? Debate.