Ambleside, Lake District

[Hauer]

Hi - am spending a week at Ambleside around mid April.
It's my first time in the region. Any tips, anyone?
Thank you.

Cheers - Herman

[Marmot]

Are you driving or will it all be done on foot. bus etc.

We stayed at Windereme, a few miles down the road from Ambleside. At Windermere there is the Lake which you get a variety of normal waterbirds, Swan, Geese etc. If you follow the one way system round the lake and park where the shops end, there is a park /grassed area [a circular route that takes you past the lake and wooded area. There was a good variety of birds about. There is also Grizedale Forest as well, but saying that i have never checked that one out.

Check some of the threads out by putting Cumbria in the search thread...there is also some at the base of the page which have some relevence as well.


And of course about 30 minutes away is the RSPB Leighton Moss
http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/l/leightonmoss/index.asp

There are some books here that may help you
http://www.bookscumbria.com/shop/4/30/index.htm

[Osprey_watcher]

Assuming you are in a car you could drive up to Bassenthwaite to watch the ospreys.

[Hauer]

Thank you both for the info given. Much appreciated.
Am travelling by car. Eddie, is there a particular route I should follow to see the Ospreys in / near Bassenthwaite?
My very first time in the area...

Cheers - Herman

[Peter Truelove]

Herman....Cumbria (particularly the south of the county) is very well provided with nature reserves. I suggest that info from Cumbria Wildlife Trust would help. RSPB at Leighton Moss is a great site which we visit regularly but outside the National Park. We are particularly interested in the reserves at South Walney (CWT, coastal with dunes & pools + several good hides) and Hodbarrow (RSPB, coastal with dunes, a lagoon, areas of scrub etc. Good for terns but only one hide). Peter.

[IanF]

Thank you both for the info given. Much appreciated.
Am travelling by car. Eddie, is there a particular route I should follow to see the Ospreys in / near Bassenthwaite?
My very first time in the area...

Cheers - Herman

There you go - http://www.rspb.org.uk/brilliant/sites/lakeosprey/

The Lake District itself isn't that brilliant for birdwatching. Most of the more productive areas tend to be around the edges, especially to the south. As Marmot says RSPB Leighton Moss is a must with wetland and coastal habitats and a few woodland birds.

In the lake District itself Buzzard and Raven are pretty common on the crags. The lakes themselves don't hold that many birds I'm afraid.

[will@bill]

Hi - am spending a week at Ambleside around mid April.
It's my first time in the region. Any tips, anyone?
Thank you.

Cheers - Herman

haweswaters golden eagle not sure when thats turns up??

[IanF]

haweswaters golden eagle not sure when thats turns up??

It lives there all year round - it's a resident. Hopefully it will manage to attract a new mate this year.

Actually it's a good spot for birding as well. The crags on the walk around to the viewpoint often hold Goshawk and breeding Ring Ouzel as well as a few waterfowl on the lake.

[Mono]

Can't really add much, well worth a visit to Leighton Moss

A trip over to Hodbarrow, things will have arrived there by then. You have the added fun of going over Wrynose and Hardknott passes to get to it.

The osperys are nice but a bit of a sterile experience if you go to the viewing site, the RSPB bods just point them out to you!

I hope the weather is good for you.

[will@bill]

Can't really add much, well worth a visit to Leighton Moss

A trip over to Hodbarrow, things will have arrived there by then. You have the added fun of going over Wrynose and Hardknott passes to get to it.

The osperys are nice but a bit of a sterile experience if you go to the viewing site, the RSPB bods just point them out to you!

I hope the weather is good for you.

never went to the viewing point we were down on the west side of the lake side they were flying over our heads bit closer then the v/point

[Stephen Dunstan]

There is also a Ring-necked Duck at Bassenthwaite, which may just hang on that long, and it is good for Otters.

Stephen.