Tips please :)

[Staysee]

Im staying at butlins for the weekend in november and was wondering if there was anywhere within walking distance....well, hour or two walking is fine to see some interesting birds?

I know the coast is right by the camp, but sea birds dont interest me greatly, but as always, its a good start, but if anyone can tell me of anywhere walkable i can go that would be great!

I love raptors, so any good raptor viewing area would be great and just anything different to your regular garden birds would be just as great!


Thank you!

[Stranger]

Hi
I am assuming that you are staying at Minehead.
The Southwest coastal path could be good for Perigrines and I have seen Sparrowhawks and Buzzards at Dunster which is accessible by bus.
The beach around there has thrown up a few surprises in recent years and if I remember correctly so has the Golf course.

[Staysee]

Yeah staying at minehead, thanks for the info...suprisingly i have never seen a peregrine before apart from at a birds of prey center i volunteerd at and only saw my first sparrowhawk this year in my garden haha twice within a few months, so if i could see either of them i'd be a very happy bunny!

I'll look into dunster too, as i dont mind travelling a little further by bus

Thank you!

[Julian Thomas]

Hi Staysee,
The coast path alongside Minehead golf course, just east of Butlins, is worth a walk. It's one of the best places in Somerset for Snow Buntings, which are scarce but annual, and November is usually the best month for them (though still no guarantees). A couple of hours walk at birding pace would get you over to the western end of Dunster Beach chalet complex and back, allowing you to check out the gulls and waders on the stream outflow and passerines in the woods at the western end of Dunster Hawn. Peregrine and Merlin are always a possibility in winter.

Exmoor is invitingly close, but I'm not sure how well served it is by public transport, and birdlife would be quite poor up there by then, but a passing Hen Harrier is possible.

Hope you enjoy your stay.