[Tony mc]

Hi fellow birders my son just moved to Ambleside and works in Grassmere was wondering if any one can point me in the right direction of any good sites in and around these areas for birding. Me and the wife will be travelling over at least once a month cheers

[Mono]

The lakes themselves are always worth a scan, the Waterhead end of Windermere had a long tailed duck all last winter, and for a few winters a ring billed duck returned to Grasmere. They can pick up a fair bit in passage so they are always worth a look over.

Apart form the lakes there are no real "sit and watch" sites around there but there are plenty of shortish walks that take you through a variety of habitats. Skelwith Bridge to Elterwater and Ambleside up to High Sweden Bridge spring to mind. It is usually a case of having a pleasant walk in the countryside and see what birds you bump into.

[Scrufftyguy]

The woods around High Close YHA (Low Wood, Red Bank Wood etc) are also worth a look around. In the summer they're excellent for singing wood warbler, redstart and pied flycatcher as well as other more common woodland species.

If you fancy a higher level walk, a wander up to Stickle Tarn in the spring can often reward with wheatears, peregrine and ring ouzel.

This time of year I've seen snow buntings at Pike of Stickle, Angle Tarn and Silver Howe, always nice to see them in an upland habitat. :)

[pratincol]

I do a lot of birdwatching in South Cumbria.
There is a new website called birdsinsouthcumbria and the newly revamped Cumbria Bird Club website.
A lot of the best birdwatching around here are on the fringes of the Lake District.
My favourite areas are:Scout Scar,Flookburgh Marsh,Ulpha Meadows,Foulshaw Moss,Kentmere Valley,Bannisdale,Burnsbeck Moss,Wyndhammere,The Kent Estuary.
There are areas in most of these locations where the tourists and locals seldom visit so there is less disturbance than there is in some parts of the National Park.
See the 'birdsinsouthcumbria' website to get a flavour of what is around.
Contact me through the website if you want any more advice.