Bird Watching & Wildlife in Dorset

Looking for a destination where you can enjoy all nature has to offer? Wanting to enjoy abundance of thriving nature and wildlife? Then Dorset is certainly the destination for you.

The Dorset landscape provides a stunning home for a whole host of wonderful wildlife for you to enjoy. With so much of Dorset designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty it's no surprise that we have some of the best nature and wildlife found anywhere in the UK.

Incredible landscapes

Our landscape provides a diverse haven which many different species call home. It’s because of our diverse landscape that much of the wildlife that calls Dorset home can only be found within Dorset

Portland's unique geology and its position are ideal for a wide variety of birds, animals and plant life.  So, if you enjoy bird-watching then it’s a great place to indulge your passion. There are also fifty seven species of butterfly that occur in the British Isles and over half of these can be seen on Portland!  There are also a wide variety of plants many of which are particularly rare species! 

Dorset also has a number of fantastic RSPB reserves that keen twitchers will just love.  The RSPB reserves provide an incredible chance to see a wide variety of wildlife up close within their natural habitats.

RSPB Arne 
RSPB Lodmoor
RSPB Radipole Lake

Unique species

Brownsea Island near Poole provides stunning habitats including woodland, heathland and a lagoon. It also provides the home for the much loved red squirrel and a whole host of bird life.

Durlston County Park is another great location to enjoy all of our incredible wildlife. This large National Nature Reserve is a wonderful location to explore providing a superb location for bird and dolphin watching.

Wonderful craft opportunities

There are always a number of interesting environmental courses taking place across the county giving you the opportunity to learn new skills. Highway Farm, Durlston Country Park and Walford Mill Crafts provide extensive courses that give you the chance to learn new skills and enjoy interesting crafts.

With all of this available right here in Dorset we hope that we’ve given you more than enough reason to visit. With all of the fabulous wildlife to enjoy it really is a wildlife lover’s dream location to visit, so pack your binoculars and enjoy all that Dorset has to offer!