Best Birdwatching Sites: DORSET

Dorset is one of the most popular counties in England for birdwatching, and this is hardly a surprise as it offers a fantastic range of habitats (coastal beaches, cliffs, heaths, wetlands and chalk downland for instance) and also species of bird and, indeed, other wildlife. Neil Gartshore, previously warden at Arne RSPB reserve in Dorset, has a great knowledge of the county and the best sites to visit for birds.

There are other site guides available to the county, but this one is particularly accessible, handily sized and with really clear maps and site descriptions. As is almost inevitable the southern part of the county is the main focus, there are few in the north and west – in fact one of the main northern sites, Sutton Bingham reservoir, is mostly in neighbouring Somerset. This does reflect the sparsity of sites in this part of the county.