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A sculpture of a beetle on the Queens Park Trail

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Wildlife & Bird Watching in Bournemouth

Bournemouth might be famous for its golden sand, but did you know that we’ve got over 100 parks and public spaces, including 10 nature reserves? We’re also proud to have four SSSIs (sites of specific scientific interest) – Hengistbury Head, Kinson Common, Southbourne Overcliff and Turbary Common. These areas host a wide variety of habitats, from heathland and woods to meadows and marshland, which makes it the perfect place for plants and animals to set up home.

There are hundreds of different species in and around the resort and our nature reserves are also home to some very rare and special creatures. Hengistbury Head is a favourite of wildlife enthusiasts and you’ll find a whole host of animals, insects, reptiles and amphibians scuttling about this historic headland.

If you don’t know your nuthatches from your natterjacks, fear not! You’ll find help and information at the Hengistbury Head Visitor Centre. There’s even a programme of guided walks and outdoor events throughout the year.

The Stour Valley on the north-west edge of Bournemouth is a riverside nature reserve. It was one of the first to be awarded a green flag and incorporates a two mile stretch of riverside walks, meadows, hedgerows and woodland. Look out for Cetti’s warbler, kingfishers and otters!

There’s a team of rangers based nearby at Kingfisher Barn and a visitor centre which opened in May 2016. The centre and its staff will help you to explore the Stour Valley Nature Reserve and uncover all its wonderful flora and fauna. Again, there’s a calendar of events and walks throughout the year if you need a bit of guidance.

Bournemouth is also well known for its majestic clifftops. But it’s not only people that settle in thanks to a string of luxury hotels, there’s also a thriving ecosystem on these picturesque precipices. Our cliffs are home to more than 300 plant species that thrive on the dry, sandy soils. Some of them have very unusual names like mossy stonecrop, suffocated clover and hairy birdsfoot trefoil!

The rarest sight on our cliffs is the Dartford warbler but you’ll be able to spot many other birds including stonechats and kestrels. Sand martins cheekily excavate our sandy cliffs, nesting in the burrows that remain.

In the summer, you can look out to see and catch sandwich terns plunging down from the sky as they pick off sand eels close to the shore. Perched on the red groyne markers, you can often see cormorants and, further out to sea, gannets.

The cliffs are particularly important for preserving the rare sand lizard but there are also common lizards and, in certain areas, wall lizards and green lizards can be spotted. You’re also very likely to see the British feral goats from the Isle of Wight grazing on the steep scrub-covered slopes at Honeycombe Chine next to Boscombe Pier.

If you walk through Bournemouth’s Lower Gardens to the Central Gardens, you can follow our tree trail. See trees from all over the world, including Persian ironwood, Californian redwood and Monterey pine. Look out for the pretty red bridges and gothic water tower home to a colony of bats.

Our public parks are very popular and not just with residents and visitors to the resort. At Queens Park, north of the town, you may find you’re sharing a Sunday afternoon stroll with stag beetles, emperor dragonflies, green woodpecker, red foxes and speckled wood butterflies. The park is home to a golf course so, to help you explore safely and without interrupting play, there are a number of active discovery routes. There’s also a wildlife route – a 1.75km circular walk which takes you through different habitats and on the hunt for five carved sculptures celebrating some of the local species.

With such fascinating hidden treasures on your doorstep, you can go really wild here on the South Coast!

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Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre

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Come to visit the location of the TV show Monkey Life! Monkey World assists governments around the world to stop the smuggling of primates from the wild.

TripAdvisor Traveller Rating
5687 reviews
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Farmer Palmer’s is the fabulous Farm Park where young adventurers can frankly ‘let their hair down’ without older children around to stifle their enjoyment!

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1200 reviews
Upton Country Park

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Whatever the season, there's something for everyone - enjoy the wildlife along the shoreline, try the Woodland Play Trail, visit an exhibition at The Gallery, try one of the many events – or simply find a quiet spot to admire the grounds and…
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A unique Pool which varies in colour from green to turquoise is surrounded by 25 acres of pine trees, gorse and heather. A haven for families to enjoy and explore.

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525 reviews
The Etches Collection - Museum of Jurassic Marine Life

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A brand new immersive museum housing the finest single collection of Kimmeridgian fossils all found by one man.

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177 reviews
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The Upper Gardens hold many unusual tree species including a North American Giant Redwood (believed to be the largest in the country) and a group of mature Persian Ironwood trees.
New Forest Wildlife Park

Nr Ashurst, Southampton

Enjoy a wildlife adventure in this lovely park, set in 25 acres of unspoilt woodland.

TripAdvisor Traveller Rating
1272 reviews
Hengistbury Head Visitor Centre

Bournemouth

A day at Hengistbury Head Nature Reserve is truly a great day out, even outside of the summer. It is still full of wildlife, rare plants, and of course, the thousands of years of important archaeological history. There is plenty to discover and…

TripAdvisor Traveller Rating
232 reviews
Sea Fishing Poole

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Sea Fishing Poole, book a fishing trip, buy your equipment or charter a boat - have a day's adventure.
Bournemouth Gardens Tree Trail

Bournemouth

Learn how to recognise your trees with this gardens trail. It takes approximately two hours and identifies 12 types of tree including Redwood, Cypress and Palm, and is totally free!
Hengistbury Head

Southbourne, Bournemouth,

Hengistbury Head is a relatively unspoilt and south-facing pebble beach, with imposing clay and ironstone cliffs.
Bournemouth Lower Gardens

Bournemouth

The Lower Gardens in Bournemouth are only a five minute walk from the main shopping centre, the beach and the pier.
Marwell Zoo

Winchester

Marwell’s 140-acre park is home to an incredible range of exotic and endangered species, in beautiful, landscaped surroundings. Just by visiting Marwell Zoo (owned and operated by conservation charity, Marwell Wildlife) you'll be making a big…

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2841 reviews
Bournemouth Central Gardens

Bournemouth

The Central Gardens extend from the town centre to Coy Pond. They are now the home of the tennis courts, a children’s playground and a war memorial with beautiful rose borders, a Rhododendron Walk and heather beds.
Eling Tide Mill Experience

Totton

The Grade II* listed Eling Tide Mill, which has stood at the centre of life in Eling for centuries, is one of only a handful of working tide mills left in the UK.
Dorset Heavy Horse Farm Park

Verwood

The Dorset Heavy Horse Farm Park is a multi-award-winning attraction attraction located in the heart of Dorset. Recognised as both a family attraction and conservation centre for the rare breed Heavy Horses.

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1318 reviews
Oceanarium, The Bournemouth Aquarium

Bournemouth

Oceanarium, The Bournemouth Aquarium takes you on a magical underwater adventure above and below the waves.

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2877 reviews
Kingfisher Barn Visitor Centre

Bournemouth

Kingfisher Barn Visitor Centre is the gateway to the Stour Valley Nature Reserve. It is run in partnership between BCP Council and the Bournemouth Parks Foundation.
We recommend stopping in before you head out down to the river. This true…

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