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Hengistbury Head Visitor Centre is great for days out with the family

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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.

Many of the local Boat Tour opertators, located in our neighbouring town of Poole offer bird watching cruises.

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

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Oceanarium, The Bournemouth Aquarium

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653 reviews
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185 reviews
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Board a Greenslade boat & see the wonderful Poole Harbour, take a trip up the Wareham river or visit Brownsea Island.

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77 reviews
Bournemouth Central Gardens

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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.
New Forest Wildlife Park

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

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1293 reviews
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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
Bournemouth Lower Gardens

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City Cruises Poole

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COVID-19 VISITENGLAND WE’RE GOOD TO GO ACCREDITED BUSINESS
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355 reviews
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Sea Fishing Poole, book a fishing trip, buy your equipment or charter a boat - have a day's adventure.
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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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1220 reviews
Bournemouth Upper Gardens

Bournemouth

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.
Kingfisher Barn Visitor Centre

Bournemouth

Update from Kingfisher Barn:
We’re opening up a takeaway cafe from 4th July from 10am at Kingfisher Barn. We won’t be opening the toilets at the moment and the car park is still closing at 6pm for now, keep an eye out on our Facebook page for…
Hengistbury Head

Southbourne, Bournemouth,

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

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Hengistbury Head Visitor Centre is great for days out with the family

Wildlife & Bird Watching in Bournemouth

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