Self-catering cottage accommodation for bird watchers in the south of England

Rent a lovely country cottage in the heart of the countryside to be on the spot for bird watching.

Arne - Dorset
The Arne peninsula juts into Poole Harbour and offers a remnant of heathland that  once covered much of Dorset and Hampshire.  Now an RSPB nature reserve, here, in the mud flats, reed beds and saltings, you will find breeding sparrowhawks, buzzards, nightjars, redpolls, stonechats, shelduck and Dartford warblers. Large numbers of black-tailed godwits are present in spring, hen harriers and bearded reedlings during the winter.

Fore Wood - East Sussex
For woodland birds in this small RSPB reserve of mixed woodland four miles north west of Hastings.  Here you may spot treecreepers, nuthatches, green woodpeckers, lesser and greater spotted woodpeckers, blackcaps and nightingales.

Langstane Harbour and Farlington Marshes - Hampshire
The RSPB reserve of Langstane Harbour occupies part of the tidal basin.  Framlington Marshes is on the north side of the harbour. There is a circular walk around the sea wall defences with excellent views of the harbour. Large numbers of Brent geese and other wildfowl overwinter here, feeding on the beds of eel grass in the mud and sand flats. You should spot shelduck, wigeon,  teal, pintail, golden eye and red breasted mergansers, curlews and dunlin.

The New Forest 
Ancient mixed woodland of about half conifer and half deciduous trees, mainly beech and oak. There are 15 well-known walks, over 100 miles of off-road tracks suitable for cycling.  You may spot hawfinch-firecrest, sistin, buzzard, hobbies, and Dartford warbler.

• New Forest cottages and self-catering accommodation

Country Cottages in the south of England for bird watchers and nature lovers

Grade II listed holiday cottage to accommodate 8 near Chesil Beach, Dorset

Higher Farm Cottage, close to Chesil Beach in Dorset, can accommodate 8 people in 5 bedrooms in this delightful Grade II listed holiday cottage.  Exposed beams, stone flagged floors.  Aga. Safe walled back garden with BBQ and furniture.  Telephone Peter on 01458 274 900 for availability and bookings. More holiday cottages in Dorset ......

Bakehouse Cottage, Dorset

Bakehouse Cottage is a luxury self-catering cottage in the village of Langton Herring, Dorset, lying between Weymouth and Abbotsbury. It will be available for holiday letting for the first time during 2005. It can accommodate up to 8 people in 4 bedrooms.  Bakehouse Cottage is next door to St Anthony's Cottage (q.v.) and for larger parties the two properties combined offer accommodation for 14 adults plus two cots. To the rear there is a paved patio area and garden. The garden abuts one of Higher Farm's fields. Patio chairs, a table and a barbecue are all provided. Garage parking is adjacent to the property with additional parking available by the farm entrance.  The cottage is a stones throw, literally, from the church and the local village pub. Please click on image for details. Telephone Peter or Karen on 01458 274 767

Bird watching holidays in southern England Additional cottages for bird watchers can be found using the menu on the right and looking in the folowing south of England counties: Sussex, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall for country cottages on the south coast of England.

 Select Cottages for bird watchers in other parts of Britain