British Wildlife Holidays for Autumn and Winter 2025/26

As the nights start to draw in again, the swallows, swifts and martins go south, butterflies begin to disappear, the weather cools off and summer already starts to seem like a distant memory, there is still plenty of local wildlife in the British Isles to brighten up the darkening days.

Off the west coast of Cornwall are the Isles of Scilly. Their position off the mainland means that migrating birds can often end up landing here, particularly those that have been blown off course and, if the conditions are right, can have a variety of American vagrants turning up. Birds breeding further north can also come though on passage migration and good numbers of shearwater are frequently found gliding across the waters around the islands. Travelling on foot, and by inter-island boat, allows us to explore the various coves and corners of these fascinating islands. Migration is an exciting time for birdwatching, as you never know quite what might turn up!

Up in the north, East Yorkshire is also a migration hot spot, with many birds crossing the North Sea and landing on the shores, with places like Spurn Point and Flamborough Head being particularly well known for their large numbers of arrivals, including flycatchers, shrikes and warblers.

Continuing north, the Hebrides play host to thousands of geese over the winter months, their honking calls resounding across the landscapes as they move between roost sites and feeding sites, especially at dawn and dusk. Islay has particularly lush grasses, creating an ideal feeding ground for the flocks. Otter are present all year round, with good numbers too on Mull, often allowing for excellent views around the coastline. Golden and White-tailed Eagles are also resident, and can be seen soaring above the landscape on clear days. Around the highlands, the bellow of stags can be heard as the rutting season gets underway. Red squirrel regrow their ear tufts and pine trees have plenty of cones for Crossbills and other seed-eaters. As the days get colder, such montane species as Mountain Hare and Ptarmigan start to develop their winter ermine.

In the south of Scotland, the sea lochs hold gatherings of ducks, divers and waders, including Goosander, Goldeneye, Slavonian Grebe, Scoter, Scaup and Long-tailed Ducks, with gaggles of Barnacle Geese in the fields. Nearby, there are often overnight roosts of Hen Harrier, the males with their pale colouration while the females and younger birds are more camouflaged.

Along the coastal reaches, in the reed beds and marshes, hundreds of thousands of waders and wildfowl gather in overwintering flocks. Around Norfolk, Barn Owl and harriers can frequently be seen hunting over the reeds. Some years, Snettisham hosts a ‘wader spectacular’, with a murmuration of thousands of birds in a huge swirling mass of feathers! Across the country, Somerset is well known for Starling murmurations and the sound of a large flock passing low overhead is a remarkable experience. This can be combined with a visit to the nearby Forest of Dean, where Hawfinches are found together with Wild Boar and, possibly, Goshawk.

On the south coast, tidal estuaries, such as the Exe, provide winter feeding groups for many waders, with Devon being well known for flocks of smartly plumaged Avocets, as well as Grey Plover, Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit, Redshank and Greenshank. Short-eared Owls are also possible around the coastal margins and farmland may yield Cirl Bunting or Woodlark.

If you’d prefer to pop out for just a day, our popular selection of Day Trips, run across the UK, have much to offer over the autumn and winter months!

View all British Breaks here, or call the office on 01962 733051 to chat with one of our friendly experts to discuss which tour might suit you best.