The Great British Bird Race - Yorkshire

Summary

Join Naturetrek this January for a dynamic winter bird race in Yorkshire, a county renowned for its vast landscapes and rich avian diversity. From windswept moorlands and ancient woodlands to estuarine mudflats and rugged coastline, Yorkshire offers a patchwork of habitats that support an exceptional array of wintering and resident bird species.

The goal: to record as many bird species as possible in 48 hours. We will be in friendly competition with the best birding counties in Britain, so every species will count.

Our bird race will be blessed with the haunting calls of Curlew on the mudflats, while on the moors we’ll scan for Red Grouse, Merlin, and perhaps a wintering Hen Harrier quartering the heather. In the sheltered valleys and woodlands, we’ll search for Bullfinch, Marsh Tit and woodpeckers, while coastal sites may yield flocks of Common Scoter, Purple Sandpiper and scarce grebes offshore. Farmland will hold Tree Sparrows, Corn Buntings and Golden Plovers.

Key locations like Spurn, Flamborough, and the Humber Estuary offer top-class winter birding and the potential for surprises — including rare wildfowl or overwintering passerines. With expert guidance and careful planning, we’ll work together to record as many species as possible across a rewarding variety of sites.

Combining Yorkshire’s iconic landscapes with the fun of a friendly challenge, the bird race promises an energising start to the birding year — and a brilliant way to experience one of England’s most bird-rich counties. Surely Yorkshire is one of the favourites to win the Naturetrek Great British Bird Race.

Join us for birds, banter, and the thrill of a winter bird race!

• The thrill of the bird race
• Grouse on the moors
• Tree Sparrows & Corn Buntings in numbers
• Vast wintering wader flocks on the Humber
• Snow Buntings in the dunes
• Search for owls after dark
• Wintering Harriers
• Potentially a big total in a rich and diverse county