Unusual & different birds to spot this Spring
Take the opportunity this spring to step beyond your garden and spend time properly outdoors. Not simply moving from place to place, but slowing down enough to notice what’s around you.
It’s something many of us overlook. We rush, we focus on what’s ahead, and often miss the detail in the landscapes we pass through. Yet this is one of the best times of year to change that. The days are longer, the air is warmer and there is constant activity, above you, around you and often just out of sight.
You don’t need specialist knowledge or perfect conditions. Just a bit of time, a willingness to slow your pace, and an open mind. While familiar birds like robins and thrushes are always a pleasure to see, this is a chance to look a little closer and discover species that are often overlooked.
Walk more slowly than usual. Pause regularly. Look up and listen carefully, there is far more to notice than you might expect.
Why not make a day of it? Bring a pair of binoculars if you have them, but remember your ears are just as valuable. Pack a picnic, explore a mix of habitats such as woodland, open countryside and wetlands and allow yourself time to properly switch off.
Above all, enjoy being outside. Fresh air, gentle movement and time spent in nature are as rewarding as the wildlife you encounter. You will be amazed at how relaxing and stress free this outdoor time will be.
Red Kite
What it’s like: A large, light-feeling bird drifting effortlessly in the sky. Its long wings are slightly angled, and its tail opens like a fork or a shallow “V”, constantly twisting to steer as it glides. It often looks almost weightless, as if suspended in the air.
Where to spot: Open countryside, farmland, and along valleys - particularly in England and Wales. Often seen circling above fields or even roadsides.
Listen for: A thin, whistling “peee-oo” call, often given while soaring.
Outdoor tip: Find an open view and watch the sky slowly, it often appears without warning, especially on warm days when rising air helps it glide.
Fact: Red kites were once protected in medieval London because they cleaned the streets of waste, basically the city’s original recycling team.
Short-eared Owl
What it’s like: Medium-sized, with long wings and a rounded head. It flies low and steady, almost floating just above the ground, with a buoyant, slightly wavering motion. Pale underwings can flash as it turns.
Where to spot: Moorland, marshes, coastal grassland, and rough open fields, especially late afternoon or early evening.
Listen for: Soft hoots, barks, or wing claps during display flights in spring.
Outdoor tip: Keep your distance and observe from a fixed point. Avoid walking through long grass where it may be nesting on the ground. Visit at dusk for increased activity.
Fact: Short-eared Owls are one of the few owls you’re likely to see hunting in full daylight, especially in spring when they’re feeding chicks, something that surprises most people who expect owls to be strictly nocturnal.
Hobby
What it’s like: Slim and fast, like a curved arrow cutting through the air. Its long, pointed wings and streamlined body give it incredible speed and agility. Movements are sharp, sudden, and highly controlled.
Where to spot: Wetlands, river valleys, and open countryside with scattered trees, often high overhead or chasing insects.
Listen for: Sharp, repeated “kik-kik-kik” calls, especially around nesting areas.
Outdoor tip: Look up on warm evenings as Hobbies often hunt when insect activity is high, darting and twisting through the air with precision.
Fact: Hobbies travel thousands of miles from Africa to the UK every spring - then do it all over again months later.
Whinchat
What it’s like: A small bird that perches upright on stems, fence posts, or tall grasses. It often pauses, alert, before making short, quick movements to catch insects.
Where to spot: Meadows, rough grassland, upland edges, and coastal fields during migration.
Listen for: Light, ticking or clicking sounds, often given from a perch.
Outdoor tip: Walk slowly and scan fence lines and taller vegetation - whinchats like elevated vantage points and will often return to the same spot.
Fact: Whinchats travel from sub-Saharan Africa, stopping along the way to refuel before arriving in the UK each spring.
Cuckoo
What it’s like: Slender, with smooth, direct flight - often gliding between trees with steady wingbeats. From a distance, it can resemble a small hawk in shape.
Where to spot: Woodland edges, wetlands, heathland, and open countryside with scattered trees.
Listen for: The clear, familiar “cu-coo” call that carries over long distances, especially on calm days.
Outdoor tip: Follow the sound, it often seems closer or further than it really is. Don’t rush as this is a bird you often hear before you ever see. Try to locate it when it moves between calling points
Fact: Cuckoos don’t build nests or raise their own young. Instead, a female will secretly lay her egg in another bird’s nest—often matching the colour of the host’s eggs. Once it hatches, the chick instinctively pushes out the other eggs or chicks, taking over the nest and receiving all the care from its unsuspecting foster parents.
Tree Pipit
What it’s like: Small and light, often rising into the air before drifting back down slowly like a falling leaf. Its display flight is gentle and controlled, with wings slightly open as it descends.
Where to spot: Open woodland, forest edges, and heathland with scattered trees.
Listen for: A soft, cascading song that rises and then trails off as the bird descends.
Outdoor tip: Close your eyes and follow the sound downward - once you tune into the pattern, it becomes much easier to locate.
Fact: Tree Pipits need the perfect “runway” of open space in woodland to perform their parachuting song flights.
Spotted Flycatcher
What it’s like: A small, upright bird that sits very still, then suddenly darts out and back again. Movements are quick, direct, and purposeful, always returning to the same perch. Subtle in appearance, but distinctive in behaviour.
Where to spot: Gardens, parks, orchards, and open woodland - often near clearings or edges.
Listen for: Quiet, high-pitched calls that are easy to miss.
Outdoor tip: Stay still and observe its repeated flight pattern. It is very important, as with so many birds, to avoid sudden movement as this bird is easily startled. Watch for the same perch being used again and again.
Fact: Spotted Flycatchers don’t just chase insects - they’ll hover and pick them straight off leaves mid-air.
Honey Buzzard
What it’s like: A large bird of prey with slower, more relaxed wingbeats. Its head appears small compared to its body, and its long tail gives it a stretched, almost pigeon-like silhouette in flight. Often glides smoothly above woodland.
Where to spot: Dense woodland, especially in southern England, usually high above the treeline.
Listen for: Rarely vocal, this is more about watching than hearing.
Outdoor tip: Spend time quietly scanning treetops and open sky. Look for a bird of prey that seems more relaxed and less heavy in flight than a common buzzard.
Fact: Honey Buzzards have dense, scale-like facial feathers and narrow nostrils that help protect them as they dig into wasp nests with their claws to feed on larvae.
Garganey
What it’s like: A small, compact duck sitting low on the water, moving smoothly and quietly. Its movements are subtle, often blending into the surface of the water.
Where to spot: Wetlands, marshes, and shallow pools, often at nature reserves during spring migration.
Listen for: Soft rattling or clicking calls, sometimes given in short bursts.
Outdoor tip: Visit early morning when everything is calm and still - scan the edges of reeds and shallow water where they tend to rest and feed.
Fact: Garganey are the only regular breeding duck in the UK that migrates to Africa for the winter, travelling thousands of miles each year before returning in spring.
Nightjar
What it’s like: Medium-sized with long wings, flying silently and lightly like a large moth at dusk. Its movement is fluid, with sudden turns and soft glides in low light.
Where to spot: Heathland, open woodland, forestry clearings - best seen at dusk or just after sunset.
Listen for: A continuous, mechanical “churring” sound that can last for several minutes.
Outdoor tip: Stand still at sunset and let your eyes adjust slowly. Watch open spaces and listen carefully, the sound often starts before you see any movement.
Fact: Nightjars have stiff, bristle-like feathers around the base of their beak, known as rictal bristles. These act like a sensory guide and a loose “net”, helping them detect and funnel flying insects into their wide mouth while hunting in low light.