With all the miserable weather we’ve been having (and a lack of vitamin D for me!) it’s the time of year where it’s easy to get some post-holiday blues. Blue Monday is a day to reflect on how we are feeling, to encourage self-care and raise awareness of mental health.
Since my early twenties I have struggled with various vitamin deficiencies, predominantly B12 deficiency. It’s so easy to barricade myself inside the hosue this time of year in front of the TV or curling up with a good book. Having a job where I work outside in all weather conditions, days like this are great! But before discovering my deficiencies, this is how I would spend all of my time away from work. I’d get home, go to bed, get up for work, go to bed and spend all day on the sofa on my days off. Eventually the cabin fever set in and then without quite realising what happened my mood plummeted.
I have always found nature very healing so when I finally addressed the cause of my fatigue and corrected my vitamin deficiencies, I found going outside a massive help with my recovery and boosting my mood. And although I’m still torn between a duvet day and an adventure, I always find myself having a better time when I drag myself outside!

Redshank by Jonathan Dodds
A few summers ago I wrote a blog on my favourite places to birdwatch in Kent (https://winghamwildlifepark.co.uk/beckys-top-five-birdwatching-spots-in-south-east-kent/), but looking back these places I tend to visit more in the summer, although they are still great places for a winter visit. But for anyone looking for a bit of motivation to head out at get a wildlife fix, I’d love to share with you my top five winter birding walks in Kent.
1. Dungeness
(https://www.rspb.org.uk/days-out/reserves/dungeness)
The best thing about the RSBP’s Dungeness reserve was that they had an excellent visitor centre, which unfortunately is closing this winter. The building is mostly constructed of glass and was the perfect place to sit and watch the wildfowl on the pools whilst keeping toasty inside with a brew. I hope this is something that they will reopen to visitors once they work out staffing the area. Nonetheless, Dungeness is still an excellent reserve to visit in the winter.

Wigeon by Jonathan Dodds
The whole Dungeness peninsular is fantastic for wildlife. Famous for attracting hobbies in the summer months, in winter the reserve offers a haven for overwintering wildfowl. If you’re lucky you might spot a Goldeneye or Pintail! Some of my friends have had excellent views of Bittern at this reserve in the winter. I’ve not been so lucky yet though!

Long-eared Owl by Jonathan Dodds
If it’s a nice day you can sometimes spot long-eared owls roosting in the bushes, and it’s a good spot for crests, thrushes and finches in the winter too. If you ask one of their shop volunteers they are always helpful with explain what has been seen around the reserve recently and where to go. If you’re a member of the RSPB then entry is free!

Firecrest by Jonathan Dodds
2. The Woods
Okay, so this is a bit vague, but woodlands are a great place to try and see birds in the winter. Not only can you actually see them because there aren’t as many leaves on the trees, but a lot of birds like finches and tits come together in larger flocks during the winter.

Goldfinch by Jonathan Dodds
Another RSPB reserve, Blean Woods (https://www.rspb.org.uk/days-out/reserves/blean-woods), is one of my top haunts in winter. Often I can hear lesser-spotted woodpeckers just a short stroll from the car park when they start their displays in early February. Other woodlands that I often explore this time of year include Denge Woods (https://kentdowns.org.uk/activities/denge-and-eggringe-woods-and-bonsai-bank/) (which is also excellent in the summer for orchids and rare butterflies!), Kings Wood (https://kentdowns.org.uk/activities/kings-wood/) which is a great place to hear nightingales when they arrive back in spring too, Ham Street Woods Nature Reserve (https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/woods/ham-street-woods/) is a lovely little place where I often see badgers too and finally, Bedgebury Forest (https://www.forestryengland.uk/bedgebury) is a massive area to explore.

Lesser-spotted Woodpecker by Jonathan Dodds
To be honest, a walk through any patch of woodland near you is bound to turn up some winter birds. The great thing about woodlands is that they continue to be an interesting place to visit right through into the spring with some of our earliest wildflowers like snowdrops, bluebells and wood anemones which are always a joy to see after a long winter. Sitting here writing this blog, a quick search of Kent’s woodlands has inspired me to visit some this winter that I’ve never been too!

Nuthatch by Jonathan Dodds
3. Isle of Sheppey
This whole area is fantastic for wildlife. From hares to birds of prey, it’s got it all. One of my go to spots is the Raptor Watch Point (https://group.rspb.org.uk/thanet/local-wild-places/capel-fleet-raptor-watchpoint-harty-ferry/) where you can watch birds of prey come into roost like marsh harriers and also keep an eye out for owls as they are often more active at this time too. You don’t want to get here too early though as the birds will start to come in around dusk. If you’re lucky you might see the odd hen harrier too.

Short-eared Owl by Jonathan Dodds
I usually pair this with a trip to Elmley Nature Reserve (https://www.elmleynaturereserve.co.uk) which is usually open Wednesday-Sunday from 9am-4pm. Do check on their website though as opening times do vary. Formerly an RSPB reserve, the owners continue to manage it for wildlife. Again this is a top spot for spotting raptors but also another fantastic refuge for wildfowl and waders. If you’re lucky you might even catch up with some bearded tits in the reedbeds.

Bearded Tit by Jonathan Dodds
4. Worth Marshes
Worth Marshes is a bit of a curve ball but I’ve included it as it’s next to my local patch. The RSPB have taken over this large area of reclaimed farmland fairly recently and have invested in creating many pools and scrapes for birds and other wildlife. I’ve been astounded by how this area has changed since this work and it’s attracting a lot of birds in the winter including lots of winter geese.

Barnacle Geese by Jonathan Dodds
I will often visit Worth Marshes, then have a brew at Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory (https://sbbot.org.uk) then stake out the area opposite the Bird Obs’ bird hide for owls as this is probably the best place to try and see short-eared owls in my corner of Kent. If the weather is abysmal, I’ll often just sit in Restharrow Scrape for a while out of the rain watching the ducks. This is also the best place in Kent in my opinion to see snipe!

Snipe by Jonathan Dodds
It’s worth noting that much of the RSBP Worth Marshes is private land with no access to people except for staff to reduce disturbance to wildlife. So if you’ve not been before I’d pop into the SBBOT Bird Observatory shop and the shop volunteers should be able to give you a map and advice on where to go.
5. The Beach!

Grey Plovers by Jonathan Dodds
Another very broad destination I suppose, but although we associate going to the beach with the summer months, I love a winter beach walk. Shingle and surrounding fields and countryside are very attractive for overwintering species. Masses of birds fly to the UK each year from as far as the Arctic to spend the winter on our coast lines. Geese, dunlin, lapwing, plover, sanderling, turnstone and curlew are all more numerous in Winter and the best place to try and spot them is on the coast.

Brent Geese by Jonathan Dodds
I’ve always loved Minnis Bay (https://www.thanet.gov.uk/locations/minnis-bay/) and Reculver (https://www.visitsoutheastengland.com/things-to-do/reculver-beach-p357101) for a winter beach walk as the area is just beautiful with some winter light and there are usually waders or geese to spot. I love a stonechat as well so the vegetation here makes for great photo ops and both have places to eat nearby which is always a plus in my book. Sometimes my favourite places to go aren’t really considered wildlife hotspots. A free day out to the Turner Gallery at Margate paired with watching waders on the beach is a good way to spend an afternoon and sometimes I’ll sit in the little café at the end of Deal Pier with my binoculars and some lunch. I’ve seen some pretty cool birds offshore doing this and even a family of porpoises once!

Sanderling in Flight by Jonathan Dodds
Bear in mind that some of our migrating winter birds are close to starvation when they arrive here, and when the weather is freezing they can really struggle to survive. So always keep your distance and dogs on a lead if you see a group of birds gathered on the beach. For more information about our overwintering waders and wildfowl, check out Bird Wise East Kent (https://eastkent.birdwise.org.uk) to learn about some of these bird’s incredible migrations and lifestyles.
I hope you enjoyed reading about some of my favourite places to go in winter and I hope you discover some awesome areas to discover this winter as well. If you don’t fancy venturing outside just yet, don’t forget it’s the BIG GARDEN BIRD WATCH this weekend from the 24th-26th Jan 2025. Just curl up by a window and count what birds you see for an hour. Don’t forget to submit your records though to help put together a picture of how are garden birds are faring. More info over on the RSPB website here: Big Garden Birdwatch.
A massive thank you to my friend Jonathan Dodds who supplied his beautiful photos for my blog. I’ll leave you with this lovely photo of a group of Tree Sparrows which are much easier to spot in the winter on the bare branches.

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