Birdwatching in Looe

Birds West Looe BeachBirdwatching in Looe in the Looe Valley ia s birdwatcher’s Paradise.

There are many popular birding destinations in Britain for birdwatchers but one of the best for Cornwall Birds has got to be the Looe valley in Cornwall and the surrounding area. With such a diverse bird population in this area you’re sure to see something to make your birding trip more than worthwhile. If you’re making a special trip, visit our ‘Bed and Breakfast Looe‘ page for somewhere to stay.

The Looe valley and estuary is home to many water sports and boating enthusiasts but there are other ‘water experts’ who rely on these waters for their food and very existence – the birds!

The estuary is an extremely important winter feeding ground for many different species of wader including Curlew, Redshank and even Dunlin.

In the harbour you can expect to see Kingfishers (if you’re quick enough!), grey heron and Little Egrets on a good day. With many other passing seabirds, (the Iceland Gull can sometimes be spotted towards the end of April) there’s always something to see for the avid birdwatcher.

Cornwall Birds

Here is a list of birds I have seen around the Looe, Looe Harbour and the coastline:

  1. Black Back Gulls
  2. Herring Gulls
  3. Black Headed Gulls
  4. Gannets
  5. Turnstones
  6. Kingfishers
  7. Little Egret
  8. Buzzard
  9. Oyster Catchers
  10. Cormorants
  11. Shags

More Cornwall birds

Moving away from the coast and towards the many woods and fields of this area of Cornwall, you open up a whole new world of birdwatching possibilities, so keep your binoculars handy! Keep your eyes open for:

  • Nuthatches
  • Jays
  • Great Spotted Woodpeckers
  • Blue, Great, Long Tailed, Marsh and Coal Tits
  • Bullfinches
  • Goldcrests
  • Goldfinches
  • Redwings

Many of the birds listed above can be found in the many wooded areas in and around Looe, or perhaps you’ll spot a Tawny Owl perched high in a tree. Also look to the sky for Common Buzzards hunting their prey over the acres of open farmland.

The bird feeders at Kilminorth Woods offer a great opportunity, with five different breeds of tit breeding successfully in the area: the blue, great and coal tits and also the rarer sight of long-tailed and marsh tits.

A visit to this area of Cornwall in spring or early summer will thrill you with the gentle sounds of the wood pigeons and the baby mallard ducks paddling furiously along the river and keep your ears open for the green woodpecker. With many other bird species too numerous to mention, don’t forget your binoculars for a great day out birding in Looe.

Cornwall Birds – useful links

The following website link is to the official website of the Cornwall Birding Association. It’s well worth checking them out for a more in-depth look at Cornwall birds.