Ottery St Mary is a haven for people who love the natural world, not only is there a host of beautiful walks, but you’re close to some of the most picturesque spots in East Devon.

One of the many perks of being somewhere with so much natural beauty is the amount of wildlife you can see, and those that love bird watching, will love spending some time here.

Here are our a few of our favourite places for spotting birds while staying in or around Ottery St Mary.

Venn Ottery Nature Reserve

Located on the East Devon Pebblebed Heath, Venn Ottery is part wetland and part dryland, with one half being a dedicated RSPB site. Because of its wild nature, it is home to some rare heathland wildlife, including butterflies and some reptile species, as well as some interesting birds. In fact, there are known to be around 40 different species of bird that breed here, so whatever time of year you visit, you’ll be able to spot something!

While visiting, be aware that although there are walking trails around the Venn Ottery Nature Reserve, it can get very muddy and wet and isn’t suitable for pushchairs or mobility aids. The more easy to access trails can be found in the RSPB section of the reserve, which is described as a dry heath. The remainder of the site is a wet heath and is managed by the Devon Wildlife Trust.

Some of the species you can see here:

Eurasian nightjar
Grasshopper Warbler
Siberian Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
Common Snipe
Jack Snipe
Eurasian Woodcock
Dartford Warbler
European Stonechat

Woodbury Common

Another nearby spot is Woodbury Common, which is also part of the Pebblebed Heath and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, so you can expect to see some interesting flora and fauna as well as wildlife here. Within the common is the famous Woodbury Castle, an Iron Age fort which looks out towards the Otter Valley – because of this, it is a popular spot for walkers and families.

It is a dry heath, with a small mire area, so the pathways are generally dry and easy to navigate.

Some of the birds you can see here:

Eurasian nightjar
Dartford warbler
Short eared owl
Hen harrier
Eurasion woodcock
Pheasant
Grey partridge
Wood pigeon
Turtle doves
Doves
Common cuckoo
Swift
Common snipe
Sparrow hawk
Red kite
Woodpeckers
Kestrel
Eurasian jay
Crow
Skylark

Bicton Common

Adjacent to Woodbury Common is Bicton Common, which is primarily wet heath, with a few sections of woodland, so you can often find a few different bird types here. It’s a hugely significant area, particularly for butterflies, which you might be lucky enough to catch sight of at this time of year.

Depending on the season, you’ll likely be able to see:

Darford Warbler
Eurasian Nightjar
European Stonechat
Merlins
Eurasian Woodcocks
Short Eared Owls

Want to find out more about things to do while in and around Ottery St Mary? Click here