With the Autumn migratory season swooping in during October, leading long-range optic specialists SWAROVSKI OPTIK and 20-year-old ornithologist Dr Mya-Rose Craig are helping wildlife enthusiasts have the best chance of spotting common and rarer species as they arrive in the UK.

Autumn is a time when birds from the north fly south to the UK to spend the winter in our relatively mild habitats including birds such as Tundra & Taiga Bean Goose, Berwick & Whooper Swan, Redwing, Fieldfare and Waxwing. Mya-Rose has been birding with her parents since a baby and has visited many places around the UK, with her top locations including Cornwall, Norfolk, the Isles of Scilly as well as her home Chew Valley Lake.

Mya-Roses’ top tips and favourite spots to see migrating birds this Autumn include:

  • Autumn migration is significantly better than spring migration as there are simply more birds on the move and is spread out over a longer period. The best places for Autumn migration are on the land that stick out from the UK, such as Cornwall, Norfolk, Spurn in East Yorkshire, the Isles of Scilly and the Scottish off Islands, such as the Outer Hebrides and Shetland.
  • My favourite place for Autumn birding is on the Isles of Scilly. Anytime during late September and October can be really good for unusual birds and if you can combine your trip with a family holiday, then October half term can be excellent. That is when we always used to go when I was growing up and over the years, I have seen lots of exciting birds. The Isles of Scilly are a great place to see the odd very rare bird as well as a collection of scarce birds that most people would be excited about seeing; such as Bluethroat, American Golden Plover, Jacksnipe, Black Redstart, Whinchat and Snow Bunting.
  • I would recommend staying on an off island, such as St Agnes or Bryher which are both stunning, fantastic for birds and brilliant for families. The main island, St Mary’s, is perfect if you have teenagers. Just cover a different part of the island each day and visit other off islands as well.
  • At the other end of the country, the Shetland Islands attracts large numbers of rare birds in September and October. Shetland Main Island is a good base to explore from and to also travel to neighbouring off islands from. Or you can base yourself on a tiny island such as Fair Isle or the Outer Skerries for more chance of finding rare birds yourself.
  • Another place in the UK you can visit is the north Norfolk coast such as Titchwell or Cley. These are particularly good for waders and seabirds. Cornwall is also good, such as the Hale Estuary, St Just and Marazion Marsh.
  • However, the great thing about birds is that they are everywhere, you just need look above in the sky. You don’t have to go anywhere special to find birds migrating. Just find a wide space preferably high up, such as a park on the top of a hill, then watch the sky in the morning and evening. If you are near the coast, or even better, on the West or East coast, these are fantastic for migrating birds. Two birds that occur on the East coast in Autumn are Little Auk and Icterine Warbler. It’s been hard for me to get across to look for these birds as often they are found when I have had school and can’t go birding.
  • When I am home, I often go birding at Chew Valley Lake, where we regularly get vagrants. Lakes and open areas are good for scarce birds as migrating birds are drawn to them for food and water.

The world belongs to those who can see beauty.
Experience the moment!
SEE THE UNSEEN.

www.swarovskioptik.com

For more details on Dr Mya-Rose Craig and her work, visit www.birdgirluk.com.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

Photo Captions:

  • Photo of a Black Redstart taken in the UK – Photo credit Dr Mya-Rose Craig.
  • Mya-Rose using SWAROVSKI OPTIK ATX 25-60×65 Spotting Scope and EL 8.5×42 binocular. Photo Credit Oliver Edwards. Copyright Dr MC Birdgirl Ltd.
  • Photo of a Collared Flycatcher taken in the UK – Photo credit Dr Mya-Rose Craig.

For high-res images, please click here

ABOUT SWAROVSKI OPTIK

SWAROVSKI OPTIK, headquartered in Absam, Tyrol, is part of the Swarovski group of companies. Founded in 1949, the Austrian company specialises in the development and manufacturing of long-range optical instruments of the highest precision in the premium segment of the market. The binoculars, spotting scopes, rifle scopes, and optronic instruments are products of choice for demanding users. The company’s success is based on its innovative strength, the quality and intrinsic value of its products, and their functional and aesthetic design. The appreciation of nature is an essential part of its company philosophy and is reflected commendably in its environment-friendly production and its long-term commitment to selected nature conservation projects. The turnover in 2021 was 210.4 million euros (2020: 163.5 million euros), with an export ratio of 91%. The company has around 1,000 employees.

ABOUT DR MYA-ROSE CRAIG

20-year-old Dr Mya-Rose Craig D.Sc. h.c. is a prominent British Bangladeshi birder, conservationist & environmentalist. She is committed to conservation such as stopping biodiversity loss and saving our planet through halting climate change, whilst respecting indigenous peoples, and highlighting Global Climate Justice as it intersects with Climate Change Action. She focusses her attention on change from governmental and huge global corporations.

She writes a blog, Birdgirl, gives talks having spoken on a shared stage with Greta Thunberg, writes articles, also appearing on TV and radio. For her work as Founder and President of Black2Nature, which she set up age 13, she is the youngest British person to be awarded an honorary Doctorate of Science age 17 for her work fighting for equal access to nature and for ethnic diversity in the environmental sector. In September 2020 she visited the Arctic with Greenpeace, highlighting the second lowest sea ice minimum and doing the most northerly youth strike ever.

Follow Mya-Rose on:

Follow Black2Nature on:

For Media Enquiries, Images and SWAROVSKI OPTIK Product Loan, contact:
GEC PR | [email protected]