Rare birds such as the Hen Harrier and Firecrest have been spotted across Wiltshire since the start of 2025, according to birdwatchers.
The county is a great place for bird spotting due to its grasslands, river valleys and lakes which play home to a wide range of bird species throughout the seasons.
During the first few weeks of 2025, various birds have been spotted soaring across the skies, according to BirdGuides and the Wiltshire Ornithological Society.
Birds spotted in Wiltshire in recent weeks:
Hen Harrier
This rare bird of prey is usually found in moorland landscapes. They are rare because of illegal killing and disturbance, and Natural England monitors their numbers closely, tags individual birds to track their whereabouts.
Siberian Chiffchaff
The Siberian Chiffchaff is a rare but regular visitor to the UK, however by the time late winter arrives, it is rarely spotted. Most are found along the north and south coasts of Wales, with experts saying that just a handful are recorded inland.
Hawfinch
The hawfinch is the largest finch, but despite its size it's also the hardest to find. It's a red-listed species in the UK, with a population that may number fewer than a thousand breeding pairs, say The Wildlife Trust.
Ring-necked Duck
Ring-necked ducks are rare visitor from North America, with around only 10 to 15 birds recorded annually in the UK.
The British Trust for Ornithology say it is a “rare, but regular, visitor from North America, with many individuals apparently re-appearing at the same site in multiple years”.
Firecrest
The Firecrest is a rare bird in the UK, though its population is slowly increasing.
Compared to the Goldcrest, the Firecrest is brighter and 'cleaner' looking, with a green back, white belly, bronze 'collar' and a black and white eye-stripe.
Caspian Gull
Caspian gulls are uncommon visitors to the UK, but their numbers are increasing. They are mostly seen in the south and east of the country, especially in the winter.
Short-eared Owl
Short-eared owls are considered rare breeding birds in the UK and are listed as Amber on the UK's Birds of Conservation Concern list.
It is a ground-nesting species, in Britain favouring mixed rough grasslands and moors, though also breeding in rough grassland, marshes and coastal sand dunes.
Across the UK, more than 600,000 people took part in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch last year, with a whopping 9.7 million birds counted.
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