Twitching in Corby

Birding (or bird watching as it is more commonly called) is not always a tranquil activity. Sometimes it can be a hectic chase. A reported sighting of a spoon-billed sandpiper, for example, will compel many birders to drop everything to pick up the pursuit. They are often willing to travel hundreds of miles to see a rare bird. This activity, called twitching, can get extremely competitive as birders try to check species off their list.

For those wanting to stay poised for twitching, hotels in Corby offer an excellent central location to some top birding areas. If one were to draw a triangle between the Rutland Water Nature Reserve, Grafham Water Park, and Pitsford Water Park, Corby would be right in the middle. These three areas offer many opportunities to site birds and in-between is some idyllic English countryside. The premier birding area is the Rutland Water Nature Reserve, which is one of the most important wildlife reserves in all of the United Kingdom. The wetland, which covers 1000 acres, has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a European Special Protection Area. The Reserve has 31 bird watching hides and numerous trails from which to observe some of the nearly 28,000 birds who call the area home. A recent count of birds included 3 Redhead Smew, 2 Common Scoters, 1 American Wigeon and 3 Scaup, all of which would have sent birders twitching. The Reserve is also home several pairs of Osprey between April and September, which are breeding for the first time in Central England in 150 years.

There are many other find places in England for birders to base themselves for an extended period of twitching. Braintree hotels, for example, leave one nearby the Abberton Reservoir, a breeding ground for Cormorants and a wintering over area for Golden Plover, Gadwall, Shoveler and Teal. There are excellent birding areas all over England so twitching is a great way to see the entire country, and see some of nature’s finest creatures.