Weather Watching for Wildlife

Facts about weather watching for wildlife you can't afford to miss.

Here in the UK, our weather is certainly a topic for discussion. However, without our varied range of weather patterns, we wouldn’t have such a variety of wildlife to enjoy.

From windy westerlies to bright sunshine there is always wildlife to look out for so even if it’s raining cats and dogs! Don’t despair - here are our top tips on what to look out for whatever the weather. 

On dull cloudy mornings look out for birds sat in trees, like goldfinches, as they should be easier to spot against a cloudy sky rather than a bright sunny one.

If you think there’s nothing to see in foggy conditions, then think again. Wildlife often looks much bigger in foggy gloom and you should be able to get up close to it if you’re lucky. But remember that sound travels well in mist and fog so your footsteps may scare wildlife away.

If you wake up to a rainy morning, then look out for larger birds like pigeons and jackdaws as they will shake their wings in the wet weather to clean themselves underneath. But don’t look for ducks – they will be sheltering.

Cold autumn winds that blow from the east bring migrant birds from Europe and Asia like thrushes and fieldfares. Wading birds like red-necked grebes and northern divers spend the winter in the sea around the UK coast because of our relatively mild winters.

Wildlife is present all the time – but for your best chance of seeing it, you just need to know when it’s most active. 

Written by Angela & Chris