Winter Wildlife
By Pentewan Sands on the December 03rd, 2021 in
One of the many joys of Cornwall being surrounded by beautiful coastline and acres of countryside is the abundance of wildlife it brings with it. Albeit, this time of year wildlife does tend to struggle with the winters bitter temperatures and shortage of food, so many species do tend to hibernate until the spring arrives – and in all honesty who could blame them. Despite this, there’s still plenty of wonderful wildlife to discover during your visit to Cornwall.
Birds
Whether it’s along rivers and estuaries or high up in the moorland hills there is a vast variety of bird species you can spot. Grab your binoculars for a chance to see geese, egrets, herons, buzzards and owls to name a few!
Seals
Even during the winter months the waters surrounding Cornwall are still packed full of exciting marine life. On the beaches you may see seals come up to shore to rest, and later in the winter grey seals will come to shore to moult. The best places to spot seals are Mutton Cove, Godrevy and Seal Island in St Ives. However, do make sure you keep a distance if you go seal spotting.
Dolphins
If you’re really lucky you may even spot pods of common dolphins. Dolphins are regularly spotted around the coast with some pods made up of hundreds! Of course the best way to see dolphins is through a wildlife watching boat tour, however if you visit the right places in Cornwall there is a chance you may enjoy a memorable encounter with these enchanting sea creatures. Head to Padstow, Hella Point, Porthgwarra beach or Gwennap Head.
Deer
Nestled into the bare branches of the woodland trees you are very likely to spot roe deer and possibly even red deer. Of course you must be very quiet and as they are very shy creatures and will more than likely run away once they spot you. However, they are quite widespread across Cornwall, so the odds are in your favour.
Ponies
There is no more iconic sight than the herd of grazing wild ponies on Dartmoor. Dartmoor ponies have been around for a long time, with hoof prints dated back 3500 years! Paired with the beautiful backdrop of the moors, this is truly a wonderful sight to see. However as they are wild ponies, it’s best to admire them from afar as they can be very unpredictable.
These are just a few species that you may spot during your visit, of course we must also give honourable mentions to badgers, squirrels, rabbits, butterflies and bees. So, when you’re next in Cornwall, keep an eye out for all the wondrous species you happen to spot!