The Wildlife Trusts’ webcams

Sometimes there are not enough hours in the day to get out and see all the wonderful wildlife you want to.  If you feel you are missing out, go online and look at a Wildlife Trust webcam.  Here are just some of the species you might catch a glimpse of…

Swallow Cam - new for 2010

Hidden in a barn at Cheshire Wildlife Trust's headquarters, Bickley Farm, on the Cholmondeley Estate, Swallow Cam will follow just one of several pairs of swallows and house martins that call the working-farm home during the summer months, with every crucial moment of their non-stop lives captured for visitors to the Trust’s website.  

Kestrel cam

Watch live streaming of kestrels nesting at Dorset Wildlife Trust’s Lorton Meadows nature reserve.

The mating birds, which have been nesting here for the past three years, have been named Chris and Kate after the BBC’s Springwatch presenters.

Click here to see the parents taking it in turns to incubate their eggs and watch their offspring grow.

Puffin cam

For the last five years, Alderney Wildlife Trust has led research into the bird populations of the isolated islet of Burhou (pronounced Burr-rroo), which sits at the heart of Alderney's Ramsar site.

Puffins return to breed on the island in March and April. Visit Alderney Wildlife Trust’s website to spot puffins returning to their underground burrows and to learn more about this delightful species.

Osprey

64 Scottish ospreys were released at Rutland Water, a reserve jointly managed by Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust and Anglian Water, between 1996 and 2001 as part of a ground-breaking project to restore the spectacular bird of prey to England.

Ospreys first bred at Rutland Water in 2001, and since then 31 chicks have fledged from nests in the area.

Today, you can observe the private lives of the Rutland Water ospreys through the osprey cam.

You can also visit Scottish Wildlife Trust’s osprey cam at the Loch of the Lowes wildlife reserve for live footage and updates from the nest.

Click here to closely observe and listen to the osprey.

Brownsea Island Lagoon Webcam

Take a look at the Brownsea Island lagoon webcam overlooking the lagoon on the Dorset Wildlife Trust nature reserve. 

Look out for avocets, black-tailed godwits, oyster catchers, spoonbills and many more.

Red squirrels

Nibbling on a nut clasped between its front paws, or frolicking with a companion, the native red squirrel is a joy to encounter, but restricted to certain parts of the UK. These nutty native treasures can be difficult to see in the wild but you can check out the red squirrels at Loch of the Lowes in Scotland, here. 

Pine martens

These elusive creatures, with their sleek chestnut fur and creamy throat, are wonderful to see.  Most people only catch sight of their droppings or prints, but if you tune in to the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Loch of the Lowes webcam at dawn or dusk, you might just glimpse them.

Peregrine Falcons

A pair of peregrine falcons decided to bed down at Derby Cathedral in 2004, and have been stars of cyberspace since February 2007. Peregrines – the fastest bird on record – suffered a massive decline in the UK during the 1950’s and 1960’s. By the 1970’s they had almost disappeared from the UK. Numbers are now recovering and you can watch them online at the Derby County Council webcam. 

Pink footed geese

These geese put in a fabulous display during their winter migration. Flying in flocks thousands-strong, they almost block out the light of day. Enjoy watching this spectacle by visiting Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Montrose Basin webcam.

Perhaps even better than watching these species online, get out to a Wildlife Trust reserve with a live camera feed.

Dorset Wildlife Trust’s reserve on Brownsea Island has a red squirrel cam in their visitor centre where you can see the squirrels feeding.

Visit Newlands Corner nature reserve owned by Surrey Wildlife Trust and you can see blue tits and great tits on the nest box cam.

Live video means you can enjoy the feeling that the amazing creatures you are watching are only a stone’s throw away.

You might want to sponsor one of these fabulous species. Check what Wildlife Trust adoption schemes are available here.