Celebrating winter at Studland Bay

Brent geese at Studland Bay, Dorset

Winter is a time to experience the wild side of Studland Bay, where wildlife finds a year-round home. Celebrate winter and its wildlife at Studland Bay.

Wildlife to spot this winter

Brent geese are a common sight swimming just offshore in Studland Bay where they spend winters feeding on eelgrass before the arrival of spring sends them back to their breeding grounds in northern Russia.

Look out for sanderling dashing along the water’s edge and comically following the waves up and down. These long legged, silvery-grey birds are on the hunt for marine crustaceans, small fish and even jellyfish.

Sanderling scurry along the shoreline
A sanderling on the shore
Sanderling scurry along the shoreline

While Brent geese and sanderling are winter visitors, the Dartford warbler is with us all year round. You may hear its distinctive scratchy call before spotting it perched on a gorse bush or flitting over the heathland.

The Dartford warbler is a year-round resident
A Dartford warbler perched on a gorse bush
The Dartford warbler is a year-round resident

Dawn and dusk are best if you want to to see the sika deer which roam Studland, making winter a good time to spot them. Also known as Japanese deer, sika were introduced to Britain in the 19th century.

Look out for Sika deer around dawn and dusk
Sika deer
Look out for Sika deer around dawn and dusk

Studland’s dunes are the only place in England and Wales where you can see the sand earthtongue fungus. This black fungus is dotted along the peninsula just behind the dune ridge closest to the sea and is quite easy to spot.

Studland is the only place in England and Wales to see the sand earthtongue
The sand earthtongue
Studland is the only place in England and Wales to see the sand earthtongue