Where can you go wildlife spotting in the East Midlands?

Attenborough Nature Reserve in Nottinghamshire is a haven for wildlife with over 250 species of birds having been recorded.

Lea Meadows in rural Leicestershire hosts pignut flowers with chimney sweeper moths all year round.

Duke’s Wood in Nottinghamshire is home to woodland birds such as the spotted flycatcher, woodcock and great spotted woodpecker can be seen as well as butterflies.

Prior’s Coppice near Oakham in Rutland has a large amount of nuthatch, blackcap and garden warbler, orange tip, brimstone, purple and white-letter hairstreak butterflies, as well as over 200 species of moth.

Whisby Nature Park near Lincoln is known to have nightingales in the spring and a colony of over 7,000 southern marsh orchids, there are also over 15 species of dragonfly and butterflies.

Gibraltar Point in Lincolnshire is home to natterjack toads in the spring, whilst in the summer you could spot little tern, a rare breeding bird.

Rutland Water reservoir attracts more than 20,000 birds in the winter months and Barn owls feed around the meadows and in 2001, Osprey breeding was confirmed.

Snipe Dales in Lincolnshire is a good place to see butterflies and dragonflies in the summer.