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Wildlife Watching in Autumn in Mid Wales

Autumn is a busy season for wildlife in Mid Wales. Grey seals have their pups on the Ceredigion coast, red kites gather in the hundreds over Rhayader, winter birds start arriving on the estuaries and deer rut in the woods. Across Powys, Ceredigion and Southern Eryri (Southern Snowdonia), the quieter paths make it easier to see them.

Red kites at Gigrin Farm, Powys

Red kites were almost lost from Britain in the last century, and Mid Wales is where they held on. Now you can see them almost anywhere here. At Gigrin Farm, half a mile from Rhayader, the kites are fed every day of the year, at 2pm from the end of October, and around 500 come in during the colder months. You watch from hides as they twist down to feed, with buzzards and ravens trying their luck too. Rare white (leucistic) kites visit the farm now and then.

Grey seal pups on the Ceredigion coast

Where can I see seal pups in Wales? The Ceredigion coast is one of the best places, from September to November. Grey seals have their pups on quiet beaches and in coves below the cliffs, and the white-coated pups stay on the shore for their first few weeks. Look down from the Wales Coast Path between New Quay and Cardigan, including around Mwnt and Cardigan Island.

Please watch from the clifftop. Don't go down to the beach or try to get closer, as a frightened mother may leave her pup. Keep dogs on a lead and keep noise down.

Red squirrels in the Tywi Forest

A small population of red squirrels lives in the forests where Ceredigion, Powys and Carmarthenshire meet, around the Tywi Forest and Llyn Brianne. You'll need patience and some luck to see one, but autumn, when they're busy storing food, is your best chance. Walk quietly, stop often and watch the tops of the conifers.

Birds on the bogs and estuaries

From October, winter birds arrive from further north. Cors Caron near Tregaron in Ceredigion is a huge raised bog with a boardwalk and hide, where you can see wildfowl and birds of prey over the reeds. The Dyfi estuary near Machynlleth, with the RSPB reserve at Ynys-hir on its southern shore, fills with ducks, geese and waders. In Southern Eryri, the Mawddach estuary between Dolgellau and Barmouth is good for waders and herons, and you can watch from the Mawddach Trail. See RSPB sites and reserves for more.

Deer in autumn

October is rutting season, when stags and bucks bellow and clash to win their groups of hinds and does. Fallow deer live in parkland and woods across Mid Wales, and early mornings and dusk are the times to listen for them. Keep your distance, as males in the rut can be unpredictable.

Good to know

Bring binoculars and warm layers, and plan to be out early or late when animals are most active. Check tide times before coastal walks. For more places to see wildlife, see wildlife and nature in Mid Wales, and for ideas on where to stay, see autumn in Mid Wales.

More to see this autumn

Inspiration

Ceredigion Coast | Beaches and Coastal Towns
October Half Term in Mid Wales

Steam trains through autumn woods, Halloween ghost trains and caverns for wet days. October half term in Mid Wales keeps the whole family busy.
Accommodation with Open Fires and Log Burners

A log burner, thick blankets and a walk from the door. These cottages, inns and B&Bs are made for autumn and winter evenings in Mid Wales.
Autumn in Mid Wales

Copper woods in the Elan Valley, waterfalls running full after the rain and red kites over Rhayader. Autumn in Mid Wales is for walking in the morning and settling in by the fire at night.
Dark Skies and Stargazing in Mid Wales

Some of the darkest skies in Britain, with the Milky Way overhead on a clear night. Here is where to go, what to look for and when.
Autumn Walks in Mid Wales

Oak woods turning copper above the reservoirs, larch going gold in Hafren Forest and the Mawddach at low tide. These are our favourite walks for autumn colour.

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Lake Vyrnwy | Llyn Efyrnwy

Address

Llanwddyn, Owestry, Powys, SY10 0LZ

Telephone
01691 870 571

VisitorSites@hdcymru.co.uk

Powys

Experience the awe-inspiring natural beauty and rich history of Lake Vyrnwy, Wales. The stunning destination boasts a vast reservoir surrounded by remote mountains and thick forests, offering a unique and dramatic landscape for outdoor enthusiasts…
Cadair Idris (NRW)

Address

Southern Snowdonia, Gwynedd, LL39 1AX

Telephone
0300 065 3000

enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk

Southern Snowdonia

Cadair Idris is a spectacular mountain reserve in southern Snowdonia with a variety of landscapes and terrain that cover over 450 hectares of breathtaking landscape.
Bannau Brycheiniog | Brecon Beacons National Park

Address

National Park Visitor Centre, Libanus, Powys, LD3 8NL

Libanus

Bannau Brycheiniog | Brecon Beacons National Park lies on the border between Mid Wales and South Wales and includes Fforest Fawr UNESCO Global Geopark and International Dark Sky Reserve
Dyfi Valley & Coast

Address

Mid Wales, Machynlleth, Powys, SY20 8SR

Machynlleth

The Dyfi Valley opens wide as it approaches Cardigan Bay Coast and ends in sandy beaches and dunes. It cradles the westerly spur of Powys, Ceredigion north of Aberystwyth, and the southern rim of Snowdonia National Park.
Bwlch Nant yr Arian | Mountain Biking (NRW)

Address

Bwlch Nant yr Arian, Bwlch Nant yr Arian Visitor Centre, Ponterwyd, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 3AB

Telephone
0300 065 3000

enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk

Ponterwyd, Aberystwyth

Mid Wales is a serious stop off and venue for people wishing to improve their dirt jump and pump track skills and the Mountain Bike Skills Park at Bwlch Nant yr Arian equips people to more safely enjoy their cycling out on the existing mountain bike…
RSPB Carngafallt Nature Reserve

Address

Elan Valley, Glanfaron, Rhayader, LD6 5HW

Telephone
01654 700222

carngafallt@rspb.org.uk

Glanfaron

Carngafallt is a wonderful place to see birds or simply enjoy the view. The moorland landscape looks especially colourful in late summer, while spring is the perfect time to come and see migrant birds.
RSPB Gwenffrwd-Dinas Nature Reserve

Address

Ystradffin, Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, SA20 0PG

Telephone
02920 353000

gwenffrwd.dinas@rspb.org.uk

Llandovery

This delightful reserve is set in the heart of Mid Wales near Ystradffin, Rhandirmwyn. Dinas is a pleasant circular walk, part of the circuit is steep with difficult terrain. Strong footwear is advised.
Llyn Coed y Dinas Nature Reserve

Address

Welshpool, Powys, SY21 8RP

Telephone
01938 555654

info@montwt.co.uk

Welshpool

Created from a gravel pit, quarried to provide material for the creation of the Welshpool bypass, Llyn Coed y Dinas is a fantastic home for all sorts of wildlife.
RSPB Mawddach Valley - Arthog Bog

Address

5 St Marys Terrace, Arthog, Gwynedd, LL39 1BQ

Telephone
01654 700222

mawddach@rspb.org.uk

Arthog

Arthog Bog is located in southern Snowdonia between Dolgellau and Fairbourne. It is a small wetland and a wonderful place to see weird and wonderful plants, flowers, butterflies and birds.
Burfa Bog Nature Reserve

Address

Presteigne, Powys, LD8 2SH

Telephone
01597 823298

info@rwtwales.org

Powys

A low-lying reserve with Knobley brook running through the wet grassland. Butterflies and flowers are abundant in the spring and summer months.
Pwll y Wrach Nature Reserve

Address

Talgarth, Powys, LD3 7LH

Telephone
01874 625708

info@welshwildlife.org

Powys

This 21 acre hillside site embodies the essence of all that is best about the woodland dingles of Mid Wales. Easy access trail through the wood.
Cefn Cenarth Nature Reserve

Address

Rhayader, Powys, LD6 5LR

Telephone
01597 823298

info@rwtwales.org

Powys

Two areas of upland sessile oak woodland connected by a recently felled conifer plantation now replanted with native broadleaved species. An important place for mosses and lichens.
Llanymynech Rocks Nature Reserve

Address

Underhill Lane, Pant, SY22 6HD

Telephone
01938 555654

info@montwt.co.uk

Pant

Straddling the border between England and Wales, the reserve lies at the southern end of the carboniferous limestone outcrop that stretches from Anglesey and the Great Orme at Llandudno.
Cwm Byddog Nature Reserve

Address

Clyro, Hay-On-Wye, HR3 5SL

Telephone
01597 823298

info@rwtwales.org

Hay-On-Wye

Ancient trees of this age are one of the rarest habitats in Europe and the UK has a large proportion. They support a range of rare and declining species of epiphytes.