To provide you with the best experience, cookies are used on this site. Learn more

You are here: Experience and Enjoy > Wildlife & Nature > Birdwatching in Mid Wales

Birdwatching in Mid Wales

Mid Wales is where the red kite was saved. By the 1960s, this bird had been reduced to just a handful of breeding pairs in the remote valleys of the Cambrian Mountains. From that tiny population, the kite has recovered across the whole of Wales and beyond, and today you can see them overhead from almost anywhere in Powys, Ceredigion and Southern Snowdonia.

Two feeding stations give guaranteed close-up views. At Gigrin Farm near Rhayader, red kites gather every afternoon for the daily feed, and at Nant yr Arian near Aberystwyth the kites come down to the lake while you watch from the cafe terrace. Both are worth visiting, and on a good day you might count fifty or more birds circling overhead.

Ospreys returned to Wales at the Dyfi estuary near Machynlleth. The Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust runs the Dyfi Osprey Project with live nest cameras and a public viewing point open from April to September. Watching a fish eagle return to its nest with a catch is one of the best wildlife experiences in Britain.

The oak woodlands of Mid Wales, particularly in the Dyfi valley, around Lake Vyrnwy and in the Elan Valley, hold breeding pied flycatchers, redstarts, wood warblers and tree pipits in spring and summer. These are some of the most important woodlands for these species in the UK.

On the Ceredigion coast, choughs nest on the cliffs between Aberystwyth and Cardigan. Upland moors across the Cambrian Mountains support breeding curlew, golden plover, ring ouzel and merlin. The estuaries of the Dyfi and Mawddach draw wading birds and wildfowl through autumn and winter.

For guided birdwatching, check listings for local wildlife guides who know where to find the birds at different times of year.

Inspiration

Number of results: 1033

, currently showing 701 to 720.

Sort By: A-Z Lowest A-Z Highest

RSPB Ynys-hir Pop-Up Woodland Photography Hide Hire

Address

RSPB Ynys-hir, Eglwys-fach, Machynlleth, Ceredigion, SY20 8TA

Telephone
+441654700222

ynyshir@rspb.org.uk

Machynlleth

Photograph the jewels of RSPB Ynys-hir temperate Celtic rain forest, in our Pop-up Woodland Photography Hide.
The woodland stars include summer visitors such as the Pied Flycatcher, Redstarts, and warblers migrating from a winter in West Africa to…
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…
Coed Nash | Nash Wood (NRW)

Address

Presteigne, Powys, LD8 2YT

Telephone
0300 065 3000

enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk

Powys

Just outside the historic town of Presteigne, Nash Wood lies half in Wales and half in England. The circular walking trail goes to a viewpoint overlooking one of the many hillforts along this part of the border.
Abersoch Triathlon

Address

Abersoch, Gwynedd

Telephone
01758 710011

info@sensationgroup.com

The 2026 Menai Holiday Cottages Abersoch Triathlon takes place on 20th June 2026. Olympic Distance * Sprint Distance * Elvins Abersoch 1K Beach Sprint * Johnny Rob Run Sup Run
Y Borth | Borth

Address

Borth, Ceredigion, SY24 5JU

Telephone
01970 612125

Ceredigion

Borth is a charming coastal town in Mid Wales, part of the Dyfi Biosphere and the only UNESCO Biosphere reserve in Wales. With a Blue Flag Beach, excellent surfing, stunning natural surroundings, unique local legends, and a railway station on the…
Brecon Beacons | Pen y Fan & Corn Du

Address

Pant ar Daf, Central Brecon Beacons, Powys, LD3 8NL

Telephone
01874 625515

brecon@nationaltrust.org.uk

Central Brecon Beacons

Pen y Fan and Corn Du are the two highest peaks of the central Brecon Beacons. They dominate the landscape for miles around, and make up one of the most recognisable skylines in the UK.
Llandrindod Railway Station

Address

Station Crescent, Llandrindod Wells, Powys, LD1 5BB

Telephone
01597 822053

Llandrindod.bookingoffice@tfwrail.wales

Llandrindod Wells

Llandrindod railway station is on the Heart of Wales Line that runs from Shrewsbury to Swansea.
Aberystwyth | North Beach & Promenade

Address

Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 2BQ

Telephone
01970 612125

AberystwythTIC@Ceredigion.gov.uk

Aberystwyth

Aberystwyth's North Beach and seafront is a focal point of the town and a favourite attraction for visitors and locals alike.
Aberystwyth Castle

Address

Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 2AG

Telephone
01970 612125

Ceredigion

In the marvellous sweep of Cardigan Bay stand the ruins of one of Edward I's late 13th century castles. Of the seven major English strongholds he established in Wales, Aberystwyth Castle has fared least favourably in the survival stakes.
Aberdyfi | Aberdovey

Address

Aberdyfi, Gwynedd, LL35 0ED

Telephone
01654 767321

TIC.Aberdyfi@eryri-npa.gov.uk

Aberdyfi

Aberdyfi's pastel-coloured terraces front a large sandy beach and quaint old harbour. The town is a popular centre for sailing, watersports and golf.
Dyfi Discovery Walk | Llyn Barfog Walk

Address

Cwm Maethlon | Happy Valley, Aberdyfi, GWYNEDD

Telephone
0300 065 3000

Aberdyfi

Start: Snowdonia National Park Authority car park, Cwm Maethlon/Happy Valley
Grid Reference: SN 640 986
Distance: 5 km - 3.1 miles (shortcut 4 km – 2.5 miles)
Grade: Moderate
Terrain: Open moorland, firm tracks, fields and tarmac road.
Gogerddan Wood (NRW)

Address

Gogerddan, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 3ED

Telephone
0300 065 3000

enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk

Aberystwyth

Just three miles from Aberystwyth, Gogerddan is an easy-to-find woodland with a small picnic site. The woodland is carpeted with bluebells in spring. The short walking trail is signposted from the car park.
Oswestry Bus Station

Address

Station Road, Oswestry, SY11 1QP

Telephone
0800 464 0000

feedback@trawscymru.info

Oswestry

Oswestry bus station is in the centre of the town next to the Aldi store with services to Shrewsbury, Welshpool, Newtown, Machynlleth and Wrexham.
Dyfnant Forest | Pen y Fford (NRW)

Address

Dyfnant & Vyrnwy Forests (NRW), Penyfford Car Park, Lake Vyrnwy, Powys, SY21 0QH

Telephone
0300 065 3000

enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk

Lake Vyrnwy

Dyfnant Forest is home to the Dyfnant Rainbow Trails, designed with horses in mind but also welcoming walkers. There are nearly 100 miles of tracks and trails with five horse riding trails and three carriage driving trails in Dyfnant Forest starting…
Coed y Brenin | Walking Trails (NRW)

Address

Coed y Brenin Visitor Centre (NRW), Ganllwyd, Dolgellau, Gwynedd, LL40 2HZ

Telephone
01341 440747

coedybrenin@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk

Dolgellau

Three walking trails are waymarked and start from Coed y Brenin Visitor Centre car park.
More walking trails start from our other car parks within Coed y Brenin Forest Park.
Pontarfynach | Devil's Bridge

Address

Devil's Bridge, Ceredigion, SY23 3JW

Devil's Bridge

The village of Devil's Bridge is situated at the head of the Rheidol Valley in the heart of the Cambrian Mountains. Famous for its bridges and waterfall, Devil's Bridge and can be reached via the Vale of Rheidol Steam Railway.
Taff Trail | Cardiff to Brecon

Address

Cardiff, CF10 1AH

Telephone
0300 303 2604

supporters@sustrans.org.uk

Cardiff

The Taff Trail is a 55mile/93km way-marked route for walkers and cyclists running from Cardiff to the Brecon Beacons National Park. Largely traffic-free, the 55 mile trail passes through a variety of landscapes.
Wales Coast Path

Address

From South to North Wales via the coast, Wales

Telephone
0300 065 3000

wcp@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk

Wales is the first country in the world to have a formal trail the whole way around its coast. The Wales Coast Path (which is 870 miles long) joins up with Offa’s Dyke Path to provide a 1,030 mile trail around the Welsh border.
Dyfi Discovery Walk | Cwm Ralltgoed Walk

Address

Aberllefenni, Machynlleth, Powys, SY20 8BL

Telephone
0300 065 3000

Machynlleth

Start: NRW forest car park.
Turn R just before Aberllefenni village sign.
Grid Reference: SH 769 092
Distance: 8.4 km - 5.2 miles
Grade: Easy/Moderate
Maps: OS Explorer . OL23
Cwm Rheidol | Rheidol Valley

Address

Cwm Rheidol | Rheidol Valley, Nr Aberystwyth, Ceredigion

Telephone
01970 612125

aberystwythTIC@ceredigion.gov.uk

Nr Aberystwyth

The Rheidol Valley or 'Cwm Rheidol' is a good choice for a touring day out, featuring typically Welsh scenery, some unexpected attractions such as major hydro-electric power station and a chance for activities such as fishing and cycling