Migration: Who’s Flying In, Where to Watch, and What to Expect

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Migration: Who’s Flying In, Where to Watch, and What to Expect

28 October 2025
By James Hamilton

Adult Redwing feeding in yew tree by Ben Andrew (rspb-images.com)

As autumn rolls on and the days grow shorter, many of us might be tempted to chase the sun. But while we’re adding extra layers, millions of birds are heading the other way, arriving in the UK to escape harsher northern winters.

Our mild climate, varied coastline and rich feeding grounds make Britain a magnet for migratory species. It’s a thrilling time to be out birdwatching, with estuaries filling with waders, skies echoing with goose calls, and hedgerows coming alive with hungry thrushes.
Here’s a look at some of the star arrivals to watch for this autumn.

The Great Wader Spectacle

Our estuaries, saltmarshes and intertidal flats are at their busiest now. The mud teems with worms, crabs and shellfish, a ready-made buffet for thousands of waders.

You’ll find Curlews, Oystercatchers, Knots, Dunlins and Redshanks working the shorelines. Some, like Curlews and Oystercatchers, stay with us year-round, but they are joined in winter by vast flocks arriving from the Arctic and northern Europe.

If you want to witness one of nature’s greatest shows, head to RSPB Snettisham on The Wash during a big tide. When tens of thousands of Knots take to the sky in twisting, shimmering flocks, it is pure magic.

Dunlins also swell the coastal crowds, arriving from eastern Europe and Russia, while our own breeding birds head south to spend the season in Europe and North Africa.

Royal Visitors, Swans from the North

Our wetlands become even more elegant in autumn with the arrival of Whooper and Bewick’s Swans. Whoopers fly in from Iceland and can turn up across the UK. Their loud, whooping calls are often the first clue they are nearby.

Bewick’s Swans, smaller and more delicately marked, travel even further, from the tundra of northern Russia. Traditionally, they wintered in southern England at sites like the Ouse and Nene Washes, though climate change means many now stop short in northern Europe where winters are milder.

Goose Gatherings, A Sky Full of Sound

It is hard to think of autumn birdwatching without the sight or sound of geese.

Pink-footed Geese arrive in spectacular numbers, with up to 90% of the world’s population spending winter here. They migrate from Iceland, Greenland and Spitsbergen to Scotland’s east coast, the Solway Firth, and farmland in Lancashire, Lincolnshire and Norfolk.

You’ll also see Barnacle Geese, easily recognised by their neat black-and-white plumage. Their name comes from an old myth that they hatched from goose barnacles, a story from the days when migration was still a mystery.

Look out for Brent Geese on coastal saltmarshes and grasslands. We get both dark-bellied and pale-bellied forms, arriving from Russia, Svalbard and even Canada, depending on the population.

Feathered Flocks on the Water

Our duck populations boom in winter as migrants arrive from the continent.

Mallards are joined by thousands more from France, the Netherlands and the Baltic, taking our numbers to around 675,000 birds.
Wigeons, with their soft whistling calls, arrive from Iceland, Scandinavia and Russia, feeding in large flocks on wet meadows and lakesides.

Don’t overlook the Teal, our smallest duck, which gathers quietly in marshes and sheltered pools after travelling from the Baltic and beyond.

Berry Banquets and Winter Thrushes

The hedgerows and orchards tell their own migration story. Flocks of Fieldfares and Redwings descend from northern Europe to raid the berry crop, gorging on hawthorn, rowan and holly.

Redwings are the smallest of our thrushes, marked by a beautiful orange-red flash under the wings. Fieldfares are larger, with a striking grey head and a chattering call that carries across fields.

For a special experience, step outside on a calm October night and listen for the high, thin “tseep” of migrating Redwings passing overhead.

If the berry crop fails in Scandinavia, keep your eyes peeled for a 'Waxwing winter', when flocks of these punky, fruit-loving birds turn up in supermarket car parks and gardens across the UK.

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