Best places to see a kingfisher along our canals and rivers

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Spot a kingfisher this spring or summer

Knowing the top tips that could help you find a kingfisher is a good start, but it's also handy to be aware of hotspots along our 2,000 mile network. With 266 recorded sightings of these striking birds along our canals and rivers in the last decade, your chances of seeing one are likely.

Wales & South West

According to our trusted ecologists, the famous Caen Hill lock flight on the Kennet & Avon Canal is a great place to search for kingfishers. With plenty of picnic benches dotted around, you can happily set up camp for the day.

Other hotspots in the South West are: Kennet & Avon Canal – Bath Lock Flight, Bath; Kennet & Avon Canal – Muirhill Wood, near Limpley Stoke; Bridgewater & Taunton Canal – Kings to Standard Locks; Monmouthsire & Brecon Canal – Brynich Aqueduct; Gloucester & Sharpness Canal – between Patch Bridge and Purton; River Severn – Diglis Lock Island.

London & South East

The Paddington Arm is one of London's best kept secrets. It's the perfect place to take a break from the hustle and bustle of England's capital, and a favoured area for inner city wildlife. Kingfishers have been known to frequent the area between Willow Tree Footbridge and Spikes Bridge.

Other reported kingfisher locations in this region are: Grand Union Canal – Brentford Lock and Harefield to Leighton Buzzard; Regents Canal – near Victory Bridge; Lee Navigation – Ponders End Lock.

North West

You may be surprised to learn that kingfishers have been sighted close to Canal Street and the Gay Village in the heart of Manchester City Centre. Here, the Rochdale Canal has no towpath, but you can take a walk along the pavements at street level for a higher viewpoint. You may also discover kingfishers further along the Rochdale in Failsworth and Smithybridge.

Other sightings have been recorded at: Liverpool Canal Link – Central Docks Channel New Bridge and Blackburn; Trent & Mersey Canal – near Wheelock; Shropshire Union – Chester and Nantwich.

West Midlands

With much the beautiful Mon & Brec registered as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), wildlife thrives along this canal. A key kingfisher hotspot is at the Queen's Head near Oswestry.

You'll also find several nature reserves positioned close by, so even if you don't spot a kingfisher, you'll likely be treated to an abundance of other wildlife species.

You can also try: Trent & Mersey – north of Stone (towards Meaford), Harecastle Tunnel (south of the south portal), Stoke-on-Trent; Rudyard Lake – Rudyard Feeder, Staffordshire; Caldon Canal – at Birches Head near Stoke and Stockton Brook, Staffordshire; Grand Union Canal – between Hatton Locks and Warwick.

Recently, there have even been sightings along the canals in Birmingham city centre.

Yorkshire & North East

The beautiful Pocklington Canal is one of our top waterways for wildlife spotting in the country, owing to its idyllic and rural setting. It is now home to three SSSI's, but that wasn't always the case. Once threatened, the canal was saved thanks to the efforts of the Pocklington Canal Amenity Society and campaigners.

Other recent sightings have been reported on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal near Bingley (specifically Dowley Gap locks) and at Stanley Lock Flight LL-001 in Liverpool, as well as Leeds and Skipton.

Goole, along the Aire & Calder Navigation, and Brightside, along the Sheffield & Tinsley Canal, are also good places to spot kingfishers.

East Midlands

At five miles long, the Nottingham & Beeston Canal boasts a vibrant waterfront district, allowing you to combine nature and urban life in one visit. Enjoy time at the shops and cafes in the city centre, or take a relaxing walk to Beeston Lock – just remember to keep those eyes peeled for a flash of blue. Increase your chances of a sighting by focusing on the stretch between Thane Road Bridge and Castle Marina.

We also suggest visiting: Trent & Mersey Canal – between Willington and Aston lock; River Trent – between Holme L and Stoke Lock; Leicester Line (Grand Union Canal); Market Harborough Arm (Grand Union Canal); Loughborough city centre.