Wildlife cameras
We're raising funds to install more webcams and stream live wildlife footage from across our parks and nature reserves. It's compelling viewing. Please note that cameras may not always be live.
Thanks to everyone who’s donated so far, to help us fund more wildlife cameras.
Any donation you can make will be gratefully received and will enable us to carry out essential maintenance on the Heron, Kestrel and Barn Owl cameras and the costs of streaming the live footage 365 days a year. Through your support, we look forward to bringing many more wildlife adventures into your homes.
Hengistbury Head Nature Reserve
Live webcam
Enjoy watching the ever-changing weather over Hengistbury Head and Christchurch Harbour to the north.
There has been human activity on the site for more than 12,000 years ago, but Holloway’s Dock (the area in the foreground) is far more recent; it was created during the Victorian era when the area was heavily quarried.
On this small headland you will find more than 500 plant species, 300 types of birds, a superb variety of insects, reptiles and small mammals – some of them rare and critically endangered.
Nest box camera: Blue tits
Live webcam
We’re so egg-cited to see that the blue tits have laid 7 eggs!
Blue tits usually lay their eggs throughout April and into early May. Once the clutch is complete, the female spends up to 15 days incubating the eggs. She uses a featherless area of skin on her tummy, called a brood patch, to keep the eggs warm. While she’s incubating the eggs, her partner brings her food but she must also occasionally leave the eggs to feed.
Hengistbury Head bird feeder
Live webcam
The birds regularly come to our feeder to supplement their diet with a regular supply of seeds, suet, nuts, etc., which are an important food source – especially if our summers are too hot or if the ground is frozen during winter.
Keep an eye out for some of Hengistbury Head’s rarer species, such as the Dartford Warbler.
Please consider a donation to keep this project viable during 2025. Thank you.
Heron time lapse
March to May 2020 Video timelapse
Watch a time lapse of a heron chick hatching, feeding and growing into a mature bird from the nest aloft the Scots Pines of Hengistbury Head. The heron’s now fledged and will be spending its time in Christchurch Harbour and along the Stour Valley. What a fantastic experience this was to witness the maturing of this fascinating creature.
Kestrels nesting
2018 Video timelapse
Our Kestrels nest high in the tops of the tallest pine trees on Hengistbury Head. We had 5 eggs laid at the end of April 2020 which hatched and the chicks fledged in the middle of June. The male bird does most of the hunting until the chicks are bigger and only then will the female risk leaving the nest to hunt close by. Voles are their favourite prey but they will search out small birds, woodmice, shrews, insects and earthworms. The Kestrel has amazing eyesight and can spot a beetle 50m from its perch!
Please bear in mind these are live streams of wild animals and from time to time they might be bringing live prey back to their nest. This is live unedited footage.
If we raise more than our fundraising target, it will go towards our other projects and general running of The Parks Foundation.
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