Slepe Heath

Owned and managed by the National Trust, Slepe Heath is an excellent site to visit with easy to follow footpaths off Soldiers Road and great birds on view throughout the year. Being a heathland site, it hosts a sensitive and delicate ecosystem. Slepe Heath can be a busy feeding and stopover site for passage migrants in the autumn with Spotted Flycatcher, Pied Flycatcher, Wheatear, Whinchat, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler and Redstart represented during August and September. Resident heathland species such as Dartford Warbler and Stonechat can be found throughout the year and this is a good spot to see and hear Nightjar on balmy summer’s evenings. Through the winter Peregrine, Merlin and Hen Harrier commute across the heath with the occasional Great Grey Shrike overwintering on site. From the high ridge on the northern part of Slepe Heath views out across the Wareham Channel, Swineham and Arne Moors can be had and with a telescope, species such as both Marsh and Hen Harrier, feeding Spoonbill, hunting Osprey plus Great White Egret and Bittern can be seen if watched for long enough.