Where to see baby animals this spring

Springtime is known for the blooming of flowers, the buzzing of bees and of course; the beautiful baby animals that start appearing. It’s a great time to be outside and see new life blossom. Lancashire is full of incredible wildlife, animal attractions and more, so why take a trip to some of these great spots to see baby animals for yourself. 

Farms 

Animal farms are laden with new life in the springtime, and with Lancashire being 80% rural, we have an abundance of farms ready to welcome you.  

Some of our farms go big during this time of year, hosting dedicated lambing events designed to get hands on. Windmill Animal Farm has a dedicated Lambing Barn and both Mrs Dowsons Farm Park and Ridgeway Farm have popular Lambing Live events on during the season too.  

At these events you can get up close to the most recent baby lambs, helping to feed and take care of them, and you may even witness a new lamb joining the flock! There are other baby animals on the farms too, with pigs, goats and calves to be met in the fields and paddocks nearby. Mrs Dowsons hosts adults only events for any older animal lovers who want to meet the babies on the farm.  

Lancashire's other farm parks include Greenlands Farm Village which offers lamb bottle feeding twice a day, Thornton Hall Farm where you can see baby lambs, kids and more, plus Bowland Wild Boar Park where you can see the baby wild boars, and meet and feed all the other animals on the farm too.  

Nature Reserves  

Lancashire is also well supplied in terms of fantastic open areas of nature where you can go to explore the wonders of the season.  

The rugged moorlands of the Forest of Bowland and Morecambe Bay's dramatic sands are home to all kinds of wildlife, all of which you can search for during an afternoon ramble.  

The counties nature reserves are perfect for taking in the sights and sounds of nature in springtime too. With flowers blooming and wildlife coming to life all around you, why not head to one of our reserves to see what you can spot. Brockholes near Preston has many baby birds, roe deer, foxes, moles and more that call the reserve home, as well as one of the most beautiful bluebell woods in the area around May time. The Ribble Estuary offers sand and mudflats which are perfect for the breeding of snails, worms, shellfish and crabs, so be sure to head to Hesketh Out Marsh to spot these. Alternatively, see what you can spot on the estuary in Lytham on the way to RSPB Fairhaven Lake which will be home to curlew chicks from late April and early May and sand and house martins in late June through to the end of July. 

Leighton Moss which sits within the Arnside and Silverdale Natural Landscape is a haven for pintails, tufted ducks, red deer and otters and Mere Sands Wood in West Lancashire is great for spotting wildlife too, with dragonflies and bird species like bullfinches and great spotted woodpeckers flying to their nests.  

Of course, the fabulous WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre is another great option for seeing lots of birds, ducks and other animals. During the spring you are sure to find plenty of babies including coot, moorhen and mallard ducklings. 

Zoos and Wildlife Centres 

We're home to zoos, animal sanctuaries and more in Lancashire, and while spring isn’t the only time you can potentially spot new babies, it’s a great time to spend with the animals anyway.  

SEA LIFE Blackpool is home to so many different types of fish and other aquatic animals. The centre is also home to the UK's first national juvenile ray nursery, which is part of a new breeding programme aimed at protecting the countries native ray population. The team of experts at the centre help nurture baby rays from infancy through to adulthood. The babies live in the ray breeding pool until they are big enough to join the large ray display.  

Blackpool Zoo welcomed a critically endangered Bornean orangutan last April. Rufus is now a toddler and can be seen with his family in the Orangutan Outlook. Recently they have also welcomed baby kangaroos, otters and more, spot them all during your visit.  

Back into nature you can head to Williamson Park and wander through Fenham Carr where you can spot squirrels and birds aplenty, then visit the Butterfly House and Mini Zoo to spot all the incredible butterflies emerging from their cocoons. 

If baby animals aren’t enough, why not check out some of the great animal experiences in Lancashire? From alpaca walks to pony grooms and feeding sessions at the zoo, there's so much for animal lovers to revel in.