Some of our guests are simply happy to sit in our gardens and watch our many feathered friends visit.
We are blessed with numerous varieties and we, and you, can tempt them with nets of suitable treats ( or even biscuit crumbs while you sip a cuppa).

We regularly record "the usual suspects" like sparrows, blackbirds, thrushes, starlings, dunnocks, robins, jays and rooks,but we are especially glad that the colourful bullfinches, swallows , swifts, martins,woodpeckers, blue and great tits, chaffinches. yellowhammers , and many more slightly less usual varieties have often been seen.
At night we hear owls , in the morning the gentle cooing voices of woodpigeons are ubiquitous.In Tintern there are several sorts of seagulls on the Abbey, (all of them loudly argumentative and greedy) and if we are collecting bird sightings we must include the two chickens next door to Vanilla!
Take a walk and you will be likely to hear the rattle of pheasant and the high pitched mew of buzzard. On the rivers are swans and mallard, heron , goosander, and if you are lucky you can catch the flash of kingfisher.

For those who are keener still we are brilliantly positiioned to make it very easy for you to visit some splendid reserves and centres. Whether you want to stay out all night for the nocturnals, go at dawn with your thermos, or just take the kids to a fun place for the day -its no problem if you are self catering with no fixed mealtime!

For family days out where you can easily see impressive birds "up close and personal"
The International Birds of Prey Centre Newent is hard to beat. They fly eagles and owls right over your head several times a day. A must with children.

The Red Kite feeding Centre near Rhyader- spectacular drive to get there and spectacular feeding of numerous birds with a huge wingspan every afternoon.

Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands trust just across the Severn has family style activities from canoeing to Santa all year.

If you are good with your binoculars and love a hide try these suggestions, all very local!

Peregrine falcons- Symonds Yat RSPB
Nightingale- Highnam Woods RSPB
Bearded Tit,Dunlin,Little Egret,Little Grebe -Newport Wetlands RSPB
Overwintering birds especially swans, ducks and waders -Severn Estuary
All three woodpecker species, redstart, wood warbler, tawny owl, pied flycatcher and treecreeper- Lady Park Wood near Monmouth
Nuthatch,Redwing,woodcock, Wood warbler ( also Wild boar!)- Nagshead RSPB

Or is it back to plan A and share your tea and biscuit crumbs with whoever flies in first?
We are adding pictures to this page all the time. Please forgive the testing going on below....

These two pictures of spectacular birds are from the International Birds of Prey Centre at Newent . Well worth a visit.Bring your camera!	This is one of their daily flying demonstrations.

Above a Red Kite from the Gilgrin Farm Centre near Rhyader .Daily feedingin spectacular surroundings approx an hour from Vanilla Cottage.	Some hungry visitors are smaller and more familiar!.

Bright sunny feathers whatever the weather .	The hide at Newport Wetlands centre gives a great view ( thanks for this photo and the one with swans to Forever Fotos (2009) via Monmouthshire County Council .

Swans watching visitors at the excellent Newport Wetlands Centre .	Nagshead Nature reserve has Wild Boar as well as birds ( pic thanks to Wye Valley and Forest of Dean Tourism Association).

Birdcam watches an enchanting nest at Old Station Tintern summer 2012 . Sit in their cafe with home made tea and cake and enjoy on screen!	This pic from the RSPB website ( join their good work!) shows the songthrush, commonly seen and heard in our gardens and always delightful .