News and Events

Bird spotting notes

January 2020
Bird Notes for Hurst & Keyhaven Marshes

Weather very mild recently resulting in lower than usual wildfowl numbers.
High Spring tides often totally cover the marshlands; birds gather on their favourite high water roost sites. The Brent will feed on local farmland.

Brent Goose – around 400 across the patch

Wigeon – a small flock of 25 on the marsh

Teal – around 150 across the patch

Pintail – 4 pairs seen feeding with Wigeon.

Eider – 1 female recorded.

Red-breasted Merganser – 6 feeding in the estuary mouth

Great Crested Grebe – 1 seen feeding in the estuary mouth

Little Egret – 8 across the patch

Dunlin – aa estimated 400 seen across the area

Turnstone – 42 counted feeding around New Lane Bridge

Great Blacked-backed Gull – 5 seen in the area

December 2019

Just a few notes from a recent visit to Hurst.
More of the usual winter visitors are arriving now.
The wildfowl are looking fine in their winter plumage.

Brent Geese – around 400 spread across the area from Sturt Pond to Keyhaven and across the marshes to Hurst.
Shelduck – nearly 2 dozen seen across the marshes
Wigeon – approximately 130 across the marsh. About 50 birds were spooked by a Peregrine, flew west over the Bank and settled on the sea.
Teal – approx., 150 between Sturt and Mount Lake.
Pintail – just 1 seen flying over the Bank and out to sea.
Red-breasted Merganser – 5 seen in the mouth of Keyhaven River, 2 males and 3 females.
Great Crested Grebe – 3 seen feeding off the mouth of the Keyhaven River.
Little Egret – only 3 seen across the patch
Merlin – an adult female seen at Hurst before heading low over the marshes towards Keyhaven
Peregrine – 1 hunting over the marshes.
Golden Plover – approx. 80 seen feeding off harbour wall, Keyhaven
Grey Plover – 23 counted in the creeks, spread over the patch.
Dunlin – only around 200 seen feeding on the mud in the main river.
Black-tailed Godwit – approx. 75 seen feeding on the mud in Keyhaven harbour down towards the start of Hawkers.
Redshank – over 40 counted across the patch
Turnstone – only 12 counted on the visit.
Med Gull – 2 on Sturt in winter plumage
Common Gull – 2 also on Sturt.
Kingfisher – 1 reported seen in Keyhaven Harbour.

Pete Hobby