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Bird Aware Solent

@bird_aware_solent

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Follow our Ranger team as they explore the Solent coast, raising awareness of the thousands of protected birds found around our shores 🦆🌊

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The Solent isn’t just special to us – it’s a lifeline for thousands of birds who fly here from around the globe 🌍✨These birds have a tough time but the good news is, we can help. Simply by making sure we give them plenty of space so that they can feed, rest and breed without being disturbed. That gives us the best chance of them coming back next year and thriving for generations to come.Earlier this week, we showed you some beautiful illustrations created by award-winning designer and animator Will Rose (@wilbo_rose) for an animation project we’ve been working on. He’s helped us to create a short film celebrating the Solent and its incredible birdlife which we’re now proud to show you. We think he’s done an amazing job – and we hope you love it as much as we do Find out more about Will and his work by following the link in our bio 🔗🔼#SolentWildlife #NatureAnimation #CoastalBirdsAnimation #BirdIllustration by @bird_aware_solent

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7 months ago

Struggling to remember your little brown birds? Here's one to look out for this summer on the coast ✅Recently, the rangers have been spotting a lot of small birds called linnets - a type of finch with a lovely cheerful tune. Linnets aren't like your typical finch, as they have fantastic red spots across their feathers 🔴 helping them to stand out.Males in particular, like the first photo taken by Ranger Joe, have a grey head followed by a bright red forehead patch, and a bright red chest too. Females, during the summer, may have slight red markings on the forehead and chest, or not at all. Instead, they are a pale and streaked brown.Found amongst gorse and hedgerows, they are the perfect little bird to spot on your walks this summer 🚶Have you spotted any recently?#birdwatching #birds #linnet #finch #ukbirds #coastalbirds #birdID #birdfacts by @bird_aware_solent

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a day ago

Everyone say hello to Sophie! 👋In our new mini-series, we’re introducing the fantastic people behind our team. From rangers and content creators to watersports specialists and canine experts, our team has grown over the years to raise awareness of migratory birds along the Solent coastline.In this video, meet Sophie, our Watersports Industry Outreach Ranger. Sophie works with watersports clubs, organisations and groups across the Solent, helping coastal users connect with the incredible wildlife that share these waters.Join Sophie as she talks about her day-to-day role against the beautiful backdrop of Langstone Harbour. 🌊Stay tuned for the next team spotlight.#birdwatching #birdaware #meettheteam #watersportswithwildlife #birds by @bird_aware_solent

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2 days ago

Just one more snack? Ranger Izzy spotted this Mediterranean gull chick last week doing what chicks do best... relentlessly pestering its parent for food! 😄Young gulls grow quickly and need a regular supply of food to fuel their development. Even when a parent has only just fed them, chicks will often continue calling, following and pecking at their parents in the hope of securing another meal. 🍴Mediterranean gulls are devoted parents, sharing chick-rearing duties and making frequent feeding trips while their youngsters are growing. Before long, these demanding chicks will be fully fledged and taking their first steps towards independence. 🐣As summer progresses and their chicks become fully fledged, many Mediterranean gulls will begin their migration. Some will head towards the Mediterranean and western Europe for the winter, while others will remain around the UK's coasts. This year's youngsters are likely to spend the next few years wandering widely before eventually settling down and starting families of their own. While this youngster may seem demanding now, it will soon be feeding independently and joining the seasonal movements that make birdwatching so fascinating. 🐦 Find out more about Mediterranean gulls - link in bio 🔗 by @bird_aware_solent

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3 days ago

Although we see many more ringed plovers on the Solent during winter, when birds from further north arrive to spend the colder months here, some ringed plovers attempt to breed here too.If you've spotted signs asking people to take extra care in certain areas, they may be there to help protect nesting birds. Ringed plovers nest on open ground, where eggs and chicks can be difficult to spot and vulnerable to disturbance.Sadly, it appears to have been a difficult breeding season for many of our wading birds this year. Apart from some encouraging success from oystercatchers, many nests have been lost to predation by larger birds and other predators.These small shorebirds face plenty of challenges, but giving them a wide berth when visiting the coast can make a real difference.Read more about ringed plovers, our #BirdoftheMonth for July, on the Meet the birds pages of our website - follow the link in our bio 🔗👆 by @bird_aware_solent

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5 days ago

What is bird disturbance?We often get asked what disturbance is and why it matters. Some people think disturbance only happens when birds fly away, but it's often much more subtle than that. 🐦Disturbance is anything that stops a bird carrying out its natural behaviour. If a bird is watching us, watching our dogs, or staying alert to activity nearby, it isn't feeding or resting. 💤Feeding and resting are vital for coastal birds. They need to build up and conserve enough energy for the extraordinary journeys they make every year to and from the Solent. Some travel from as far away as Southern Africa and the Arctic Circle. 🌏During the breeding season, disturbance can interrupt courtship, nesting or chick rearing. Even small interruptions can make a difference when they happen repeatedly throughout the day. Being forced to stay alert uses valuable energy and can cause stress, sometimes leading birds to abandon nests or important feeding areas. 🐣Many coastal birds are incredibly well adapted to blend into their surroundings, helping them stay safe from predators. This means they can be much closer than we realise, even if we can't immediately see them. Giving birds a little extra space helps them spend more time doing what they need to do most. The good news is that small actions can make a big difference. Giving birds space and enjoying them from a distance helps ensure our coastline remains a welcoming place for both wildlife and people. 💙 by @bird_aware_solent

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7 days ago

How do you remember what a Sandwich tern looks like? For the rangers, the easiest way to tell is by looking at the colour of their beaks 🔎Sandwich terns, just like this one spotted on Hayling Island, have a black beak with a yellow tip.If you're ever unsure, just remember this little saying:The Sandwich tern tried to dip its beak in butter whilst making a sandwich 🥪We're not sure which ranger came up with it ... but it works a treat!Do you have any sayings that are great for remembering birds?#birdwatching #birds #sandwichtern #birdfacts by @bird_aware_solent

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8 days ago

Have you noticed more butterflies than usual this summer? With this year's #BigButterflyCount starting tomorrow and running until 9 August, now is the perfect time to stop, look a little closer, and see what's fluttering around you 🦋This beautiful hummingbird hawk-moth was spotted by Ranger Charlotte on the Isle of Wight. Often mistaken for a small bird thanks to the way it hovers while feeding, it's one of the many fascinating species you might spot during this year's Butterfly Count.While butterflies often steal the spotlight, Britain's moths are just as impressive. There are more than 2,500 moth species in the UK, compared with fewer than 70 species of butterfly. And despite what many of us were taught, telling them apart isn't always straightforward. The familiar "rules" about wing position and antennae shape don't always hold true. The Big Butterfly Count is one of the UK's largest citizen science projects, helping to build a picture of how butterflies and day-flying moths are faring across the country. Taking part is simple: spend 15 minutes in your chosen outdoor spot, count the butterflies and moths you see, and submit your results via @savebutterflies. The large white – or cabbage white – butterfly had its best year on record in last year’s Big Butterfly Count with a whopping 396,510 records 🥇Will it be number 1 again this year? If you'd like to brush up on your butterfly identification skills before taking part, our monitoring officer Thomas has put together a handy guide, which you'll find via the link in our bio 🔗👆 by @bird_aware_solent

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9 days ago

Taking turns 🥚A big thank you to Ranger Eloise who filmed this special moment as an oystercatcher parent swaps over for nest duties at Langstone Harbour. 🎥While this oystercatcher settles down to continue incubating the eggs, the other parent will head off to hunt, feed or defend their territory. Oystercatcher lay between 1 and 4 eggs which are glossy with regular dark specks or blotches. 🪺Although the female is the main incubator, both adults share the responsibility of incubating their clutch. Throughout the nesting season, pairs regularly swap places on the nest, helping to keep their eggs warm, protected and safe from the elements.After the eggs are laid, incubation typically lasts around 24-27 days before the chicks hatch. Once they emerge, the fluffy chicks will leave the nest within a day or two but won't venture far. Young oystercatcher are looked after by their parents for much longer than most other wading birds. They largely rely on their parents to bring food to them until learning the specialised feeding techniques to find food themselves. Despite its name, the main diet of the oystercatcher rarely involves oysters in the UK. They tend to eat juicy worms, small crustaceans, and bivalves such as cockles and mussels. 🪱Even a brief disturbance can cause adults to leave the nest, exposing eggs and chicks to potential danger. Thank you to everyone who is helping our coastal birds by giving them plenty of space during this nesting season. 🐣Find out more about other birds that nest on our Solent - link in bio 🔗 by @bird_aware_solent

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11 days ago

These two Sandwich terns were spotted by Ranger Eloise enjoying a quiet preen at the water's edge of the VERY noisy Lymington–Keyhaven Nature Reserve.At this time of year, you can see that Sandwich terns are looking a little different from their smart breeding-season selves. Their neat black crowns gradually become broken up with white flecking and speckling – a change that becomes more noticeable through the rest of the summer before these elegant seabirds head south to spend the winter along the coasts of Africa.When we're enjoying places like Normandy Lagoon, it's worth taking a moment to see how birds are responding to our presence. If a bird stops feeding or resting and starts watching you instead, that's often a sign we've got a little too close – and that it's time to give it some more space. Keeping dogs close by our side and following any requests on fencing or signage helps birds continue feeding, roosting and raising their young without unnecessary disturbance.Follow the link in our bio for simple ways to help ground nesting birds 🔗👆 by @bird_aware_solent

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12 days ago

Caption this moment 🐦 📸We love a photo that leaves us wondering what's happening... and this one certainly does that! Thanks to Ranger Eloise for spotting this curious scene of events.What do you think is going on between this black-headed gull and a group of resting ducks? 🦆💤We'd love to hear your thoughts, leave your captions in the comments below👇 by @bird_aware_solent

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15 days ago

Along the Solent, you can find three different species of egret 😯 At a glimpse, they might look very similar, but there's a few things you can look out for to become an egret pro 🏅🔎 Great white egret✅largest of all three species, standing at the size of a grey heron (around 1m tall). ✅slender-looking✅long and thin yellow bill✅black legs✅found in reedbeds, lakes and rivers.🔎 Cattle egret✅smallest egret species on the Solent✅short, stubby yellow beak✅dull yellow legs✅found in fields alongside livestock🔎 Little egret✅Unique and frantic darting to catch prey✅long black beak✅black legs with bright yellow feet✅found across marshes and the coastHave you spotted any egrets out on the Solent coast recently?#egret #littleegret #cattleegret #birdwatching #birdfacts#solent #coastalbirds by @bird_aware_solent

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15 days ago