Winter bird-watching locations

In winter, the vast numbers of waders visiting our coastal sanctuaries are a spectacular site, but back gardens are just as important for the birds at this time of year.

At this time of year lots of birds arrive from the Arctic Circle regions where they breed in the short summer months.

They come to Britain through the winter to stock up on fat reserves on our estuaries and mudflats before returning to their breeding grounds.

Langstone Harbour has vast amounts of dunlin, redshank, grey plover and curlew and Farlington Marshes is a perfect place for seeing these birds.

At the more unexpected location of Southsea Castle, the battlement walls curve into the sea and have been encrusted with seaweed which provides the perfect feeding conditions for a few purple sandpipers.

This is the only place along the south coast where you can see them - there are only three breeding pairs in the UK.

Further along the coast at Keyhaven there are more uncommon wintering waders such as the spotted redshank.

Turnstone can be seen on the edge of the shoreline where they constantly turn over small stones and seaweed looking for insects - they are very tame and can be approached to within a few metres.

Birds of prey

Hampshire is a wintering ground for the hen harrier - an upland breeding bird, there are only just over 700 pairs in the UK, five hen harriers usually spend the winter in the New Forest where they hunt in the moorland areas of Ashley Walk near Godshill - it is a beautiful bird and there is a high chance of seeing it in the winter.

The merlin is the smallest bird of prey in Britain - it is only the size of a collared dove. During the winter it visits coastal marshes, primarily Farlington.

Peregrines are much more common around the coast during winter - it is not unusual to see up to three at Farlington Marshes where there is a plentiful supply of one of their favourite foods - waders.

The Calshot power station chimney is used as vantage point for a peregrine as it looks for food in the nearby marshes. It perches on warning lights, 600ft (180m) up, normally facing away from the wind.

At Cheesefoot Head near Winchester is the best site in Hampshire to see red kite which are now breeding in the county.

Waterbirds at Blashford

Blashford Lakes near Ringwood hold huge numbers of wintering duck including goosander (up to 100), sawbill and other diving duck like goldeneye and black necked grebe, uncommon in our area.

The lakes have become the best place to see the beautiful bittern - a secretive member of the heron family. It is completely brown and spends a lot of time blended in among the reeds.

In recent years they have increased from 10 pairs to 75 'booming males' - they visit Britain from the continent as they hate freezing winter conditions. There are now an unprecedented six wintering bitterns in Hampshire.

Hard to see in the spring and summer, the water rail, becomes easier to spot as the weather deteriorates. It is normally only recognised from its pig-like squeal - Ivy Lake hide at Blashford or the edge of the reeds at Titchfield Haven are the best place to see this species - but you'll have to be patient!

Eider is a hardy sea duck which breeds on the lochs of Scotland and in winter small flocks of up to 60 winter arrive at Titchfield Haven and at Pennington.

Also at Pennington , look out for the sea-going Slavonian grebe - a rare visitor from northern Scotland and eastern Europe.

Smaller birds

In the winter we get smaller visitors spending time here - like the siskin, a small yellow finch which is increasingly visiting gardens to feed. Flocks can build up to over 100.

The brambling is a finch, similar to a chaffinch, with a white rump. They feed on beech mast and in a good season, large flocks will build up at places like Cheesefoot Head and in gardens where they are also attracted to sunflower seeds.

We are due a crossbill 'invasion'. When we get one, they appear everywhere, but especially in the New Forest at Shatterford, near Beaulieu Road Station where they like the pine trees around the car park.

The hawfinch is a large-billed finch - its bill is strong enough to crack a cherry stone. Although rare in the UK, in winter small flocks gather in the New Forest's Rhinefield Arboretum where they roost at the top of the tall trees.

The great grey shrike does not breed in the UK and only 100 visit here in winter - it breeds in the upper Arctic areas.

They are predatory and feed on small birds and insects. One of the best places to see them is the moorland around Rhinefield in the New Forest.

Redwings and fieldfare are two thrushes which breed in small numbers in Scotland but visit England in large quantities. You might see them in the garden when the weather gets severe - they will feed on fallen apples.

The fieldfare has a distinctive 'chuck-chuck' call - once you hear it, you know you are near a noisy flock them.

Swans and geese

In place of the brent geese, we get the small bewick swan as a winter visitor. It is a lot more vocal than the mute swan and we attract significant numbers - a third of Europe's wintering population. A few winter on the water meadows at Ibsley on the River Avon near Ringwood.

Accompanying these can be rare geese - like the Arctic-breeding tundra bean goose - a goose which winters in Britain in small numbers and attracts a lot of birdwatchers' interest.

Special visitors

The superbly-coloured waxwing is a bird from the forests of Finland and Norway.

It eats mainly red berries. Trees in the Brownhill Road area Maybush Southampton, along with Tescos at Bursledon and Jessops at Hedge End are well known spots for waxwings feeding on berries. We could be due for another invasion, so it is something to look out for.

The great white egret is a large white heron which in recent years has been returning to winter here - one arrived at Blashford Lakes in early October. It spends the whole winter there - there are very few seen in the whole of the UK.

The adaptable cattle egret, a species associated with warm Mediterranean countries, has been spreading north in recent years and has started to colonise the county. It has been seen at Keyhaven, Titchfield and on the Test near Romsey. Ten years ago there were none in the UK.

Isle of Wight

The raven - our biggest crow - starts to display at the start of January. The south coast of the Isle of Wight is the best place to see raven colonies.

The reed beds of Brading Marshes are a good place to see wintering waders and birds of prey like mash harriers, merlin and short-eared owl - one of the few owls which hunts during the day.

Garden feeding

In winter it is essential to replace and stock up bird feeders in the garden. Do not put bread out at it expands in the birds stomachs.

Instead use peanuts, sunflower seeds and mealworms and prevent the water supply from freezing to allow birds to wash and drink.

Gardens are increasingly vital to the survival of common species like goldfinch, green finch, great tits, blue tits and cold tits.

RSPB Feed the Birds Day gives you plenty of advice and reminders about how help the birds during the winter.

Large numbers of people take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch in January, so the more feeders you have, the more birds you'll have to count.

For family bird watching events around Hampshire, visit the Chandlers Ford Falcons website.

Derek Lister is a RSPB volunteer and regular contributor to the Mike Powell show on BBC Radio Solent.

RSPB
Chandlers Ford Falcons
BBC Nature - Birds
BBC Breathing Places - Feeding birds
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust
Hampshire Ornithological Society