Discover the fascinating world of the Solent’s coastal birds
A new season of free online talks hosted by Bird Aware Solent kicks off next month, Wednesday 6 September.
The monthly series will guide beginner birdwatchers through the wealth of birdlife found on Solent shores with the expert tutoring of Bird Aware’s Ranger Tony.
Councillor Seán Woodward, Chairman of the Partnership for South Hampshire, the body that oversees Bird Aware, said: ‘The more local residents know about the unique birdlife that shares our beautiful shoreline, the easier it is for everyone to look out for coastal birds and give them the space they need to thrive’.
In September’s talk Tony will introduce some of the birds that migrate to the Solent coast for the colder months of the year, such as sanderlings, dark-bellied brent geese, and black-tailed godwits.
Future sessions will help beginner birdwatchers tell the difference between different coastal species, including small wading birds such as ringed plovers and dunlins.
Throughout each talk, Ranger Tony will be sharing his knowledge about the unique characteristics, distinctive calls, feeding habits, and migration behaviour of a wide range of Solent’s overwintering birds. Different species of birds will be discussed at each session which will allow those taking part to compile a comprehensive understanding of local birdlife.
Tony has a background in education which, together with a passion for wildlife and his experience as a Bird Aware Ranger, makes him an ideal candidate for boosting local people’s birdwatching knowhow.
Bird Aware Solent’s talks are open to anyone living around the Solent coastline with each talk hosted on Zoom. Anyone interested can register to take part by visiting the events page of the Bird Aware Solent website: www.birdaware.org/Solent.
