The Great Coastal Birdwatch returns to the Solent: celebrating the arrival of thousands of migratory birds
13 October 2025
Bird Aware Solent is inviting anyone who lives near the coast to take part in this year’s Great Coastal Birdwatch, running from Saturday 18 October to Sunday 2 November.
Now in its seventh year, the event celebrates the spectacular arrival of thousands of migratory birds that spend the colder months along the Solent’s shores. From Arctic Siberia to Greenland and Canada, these birds travel vast distances to reach the region’s rich mudflats and saltmarshes.
Taking part is simple – anyone visiting the coast during the two-week event can join in by recording how many different bird species they spot in up to an hour. They can then share what they saw with Bird Aware on its website: www.birdaware.org/solent.
Bird Aware ranger Eloise Mott said: “Watching thousands of birds arrive on our shores each autumn is truly breath-taking. These migrations are not only a wonder of nature – they’re a reminder of how important this area is for wildlife.”
“By sharing migratory birds’ stories, we hope people will feel inspired to look out for them and give them space to rest and feed undisturbed.”
Last year around 100 different species were recorded – including ospreys and several red-listed species such as dunlins, black-tailed godwits and lapwings.
To mark the occasion, Bird Aware is hosting free events across the region as well as pop-up activities along the coastline.
Bird Aware is also helping to host a special open day at Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve on Saturday 25 October. From 10am to 3pm, visitors can enjoy free entry to the reserve, along with a range of free activities for adults and children.
Here’s some of the birds that people are likely to spot during this year’s Great Coastal Birdwatch, based on last year’s results:
Dark-bellied brent geese
Last year’s most spotted species, dark-bellied brent geese, are an iconic winter visitor to the Solent. Travelling 3,000 miles from Siberia, they arrive in family groups and feed on eelgrass and other vegetation along the coast. Around 10% of the global population spends the winter here – a reminder of how important our coastline is for wildlife.
Wigeons
The third most seen species, wigeon ducks migrate from Iceland, Russia and Ukraine. Thousands were spotted in last year’s Great Coastal Birdwatch making them one of the most numerous ducks on the Solent, despite being amber-listed for conservation concern. Their whistling calls and striking chestnut heads with a creamy ‘mohawk’ head stripe make them a favourite among the Bird Aware team.
Oystercatchers
With their bold black-and-white plumage and bright orange beaks, oystercatchers are hard to miss and they were the fourth most commonly spotted species in last year’s birdwatch. Year-round resident numbers are boosted by migrants in the winter from other UK coastal areas, from Norway and from the Netherlands. They feed on shellfish and are often seen probing the mudflats or flying in noisy flocks.
Black-tailed godwits
These elegant waders made it into the top ten most often seen species in last year’s birdwatch, despite being red-listed for conservation concern. The Solent’s black-tailed godwits migrate from Iceland and are known for their long legs and straight bills and are often seen feeding in shallow waters and saltmarshes.
Dunlins
Another red-listed bird, dunlins are small wading birds that arrive from Scandinavia and Russia. In last year’s Great Coastal Birdwatch they narrowly beat redshanks to take the number 7 slot. They often gather in flocks and can be tricky to spot due to their size and speed.
Other birds to look for
Little egrets were seen by almost three-quarters of those who took part in last year’s Great Coastal Birdwatch – a higher proportion than any other species.
With their bright white plumage, these elegant birds with black legs and yellow feet are easy to spot, but since they don’t gather in large flocks like geese and wading birds, they didn’t total such large numbers overall in last year’s Great Coastal Birdwatch.
Similarly while most people ticked cormorant off their list, the species didn’t score huge numbers overall, since cormorants don’t gather in large groups. Their dark and distinctive silhouettes – you’ll often see cormorants drying their wings on posts or rocks – make them easy to identify.
Bird Aware Solent works across coastlines from the New Forest to Southampton Water, Portsmouth, Chichester and Langstone Harbours, and the northern coast of the Isle of Wight. It is a partnership of 19 local authorities and wildlife organisations, working together to protect the Solent’s internationally important birdlife.
