A huge thank you to everyone who took part in this year’s Great Coastal Birdwatch, which ran this year from 18 October to 2 November.
Your sightings help us understand how vital our coastline is for birds – and the results are fascinating.
Who topped the charts?
It’s no surprise that dark-bellied brent geese have once again claimed the number one spot, with nearly 2,500 recorded by volunteers. These hardy travellers make an incredible journey from Siberia to spend the winter along our shores.
Here’s the full top ten list based on counts submitted by participants who chose to share numbers as well as species:
| Rank | Species | Number observed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dark-bellied brent goose | 2,319 |
| 2 | Canada goose | 1,509 |
| 3 | Black-headed gull | 1,423 |
| 4 | Wigeon | 1,041 |
| 5 | Oystercatcher | 647 |
| 6 | Mallard | 631 |
| 7 | Teal | 589 |
| 8 | Dunlin | 497 |
| 9 | Turnstone | 391 |
| 10 | Redshank | 352 |
(Remember: counting birds isn’t required – we want the Birdwatch to be accessible for beginners as well as seasoned birders!)
What the results tell us
This autumn’s migration seemed to start a little later than usual, so October’s Birdwatch captured early arrivals rather than the full seasonal movement.
That’s why year-round residents like Canada geese and mallards ranked higher than migratory species such as dunlins and sanderlings, which appeared in larger numbers later in November and December.
In total, almost 100 different species were recorded during the two-week event – including 11 red-listed species of conservation concern.
Why the Solent matters
Now in its sixth year, the Birdwatch continues to highlight the global importance of the Solent for coastal birds. More than half of the species in our top ten are winter visitors from thousands of miles away:
- Brent geese from Siberia
- Dunlins from Scandinavia and Russia
- Wigeons from Iceland, Russia and Ukraine
- Turnstones from Greenland, Lapland and Canada
These birds arrive exhausted and hungry, relying on the Solent’s mudflats and saltmarshes to refuel and rest.
Special sightings
Among the rarities this year was the scarlet ibis – likely escapees from a local bird enclosure, but still a striking sight!
And let’s not forget our star species: the dark-bellied brent goose. Around 10% of the entire global population spends winter here, making the Solent one of the most important sites for these birds anywhere in the world.
