WINTER ‘BIRDING FOR BEGINNERS’ SESSIONS
AT THE BIRD HIDE AND OBSERVATORY
+ CREEKS & SALTMARSHES BIRDING
TRIPS
Milford Conservation Volunteers (MCV) are
running a series of “Birdwatching for Beginners” sessions this winter. Keith
Metcalf, their conservation officer, has advised us that these will take place
at the Sturt Pond Hide and the Pans Observatory at Keyhaven. Binoculars,
telescopes and bird field guides are all available to use at these sessions and
expert birders will be on hand to talk to visitors about the use of the
equipment and the birds of the Solent area that they are most likely to see.
The bird hide sessions at Sturt Pond
are held on the first Saturday in the month between 10 am and noon. The winter
birding sessions at the Observatory will be held on the third Saturday each
month (commencing Saturday 15th November) also between 10 am and noon through
to at least March next year. There are
no charges for attending these sessions but donations are always welcome to
help provide winter feed for the birds.
Keith said, “Just turn up and we shall help you identify all the birds
that you see”.
MCV also organise birding trips in
association with Hurst Castle Ferries.
The trips, which last between one-and-a-half to two-hours, take place around
and along the creeks and saltmarshes of Keyhaven. They have an expert skipper (Andy) who gets
us into nooks and crannies most boats are unable to visit. These trips are accompanied by two
experienced birders who point out the numerous winter birds seen around the
marshes. The next trips with
availability are on Monday 12th November departing at 9 am from Hurst Castle
Ferry pontoon at Keyhaven and Friday 14th December leaving at the same time. These
will be MCVs 25th and 26th trip since they began in winter 2016.
The last trip notched up about 35
different species, including about a hundred Dark-bellied Brent Geese returning
from their breeding grounds in Siberia, several Red-breasted Merganser, Grey
Plover, Ringed Plover, Bar-tailed Godwit, Raven and Peregrine. As winter progresses more and more birds will make the creeks and saltmarshes
Keith Metcalf will be joined by local birders - either Richard Coomber or Mary Macmillan on
the next trips. For further details,
contact Keith Metcalf (01590) 645825 or email keithmetcalf@btinternet.com