Birding Southampton August 2020 (1 Viewer)

[LauraBelle]

I will be in Southampton for a few days in August (arriving the11th and departing the 15th) prior to a Transatlantic cruise back to the U.S. I have been to the UK several times and am really looking to doing some birding while in Southampton. I am not planning on renting a car and would really appreciate any ideas or suggestions of possible options. Thanks so much for any help that you might be able to give me.

Cheers!

 

[YuShan]

Within the city itself, I think the old cemetary is the best place for birding. It's a nice atmospheric place with partly overgrown gravestones and it is managed as a small nature reserve of sorts to promote biodiversity.

Southampton Old Cemetery

★★★★★ · Cemetery · Cemetery Rd

www.google.com

Outside the city, one of the best places is Normandy/ Pennington/ Keyhaven Marshes (mainly water birds, but also quite a few other species in the trees, bushes and meadows). You can easily spend the whole day there, so it is worth the effort.

Normandy Marsh

Nature reserve · Unnamed Road

www.google.com

Keyhaven Marshes

★★★★★ · Lake · Lymington

www.google.com

You can take a train to Lymington (ca 33 minutes) and walk from there.

Southampton to Lymington

www.google.com

August is not the best time obviously (breeding season is over and migrants haven't arrived yet) but it should still be rewarding.

 

[Had.enough]

Lymington for the coastal marshes would be my suggestion. Any time of year.

Also, the train would stop at Beaulieu Road, so a walk in New Forest Heathland would be possible (maybe Dartford Warbler, Hobby, Woodlark, Stonechat. Maybe just Stonechat!! Not the easiest of habitats)

 

[John Cantelo]

I see two of the best suggestions - Keyhaven & Beaulieu Road Station - have already been made but heading in the opposite direction it's worth visiting Titchfield Haven (https://www.hants.gov.uk/thingstodo/countryparks/titchfield). You can get all the way to the reserve by public transport (train to Fareham & then bus to the reserve) but catching the bus to Titchfield and walking down the River Meon to the reserve (about 2.5 miles with some decent birding en route) would be better. If you're really energetic you could then walk the Solent Way back to Warsash (6 miles) and take the foot ferry to Hamble & then bus or train back to Southampton

 

[YuShan]

Lymington for the coastal marshes would be my suggestion. Any time of year.

Also, the train would stop at Beaulieu Road, so a walk in New Forest Heathland would be possible (maybe Dartford Warbler, Hobby, Woodlark, Stonechat. Maybe just Stonechat!! Not the easiest of habitats)

Yes, Shatterford Bottom near Beaulieu Station is one of my favourite areas too. From there you can also walk through the heathland into Denny Wood for woodland birds. This combination is one of my favourite walks in winter and spring. But I find it more difficult to see much there in August. There are not many birds that you cannot also see in the Lymington coastal marsh area, if you include some of the more wooded edges.