Location Help - South

Hello,

I have a problem that I know you can help with. A good friend of mine has recently arrived from Kenya. He's a Masai who's very passionate about wildlife and is a real 'birder'. He's currently based near Portsmouth, so I would really appreciate any wildlife/birding hotspots that he could visit in the South of England. They don't have to be honey pot photography sites, just places that he could visit for the day with a pair of binocs. Many thanks for any tips or suggestions.

Hi Elliott,

These are very good at the moment.


http://www.hos.org.uk/sitesdirectory/site04.html

http://www.hos.org.uk/sitesdirectory/site06.html

http://www.hos.org.uk/sites.html

I think he might find Abbotsbury interesting. Arne is somewhere I've always wanted to visit.Monkey World in Wareham Dorset does good work I hear and there is a small wildlife park in the New Forest with otters.Avocets in Exe estuary.
Best wishes Peter

I have a soft spot for Pagham Harbour, but it may be a bit far up the coast.

Portsmouth and Southampton water surround several good "birding" sites

Farlington marshes - waders and winter raptors
Bedhampton sewage works - shoreline birds and warbler rarities on passage
The end of Hayling island - ditto
Titchfield Haven at Stubbington - reed bed and shaorline birds and barn owls

A bit further afield west

Pagham Harbour/Ferry Pools - rarity heaven for some
Selsey Bill - passage skuas in May and seabirds in general
Chichester gravel pits at Mundham - rarities on passage

This is the area of my childhood birdwatching, and at this time of year Farlington Marshes (good for Brent Geese and waders) and Pagham Harbour (an excellent all day spot (trusting he likes a good walk) were always right up there in my pre-camera days.

Mark

If you fancy heading over towards Weymouth direction you've got Lodmoor and Radipole Lake reserves (RSPB), Portland is a very popular bird watching spot and always worth a visit. Between Weymouth and Portland is Ferrybridge which is a good spot for waders.

Hi Elliott

There are lots of good suggestions above but if he is a real birder interested in seeing birds rather than photographing them then he is better sticking to more natural sites. If you would like to email me some more details, or post them here e.g. does he have a car, a telescope, when is he interested in going birding, does he have a wish list then I will be very happy to send you some detailed directions, sites and suggestions.

All the best

Paul

Hi Everyone. Thanks for the amazing response. He will be well chuffed with the list. Many thanks!