PARTNER REPORTS

The Hampshire Ornithological Society (HOS) carry out a variety of bird surveys throughout the county, many in association with the British Trust for Ornithology. HOS undertake population monitoring on a diverse range of habitats from wetlands and river valleys to farmland and gardens. Individual species have also been surveyed in recent years, including skylark, lapwing, nightingale, sand martin, house martin, little egret, mute swan, Canada goose, stone curlew, bearded tit and peregrine. Many are birds of national conservation concern.

Seed-eating Farmland Birds

The Hampshire Ornithological Society surveyed 60 1km squares (about 3% of Hampshire’s farmland) as part of the BTO’s Winter Farmland Bird Survey.
HOS will undertake a countywide survey of corn buntings and yellowhammers in Spring 2005.
A nest box scheme has been established to maximise opportunities for the survival of newly discovered tree sparrow populations.

Birds of Wet Grassland

As part of the national Breeding Waders of Wet Meadows survey, HOS surveyed Hampshire’s main river valleys. The results confirmed that several river valley birds such as a snipe and yellow wagtail have declined dramatically, but some gains have been made by species such as Cetti’s warbler and gadwall.

Shorebirds

A summary of population changes shown by all water birds in the Solent between 1986/87 and 2000/01 was published in the 2002 Hampshire Bird Report, using information from the Wetland Bird Survey. There have been consistent population declines for a number of species including shelduck, ringed plover, dunlin, redshank and turnstone. The current status of Brent geese, black-tailed godwit and dunlin in the Solent is also reviewed.