The HOS Scientific Committee has reviewed its Survey Strategy which can be read here.
Breeding season records – including breeding evidence – is welcome for Nightingale, Turtle Dove, Cetti’s Warbler, Water Rail, Firecrest and any species that fall under the remit of the Rare Breeding Birds Panel.
2025 New Forest Waders Survey
HOS was commissioned by Forestry England to survey breeding waders across the New Forest Special Protection Area in the spring and early summer of 2025.
We surveyed about 200 1km squares where Snipe, Curlew, Lapwing and Redshank were known to have bred or where suitable breeding habitat exists. Each square needed three survey visits, one in each of the following periods: 10th April – 30th April, 1st May – 21st May and 22nd May – 22nd June.
As with other recent New Forest surveys, we recruited a large team of volunteer surveyors, and we’re very thankful for their time and skills which enabled us to complete the fieldwork.
Results are now being analysed and written up. It will be fascinating to see if the breeding density and distribution of these scarce heathland species has changed since the last survey in 2019-21.
Nigel Matthews
matthews.nigel@gmail.com
Hampshire House Martins
During 2025 HOS started a project to find out where House Martins are breeding in Hampshire, estimate how many there are and provide artificial nest cups to boost breeding success.
House Martins were put on the Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern in 2021 following a 72% decline in the UK population over the last 50 years. We think the population in Hampshire has also shrunk dramatically but need to gather data to confirm this.
This website https://hampshirehousemartins.org.uk/ promotes the project, collates nest site records from HOS members and the general public and manages the nest cup scheme.
In 2025 HOS volunteers followed up about 200 reports and collected further information about the sites, nests and nearby habitats.
With funding from South East Water, we are currently offering artificial nest cups to extend existing colonies in a pilot area within Hampshire. This should save House Martins valuable time, make the nests more robust and hopefully improve breeding success.
In 2026, by running a structured survey of a sample of 1km squares across Hampshire, we plan to calculate the current House Martin breeding population and make comparisons with the national survey carried out in 2015.
If you are interested in helping with this project, please contact us.
Nigel Matthews and Helen Schneider
admin@hampshirehousemartins.org.uk