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.
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 but need to gather data to confirm this.
The Hampshire House Martins website was set up to collate nest site records from HOS members and the general public and manage the nest cup scheme.
Also, in 2025, HOS volunteers followed up over 200 reports and collected further information about the sites, nests and nearby habitats. This data is being analysed, with a view to reporting back in Kingfisher magazine.
With funding from South East Water, and in partnership with Hampshire Swifts, we are providing about 125 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 from 2026 onwards.
Please use the Hampshire House Martins website to report nest sites during 2026. You can also see a map of sites reported in 2025.
In 2027, 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. This survey will use data collected in 2025 and 2026 to ensure we survey a representative sample of squares across the county.
If you are interested in helping with this project, please contact us.
Nigel Matthews and Helen Schneider
admin@hampshirehousemartins.org.uk