The call of the cuckoo ‘cuck-oo, cuck-oo’ is one of the most evocative sounds of spring, carrying over open countryside, reedbeds and edges of woodland. Males are the first to return and they…

Few sounds define the English countryside as powerfully as the song of the nightingale. Arriving in southern Britain from West Africa each spring, this small, unassuming migratory bird transforms…

The dark-bellied brent goose is among the Solent’s most recognisable winter visitors. Smaller than many other geese, it is distinguished by its dark brown body, black neck and head, and a small…

The glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) is a migratory wading bird, breeding in southern and southeast Europe before travelling great distances to overwinter here in the UK.

A flash of yellow has brought excitement to the Solent coast this summer, as the striking yellow wagtail (Motacilla flava) has returned