Blashford Lakes features

What to look for at Blashford Lakes

The lakes attract large numbers of wildfowl during the winter, gadwall can number over 900 and there is a roost of up to 65 goosander each evening. Herons, including little egret and in recent years great white egret are regular with bittern in some winters, kingfishers are present year round.

The woodland has woodpeckers, nuthatches and a range of common woodland birds, in summer garden warblers and blackcaps are common visitors. In winter the Woodland hide feeders attract large flocks of birds giving close-up views through the one-way glass windows.

We have created some 'spotting sheets' to help in identifying some of the commoner birds around the reserve. Click here for more information.

Grass snakes are common as are common frogs and common toads, roe deer, fallow deer and foxes are often seen and otters use the area but are rarely seen. 25 species of dragon and damselflies have been recorded.

Download the June 2010 Newsletter. The August 2009 Newsletter and March 2009 newsletter are still available.

Blashford Lakes wildlife by seasons

Winter (November to March)

Up to 5000 wildfowl on the lakes including gadwall, wigeon, pintail, shoveler, teal, tufted duck, pochard, goldeneye, goosander and coot.
A large gull roost on Ibsley Water in the late afternoons.
In the woodland woodpeckers, siskin, brambling, redpoll and tits.

Breeding season (March to July)

Breeding waders including redshank, lapwing, oystercatcher and little ringed plover, also common terns (on rafts in Ivy Lake) and black-headed gulls.
sand martins breed in an artificial bank below the goosander hide.
Look out for grass snakes basking on the paths and in the ponds and lakes.

Spring and autumn passage (March to May & August to October)

Passage in spring and autumn brings waders to and from northern breeding areas including greenshank, black-tailed godwit, common sandpiper, dunlin - also, black tern, little gull, osprey, garganey and many more.

The Blashford Lakes Project

The Blashford Lakes Project is a partnership between Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, Sembcorp Bournemouth Water, New Forest District Council and Wessex Water.

Funding

The Project is funded jointly by the partners. Money for development projects on the wildlife reserve is raised by Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust from donations, members, sponsorship and grant aid.

Recent Aided Projects

2004/5 Dockens Water Restoration grant aided by the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund.
2005/6 new paths and two new hides grant aided by Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund.
2007 new paths and three new hides grant aided by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Hanson Charitable Trust.
2007 construction of a sand martin bank grant aided by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Hanson Concrete Blocks Ltd.
2008 a new foot bridge and paths grant aided by Rees Jeffries Fund.
2008 a new storage unit and two disability buggies grant aided by Landfill Tax.
2010/11 replace the Ivy South hide, install the webcams, build the education shelter and replace the pond dipping platform grant aided by the Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund.