Opening Hours and Access
Because it is on private land**, and out of consideration for local residents, access to the observatory is controlled by a key fob system allowing visitors access 365 days a year, between 8am and 8pm or dusk if earlier.
Application forms for a key are available at the gate of the Observatory, at Sturt Pond Bird Hide or can be to downloaded here,
FREE ACCESS – Once a Month!
‘Birding for Beginners’ sessions are held every 1st Saturday of the month, 10.00-12.00. Local bird experts are available to help identify birds and answer questions. Equipment provided. Everyone welcome, so why not come along and see what’s happening?
Emergency contact numbers are listed at the end of the 2nd page of the application form, on the back of the observatory gate and inside the observatory.( For security they are not listed on this website.)
Location
Background to the Keyhaven Bird Observatory
Having had success at Sturt Pond with the introduction of the elevated bird hide, in 2017 the Milford Conservation Volunteers decided that it would be great to have a second birdwatching facility in the Avon Water and Keyhaven Harbour area.
Site Selection – The Pump House
Working closely with Simeon and Lisa Morgan Farming (tenant farmers) sites overlooking The Pans on private land owned by J & D Edgar Ltd** were considered and following a suggestion by Lisa, MCV was shown a redundant farm building looking north along the Pans and across lower Avon Water. In 1965, the late John Edgar (farmer) had installed a heavy duty pump in a specially constructed brick and tile roofed building. For many years the pumping station had removed thousands of litres of floodwater from his arable farmland. Water was pumped into the adjacent Avon Water and then out into the nearby harbour through two large diameter pipes. The Edgar project was known as the ‘Avon Water Marsh Drainage Scheme’ as depicted on a stone plaque built into the end wall of the building.
Farming
Edgar’s 120 strong dairy cattle were then able to graze the relatively dry farmland. At times, the land was also planted with various crops providing a dual purpose for the drained site. At the end of the 1990s, Edgar’s and Simeon decided that dairy cattle and draining the land 6 for crops were no longer viable and the decision was taken to stop pumping water off the land. At the same time, Simeon Morgan Farming applied to Natural England for a Stewardship Agreement grant to allow the Pans site to revert to the magnificent wetlands that has formed and that we see today, attracting hundreds of winter waterfowl to this site.
Pump House – Conversion to Observatory
By the year 2017, the building was derelict. No roof, four brick walls (without any windows) and no floor leaving an open drop of some 12-14 feet down into the murky stagnant water below. The pumping station had not been used for 20 years. The heavy pump and most of the equipment had already been removed when we viewed the building, although, there was still a huge pump engine cowling protruding above the level of where the floor would have been, if it had had one! The cowling was subsequently lifted out leaving a clear space to fit a new double-skinned wooden floor.
Although the pump house was generously handed over free by the Edgar family to the group, MCV still needed to raise additional funds, this time to the tune of £8,000 in order to:
• make the planning application for a change of use
• undertake appropriate tree works
• completely renovate the dilapidated building and
• install the access decking boardwalk for visitors to set up cameras and tripods.
Consent was given by Natural England for the project to move forward and a Licence to Occupy was kindly given to MCV by Edgar’s**. The only condition Edgar’s insisted upon was to say that entry had to be ‘controlled’ by MCV as the site was on private land. We overcame that challenge by inviting an electronic door opening specialist to advise us. The controlled gate/door access system was installed and has worked really well, after a few teething problems.
Original floor would have been level with the top of the ladder!
Planning – Change of Use, Tree works and other Consents
MCV’s 65 page 2016 planning application for the change of use was duly approved in early 2017 by the National Park Authority and permission was granted by the District Council for tree works. The adjacent row of pine trees had caused significant damage to the building’s original roof, so to protect the new roof tiles from future problems the trees needed to be sensibly pruned back to stop such damage happening again.
Construction of Access Decking
Funding and Renovation Work
Funding streams and sponsorship ideas were considered and generously given by local residents, with one local family giving a significant undisclosed contribution to the project. The Cameron Bespolka Trust, New Forest National Park and HOS were extremely positive in helping MCV raise the necessary funds to be able to complete the project.
The spring and summer of 2017 were very busy with specialist contracted works being undertaken, e.g. roofing, electronic door system, electrics, brick work and windows, but primarily, all the rest of the labour work was undertaken with voluntary help from MCV 8 members, friends and family, who constructed the floor, fitted the raised decking, the internal insulation and external guttering.
Finished Decking
Formal Opening of ‘The Pans Wetlands – Bird Observatory’
By November 2017 the facility was ready to be formally opened by Alison Barnes, Chief Executive of the National Park, assisted by landowner James Edgar, David Rule, Company Secretary and Keith Betton Chairman of the Hampshire Ornithological Society who had given generous time and effort in ensuring the success of the project.
Official Opening Day 25 November 2017
Left to Right:
Keith Metcalf – MCV Conservation Officer
James Edgar – Landowner Board Member
David Rule – J & D Edgar Ltd Secretary
Alison Barnes- CEO NF National Park
Keith Betton – Chairman – Hampshire Ornithological Society
** Ownership of the farmland changed in 2019 from J & D Edgar to Belport (Aubrey) Ltd. Belport continue to support MCVs work at the Observatory
Evaluation
So, has the project been worthwhile? We are told by our users that it has been a huge success and has been worth all the time and effort put into it by many individuals. Since its formal launch and official opening on 25th November 2017 we have:
1) recorded 123 different bird species (Dec 2018) (see separate species list);
2) commissioned a full 12 month Ringing and Breeding Bird Survey;
3) Regular monthly public open sessions where visitors are welcomed into the facility to view the birds and to be helped identify what they see;
4) Night-time trail-cams have picked up Otter, Roe Deer, Badger, Brown Rat, Fox, Polecat and an unidentified mouse.