Northney BioBlitz 2026

Saturday 20 + Sunday 21 June 2026

Havant Borough Council is proud to announce a BioBlitz at North Common, Hayling Island on the weekend of 20+21 June 2026. A BioBlitz is a friendly, communal effort to record as many different species as possible in a particular location on one day. 

The event will be supported by the Hampshire Biodiversity Information Centre (HBIC) and local wildlife experts. 

The BioBlitz will help us understand the different species living at North Common and help to inform the management of the site. 

The event is free, no booking is needed (for Sunday), and all are welcome. Please come along for a short while or stay for the whole day. 

Children are welcome but must be accompanied by a responsible adult. 

Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome.

When?

Saturday 20 June – 21:00-23:00 – bat walk and moths (booking needed)

Sunday 21 June – 09:00-17:00 – main BioBlitz event (open to all)

Where?

North Common, Northney, Hayling Island PO11 0ND.

What3Words: https://what3words.com/buzzing.beast.potential 

Getting there

The nearest Stagecoach bus stop is at the western end of Northney Road. The site is a short 10-minute walk from here. 31 Bus Route & Timetable: Havant - Hayling Island | Stagecoach

Please note that there is limited parking on site. On-street parking is available at:

Accessibility

There is a main footpath through the site. This is generally flat and firm although some areas are rutted and sloped and care is needed. 

Safety

Please be prepared for varying weather conditions, including rainfall and strong sunshine and UV exposure. The site contains rough ground, slopes, thorny vegetation, insects (bees, wasps, ticks), and other hazards associated with open countryside. Please ensure that appropriate footwear and clothing is worn. 

Facilities

There are no toilet facilities on site. Nearest WC (for paying customers) can be found at Northney Farm Tea Rooms. 

How does a BioBlitz work?

Throughout the day we would like people to explore the site and record as many different species as they can. Special recording forms and aerial maps showing 100m x 100m grid squares will be provided to aid recording. Experts will be on hand to help with identification, and field guides will be available for use. 

Bring your lists, photos, or specimens back to the data team where they will be processed. Records will be fed into a master database and will ultimately end up as permanent species records for the site. 

There are a number of scheduled guided events where people can walk and talk with species identification experts, learn ID tips, and find out more about the wildlife of North Common.

Evening Bat Walk – 20 June 21:00-23:00

Join experts from the Hampshire Bat Group to see which bat species are using the Common and find out more about these fascinating creatures. We will be using bat detectors to locate and identify bats. Please note this is a pre-booked event only with limited spaces available - to book your space, please visit the event page on Eventbrite.

Moth Trapping and luring – 20 June 21:00 + 21 June

Moth experts will be using light traps to survey which species are present. Join us in the morning to see which species we’ve caught. We will also try and spot day-flying moths on the Sunday, plus use some pheromone lures to see if we can attract more unusual species. 

Plants – 21 June

How many plant species can we find? Join us in a search to record as many plant species as possible across the site, investigating grassland, scrub and saltmarsh habitats. Wild orchids and other spectacular plants will hopefully be seen! 

Birds – 21 June

How many bird species can we record on the site and offshore? Which species are likely breeding on the site? Can we identify birds from their song?

Seashore Search – 21 June – with the Hampshire & isle of Wight Wildlife Trust

What species can we find on the shore? Explore the life of intertidal habitats with experts from the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.

Insects and other invertebrates – 21 June

Some of our most spectacular wildlife lives at the micro scale. What treasures can we find hidden around the site? We will look for butterflies, molluscs, beetles, spiders, flies, bees, wasps, and ants and anything else we can find.