Spring (March - June)

Within the Estuary, large numbers of Mediterranean gulls can gather in early Spring along with sandwich tern. Little gull, little tern and common tern are also possibilities. Teal and shoveler remain until early Spring.

The Station Ponds and Mill Copse Scrape host Waders on passage such as common and green sandpipers. If water levels are suitable, garganey, little ringed plover and yellow wagtail are also possibilities. Hirundines gather in good numbers especially during rain. The fence line and grassy area around Rofford Marsh can be good for migrant passerines, such as redstart and ring Ouzel.

During late Spring / Summer months, Cetti’s, sedge and reed warblers breed in the reed bed, a non-breeding flock of black-tailed godwits frequent the area  and the occasional hobby passes through.

Autumn (July - mid November)

The Autumn passage period sees similar species to those  present during Spring migration. As conditions tend to be drier than in Spring, Mill Copse Scrape is generally better for waders than Rofford Marsh at this season.

The returning Summer visiting migrants tend to pass through mainly during August - September, with the following weeks seeing movements of pipits and finches. Stonechat can be numerous along the estuary margins and black redstart is sometimes present in the vicinity of the Mill.

Winter (mid November - February)

In Winter, the Estuary becomes a magnet for dark-bellied brent goose, wigeon, teal, shoveler, ringed, golden (which frequent the fields on the eastern side of the estuary) and grey plovers, plus curlew, redshank and spotted redshank (recently less frequent). Lapwing, dunlin, kingfisher (especially near the old mill), rock pipit and grey wagtail can also be seen. At times, gadwall, goldeneye, red-breasted merganser, spoonbill, marsh and hen harriers and red knot can also be present.

Snipe can be found feeding on the mud islands on the eastern half of Rofford Marsh. Bittern and bearded tit are possible (not annual, but most recent IoW sightings have been made in the reed bed along the public footpath Y2 opposite ‘Off the Rails’).

A linnet flock often frequents the area between the old railway line and Mill Copse in the Winter months.

Year round

Year round species comprise mute swan, shelduck, mallard, cormorant, little egret, grey heron, little grebe, moorhen, coot, oystercatcher, redshank and greenshank. Black-headed and herring gull are the most frequently recorded gull species, while great black-backed, lesser black-backed and common gull, if present, are usually in ones or twos. Rock and meadow pipit and pied wagtail frequent that water’s edge whilst Cetti’s warbler and reed bunting are present in reeds alongside the old railway track. Kestrel, sparrowhawk and peregrine falcon are also frequent visitors.

Occasionally, a barn owl can be seen hunting over the reed beds behind Mill Copse Scrape at dusk.

Mill Copse hosts stock dove, great spotted woodpecker, goldcrest, coal tit and treecreeper. Jay can often be located too.

Rarities

The site can be good for rarities such as the black tern (local rarity). Black-winged stilt, and a pied wheatear turned up not too far from this location. Dusky and yellow-browed warbler have occurred at Afton Marsh, and the Station Ponds once famously held a Summer plumage Wilson’s phalarope.