Friends of Riverside Park - Southampton

28/05/2026

Organised by Southampton River Rights. All welcome!

23/05/2026

The Friends of Riverside Park stall at the St Denys Festival today.

09/05/2026

The Bat Walk was a great success last night with between 35-40 people attending. We saw and heard significant numbers of Common Pipistrelles, Soprano Pipistrelles, Nocturnes, and Daubenton's bats (the ones that fly centimetres above the water catching insects with their back legs.

The Bat Conservation Trust have asked us to help publicise a wildlife survey that anyone can get involved in in their own time. Details attached

08/05/2026

Don't forget! Bat walk this evening (Friday 8th May). Meet at 8:15pm at
Woodmill Lane Car Park
What3words: dizzy.dared.people

Friends of Riverside Park Supported by Hampshire Bat Group will be having a bat walk in the park.
We will start with a short talk from an expert who will then lead us through the park looking, and listening (bat detectors provided) for bats. Ever heard a pipistrelle or even a daubenton’s bat? Maybe you will be lucky.
As we will finish after dark you may need to bring a torch with you for the end.
This event is free and everyone is welcome.

03/05/2026

Thanks to everyone who came along to our Bio Blitz yesterday. Rain stopped play a little early but I am told we identified over 175 different plants, birds, mammals, and insects. We also spoke to over 50 park users in our survey.

Our next event is:
Bat Walk
8:15pm Friday 8th May Woodmill car park
In partnership with Hampshire Bat Group. Bat detectors will be provided. It will be getting dark by the time we finish so it might be useful to bring a torch.
A free event, everyone welcome.

21/04/2026

Bird Survey

The British Trust for Ornithology are running a community science project to discover more about the birds using parks like ours. Use the link to sign up for free and download the app to your phone.

https://www.bto.org/get-involved/volunteer/projects/greenspaces

For help identifying birds download the free Merlin app.

https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/download/

About Birds in GreenspacesBirds in Greenspaces is a new, UK-wide citizen science survey of birds that use our public-access greenspaces. These spaces play many important roles for both birds and people, particularly in urban areas. For birds they offer resources and shelter that cannot be found in t...

21/04/2026

Bat Walk
8:15pm Friday 8th May 2026
Woodmill car park
In partnership with Hampshire Bat Group. Bat detectors will be provided. It will be getting dark by the time we finish so it might be useful to bring a torch.
This is a free event and everyone is welcome!

21/04/2026

Don't forget: Community Bio Blitz
10-4 pm Saturday 2nd May 2026
Riverside Park
(Park entrance north off Woodmill car park
What3words: intend.assets.timing
The park north of Woodmill used to be the old pitch and putt course but is now gradually rewilding, so we need to find out what is there before coming up with a management plan.
We are holding a community Bio Blitz. Everyone is welcome to come along and have a go at spotting plants, insects, birds, animals, etc. that are in our park. You will be supported by a professional ecologist and Park Rangers so you don’t need to be an expert. Just come along, help, enjoy yourselves, and learn about the fantastic wildlife in the park.

08/04/2026

Bat Walk

8:15pm Friday 8th May 2026
Woodmill Lane Car Park
What3words: dizzy.dared.people

Friends of Riverside Park Supported by Hampshire Bat Group will be having a bat Walk in the park.

We will start with a short talk from an expert who will then lead us through the park looking, and listening (bat detectors provided) for bats. Ever heard a pipistrelle or even a daubenton’s bat? Maybe you will be lucky.

As we will finish after dark you may need to bring a torch with you for the end.

This event is free and everyone is welcome.

If you are interested in joining us please use this link: Membership | Friends of Riverside Park