Brighton Marina
Website: www.brightonmarina.co.uk
Brighton Marina, perched on the eastern edge of the city, is a striking fusion of coastal engineering and seaside vibrancy. Built between 1971 and 1979, it’s one of the largest artificial marinas in Europe, with over 1,200 berths, a working harbour, residential apartments, and a lively mix of restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues. The marina’s breakwaters stretch into the Channel, creating a sheltered basin that’s become an unexpected haven for wildlife.
Despite its urban setting, the marina and its surrounding waters offer excellent birdwatching—especially along the east and west arms. In winter, Purple Sandpipers gather on the sea walls, often joined by Turnstones and Oystercatchers probing the rocks. Cormorants, Shags, and Great Crested Grebes dive in the deeper waters, while Gannets and Fulmars may be seen offshore.
The marina is also a hotspot for gulls, including Black-headed, Herring, Mediterranean, and Great Black-backed Gulls. Kingfishers occasionally flash past the inner harbour, and Rock Pipits and Stonechats flit among the boulders. During migration, Wheatears, Swallows, and even Black Redstarts have been recorded, and in autumn, Starlings gather in dramatic murmurations, swirling above the masts before settling to roost.