Little Gulls off Hayling Island.

Tuesday 8th November 2022.

The adult Little Gull in the harbour entrance from the Lifeboat Station, Hayling Island, this morning. 

When I saw on the ‘Lazee Birders’ Whatsapp that at least 12 Little Gulls had been seen from the Lifeboat Station at the harbour entrance on Hayling Island, I simply could not resist in trying for my 220th species for the year. Though I had a busy day ahead of me, I still was in a position of shelving it all for a few hours; but would I get a severe soaking in the squally heavy showers forecast for the whole day? 

Above, this Sandwich Tern flew close to the shoreline whilst walking up to the Lifeboat Station. Below, a lone Ringed Plover resting on the shingle by the harbour entrance.

The answer to the above questions were both yes as I managed to get onto an adult and juvenile Little Gull in the harbour entrance and avoid the worst of the dreadful weather. Fellow ‘Lazee Birders’ Garry Fennemore and Becky Ladd were both present by the Lifeboat Station when I arrived and later joined by Andy Tew, as we sat comfortably out of the worst of the wind and rain. Gary explained that he had 6 Little Gulls flying out from the harbour to the Solent along with a couple of Great Northern Divers earlier this morning and Becky had 6 more birds and with the two we saw together, up to 14 birds seen altogether is some total for this time of year.

Some of the best of my photos of the adult Little Gull this morning. 

Apparently, there was one in exactly the same spot yesterday, a juvenile bird and we concluded that these new birds today must have taken shelter from the worst of the weather overnight nearby. I watched a couple of Sandwich Terns passing close to the shoreline heading out to the Solent when I made my way to the Lifeboat Station and a further 6 more birds were seen during the couple of hours I was there. While watching the adult Little Gull, I noticed a Great Northern Diver flying west low over the water behind the Gull, but it soon disappeared. Good numbers of waders were flying over the harbour entrance including Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Turnstone and of course, Sanderling; the latter happily walking and resting close to where we sat on the shoreline.

Sanderling flying over the harbour entrance and on the shore in front of us.

Gary picked up a distant Fulmar way out in the Solent and I managed to quickly get onto it, though it kept banking and disappearing from view most of the time. This was Andy Tew’s first of the year, so he was excited to get this on his Hampshire list for the year. Before Andy arrived, a 1st winter Little Gull suddenly joined the adult bird literally from nowhere and showed very well at times, though I sadly did not get a photo of the bird. Both birds soon flew off strongly out over the Solent in a south-easterly direction. 

Above, another flight shot of the Sanderling and below, another Sandwich Tern negotiating the stormy weather within the harbour entrance.

The strong blustery south-westerly wind did not let up and when I eventually got home, the news of at least 4 Leach's Petrels, pale phase Long-tailed Skua off Milford and a Grey Phalarope on Ibsley Water, Blashford Lakes had me getting itchy feet, but I have things to do and so hats off to the finders anyway. This wind has most certainly brought in the goodies!

Film footage of the adult and 1st winter Little Gull in the harbour entrance at Hayling Island this morning.