Arctic Skua past Gilkicker this morning.

Friday 18th April 2025.

The dark-phased Arctic Skua passing through the Solent this morning.

There was going to be a ‘Lazee Birders’ sea-watch from Gilkicker today from 7am and so, for a change, I made my way nice and early (after a quick Maccy D’s!) to the Car Park at Gilkicker and duly arrived around 6.50am to a near empty Car Park. The morning looked promising with an easterly wind, overcast conditions and a weather front moving in of which could spell some decent birds going through the Solent. Just three more ‘Lazee’s arrived and a couple of regulars within the Shelter, but I have to say, it wasn’t as productive as I was hoping it was going to be. However, two quality birds did pass through; a Fulmar and my first Arctic Skua of the year.

The Moth Box is starting to produce more moths and a fair selection last night and this morning, which bodes well for the coming weeks.

The Moth Box:

Above, an Angle Shades in one of the egg trays this morning and below, one of two Early Grey's this morning also.

Above, the micro moth White-shouldered House Moth and below, my first Brindled Pug for the garden this year.

Last night, I had a quick check of the Moth Box where I counted at least ten moths. My first Brindled Pug in my garden this year was present on the white sheet and on the opposite side of the Box, a Bloxworth Snout was present. Last nights moths included the following:

• Bloxworth Snout x1
• Brindled Pug x1
• Double-striped Pug x3
• Common Plume x3
• Light Brown Apple Mothx1
• White-shouldered House Moth x1

This morning, there was just the five moths present that included the following:

• Early Grey x2
• Angle Shades x1
• Shuttle-shaped Dart x1
• White-shouldered House Moth x1

This Bloxworth Snout was opposite my Moth Box last night.

What I did enjoy last night was the whirring of wings from one of the Pipistrelle Bat over my garden. There was no wind last night and I could hear the Bat flying over my head and even see the Bat clearly from the light of my Moth Box. An amazing experience, here in my own garden.

The Solent, Gilkicker:

Just the one Brent Goose was seen this morning.

I was the first to arrive at the Shelter overlooking the Solent and there was certainly an easterly breeze going over the Solent. But would the birds come through? As the morning wore on, the wind did get a bit stronger and though not quite as slow as yesterday when ‘sea-watching’ at Southsea; it was not as busy as I was hoping for, despite perfect conditions. But the good news is that I got another new bird species for my Hampshire year list, the dark-phased Arctic Skua; a species I never saw in 2024. The birds seen this morning included the following:

• Arctic Skua: Obviously, the bird of the morning as it came in from the east, but this time, it came in close and showed very well, with all us ‘toggers’ reaching for our cameras as the bird powerfully headed low over the water. It was later seen both off Sandy Point and Selsey Bill.

• Fulmar: We got the heads up off a birder at Lee on Solent that a Fulmar was flying east over the sea and it didn't take long to pick it up through the scope flying eastbound and again, seen off Sandy Point some 20 minutes later. This was my second of the Spring after no sightings last year.

• Mediterranean Gull: Just the three pairs were seen during the three hours while we were there, all adult birds, including a pair that flew low over the beach.

• Sandwich Tern: There seemed to be a constant stream of this species passing through throughout the morning and though a good many birds were fishing up and down the shoreline, a large flock of 27 birds were seen heading east.

Above and below, the Arctic Skua heading east this morning. Photos by Andy Tew.

Above and below, good numbers of Sandwich Terns passed through the Solent.

Above, another Sandwich Tern passing through close in and below, the view from the Shelter looking over the sea.

• Common Tern: Three separate flocks were seen that included three, five and a flock of nine birds all heading east.

• Brent Goose: Only one bird seen flying east this morning.

• Whimbrel: Three birds were seen in total with two birds heading west probably having come off the shoreline and a single bird heading east.

• Shelduck: one distant bird was flying over the Solent heading west, though more over the Isle of Wight side of the Solent.

• Swallow: Three birds flew in off the sea and headed quickly north towards the houses.

• Common Whitethroat: When having to pay for my Parking Ticket, I saw the bird singing perched on a bramble nearby, close to the Toilet Blocks.

Another photo of the Arctic Skua close to the shoreline.

All in all, not a bad morning’s ‘sea-watch’. Most of us had to leave by 10am, though Mr Andy Friend gave it another hour there. Now that the first Arctic Skua has gone through, hopefully that will open the floodgates for many more.

Film footage of the Arctic Skua this morning.