Birdwatching on Hayling Island

Wildlife, waders and winter visitors

Hayling Island is one of the finest birdwatching locations on the south coast of England. The island's position between Langstone Harbour and Chichester Harbour, both internationally designated for their bird populations, provides access to an extraordinary variety of species throughout the year.

The autumn and winter months are the peak season for birdwatching on Hayling. Thousands of brent geese arrive from their Arctic breeding grounds in Siberia, settling on the harbour mudflats and the fields around the island. Wading birds including dunlin, curlew, redshank, grey plover, oystercatcher and ringed plover feed on the exposed mud at low tide, creating a spectacle of movement and sound.

The Hayling Billy Trail provides an excellent vantage point for watching the birds of Langstone Harbour. The trail runs close to the harbour edge, and at low tide the mudflats are alive with feeding birds. Church Norton, at the southern tip of the island, is another favoured spot, particularly for seeing passage migrants in spring and autumn.

In summer, the harbours are quieter for birds, but breeding species including terns, ringed plovers and Mediterranean gulls nest on the shingle banks and islands. Ospreys pass through on migration, and occasional rarities cause excitement among the birdwatching community.

The RSPB and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust organise guided walks and events on and around Hayling, and the Chichester Harbour Conservancy runs its own birdwatching programme. For resident birdwatchers, the daily walk along the harbour shore or the Billy Trail provides a constantly changing picture of bird life.