On the morning of 11 September, residents of Phúc Điền village in Thạch Xuân commune, Hà Tĩnh province, reported a massive arrival of birds over freshly harvested rice paddies.
Observers described a flock numbering in the thousands, with predominantly white plumage and gray‑tinged tails, swooping low before settling to feed on insects and other small invertebrates left in the fields. The birds were seen from a few hundred metres away, prompting locals to photograph the spectacle and share the images on social media.
Officials from the Ha Tinh Forestry Department (Chi cục Kiểm lâm Hà Tĩnh) identified the species as a small‑bodied mòng biển, a type of migratory seabird that typically inhabits coastal zones. According to the department, mòng biển can reach up to 76 cm in length, a wingspan exceeding 1.5 m and a weight of about 2.3 kg, with long bills and webbed feet adapted for marine foraging. Their appearance on inland rice fields is considered rare, and this is the first recorded instance of the species in the Thạch Xuân area.
Nguyen Van Duy, Vice Chairman of the Thạch Xuân People's Committee, confirmed that the sighting signals the start of the seasonal migration period. He noted that, in previous years, the same fields have attracted herons and egrets, but never mòng biển.
Local authorities have coordinated with forestry officials to monitor the flock, urging residents not to disturb the birds and reinforcing existing bans on hunting and illegal trade. Patrols have intensified, with confiscation and destruction of traps and other capture devices to safeguard the birds and the local ecosystem.