Tuesday, 19th May: After overnight rain continued past dawn, the morning started wet and miserable in a gale-force southerly, though brightening up steadily thereafter, and feeling warmer than of late..............
Selsey Bill: Four Sanderling and six Dunlin dropped in on the beach before heading off east, but nothing else was moving, though a large gull and tern feeding flock were out in the murk offshore. Full log below. (AH/IP)
(0700-0830hrs) (S, F7-8)
Gannet - 22E, 1W
Oystercatcher - 1E
Sanderling 4E, 1W
Dunlin - 6E
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1E
Great Black-backed Gull - 3os
Kittiwake - 1W, 2os
Sandwich Tern - 150os
Common Tern - 12os
Little Tern - 15os
Swallow - 1
Sanderlings and Dunlin (above), Sandwich Tern & Gannet at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There was no sign of the Temminck's Stint in poor conditions early on, with a Common Sandpiper, two Redshanks, 32 Avocets and 58 Black-tailed Godwits the only waders present on the pool, plus a Greenshank and another eight Black-tailed Godwits in the channel opposite.
There were also two drake Shovelers present, with one repeatedly chasing the other off, plus two drake Gadwall, six Shelducks and c30 Mallards. (AH)
Common Sandpiper (above), Greenshank, Black-tailed Godwit & Shoveler at the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: There were only c50 Sandwich Terns and a couple of Common and Little Terns out on the mud this morning, whilst c25 Mediterranean Gulls flew in, and waders were widely dispersed, including five Whimbrel, eight Bar-tailed Godwits, a Black-tailed Godwit, c20 Turnstones and Ringed Plovers and c50 Dunlin.
There was nothing in the hedges beyond a Whitethroat and a Blackcap. (AH)
Whimbrel (above), Black-tailed Godwit and Bar-tailed Godwit, Ringed Plovers & Mediterranean Gulls at Church Norton (AH)
Monday, 18th May: It was surprisingly cool early on in the fresh south-westerly breeze, but warmed up a bit during the morning in the hazy sun and cloud...........
Selsey Bill: An Arctic Skua east and two Sanderlings west were the only migrants about, though there were large numbers of terns offshore again. Full log below. (AH/IP)
(0700-0830hrs) (SW, F5)
Gannet - 3W, 6os
Sanderling - 2W
Curlew - 1W
Arctic Skua - 1E
Mediterranean Gull - 1W, 1os
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1os
Great Black-backed Gull - 3os
Sandwich Tern - 200os
Common Tern - 12os
Little Tern - 28os
House Martin - 7
(1600-1700hrs) (SH)
Gannet - 7E, 6W
Curlew - 1W
Arctic Skua - 1E. 1os
Mediterranean Gull - 2E, 1W
Kittiwake - 1E
Sandwich Tern - 33os
Little Tern - 2W
Razorbill - 1E
auk sp - 1E
Little Terns (above) & Common Tern at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: The Temminck's Stint was still right sat the back of the pool this morning, along with a pair of Shovelers, with otherwise a Common Sandpiper, two Little Ringed Plovers 28 Avocets, c50 Black-tailed Godwits, two Redshanks c30 Mallard and half a dozen Shelducks present, plus a Greenshank in the channel opposite. (AH/PA/OM/AW/JC et al)
Temminck's Stint (AW top, AH lower two) (above) & Black-tailed Godwits (AH) at the Ferry
Church Norton: There were five Roseate Terns amongst the roosting flock this morning - probably the largest gathering recorded on the Peninsula.
Also, among the gathering were a first-summer Little Gull, two Kittiwakes, a dozen Common Terns, at least 50 Little Terns and at least 200 Sandwich Terns, whilst waders present included nine Sanderlings, a Whimbrel, two Bar-tailed Godwits, a Black-tailed Godwit, two Curlews and a few Ringed Plovers and Dunlin, with three Swallows going over.
Also, later, the Firecrest was singing from the car-park again and a dozen Sanderlings, 140 Ringed Plovers and 200 Dunlin were roosting at the end of the spit..(AB/AW/OM/AH/PA/IH et al)
Kittiwake, Roseate, Common, Little and Sandwich Terns (AW) (above). Roseate Little and Sandwich Terns & Little and Sandwich Terns (AH) at Church Norton
Sunday, 17th May: Another bright and breezy morning, slowly warming up as the day progressed, but the breeze remained fresh and from the south-west........
Selsey Bill: Another quiet morning, though 37 Common Scoters and three annoyingly unassignable grey geese went east and 16 Little Terns were feeding off Hillfield Road. Full log below. (SH/IP/AH/JA)
(0600-0815hrs) (SW, F5)
Great Northern Diver - 1E
Gannet - 2E, 14W
grey goose sp - 3E
Common Scoter - 37E, 2W
Oystercatcher - 2W
Dunlin - 2W
Mediterranean Gull - 1E, 3W
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1os
Great Black-backed Gull - 4os
Kittiwake - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 134os
Common Tern - 6os
Little Tern - 16os
Pied Wagtail - 1
Linnet - 1
(1430-1530hrs) (SH)
Gannet - 2E
Arctic Skua - 1E
Kittiwake - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 109os
Common Tern - 4os
Little Tern - 2os
Little Terns (above), Common Tern & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: A Temminck's Stint was found on the pool by a visiting birder early this afternoon, and there were also a Common Sandpiper, a Greenshank, two Little Ringed Plovers and a pair of Shovelers present, along with 38 Avocets, 62 Black-tailed Godwits, three Redshanks, four Gadwall, eight Shelducks and c30 Mallard spread between the pool and the channel opposite, plus the Sedge Warbler singing again from the Small Pool.. (AH/IP/PA/MRe/BI et al))
Temminck's Stint (above), Greenshank, Common Sandpiper and Shelduck, Little Ringed Plover, Sedge Warbler & Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)
Park Farm, Selsey: :At least 20 House Martins were present this morning, with many collecting mud from close to the barn, but only three Swifts and two Swallows were accompanying them, whilst, also, a pair of Stock Doves were feeding in the fields. (IP)
Church Norton: At least 250 Sandwich and over 50 Little Terns, but only two Common Terns, were seen, along with large numbers of Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls on Tern Island.
A female Marsh Harrier drifted into the harbour from the sea attracting the attention of the local crows, whilst wader variety was evident, but not numerous, including 29 Dunlin, ten Grey Plovers, three Whimbrel, two Turnstones, a Ringed Plover, a Black-tailed a Bar-tailed Godwit, a Curlew, two Redshanks and numerous Oystercatchers, plus six Knot and five Dunlin that flew west close offshore.
The most interesting bird was probably the Lesser Whitethroat that appeared to come in off the sea (possibly from the beach) diving into the first small bramble it could find, then moving to a larger area of undergrowth.
Also, two pairs of Tufted Duck and a pair of Shelducks were on the second Several, with at least three male Reed Buntings in the area, plus the usual Reed, Cetti's and Sedge Warblers, with several Blackcaps singing from Bluebell Wood, and a Great Spotted Woodpecker a Buzzard and a Jay also seen (IP).
Amazingly, there were two Roseate Terns among the roosting birds on the metalwork in the harbour early this afternoon.
Also, a Firecrest was singing in the churchyard. (GW/PA/IP/MRe/AH/BI et al)
Roseate Terns with Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AH)
More remarkable still, there were actually three Roseate Terns in the harbour late this afternoon, before they all departed, whilst there were also a first-summer Little Gull and two Bar-tailed Godwits present.. (AW/SM/MB/DB/AH/aBi et al)
Roseate Terns at Church Norton (AW)
North Wall: There was a lot of Cuckoo activity along the wall this morning, with at least four different birds seen and heard, from the paddock down to Halsey’s Farm. where there was also an adult and a juvenile Mistle Thrush and two Great Spotted Woodpeckers in the trees, and two Chaffinches, a Skylark 13 Cattle Egrets, and two Buzzards and 18 Cattle Egrets around the fields.
A pair of Teal were on the Breech Pool, as well as two Tufted Ducks, the Mute Swan family, and the nesting Great Crested Grebes, whilst a Little Grebe was on its nest along Owl Water, a Kingfisher was seen carrying a fish off across the fields towards Marsh Farm, and the Marsh Harriers were very active over the reeds, with the male seen continually carrying sticks to the nest site.
Also seen this morning were 12 Reed Warblers, four Sedge Warblers, two Cetti's Warblers, a Blackcap, two Chiffchaffs, three Reed Buntings, three Swallows, and five more Buzzards.(LP/MRi/DHi/MJa/S&SaH)
Cuckoo (LP top, SaH lower) (above), Teal, Mistle Thrush, Skylark, Cattle Egrets and Little Grebe (LP) at the North Wall
There were also two Barn Owls out hunting early this morning. (AD)
Barn Owls at the North Wall (AD)
East side: There was very little to report from the side of the harbour on the rising tide, with most waders right over on the far side, though at least a dozen Bar-tailed Godwits and Grey Plovers, c20 Turnstones, c50 Ringed Plovers and a few Dunlin were noted.
There were at least 40 Little Terns up towards the harbour mouth, among many Sandwich Terns, but c30 Great Black-backed Gulls and six Common Seals was about all there was, otherwise. (AH/LP/MRi/DHi)
Ringed Plovers (above), Grey Plover & Common Seals along the East side (AH)
