Sunday, 31st May: A much cooler morning of light cloud and hazy sun in a moderate westerly breeze........
Selsey Bill: There were lots of terns feeding quite close offshore this morning, but not too much else. Full log below. (AH/IP)
(0645-0800hrs) (W, F4)
Gannet - 2W
Mallard - 2E
Sandwich Tern - 200os
Common Tern - 25os
Little Tern - 20os
Swift - 2
House Martin - 20
Later in the morning, an Arctic Skua was offshore. Full log below. (SH)
(0930-1030hrs)
Kestrel - 1
Mediterranean Gull - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 133os
Common Tern - 3os
Little Tern - 2os
Green Woodpecker - 1
Little Terns (above), Common Terns, Sandwich Tern, Little and Common Tern & Little, Common and Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were at least 15 Avocets chicks and 42 adults still this morning, along with a Little Ringed Plover, two Redshanks, c125 Black-tailed Godwits, six Shelducks and eight Gadwall. (AH)
Avocets at the Ferry (AH)
Long Pool: A quick look this morning produced the usual suspects, including plenty of Reed and Sedge Warblers, two or three Cetti's Warblers and Whitethroats, a Lesser Whitethroat, five Reed Buntings and c20 Linnets, plus a couple of Skylarks in the adjacent fields. (AH)
Sedge Warbler (above), Chiffchaff & Skylark along the Long Pool (AH)
Church Norton: A Marsh Harrier was sat in trees at the back of the Severals mid-morning today. (HK)
Marsh Harrier at Church Norton (HK)
North Wall: A Sandwich Tern and two Little Terns were along White’s Creek this morning, and on the Breech Pool there were two Tufted Ducks and two Great Crested Grebes on the water, and two Sand Martins were skimming the surface.
A Red Kite, a Kestrel and three Buzzards were up over the fields, and along the wall there was the usual Reed Warblers and Sedge Warblers, as well as two Linnets. (LP/MJa/SP/KU/CT)
Sandwich Tern (above), Reed Warbler, Linnet & Tufted Duck at the North Wall (LP)
Pagham Spit: There were still at least 60 Little Terns around their island this morning, though they were again quite flighty, with an endless procession of Sandwich Terns and the odd Common Tern heading for Tern Island.
Very few waders were seen - just a Turnstone and a handful of Ringed Plovers at the spit end and a Bar-tailed Godwit, a Curlew and half a dozen Oystercatchers in the harbour, with a couple of Skylarks and Linnets about the only other things noted. (AH)
Little Terns (above), Sandwich Terns & Viper's Bugloss at Pagham Spit (AH)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Three Greenshanks, three Common Terns and five Oystercatchers were on the Stilt Pool this morning, with eight more Common Terns around the rafts, whilst two Sandwich Terns were offshore, two Lapwings and four Green Woodpeckers were on the reserve and seven Swifts, six Swallows, a Raven, a Marsh Harrier and two Buzzards went over.
Also, a dozen Reed Warblers, four Sedge and Cetti's Warblers, two Chiffchaffs, c30 Whitethroats, two stonechats, a Reed Bunting and c30 Yellowhammers were along the banks. (S&SaH)
Saturday, 30th May: A return to the very warm and sunny weather this morning, with just a light north-westerly breeze........
Well done to the RSPB Pagham Harbour! I confess I am amongst others who have occasionally been critical of the actions - or inactions - of the local RSPB from time to time, so I feel we should recognise when things markedly improve. A case in point is the Ferry Pool which now has a colony of breeding Avocets this year and other species too. Added to that, the water level has been maintained in a sensible way, producing plenty of waders this spring. I'm aware there are still some ongoing problems and I trust these will be resolved asap, but credit where it's due - good job so far. And also an honourble mention for the Tern Island; the preparation work seems to be paying off this year, so let's hope the breeding colonies remain. We often forget to say thanks when things go right, so I will on behalf of all who benefit. (OM/Eds)
Selsey Bill: There was marginally more activity this morning, including five Common Scoters east and a few Common and Little Terns among the Sandwich Terns offshore. Full log below. (IP/AH)
(0650-0805hrs) (NW, F2)
Gannet - 2W
Common Scoter - 5W
Oystercatcher - 2E
Mediterranean Gull - 1os
Great Black-backed Gull - 1os
Sandwich Tern - c100os
Common Tern - 4os
Little Tern - 6os
Swift - 2
House Martin - 20
Little Tern (above), Sandwich Tern & Gannet at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There was an increase to 17 Avocet chicks this morning, with 44 adults -including plenty still sitting - present, too, along with what appears to be a pair of Little Ringed Plovers and another long-staying male interloper.
There were also 134 Black-tailed Godwits, two Redshanks, eight Gadwall, six Shelducks and c25 Mallard on the pool and a Red Kite went over, later on, whilst plenty of Painted Ladies were on the wing. (AW/AH/IP)
Little Ringed Plovers (AW) (above), Avocets (AW top, AH lower), Red Kite, Avocets and Black-tailed Godwits (AH) & Painted Lady (AW) at the Ferry
Long Pool: The pair of Great Crested Grebes still had one chick with them on the pool this morning. (AW)
Great Crested Grebes on the Long Pool (AW)
North Wall: Early this morning the Barn Owls were active again around Halsey's Farm. (AD)
Barn Owl at the North Wall (AD)
It was generally quiet later on, though Cuckoos were calling sporadically from Halsey's Farm and the trees behind the Breech Pool, and both male and female Marsh Harriers were seen, along with a Kingfisher, a Lapwing and a pair of Tufted ducks, whilst at least eight newly-fledged Grey Herons were in the harbour, with a couple more in Owl Copse, along with a few Cattle and Little Egrets.
A Lesser Whitethroat, several Whitethroats and Reed Buntings and plenty of Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers were along the wall, with a couple of Swallows going over, and Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps were at Halsey's Farm, but a whimbrel, up to four Bar-tailed Godwits and a couple of Grey Plovers were all that could be seen in the harbour.
Also, there were many Painted Ladies about again, along with a couple of Holly Blues and a Broad-bodied Chaser. (LP/AH/E&SB et al)
Lesser Whitethroat (above), Reed Warbler, Whitethroat, Tufted Duck (LP), Marsh Harrier, Cattle Egrets, Holly Blue & Broad-bodied Chaser (AH) at the North Wall
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Three Greenshanks, an Avocet and two Common Terns were on the Stilt Pool this morning, whilst another eight of the latter were around their rafts, four Sandwich Terns were offshore and a Cuckoo, a dozen swallows, three Lapwings and three Kestrels were around the reserve.
There was plenty of activity along the banks, including a Dartford Warbler, four Stonechats, two Chiffchaffs, five Cetti's Warblers, six Sedge Warblers, 11 Reed Warblers, c30 Whitethroats, three Reed Buntings and c30 Yellowhammers. (S&SaH)
Friday, 29th May: A cooler, but muggy, morning of hazy sun and low cloud in a light north-westerly breeze........
Selsey Bill: Probably the quietest day of the spring! Full log below. (IP/AH)
(0710-0810hrs) (NW, F3)
Mediterranean Gull - 2os
Great Black-backed Gull - 2W
Sandwich Tern - c100os
Swift - 3
House Martin - 20
House Martin at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were still eight Avocet chicks and 44 adults, along a Common Tern, an Oystercatcher, two Redshanks, c125 Black-tailed Godwits, a pair of Shovelers, six Gadwall, four Shelducks and c20 Mallards on the pool this morning. (AH)
Common Tern (above) & Avocets at the Ferry (AH)
Selsey: A Little Ringed Plover was noted flying over the north of the town early this morning. (MRe)
North Wall: From the paddocks a pair of Linnets, singing Greenfinch and Cetti's Warbler and the female Marsh Harrier were seen, whilst on the Breech Pool there were a Great Crested Grebe, 42 Mallards, a pair of Tufted Ducks and seven Black-tailed Godwits
Also, along the wall there were lots of Reed and Sedge Warblers, at least ten Painted Ladies and a Cream-spot Tiger Moth. (CRJ)
Sedge Warbler (above), Cream-spot Tiger & Painted Lady at the North Wall (CRJ)
Church Norton: The only waders present this morning were a Whimbrel, two Curlews and a dozen Oystercatchers, though the islands were as busy as ever, with at least 60 Little Terns coming up on occasion, and at least 50 Sandwich Terns were feeding in the harbour. (AH et al)
Whimbrel (above) & Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AH)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were Stonechats and Canada Geese with young and Whitethroats carrying food this morning, with a couple of Common Terns and a Lapwing about, along with a Reed Bunting and plenty of Yellowhammers and Linnets, plus a family of Roe Deer. (EB)
Stonechat, Whitethroat, Common Terns, Lapwing, Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer & Roe Deer family at Medmerry (EB)
