13th June 2026

Saturday, 13th June: The breeze remained fresh and from the west, but it was a warmer and sunnier morning than of late......

Selsey Bill: A pale-phase Arctic Skua was offshore again this morning and a Fullmar and ten Kittiwakes, including a flock of nine, went west. Full log below. (SH/PB/AH/IP)

(0545-0815hrs) (W, F4-5)

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 1E, 3W, 1os

Oystercatcher - 1W

Arctic Skua - 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 17W

Black-headed Gull - 340os

Great Black-backed Gull - 12os

Kittiwake - 10W

Sandwich Tern - 220os

Common Tern - 4os

Little Tern - 15os

House Martin - 2

Ferry Pool: There were minimum of 25 young Avocets - from tiny chicks to juveniles - around the pool this morning, along with 34 adults, c40 Black-tailed Godwits, an Oystercatcher, the pair of Common Terns, a Shoveler and 16 Shelducks, plus the eight ducklings. (AH)

Later, a colour-ringed adult Spoonbill dropped in on the pool and there was also a Little Ringed Plover about in addition to that seen earlier. (JC/MP/GR et al)

Church Norton: There were still lots of Sandwich Terns, Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls, plus a handful of Little and Common Terns, to be seen, along with an adult Kittiwake, but the only waders present were 27 Black-tailed Godwits and five Oystercatchers.

Also, a look along the west side to Reedy Marsh produced an unseen singing Yellowhammer, a Reed Bunting, a Blackcap, two or three Whitethroats and half a dozen Linnets. (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were two Greenshanks, three Ringed Plovers and seven Oystercatchers on the Stilt Pool this morning, with two Cuckoos, a Raven, a Marsh Harrier, a Kestrel and three Buzzards around the reserve, whilst seven Common Terns were around the rafts and a Little Tern was offshore.

There was also a bit of activity along the banks, including an unseasonal Willow Warbler, two Chiffchaffs, a Sedge Warbler, ten Reed Warblers, two Cetti's Warblers, c30 Whitethroats, four Reed Buntings and c20 Yellowhammers, plus seven Swallows over. (S&SaH/PB)

Chichester GPs: The mother Red-crested Pochard and her four well-grown young were still on New Lake today, though there was no sign of the two drakes, along with what appeared to be three families of fledged young Gadwall, half a dozen Pochard and Tufted Ducks and a drake Shoveler, whilst the small Black-headed Gull colony held at least half a dozen well-grown chicks. (AH)

Drayton House pits: A fairly mundane WeBS count at these pits today, the highlight being just two female Pochards with broods of young and a female Gadwall likewise. The regular species were present including 64 Canada Geese (with two broods of young), just one pair of Greylags with young and a pair of Mute Swans with seven cygnets, plus a number of Great Crested and Little Grebe pairs. On the non-avian side a nice colony of up to 200 spikes of Southern Marsh Orchid were present and perhaps 20+ Pyramidals also. (OM)

Pochard with young on Drayton House North pit and Southern Marsh orchids on the South pit (OM)

10th - 12th June 2026

Friday, 12th June: Yet another grey and windy morning, though a little warmer despite the blustery westerly breeze.........

Selsey Bill: A flock of four Manx Shearwaters going west, an Arctic Skua offshore and a Turnstone on the beach were the most notable sightings this morning. Full log below. (BI/AH/IP)

(0645-0800hrs) (W, F6)

Manx Shearwater - 4W

Gannet - 5E, 3W

Oystercatcher - 1E, 2W

Turnstone - 1

Arctic skua - 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 2W

Great Black-backed Gull - 1W, 1os

Kittiwake - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 200os

Common Tern - 3os

Little Tern - 1os

House Martin - 10

Gannet (above) & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There wasn't too much change this morning, though the water level seems to be dropping fast despite the rain, with c20 young and 34 adult Avocets, a Little Ringed Plover, two Redshanks, an Oystercatcher, c50 Black-tailed Godwits, the Shelduck family and another 14 adults, a Gadwall and two drake Teal scattered around the pool. (AH)

Later the two Common Terns were back, with a female Teal joining the two drakes, and there was also a Cuckoo about. (JC)

Avocet chick (above) & Teal at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were lots of Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls around the vegetated areas this morning, acting as if they had young hidden away, whilst a steady stream of Sandwich Terns, plus one or two Common and Little Terns were coming and going.

A flock of 36 Black-tailed Godwits were feeding on the mud before the tide pushed them off, , and the odd Whitethroat, Blackcap and Cetti's Warbler made its presence known in the hedges, but that was about it.. (AH) 

Little Tern (above), Common Tern, Sandwich Tern & Black-tailed Godwits at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: A Hobby chasing Swallows at Halsey’s Farm was the highlight of another blustery morning along the North Wall, whilst also about were a Cuckoo, a Song Thrush, two Buzzards, a Kestrel, two Skylarks and a couple of Swifts, whilst earlier the Barn Owl was out hunting.
Elsewhere, there were still two Cattle Egrets in Owl Copse, and seven Grey Herons were out on their island along with eight Little Egrets, while two Little Terns were fishing along White’s Creek and seven Black-tailed Godwits and two Lapwings were on the mud. (LP/MJa/AD)

Hobby (above), Barn Owl (AD),Cattle Egret, Black-tailed Godwit & Little Egrets and Grey Herons (LP) at the North Wall

Thursday, 11th June: After a bright start, a morning that quickly deteriorated into persistent drizzly rain under leaden skies, and cool, too, in the brisk westerly.........

Selsey Bill: A pale-phase Arctic Skua was lingering offshore, intermittently chasing the terns in the large feeding flock, and also two Guillemots went west, though it was quiet otherwise. Full log below. (AH/IP)

(0645-0815hrs) (W, F4-5)

Gannet - 1E, 4W, 2os

Oystercatcher - 1

Arctic Skua - 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 4E, 3W

Great Black-backed Gull - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 200os

Common Tern - 5os

Little Tern - 6os

Guillemot - 2W

House Martin - 10

An increase in the wind velocity this afternoon saw a Little Gull and seven Kittiwakes go west. Full log below. (SH)

(1230-1730hrs) (WSW, F7)

Gannet - 10W

Little Gull - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Great Black-backed Gull - 2W, 1os

Kittiwake - 7W

Sandwich Tern - 122os

Common Tern - 5os

Little Tern - 3os

Sandwich Terns (above) & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were still at least 20 young Avocets spread around the pool this morning, along with 33 adults, a Little Ringed Plover, a Redshank and just a dozen Black-tailed Godwits, with the pair of Common Terns, the drake Teal and 16 Shelducks, plus the eight ducklings, still present, too. (AH)

Avocets (above), Little Ringed Plover and Avocets & Common Terns at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There was nothing to report on the near high tide this morning beyond the activity around Tern Island and the adjacent harbour, with vast numbers of Sandwich Terns, Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls and half a dozen Common and Little Terns, plus half a dozen Shelducks, being the sum. (AH)

Sandwich Terns (above) & Mediterranean Gulls at Church Norton (AH)

Wednesday, 10th June: A mostly bright and sunny morning, surprisingly cool early on, but warming up later, despite the fresh westerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: Two Sanderlings west and a Turnstone on the beach were the only things of note this morning. Full log below. (SH/PB/AH/IP)

(0600-0800hrs) (W, F4-5)

Gannet - 13W

Common Scoter - 6E

Sanderling - 2W

Turnstone - 1

Mediterranean Gull - 2W

Great Black-backed Gull - 2os

Sandwich Tern - 200os

Common Tern - 3os

Little Tern - 6os

House Martin - 10

Turnstone (above), Little Tern & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were still at least 20 young Avocets and 36 adults on the pool today, and the first family of Shelducks - a pair with eight ducklings - appeared, with a pair of Common Terns, a Little Ringed Plover, two Redshanks, an Oystercatcher, the drake Teal, two drake Shovelers, a female Gadwall and 18 further adult Shelducks also present.

Also, around the Tramway there were a couple of Lesser Whitethroats, a Chiffchaff, three Blackcaps and Reed Warblers, half a dozen Whitethroats and a couple of Linnets. (AH/JC)

Avocets (above), Little Ringed Plover, Shelduck family, Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Blackcap & Chiffchaff at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were half a dozen Little and Common Terns among the endless procession of sandwich Terns this morning, whilst 20 or more Black-headed Gull chicks could be seen, including a few on the mud away from the island.

There were also Greenshank, three Whimbrel and four Ringed Plovers about early on, and later eight Black-tailed Godwits flew around before heading back up the harbour. (PB/IP/AH/JDa/J Kirkman)

Later, a Roseate Tern re-appeared on the mud and there was also a Sanderling about. (C Holter)

Sandwich and Common Terns at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: There was a lot of Cuckoo activity along the wall this morning with at least four birds seen, and the Barn Owl was about early on at Halsey’s Farm, where there was also a Little Tern fishing along the rife and three Lapwings on the mud.

Three recently fledged Sedge Warblers were along the lower path and a family group of Whitethroats were also about, whilst the Lesser Whitethroat was still singing by Owl Copse. Six Cattle Egrets were in the fields with the cows and five Little Egrets were with three Grey Herons out on their island.

A Red Kite flew over the fields and a Buzzard, a Kestrel, five Swifts and a dozen Swallows were also about, whilst on the Breech Pool, two Tufted Ducks and two Black-tailed Godwits were with the usual Mallards and Coots.

Two Kingfishers were by the sluice, and six more Black-tailed Godwits were along White’s Creek but otherwise there was a just a Curlew and four Shelducks out in the harbour. (LP/KU/JDW/MJa/DHo/IH/GHi/CT/CRJ)

Cuckoo (above), Tufted Ducks & Black-tailed Godwits at the North Wall (LP)

Also, the Barn Owls were out early this morning at Halsey's Farm. (AD)

Barn Owl at the North Wall (AD)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were five Dartford Warblers along the banks this morning, along with 13 Reed Warblers, three Cetti's Warblers, two Chiffchaffs, c30 Whitethroats, five Stonechats, three Reed Buntings and c20 Yellowhammers, plus six Swallows and a House Martin over.

Also, a Greenshank was on the Stilt Pool, 14 Common Terns were around the rafts, 21 Lapwings were on the reserve and a Kestrel and five Buzzards went over. (S&SaH)