Thursday, 28th May: A hazily grey morning, still warm and with the brisk easterly breeze slowly easing ........
Selsey Bill: It was just a very few of the regular species this morning. Full log below. (IP/AH)
(0700-0815hrs) (E, F5-6)
Gannet - 6os
Common Scoter - 5E
Mediterranean Gull - 2E, 1W
Great Black-backed Gull - 2os
Sandwich Tern - 100os
Swift - 1
swallow - 1
House Martin - 15
Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: The three families of Avocets - totalling eight chicks, plus 47 adults were on the pool this morning, along with the pair of Common Terns, a Little Ringed Plover, a Redshank, an Oystercatcher, 134 Black-tailed Godwits, a Teal, a pair of Shovelers, eight Gadwall, 13 Shelducks, a Little Egret, a Grey Heron and a CCetti's Warbler. (JC/AH)
Common Tern (above) & Avocet chicks at the Ferry (AH)
North Wall: There was lots of activity from the Cuckoos along the wall this morning with at least four birds seen, also three Marsh Harriers were about and a Kingfisher was by the sluice early on. .
The Glossy Ibis was on the Breech Pool early on, as well as six Black-tailed Godwits before they all flew out into the harbour, also on the pool was a Tufted Duck and two drake Shovelers.
The usual selection of Reed Warblers, Sedge Warblers, Cetti’s Warblers, Whitethroats, and Reed Buntings were along the reeds and bushes, and the Lesser Whitethroat was still singing by Owl Copse
At Halsey’s Farm, four Lapwings were along the rife and two Linnets, eight Cattle Egrets and three Skylarks were in the fields, whilst in the small copse, a Chiffchaff was singing and a Great Spotted Woodpecker was by its nest hole. (LP/MJa/JDW/EB/AH)
Cuckoos (above), Cattle Egret, Lapwings, Black-tailed Godwit (LP), Marsh Harriers, Sedge Warbler & Cinnabar moth (EB) at the North Wall
East side: There wasn't too much in the harbour on the fast-rising tide, with just four Bar-tailed Godwits, a Whimbrel, three Curlews, three Dunlin, six Grey Plovers, 22 Ringed Plovers and eight Oystercatchers of note, along with half a dozen Shelducks and four Great Crested Grebes, with lots of Sandwich Terns feeding towards the harbour mouth. (AH)
Wednesday, 27th May: It was slightly cooler this morning, though still sunny and very warm for the time of year, despite the moderate easterly breeze.... ....
Selsey Bill: A Fulmar went west and a couple of Sanderlings went east, but apart from large numbers of distant feeding gulls and terns, it was quiet. Full log below. (AH/IP/P&LH)
(0645-0845hrs) (ENE, F4)
Fulomar - 1W
Gannet - 4W
Common Scoter - 3W
Sanderling - 2E
Mediterranean Gull - 50os
Great Black-backed Gull - 1E, 1os
Sandwich Tern - 200os
Little Tern - 3os
Swift - 1
Swallow - 2
House Martin - 18
Sandwich Tern (above) & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: The three families of young Avocets were still present this morning, along with 38 adults, the pair of Common Terns, a Greenshank, a Little ringed Plover, two Redshanks and a new high count of 132 Black-tailed Godwits, as well as two pairs of Shovelers, eight Gadwall, eight Shelducks and c20 Mallards.
A look round the Tramway produced a Sedge Warbler, two Reed Warblers, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Blackcap, three Chiffchaffs and five Whitethroats, plus a Buzzard, a Sparrowhawk, a Swift and two Swallows over. (AH/P&LH)
Common Terns (above), Greenshank, Little Ringed Plover and Black-tailed Godwits, Buzzard, Chiffchaff & Whitethroat at the Ferry (AH)
East Side: It was quieter along the East side this morning, although two Knot were with eight Grey Plovers, 12 Dunlin, six Bar-tailed Godwits, five Whimbrels, and a couple of Curlews a long way out on the mud, and a few Sandwich Terns were fishing over towards the harbour entrance. (LP/SP)
North Wall: One of the Barn Owls was out hunting early this morning and appeared to have caught a large vole.
Also noted was a large movement of Painted Lady butterflies, with at least 30 seen within in an hour, mostly heading north. (AW)
Barn Owl (top 3 AW, lower AD) (above) & Painted Lady (AW) at the North Wall
Also, the Glossy Ibis was again on the Breech Pool early and late on, whilst otherwise there were just a pair of Shovelers and a single Black-tailed Godwit along with the multitude of Mallards on the water.
A Cuckoo was calling from behind the reeds, and the male Marsh Harrier was also about, whilst along the reeds were the usual mix of Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers and Cetti’s Warblers. (MJa/KU/LP/SP/S&SaH)
Glossy Ibis (SaH), (above), Shoveler & Black-tailed Godwit (LP) at the North Wall
Tuesday, 26th May: The very warm spell continues, with unbroken blue skies, though the moderate easterly breeze kept temperatures bearable....
Selsey Bill: It was very slow this morning, though 19 Common Scoters went east and large numbers of gulls and terns were feeding way out. Full log below. (AH/IP et al)
(0645-0815hrs) (ESE, F4)
Gannet - 2W
Common Scoter - 19E
Oystercatcher - 6E
Mediterranean Gull - 6E, 1W
Great Black-backed Gull - 1os
Sandwich Tern - 150os
House Martin - 20
Sandwich Tern (above), Common Scoters & House Martins at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were three families, of two, two and three - young Avocets around the pool this morning, along with 43 adults, a Little Ringed Plover, two Redshanks, 66 Black-tailed Godwits, seven Gadwall and eight Shelducks. (AH)
Little Ringed Plover and avocet family (above), Avocet and Buzzard & Black-tailed Godwits at the fFerry (AH)
Long Pool: At least half a dozen Reed Buntings were about this morning, along with similar of Sedge Warblers, ten Reed Warblers, five Whitethroats and Skylarks and c20 Linnets, whilst an adult Great crested Grebe was feeding a chick on the pool, and a pair of Gadwall flew out. (AH)
Sedge Warbler at the Long Pool (AH)
West Itchenor: A Nuthatch was at a private site in the village today. (SH)
Church Norton: There wasn't much to see this morning on the high tide beyond the vast numbers of Sandwich Terns, Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls on the islands, which were quite flighty, as were the c60 Little Terns on their island, after a Peregrine bombed through.
Quite a few waders - including c20 Grey Plovers, c50 Ringed Plovers and c100 Dunlin were flying about, too, though distantly, but the odd Blackcap and Whitethroat was it for the bushes. (AH/JDa et al)
North Wall: A Glossy Ibis was on the Breech Pool early on, before heading off towards Marsh Farm, and 32 Black-tailed Godwits were also there as the water level is dropping.
Elsewhere along the wall it was the usual fare, with a Cuckoo and two Marsh Harriers over the reeds, lots of Reed Warblers, Sedge Warblers, Whitethroats, Reed Buntings, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Blackcap in the reeds and bushes, and a few Cattle Egrets, Little Egrets and Grey Herons in Owl Copse. A Common Lizard was also along the wall. (DHo/MJa/KU/LP/SP/PB/JB/AGB)
The Glossy Ibis was on the Breech Pool again this evening and the Barn Owl was showing at Halsey's Farm too. (MT)
Black-tailed Godwits, above, Grey Heron and Reed Bunting at the North Wall (LP) plus Cuckoo, Barn Owl, Cattle Egrets, Glossy Ibis & Common Lizard (DHo)
Bar-tailed Godwit, above, Ringed Plovers, mixed wader flock & Oystercatcher on the east side (LP) plus LIttle Tern & Common Tern (DHo)
