Thursday, 22nd May: After a chill start, a lovely sunny morning in just a light breeze, initially from the north, later swinging to the south-east...........
Selsey Bill: It was another slow morning, with a Fulmar and a couple of Common Terns the only things beyond the usual fare. Full log below. (SR/AH)
(0700-0800hrs) (NNE, F2)
Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - 1E, 5W
Oystercatcher - 1
Mediterranean Gull - 50os
Sandwich Tern - 12os
Common Tern - 2W
Swift - 1
House Martin - 12
Jay - 1
Mediterranean Gull (above) & House Martin at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were just a Little Ringed Plover, 22 Black-tailed Godwits, two Avocets, five Redshanks and eight Shelducks on the pool this morning. (AH)
Little Ringed Plover (above) & Black-tailed Godwit at the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: There was a second-year Caspian Gull in the harbour for about 30 minutes mid-morning, before it flew off, with 12 Sandwich Terns, three Mediterranean and a handful of Black-headed Gulls out on the mud.
A Whimbrel, a Grey Plover, a Ringed Plover and several Turnstones were also about, and a Kestrel was in the churchyard. (DC/SR)
North Wall: A Great White Egret appeared at the back of the Breech Pool and then relocated to Halsey's Farm this morning, and later a Red Kite drifted over Little Welbourne.
Also, a pair of Mute Swans with four cygnet's were in Whites Creek, two Marsh Harriers were at the back of the Breech Pool, which contained two Great Crested Grebes, two Tufted Ducks and a few Mallards, plus the a Cormorant on its normal post, the three Grey Heron chicks were showing well again, a Cuckoo was heard at Halsey's Farm, and two Buzzards were seen in the distance. (GHi/GR)
Great White Egret (above), Grey Heron chicks & Mute Swan family at the North Wall (GHi)
East side and Pagham Spit: There were c20 Black-tailed Godwits at the end of White's Creek, but very few waders in the harbour this morning - just a Whimbrel, a couple of Curlews and Ringed Plovers and a dozen Oystercatchers to be seen, along with a dozen Shelducks, a Common Gull and c20 Great Black-backed Gulls, whilst seven Common Seals were hauled out on the mud.
Half a dozen Little Terns came up briefly from their island, with a few Sandwich Terns, Mediterranean and Black-headed doing likewise when a female Marsh Harrier flew over the harbour, but passerines were restricted to a Skylark and a few Linnets along the spit and two or three Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Cetti's Warblers and Whitethroats, plus a couple of Swallows, along the East side hedges. (AH)
Marsh Harrier (above), Whimbrel, Black-tailed Godwits, Common Gull, Whitethroat, Linnet & Common Seals along the East side (AH)
Sidlesham: A Red Kite went over the village early this afternoon. (AE)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The Barn Owl was about his evening, along with three Buzzards and three Kestrels, whilst a cattle Egret and two Little Ringed Plovers were on the reserve, together with a Brown Hare and a Roe Deer with a newly born fawn..
The banks were quite busy, with a Dartford Warbler, two Stonechats, two Lesser Whitethroats, ten Whitethroats, five Reed Warblers, three Chiffchaffs, four Cetti's Warblers and ten Yellowhammers seen, together with three Swallows over. (S&SaH)
Medmerry: Ham Viewpoint - The first Quail of the year could be heard in the adjacent fields early this morning, and also a Hobby went over. (AS/BI)
The Quail was still present this evening, and even showing in the edge of the field. (MRe)
Quail at Medmerry (MRe)
Wednesday, 21st May: The morning started with a brisk northerly breeze, which quickly dropped as it swung round the south-west, leaving a cool, dank and drizzly morning under leaden skies.......
Selsey Bill: There was a little more variety this morning, including a Fulmar, four Kittiwakes and seven Sanderlings west, though nothing else beyond the regulars. Full log below. (SR/AH)
(0700-0845hrs) (N, F4)
Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - 12E, 11W
Common Scoter - 3E
Oystercatcher - 1E, 2W
Sanderling 7W
Turnstone - 5W
Mediterranean Gul - 50os
Kittiwake - 4W
Sandwich Tern - 14os
Common Tern - 4W, 3os
Little Tern - 1os
Swift - 4
Swallow - 1
House Martin - 12
Fulmar (above), Sandwich Terns, Sanderlings, Turnstones & House Martin at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were still c85 Black-tailed Godwits on the pool this morning, but, otherwise, just four Avocets, six Redshanks and 14 Shelducks (AH)
Black-tailed Godwit (above) & Avocets and Black-ailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: There were a few waders in the harbour this morning, including a Bar-tailed Godwit, two Whimbrel, five Sanderlings, 16 Grey Plovers and c20 Ringed Plovers and Dunlin, along with two pairs of Sandwich Terns, a pair of Common Terns, c50 Mediterranean Gulls and c80 Black-headed Gulls.
Also, a Cuckoo was calling from along the west side and a pair of Mistle Thrushes were in Rectory Lane, but beyond that, there were just a Chiffchaff and two or three Whitethroats about, plus two Swallows over the harbour. (AH)
Sandwich Terns (above), Sanderling and Ringed Plover, Grey Plovers & Whitethroat at Church Norton (AH)
There was a similar selection in the harbour this evening, but there were at least eight Sanderlings present, along with nine Turnstones, and what appeared to be a little gathering of half a dozen or so Sandwich Terns, Mediterranean Gulls and Black-headed Gulls on the mud on the rising tide. (AH)
Sanderling (above), Grey Plover, Whimbrel & Sandwich Terns, Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls at Church Norton (AH)
Tuesday, 20th May: A cool, but bright, start in a moderate north-easterly, though by late morning the breeze had shifted to the south-west, bringing warmer air, but more cloud......
Selsey Bill: It was very quiet this morning! Full log below. (AH/IP)
(0705-0820hrs) (NE, F4)
Gannet - 1E, 2W
Mediterranean Gull - 50os
Sandwich Tern - 12os
House Martin - 16
House Martins at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were still 24 Black-tailed Godwits on the pool early on, but by mid-morning numbers had risen to 85, though otherwise there were just two Avocets, three Lapwings, six Redshanks, two drake Shovelers and 14 Shelducks, whilst two Cuckoos flew over together, heading for the Tramway. (AH)
Also, this evening, a Spoonbill was on the pool. (MRe)
Cuckoos (above), Lapwing & Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)
Long Pool: There wasn't much singing this morning, though at least half a dozen Reed and Sedge Warblers were flitting about the reeds, and a similar number of Whitethroats, a Chiffchaff, a couple of Reed Buntings and a dozen Linnets were along the hedges.
Also, five Swallows went over, a pair of Gadwall were in Ferry Channel, a Great Crested Grebe, a Little Grebe and a pair of Mute Swans with five Cygnets were on the pool and a Skylark and a couple of pairs of Redshanks were around the fields. (AH)
Whitethroat (above), Linnet & Reed Bunting along the Long Pool (AH)
North Wall: A Red Kite flew in from the harbour and over Owl Copse, where the Grey Heron chicks were showing well, and the now regular mix of Reed Warblers, Sedge Warblers, Whitethroats, Reed Buntings, Cetti’s Warblers and Linnets were along the reeds and bushes.
Also, a Great Crested Grebe was on the Breech Pool, along with three Tufted Ducks, while further back and higher up were two Marsh Harriers, two Buzzards, two Swifts and six Swallows. (LP/TRH)
Red Kite (above), Grey Heron chicks, Whitethroat, Linnet, Sedge Warbler & Great crested Grebe at the North Wall (LP)
Medmerry: Ham Viewpoint - A Cattle Egret was among the cows in the field here late this morning. (MWh)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were two Cuckoos around this morning, and a Dartford Warbler and a Stonechat were along the banks, together with a few Whitethroats, Reed and Sedge Warblers, plus lots of Yellowhammers, Linnets and Skylarks.
There were also one or two Ringed Plovers, Oystercatchers and Redshanks, plus a family of Canada Geese, on the Stilt Pool. (EB)
This evening a Barn Owl was out on the reserve, along with a Cuckoo, a Kestrel, five Swallows and five Egyptian Geese, whilst the banks held a Lesser Whitethroat,, five Whitethroats, three Chiffchaffs, two Reed Warblers and a dozen Yellowhammers. (S&SaH)
Whitethroat (above), Yellowhammer, Stonechat, Ringed Plover, Oystercatchers, Canada Goose family and Lackey moth caterpillars at Medmerry (EB)
