29th - 31st May

Friday, 31st May: The last day of the spring found me inland, but some coverage was achieved at the Bill this morning by a few of the stalwarts. So that's it, time to reflect on a generally cold and poor spring, work out the totals and declare the new Pom King, which will be reported in the near future. However, let none of us forget that the sea-watching is never really over and June can produce the odd good movement, an overshoot or a good seabird such as a Storm Petrel, so keep on looking...!

Selsey Bill (0730-1200hrs):  Dry, rather cloudy at first, sunny later, wind NW3. (Obs: C&ME, SR)
Great Crested Grebe - 2E
Shag - 1E
Common Scoter - 19E
Fulmar - 1E, 1W
Gannet - 52E, 4W
Turnstone - 9E
Med Gull - 4W
Common Tern - 10E
Little Tern - 6E
Swift - 18N
House Martin - 18N  
Swallow - 6N 
Sedge Warbler - 1 singing, gardens/Oval field  
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Thursday, 30th May: Late news received that there was some coverage yesterday morning at the Bill, but results were fairly mundane; c.100 Common Scoter and a couple of Arctic Skuas being about the best on offer. Today was worse, with rain and a NW wind, resulting in no skuas in the 3hrs I was there and little movement either. The only surprise was a drake Gadwall moving through, which dropped onto the sea for a short while before heading off strongly W.

Gadwall flying W off Selsey Bill

Selsey Bill (0645-1000hrs): Rain and cloud, dull, wind NW3   (Obs: OM)
Little Egret - 1W
Fulmar - 1E, 1W
Gannet - 65E, 5W
Gadwall - 1W
Common Tern - 35 fishing os/shingle bar
Sandwich Tern - 45 os, mainly roosting on shingle bar
Little Tern - 1 os
C/A Tern - 13E
Swift - 1N, plus 30 overhead/Bill House

PENINSULA: At Chi GPs Ivy Lake, a Hobby and a 1st-sum Little Gull reported from the far east end (per SOS). Also a good number of Swifts there.
At Pagham Hbr the only report of note concerned 20 pairs of Sandwich and 3 pairs of Common Terns at Church Norton fish-passing and mating, also a number of Black-headed Gull pairs present. Also in the area 3 Whimbrel, 8 Bar-tailed Godwits, 6 Curlew and 20 Turnstone. (AH)
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Wednesday, 29th May: I didn't visit the Bill today, so news from there awaited (assuming someone will actually put a shift in). A number of regulars all seemed to have the same idea this morning by visiting Pagham North wall and the Breech Pool - there seemed to be more birders than birds when I arrived! Waders in the area were few indeed, but a calling Cuckoo then did a fly-by, an unusual movement of 60+ Med Gulls passed through the harbour , and a Little Ringed Plover later appeared on the pool. One other non-avian highlight was a heavily-pregnant Roe Deer which apparently delivered two young this morning in the field behind the pool.

Selsey Bill and the Peninsula as it is not often seen. I stopped to take this shot from the west side of Bognor Regis this morning, whilst I was en route to Pagham. The low tide and very clear conditions made it possible to see just how prominent the Bill is and how far it actually extends from the main coastline.
 

Little Ringed Plover on the Breech Pool, Swallow at the North Wall, and female Roe Deer with two newly-delivered young (photos: Andy House)

 

PENINSULA:  Pagham Hbr North Wall/Breech Pool; Little Ringed Plover - 1, Cuckoo - 1, Common Tern - 1, Tufted Duck - 6, Curlew - c.6 on the mudflats in the heat haze, Med Gull - c.60 (mainly adults) moving through, some quite high up.

 

Selsey Bill (1720-1830hrs) Cloud, showery, wind WNW3.  (Obs: SH)
Great Northern Diver - 2os

Gannet - 15E, 9W

Arctic Skua - 1E

Kittiwake - 4W
Common Tern - 5os

Sandwich Tern - 13os
Swift  - 2N, also 70 over Bill House, and approx 150 over Selsey town
Swallow - 50 over Bill House

Selsey East beach pond has managed to attract a Reed Warbler which is currently singing well..(SR)