22nd-24th June 2013

Monday, 24th June: A fresh west-north-westerly this morning made things feel rather cool; it was at least dry but a couple of hours of uneventful sea-watching was enough for me. The Ferry Pool is beginning to look promising with muddy fringes and a selection of waders were again present today, including 2 Green Sandpipers early on. Unusual bird of the day was the apparent female Scaup with Tufteds, found on Pagham Lagoon (AH/IL).

 

Selsey Bill (0650-0850hrs): Broken cloud, dry, quite cool, wind W/NW4  (Obs: OM/PD)

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 10E, 36W

Common Scoter - 22E

Whimbrel - 1W

Razorbill - 1 os, flew off W

Med Gull - 1W

Sandwich and Common Terns - mixed flock c.150 os, probably 50/50%

Little Tern - 2 os

House Martin - 4 p 

 

PENINSULA:  On Sidlesham Ferry Pool early this morning were 20 Teal, 2 Gadwall, 2 Green Sandpipers, 21 Redshanks, 25 Black-tailed Godwits and 13 Avocets. At Church Norton there were 9 Grey Plovers and a single Dunlin, plus several each of Curlew and Ringed Plover. On and around Tern Island were 20+ Med Gulls, c.40 Sandwich and 30+ Common Terns and 2 Little Terns. (OM).

 

AH reports "In keeping with the weather that is cold enough for winter, the most unusual bird of my morning was a female Scaup (I know I make this claim with caution!) on Pagham Lagoon with about 20 Tufted Ducks. Also 4 Great Crested Grebes present and 30 Swifts feeding overhead. To add to the wintry feel, a very scruffy Brent Goose was in the harbour mouth, though very little else to report there. Along the North Wall there were 2 Sand Martins - another indication of advancing autumn, though there were a few Sedge and Reed Warblers in evidence, too." (Given the unusual date here for the species hybrid Tufted/Scaup has been considered and discussed but it is considered a valid Scaup by the observers).

 

 Female Scaup (with Tufted Ducks) on Pagham Lagoon (photo: Andy House)

moulting Brent Goose, Pagham Hbr (photo: Andy House)

 

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Sunday 23rd June: Well done and many thanks to Andy House for keeping the blog going in my absence (you'll be doing it again soon!). Also, Mervyn Jones sends his regards from Wales to everyone at the Bill (OM).           Bird news for today:-

Selsey Bill 0530-0930hrs: Cloudy, dull, windy W6  (SH et al)
Fulmar - 4W
Gannet - 152E, 29W
Manx Shearwater - 2W
Common Scoter - 12E
Guillemot - 1W
Auk sp - 1W
Arctic Skua - 1 os
Swift - 7 os
 Evening sea-watch: 1650-1800hrs: (SH)
Gannet 11 os, 8E, 17 W
Manx Shearwater - 2E
Sandwich Tern - 53 os
Common Tern - 31 os
Little Tern - 2 os

PENINSULA:

Sidlesham Ferry: 1 Greenshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Common Sandpiper, 22 Avocet (including at least 2 that look like juveniles), 25 Black-tailed Godwit, 30+ Shelduck (including several juveniles), and 20+ Teal, almost all of which are drakes. (SH/AH)

Sidlesham SF - Approx 100 House Martins, 50 Swallows, 20 Swifts & 2 Mediterranean Gulls.



Greenshank (above) at Sidlesham Ferry, and House Martin at Sidlesham SF (photos: Andy House)

 

As they are almost fully grown now, I thought we could put out the news about the Avocets nesting on the Medmerry site. Incidentally, the two youngsters on the Ferry today are not the same birds as the Medmerry two. I have enclosed a photo for each of the last four weeks to chart their progress - see below (they are not great because I didn't want to get too near!) Also down there this evening, a total of 10 Avocets, 4 Redshank, 4 Ringed Plovers, 2 Corn Buntings & 2 Skylarks. (AH)

 

Juvenile Avocets at Medmerry (see above notes from AH) 

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Saturday 22nd June:

Selsey Bill: 05.30 - 10.30, SW6 rain until 8.30:
Manx Shearwater - 14W (all between 08.43 and 09.35), Gannet - 35E, 163W, Fulmar - 1E, 6W, Common Scoter - 29E, Oystercatcher - 3W, Turnstone - 1W, Kittiwake - 1E, 3W, Med' Gull - 2W, Sandwich Tern - 2E, 5W, Common Tern - 11W, Little Tern - 1os, Razorbill - 3W, and auk sp - 4W. (J. Atkinson, S. Hill & C. Janman).

10.50-13.30 Manx Shearwater 6W, Fulmar 1W, Gannet 42E, 30W, Med' Gull 1E, Common Tern 5E, Sandwich Tern 3E, Auk sp 2W, Razorbill 2W (S. Russell, B James)

Also SH & GH had 6 more Manx Shearwater west between 16.30 & 17.30.

Peninsula

Church Norton: Half a dozen Gannets and Little Terns feeding close offshore with the Common & Sandwich Terns, and a dozen Turnstone and a Ringed Plover on the beach. Still plenty of activity around Tern Island, with at least 30 Sandwich Terns and a couple of Mediterranean Gulls present.

Gannet offshore from Church Norton 22/6/13 (AH)

Smart summer-plumaged Turnstone on Church Norton beach 22/6/13 (AH)

 

Ferry Pool: 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Little Ringed Plover, 21 Avocets, 25 Black-Tailed Godwit, 6 Redshank, 4 Lapwing, 2 Gadwall, 15 Teal & 30 Shelduck this morning. Also about 20 Swifts feeding overhead and a family of Pied Wagtails along the water's edge.