4th - 6th June

Thursday, 6th June: Shown below is the latest table of spring passage totals prepared by our esteemed log-keeper Justin Atkinson (with thanks). I'll repeat it on the migration data page for future reference, but thought it would be of interest here for all those who have put in some time at the Bill. It's interesting to see how things vary from year to year and as if you didn't know, it shows how few Poms there were this spring....just 14 east (note there was also one west)....and of those 15 yours truly managed to just about see three. So who is the Pom King 2013 I hear you ask? Well, subject to final ratification of the totals, a new name will appear on the trophy this year, that of George Heath, for it was he who came from nowhere to snatch the title with seven. What odds would you have got on that at the start of the season? So well done to George and commiserations to the runner-up Justin on six (and Sam??). Maybe next year! Where have I heard that before?

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					Easterly passage totals only (Mar-May) at Selsey Bill, except for Manx Shearwater where all records are shown. Note: does not include lingering birds.
	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	Average per spring
Black-throated Diver	25	12	28	17	14	19	15	16	33	32	40	22.82
Manx Shearwater	58	39	29	85	84	169	299	40	23	112	49	89.73
Brent Goose	3195	1789	2527	2127	658	925	1257	1738	1471	2621	11093	2672.82
Garganey	3	5	0	9	0	1	6	1	2	8	4	3.55
Common Scoter	3396	2752	4437	4519	1974	2638	4150	3471	3199	2343	9583	3860.18
Velvet Scoter	173	68	27	33	1	146	51	11	17	33	48	55.27
Knot	6	28	23	71	14	105	67	10	115	54	3	45.09
Bar-tailed Godwit	171	456	357	1197	2420	582	170	252	2802	579	124	828.18
Whimbrel	354	251	306	287	476	500	289	819	700	121	188	390.09
Pomarine Skua	26	99	44	61	37	82	20	26	108	43	14	50.91
Arctic Skua	159	100	165	128	134	161	133	134	130	201	141	144.18
Great Skua	14	40	103	56	60	69	74	43	29	216	61	69.55
Little Gull	119	132	77	36	149	66	32	153	59	34	43	81.82
Sandwich Tern	3359	1796	2790	2279	1879	2717	3099	2464	2569	2352	2724	2548.00
Roseate Tern	3	0	0	5	0	2	1	2	2	2	0	1.55
Common Tern	0	0	0	464	45	456	233	58	310	1371	1504	403.73
Arctic Tern	1	4	4	52	12	75	12	47	48	143	2	36.36
Commic Tern	1785	3942	6605	5232	2370	9803	2919	4700	5346	3997	5965	4787.64
Little Tern	219	308	525	287	350	949	1367	539	538	422	200	518.55
Black Tern	7	8	36	38	9	192	14	22	84	26	5	40.09

On with today's birding news...

Selsey Bill (0745-1030hrs): Warm, sunny, dry. Breezy, wind NE4.   (Obs: GH)

Gannet - 81E, 10W

Fulmar - 2E

Common Scoter - 9E, 5W

Ringed Plover - 1n

Sanderling - 8ob, off E

Dunlin - 4 ob, off E

Oystercatcher - 1E

Razorbill - 2W

Arctic Skua - 1E

Kittiwake - 6E

Common Tern - 3E

 

A Cuckoo has been calling near our Sidlesham garden over the last few days. At the Bill this evening 2 Gannets, 30 Sandwich Terns and 10 Common Terns feeding offshore.
 

Gannet plunge-diving off the Bill (photo: Andy House)

 

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Wednesday, 5th June: A fine, warm sunny day with a light E/SE breeze finds me having a day of domesticity, with a bit of inland birding planned for this evening, so I am relying (with thanks) on my usual 'correspondents' today. Only news so far is an early update from JW over at Pagham North wall area, where he reports a Marsh Harrier flying N, a Lesser Whitethroat feeding young at North fields, a Little Grebe with 3 young and 2 Little Ringed Plovers on the Breech Pool.

 

Selsey Bill (0645-1145hrs): Warm, sunny, dry. Wind E/SE3.  (Obs: GH)

Gannet -  84E, 33W

Fulmar - 1E

Common Scoter - 65E, 25W

Tufted Duck - 1W

Oystercatcher - 4E

Sanderling - 47 ob, later flew off E

Dunlin - 2 ob, flew off E with Sanderling flock
Turnstone - 2 ob, ditto above    
Razorbill - 2W
Auk sp - 1E
Arctic Skua - 1E

Kittiwake - 3E
Sandwich Tern - 26E
Common Tern - 10E

Swift - 1N
Swallow - 1N

 

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Tuesday, 4th June:  Firstly, it seems the Seal at East beach query has finally been resolved....the following is from Sarah Russell " I posted a picture of Trevor the seal on Sussex & Brighton Birders Facebook site after visiting him yesterday.  He was laying on the most popular part of the beach, mostly on his back with one eye on the visitors and appeared totally relaxed.  As the tide came in he snorted and lumbered further up the beach, rolled over and resumed his snooze.  A part of the beach was cordoned off and two official gents were watching over him, answering questions.  He was by the groyne and we were allowed to stand just behind it so got incredibly close views.  I understand he's a two year old grey seal, given the unlikely name of Trevor! In response to my posting (which I half regretted), a reply was received from a John Pettifor.... Hi I volunteer as part of the British Divers Marine Life Medics and have been monitoring this Grey seal since he arrived in Eastbourne , then Seaford etc. as he is currently going through the moulting process he can come across docile, we have been trying to protect him from dogs that could bite him or be bitten, also for some reason parents want to have pictures taken with there little ones sat right next to him, he has extremely sharp claws and a huge set of sharp teeth, we don't want a public outcry when someone gets bitten, we are guarding him to protect him mainly. It's so difficult as the more press that covers him the more people visit. A male grey would usually leave his colony and find a nice quite place to moult, alas this one has chosen the most busy beaches, please try and look after him, don't get to close and just enjoy  looking at him.  For further information see http://www.bdmlr.org.uk/ "     OK, many thanks to SR and subject now closed on that one I think.   One other update is that (at time of writing) there is no further news on yesterday's putative large pipit at the Ferry pool, which has been looked for today without success.

2000hrs - the only news received so far is that it was distinctly quiet at Selsey Bill this morning with little to report, just a few Gannets offshore and 20 Sandwich +Common Terns feeding to the west. (BFF et al). Also quiet at Church Norton; at least 40 Sandwich Terns and 10 Common Terns in the harbour and around the island with a few seen copulating. Only 2 Little Terns noted offshore! Single Whimbrel and 3 Bar-tailed Godwits plus a few Curlew and Ringed Plovers but little else.(BFF).