1st - 3rd July 2015

Friday, 3rd July: A very pleasant summer's day, with the breeze for once welcome to keep the heat down a little.....

Selsey Bill (0745-1045hrs): A Great Skua lingered offshore this morning before heading off east.... (Obs: C&ME).      
Gannet - 18E, 3W
Shelduck - 4E  
Common Scoter - 44E 
Great Skua - 1os 0810, departed E 0825 after harassing terns                        
Little Tern - 3E
also several each of Sandwich and Common Terns fishing os
Swift - 2p, feeding                     
Also 3 Common Dolphins - breaching  about three-quarters of the way out (0920hrs) 

 

Church Norton: The Hudsonian Whimbrel was again reported as present in the usual area at 1745hrs (per RBA)

North Wall: There was at least one Yellow-legged Gull amongst the large gulls out in the harbour this morning. (PC)

Ferry Pool: The Spotted Redshank was still in residence, as was the Greenshank, along with 18 Avocets, 45 Black-tailed Godwits, 25 Redshank and eight Teal. (AH)

Greenshank (above) & Spotted Redshank and Avocets on the Ferry (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the breach - Most notable count, on an otherwise quiet morning, was of five Green Sandpipers in the vicinity of the poplars. There were few other waders on show away from the Stilt Pool, though there were half a dozen young Lapwings, a Curlew and two pairs of Ringed Plovers with chicks spread about the reserve. 

On the pool there were still 20+ adult and at least six families of Avocets, and half a dozen Litle Ringed Plovers, including a couple of juveniles, plus a family group of Shelducks - the ducklings only a day or two old, and a pair of Gadwall.

Around a dozen Sand Martins went over, as did a Cuckoo, and there were a few Stock Doves and plenty of juvenile Starlings around Marsh Barn. Also, Yellowhammers, Whitethroats and Reed Warblers were still singing,a few Meadow Pipits were along the fields by the beach and there were lots of Skylarks about. (AH)

Green Sandpiper (above), Little Ringed Plovers, Ringed Plover, Avocet and chick, Gadwall, Skylark & Meadow Pipit at Medmerry (AH)

Thursday, 2nd July: Muggy and still warm, but with heavy grey cloud, thundery conditions and the likelihood of heavy showers through the morning.....

Church Norton: this morning 0830 to 0930hrs the Hudsonian  Whimbrel was feeding  on the mudflats near the bench . Also noted in the area were 21 Sandwich, 14 Common and 2 Little Terns, 2 Mediterranean Gulls, 12 Black-tailed Godwits and singles of Grey Plover and Common Sandpiper (BFF).

Ferry Pool area: The Spotted Redshank was at the back this morning, along with a couple of Little Ringed Plovers, c40 Redshank, a Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper, 12 Black-tailed Godwits, 16 Avocets, a juvenile Lapwing, 12 Teal and the Shelduck family 

At least one of the Nightingales was croaking and showing briefly along the Tramway near the creek this morning, and in the area there were still singing Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Wren, Song Thrush and Blackbird, plus plenty of young birds of various species. (AH/PH/PH)

Avocets over (above), and juvenile Blackcap, Whitethroat & Wren around the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: There were still a few singing Reed and Sedge Warblers, plus several Reed Buntings around. At least one of the Little Grebe families was still present, and a couple of pairs of Tufted Ducks were still hanging about, but showing no intention to breed. Along Ferry Channel there were 30+ Redshank and several very young Black-headed Gulls, whilst four Common Terns and a couple of Swifts went over west. (AH)

Sedge Warbler (above) & Tufted Duck along Long Pool (AH)

Wednesday, 1st July: A very warm, sunny day as we start the second half of the year, with a fairly brisk E/SE wind just taking the edge off the temperature along the coast. Even so, we should reach the high twenties Centigrade with the possibility of thundery showers later....

Church Norton: The Hudsonian Whimbrel was still present at 0820hrs and showing well in the usual area (per RBA). And it was showing well to a crowd of just two of us this evening! Also about were a Whimbrel, 10+ Curlews, 20+ Black-tailed Godwits and half a dozen Common Terns, whilst a Chiffchaff and a Blackcap had a half-hearted attempt at song. Also, there were 30+ young Swallows with their parents and a handful of House Martins along Rectory Lane.(AH)

Hudsonian Whimbrel at Church Norton (AH)

Ferry Pool area: Along the cyclepath (behind Visitor Centre) the Nightingale family was still present, with one adult and a juvenile seen this morning. A Comma butterfly was also nearby (SR).

Comma along the cyclepath (behind the Visitor centre) (SR)

On the pool itself the Spotted Redshank was still present, plus five adult Little Ringed Plovers early on, along with a dozen Black-tailed Godwits, 60 Redshank, 21 Avocets, 11 Teal, the Shelduck family and four Lapwing, whilst a Stock Dove posed nicely in the Environment Agency yard. (AH/SR)

Spotted Redshank (above), Stock Dove & Redshanks around Ferry (AH)

Selsey Bill: Around 30 Common  Terns and a dozen Sandwich Terns were feeding offshore, and half a dozen Gannets went east, whilst up to ten Swifts and the usual 20+ House Martins were busy overhead, and also gathering grass from the bank, as well as their usual mud supplies. (AH/GH)

House Martins (above) & Swift at the Bill (AH)

Medmerry: Breach area - A summer plumaged Grey Plover, half a dozen Ringed Plovers, ten Black-tailed Godwits and four Curlews were the only waders present, three Mediterranean Gulls went over west, two Sandwich terns went east, and there were c60 Linnets and 20 Greenfinches around the viewpoint, plus a Kestrel. (AH)

Grey Plover (above), Ringed Plover, Linnets & Kestrel at Medmerry (AH)