Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 26th

Saturday, 28th May: A cool start, before warming up a little, but still with a nagging north-easterly and plenty of cloud cover.....

Selsey Bill: Not much on the move again this morning, though there were two Brent Geese and a steady trickle of Gannets east, and one or two Fulmars were doing circuits around the wall. Full log below. (SH/AH/IP)
(0530-0830hrs)
Fulmar - 4E (after sitting on sea together before flying off), 2os then W
Gannet - 54E, 1W
Brent Goose - 2E
Mediterranean Gull - 1E
Sandwich Tern - 20os
Common Tern - 3E, 3os
Swift - 3p
Meadow Pipit - 1N
Swallow - 2N, 1p
House Martin - 15p

Fulmars (above), Gannet & Brent Geese at the Bill (AH)

Church Norton: There were at least 10 each of Common and Little Tern around Tern Island and offshore, along with a Gannet offshore, and around the Bluebell wood there were 20+ Long-tailed Tits, including lots of newly fledged youngsters, and there were also three Blackcaps and four Chiffchaffs present.
There was also the odd and grisly sight of a long-dead Gannet in the hedge between the Severals. (S&SaH)

Dead Gannet at Church Norton (SH)

This evening there were two Bar-tailed Godwits, seven Grey Plovers (including a couple in summer-plumage), 16 Turnstones and 25 Dunlin roosting the high tide on the metalwork in the harbour, and there were at least half a dozen Little Terns and a couple of Common and Sandwich Terns coming and going. (AH)

Little Tern (above), Sandwich Tern & Grey Plover at Church Norton (AH)

Ferry Pool: There was just the single Black-tailed Godwit, two Redshanks and six Shelduck this morning. (AH)

Long Pool: There was a second brood of five Gadwall on the pool this morning, with yesterday's family present as well, along with the first two Little Grebe chicks and two families of Coots. The reeds were quieter this morning in the breeze, though a Yellowhammer was on the newly-cropped fields again, and a Whimbrel was calling out in the harbour beyond Ferry Channel. (AH)

Gadwalls (above) & Little Grebes on the Long Pool (AH)

Medmerry (west): Fairly quiet along the paths to the Stilt Pool, though several Yellowhammers, Skylarks and Meadow Pipits were about, plus a couple of Reed Buntings and a Whitethroat.
On the pool itself there were between 20 and 30 young Avocets, a family of Shelduck, several Little Ringed Plovers and Lapwing, a pair of Redshank and a single Gadwall. (AH)

Yellowhammer (above), Meadow Pipit, Avocets and Shelducks at Medmerry (AH)

Friday, 27th May: Cloudy with sunny periods and a moderate E/NE wind, with the risk of a shower later.....

Selsey Bill: Nothing was moving in a reasonably brief look first thing, though at least 20 House Martins were gathering mud from the puddles. (AH)

House Martins at the Bill (AH)

East Beach: An escaped Canary was perched on a car parked by the Orchard Parade shops this morning, it seemed to be enjoying its freedom and called before flying off towards the pond. (SR)

Ferry Pool: This afternoon there were six Avocets, a single Black-tailed Godwit, two Redshank and four Shelduck present. (AH)

Black-tailed Godwit (above) & Avocets on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A look along the beach this morning produced five surprisingly late Red-breasted Mergansers, which appeared from the east and landed briefly on the sea before continuing on their way west, along with a Bar-tailed Godwit and a few Ringed Plovers, plus a couple of Sandwich and Little Terns. A few Linnets and Skylarks were along the spit but otherwise it was quiet.
Encouragingly, there were four Lapwings on the lettuce field along Rectory Lane, along with two young chicks. (AH)

Red-breasted Mergansers (above), Bar-tailed Godwit, Sandwich Tern, Linnet & Lapwings at Church Norton (AH)

This evening there were three Cuckoos present, that all flew off over the harbour to Pagham Spit (as a one and a two), and on the mud were a Curlew, three Sanderling, 35 Dunlin and six Ringed Plovers, whilst at least six Little Terns and one or two Sandwich Terns were also present,. (AH/TC)

Cuckoo (above), Sanderlings & Dunlin and Ringed Plover at Church Norton (AH)

Thursday, 26th May: A dry and bright late spring day with sunshine, some cloud and a moderate easterly breeze.....sounds interesting at least.....

Selsey Bill: Fairly quiet again, though still a selection of species. Full log below....

(0630-1015hrs): (Obs:C&ME)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 1W

Fulmar - 3E, 6W

Gannet - 54E, 5W

Little Egret - 1W
Gadwall - 4E
Common Scoter - 15E
Whimbrel - 5W
Common Tern - 2E, 15os
Little Tern - 7os
Sandwich Tern - 17os
Swallow - 5N

Great Northern Diver (above) & resurrecting our missing 'triangle' at the Bill (CE)

Ferry Pool: Just one Black-tailed Godwit, two Avocets, two Redshank and two Shelduck on the pool this morning, whilst around the Tramway area both Nightingales were singing occasionally, a Cuckoo went over and a few Chiffchaffs and Whitethroats sang, too. (AH)

Avocet (above), Chiffchaff, Whitethroat & Wren around Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: A pair of Gadwall with two very young ducklings was unusual, as they are a scarce breeder on the peninsula, whilst also along the pool the Reed and Sedge Warblers were singing well. There were no waders beyond a few Redshank in the channel, and there were a dozen Stock Doves on the fields. (AH)

Sedge Warbler (above), Reed Warbler, Sedge and Reed Warbler, Gadwall with duckling, Stock Dove & Shelducks from the Long Pool (AH)

Church Norton: This morning there were 15 Ringed Plover, 34 Dunlin, a Cuckoo, a fem Mallard with 7 ducklings in the moat and a couple of Song Thrushes. (CRJ)

Medmerry (west): Eight Reed Warblers, 6 Reed Buntings, 9 Yellowhammers and numerous Skylarks and Meadow Pipits along the path this morning to the pools, along with a Buzzard and a Kestrel, and then an enjoyable fifteen minute view of a buck Roe Deer feeding along the west bank on the way back. (T. Roe)

Reed Warbler & Roe Deer at Medmerry (T. Roe)

Ivy Lake: A late morning look produced two Common Terns, two Lesser Black-backed Gulls, two Pochard, a family of Canada Geese, a dozen Great Crested Grebes and a few Swallows up high. Along the edges there were two singing Reed Warblers, two Cetti's Warblers, at least four Blackcaps and three Chiffchaffs, along with 20+ Long-tailed Tits, including many newly fledged youngsters. (AH)