4th - 6th June 2016

Monday, 6th June: Another fine day, a little cloudier and with a light easterly breeze, but still very pleasant.....

Selsey Bill: A pair of Shovelers east and a Whimbrel west were the only birds beyond the regular Gannets and a few Common Scoter east, and feeding Little, Common and Sandwich Terns, plus the dozen or so House Martins around the puddles. Full log below....

0700-1030hrs: (Obs: C&ME/OM/AH)

Fulmar - 1E
Gannet - 45E, 3W
Common Scoter - 17E
Shoveler - 2E
Whimbrel - 1W
Oystercatcher - 6W
Razorbill - 1E
Little Tern - 3os
Common Tern - 5os
Commic Tern - 6E
Sandwich Tern - 12 os drifted away E
House Martin - 12+ collecting mud

Sandwich Tern (above), House Martins & with House Sparrow and Goldfinch at the Bill (AH)

East Beach & Pond: Two Sedge Warblers were singing from reeds at different ends of the pond this afternoon, and a Chiffchaff was also singing. The Mute Swans were with 6 cygnets, Coots with 4 young and a Mallard with 3 ducklings. The resident Muscovy Duck was also present. (SR)

A Seychelles Black Parrot is currently roosting in the alley between Kingsway and Marine Drive.  People have been leaving fruit but the chances of catching the bird are remote  - but it is a noisy bird. (SR)

 

Seychelles Black Parrot, East Beach area (per SR)

Ferry Pool: Just two Shelduck and two Redshank on the pool this morning. (OM)

Medmerry: Easton Lane area - Not much to report from an early visit, with just a few Yellowhammers, a Chiffchaff, a Blackcap and one or two Whitethroats in the hedges and half a dozen Reed Warblers and a Reed Bunting along the ditches. (AH)

Yellowhammer (above) & Reed Warblers at Medmerry (AH)

Church Norton: There were still plenty of Little and Common Terns around the harbour and offshore, twenty or so Ringed Plover and a dozen Dunlin were on the mud, and along the Severals there were singing Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Whitethroat, Linnet and Reed Bunting. (AH)

Sedge Warbler (above), Linnet & Dunlin and Ringed Plover at Church Norton (AH)

Fishbourne Creek: No waders at all this morning on the rising tide, but the flock of 11 summering Brent Geese were still present amongst the herd of 148 Mute Swans  (accurately-counted today!) At least six Little Egrets were active, whilst a loafing flock of 12 Canada Geese in the field by the stream were not! Otherwise, not much to report; two Lesser Whitethroats and six Whitethroats were in frequent song, a Great Spotted Woodpecker was agitated and up to six Yellowhammers were visiting the dungheap in the paddocks. (OM)

Part of the Mute Swan herd at Fishbourne creek, two views of the Brent Geese and a showy Little Egret (OM)

Some fine views were to be had from Fishbourne creek this morning, looking north to Chichester and beyond....whilst this doesn't do it justice, the Cathedral clearly stands out to the right, and to the far left the white canopies of Goodwood on the Downs can be seen. (OM)

Chichester Marina: Not much on the marsh; just six drake Tufted Ducks, 30 loafing Mallard and a single Shelduck, plus a Cetti's Warbler, six Reed Warblers, three singing Reed Buntings and half a dozen Swallows. (OM)

Singing Reed Bunting on Chichester Marina marsh (OM)

Medmerry: Ham Farm - Fairly quiet this evening, though two Corn Buntings and half a dozen Skylarks were singing along the banks and a couple of Whitethroats, a Cetti's Warbler and a Reed Bunting were in the marshy area just north of the farm. Also a little colony of Grass Vetchling (a fairly rare plant that was regularly seen in the area that is now under sea-water) was along the bank near the viewpoint. (AH)

Corn Bunting (above) & Grass Vetchling at Medmerry (AH)

Medmerry (West side): A Greenshank, seven Little Ringed Plovers, including a chick, 22 Avocet chicks, two Redshank, two Mediterranean Gulls, a Little Tern and two Common Terns were in the area around the Stilt Pool this evening, and four Reed Warblers were in the ditches. Also seen were three Brown Hares, a Fox and five Roe Deer. (S&SaH)

Greenshank, well-grown Avocet chick & Brown Hare at Medmerry (SH)

Sunday, 5th June: A glorious summer day after a hazy start, with bright sunshine and light breezes....

Selsey Bill (0600-0900hrs): Predictably fairly quiet, though a dark-phase Arctic Skua and two Whimbrel went east, as did a few Gannets and Common Scoter, a Fulmar went west and another east, and a few Little, Common and Sandwich Terns were offshore. (Obs: SH/SR/AH/IP)

Fulmar - 1E, 1W
Gannet - 33E, 2W
Little Egret - 1p
Shelduck - 1W
Common Scoter - 10E, 1W, 1os
Whimbrel - 1E
Arctic Skua - 1E (d/p)
Common Tern - 18os
Sandwich Tern - 10os
Little Tern - 5os
Swift - 8p
Pied Wagtail - 1p
House Martin - 12+p
Grey Seal - 1os

Arctic Skua (above) (SH), Little Tern & Common Terns (AH) at the Bill

Park Farm, Selsey: Three or four Lapwings were in the red lettuce crop, seven or eight House Martins and Swallows were around the buildings and half a dozen Linnets were around the paddocks. (AH/IP)

Lapwing (above), House Martin & Linnets at Park Farm, Selsey (AH)

Ferry Pool: One Black-tailed Godwit, two Avocets, two Redshank and a Shelduck were on the pool this morning. (AH)

Black-tailed Godwit on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: In the harbour there were two Black-tailed Godwits, three Curlew and a few Turnstones, Ringed Plover and Dunlin, whilst two Whimbrel flew out over the beach. There were double figures of Little, Common and Sandwich Terns between the harbour and offshore, and a pair of Mediterranean Gulls were also in the harbour.

A pair of Cuckoos were in the first Several, and a few Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers, Whitethroats, Linnets and Reed Buntings were present there, too, and a Jay and a Stock Dove were in the fields behind. 

There were also several Painted Ladies along the way. (AH/IP/S&SaH))

Cuckoo (above), Mute Swan cygnets (SH), Whimbrels & Painted Lady (AH) at Church Norton

Chi GPs - Drayton Pits: A leisurely visit this morning in the vain hope of finding a late migrant, but as anticipated it just resulted in logging the resident birds. Amongst the wildfowl there were 34 Canada Geese (plus four broods), a pair of Mute Swans with six cygnets, eight Gadwall including a female with two young, six Pochard, 30 Tufted Duck, 20+ Mallard (at least one brood) and also 2 Great Crested and c.10 Little Grebes. Coot families now number up to ten, with several Moorhen families also present but less obvious. Other species logged included three Buzzards, a Kestrel, a Jay, at least eight singing Reed Warblers, three Cetti's Warblers,  two Chiffchaffs, two Blackcaps, two Whitethroats, three Reed Buntings, two Song Thrushes and a pair of Green Woodpeckers. (OM)

Halsey's Farm to the North Wall: A look early this evening produced at least four Cetti's Warblers through Halsey's Farm (and several more along the North Wall), along with singing Lesser Whitethroat and calling Cuckoo, plus a pair of Shoveler flew over.

There were more unseasonal wildfowl on the Breech Pool in the form of eight Teal, though the only other birds of note were a flock of exactly 25 Black-tailed Godwits that dropped in, and numerous singing Reed Warblers, plus a flock of 15-20 juvenile Blue Tits. (AH)

Black-tailed Godwits (above), Teal, Shoveler & juvenile Blue Tit around North Wall (AH)

Saturday, 4th June: A return to summer after a cold week, with almost no breeze and a bit of hazy sunshine as the day progressed....

Selsey - Northcommon farm: Surprise find of the day goes to JA who flushed a Nightjar at close range from a public footpath leading from the edge of the farm area towards Golf Links Lane/Little Spain during the early afternoon. The bird gave good views before flying off.... just shows you some late migrants are still arriving and you never quite know what will appear (JA).

Selsey Bill: Most notable this morning were 93 Common Scoter going east, but otherwise it was quiet with a couple of Fulmars west, a few Gannets east and the usual Little, Common and Sandwich Terns offshore. Also, a Whitethroat was in the gardens and c25 House Martins  were overhead with c20 Swifts. Full log below......

0600-0830hrs:   (Obs: SH/SR/AH)
Fulmar - 1E, 2W
Gannet - 54E, 6W
Little Egret - 1E
Shelduck - 7E
Common Scoter - 93E
Turnstone - 1W
Little Tern - 7os
Common Tern - 30os
Sandwich Tern - 12os

Swallow - 5p

House Martin - c.25

Whitethroat - 1 gardens
Grey Seal - 1os

1245-1445hrs:   (SH)

Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - 8E, 1W
Common Scoter - 25os
Little Tern - 7os
Common Tern - 5os
Sandwich Tern - 7os

Grey Seal still present

Ferry Pool: There were two Avocets, two Redshanks and a Shelduck on the pool, whilst around the Tramway a Nightingale was singing, along with a couple of Blackcaps, Reed Warblers, Chiffchaffs and a few Whitethroats. Also, an Orange Tip butterfly and a splendid female Broad-bodied Chaser dragonfly were present along the hedges. (AH)

Blackcap (above), Whitethroat & Broad-bodied Chaser around Tramway (AH)

Long Pool: The two families of Gadwall - a two and an eight/nine - were still prospering on the pool, and a few Reed and Sedge Warblers, Whitethroats and Reed Buntings were singing, whilst there were four Stock Doves and two Lapwings on the fields. (AH)

In addition to the above, later on, a Chiffchaff was singing by the parking, two Red-legged Partridges were on the arable field on the way down, two Tufted Ducks were on the pool along with a Great Crested Grebe and a family of Little Grebes. Also, two families of Linnets were at the end of the path, along with a male Reed Bunting and two Holly Blue butterflies. (BI)

Reed Warbler (above) & Red-legged Partridge along Long Pool (BI)

Gadwall (above), Stock Dove & Coot chasing Tufted Duck along Long Pool (AH)

Church Norton: There were up to ten Little and Common Terns around the island, and up to half a dozen Sandwich Terns also present this morning, though waders comprised of c30 Ringed Plovers with a few Dunlin among them, a dozen Turnstones and a single roosting Whimbrel. 

A family of Shelduck with twelve young were off the end of the Long Pool and two Great Crested Grebes were in the harbour (plus four offshore), whilst on land a pair of Grey Herons were with a newly fledged youngster on the concrete wall, a Cuckoo was calling nearby, and a couple of Chiffchaffs, a few Whitethroats and a Skylark were along the west side, where the Thrift is coming nicely into flower. (AH)
A Hobby was again over the Park farm area and up to 6 Lapwing have taken up residence in the red lettuce field. Also 10+ Little and 20+ Common Terns were in the harbour later on and offshore, whilst 3 adult and 2 fawn Roe Deer were in the 'horse field.'  A pair of Mute Swans with five cygnets is on the first Severals. (SH)

Ringed Plover and Dunlin (above), Sandwich Tern, Shelduck family, Grey Heron family and Thrift at Church Norton (AH)

Mute Swan with cygnets on Severals & hind Roe Deer and fawns in horse field, Church Norton (SH)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - The Little Owl was briefly in its favoured site this evening, and in the area there were a scattering of Yellowhammers, Linnets, Goldfinches, Skylarks and Whitethroats, plus the first Painted Lady butterfly of the summer. (AH)

Yellowhammer (above), Goldfinch & Painted Lady at Medmerry (AH)