19th - 21st June 2016

Tuesday, 21st June: Summer returned this morning after a grey start, with some bright spells and a westerly breeze....

Ferry Pool: The Cattle Egret was still present among the cows, whilst on the pool there were just two Redshank, a Lapwing and ten Shelducks. (AH)

Cattle Egret (above) & Lapwing at the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: The mother and nine juvenile Gadwall, the Great Crested Grebe family and a juvenile Little Grebe were all on the pool this morning, and a few Reed Warblers and a Sedge Warbler were singing sparingly early on. There were between 40 and 50 Redshank, plus four Lapwings in Ferry Channel, and 16 Stock Doves were in the fields. (AH)

Redshank over (above) & Gadwall on the Long Pool (AH)

Medmerry: Ham Farm to Chainbridge - There were probably four different Corn Buntings along the banks, and numerous Skylarks throughout the area. A few Whitethroats were along the banks and Reed Warblers in the ditches, plus half a dozen Swifts over, but the reserve area was quiet, with just a few Avocets evident and a couple of Sandwich Terns towards the breach. (AH)

Corn Bunting (above), Whitethroat & Sandwich Tern at Medmerry (AH)

Oakhurst Farm - There were two freshly fledged families of Swallows on the wires by the barns, and a few Yellowhammers were along Ham Road. (AH)

Swallows at Medmerry (AH)

Lockgate Road, Sidlesham: A look along one of the footpaths behind the greenhouses produced a huge flock - 500+ - of Starlings, along with a couple of Yellowhammers and a few Skylarks and Pied Wagtails among the piles of horticultural spoil. (AH)

Skylark (above) & Starlings in Sidlesham (AH)

Church Norton: Early this evening at least 12 Little Terns were being very busy around Tern Island, with a few Common Terns among them.
On the second Several the Tufted Duckling count went up to 12, whilst the five Mute Swan cygnets were doing well and there were three Little Grebe chicks, too. Also, the Cuckoo was calling from Norton Priory. (S&SaH)

Monday, 20th June: A miserable wet morning with heavy rain and a strong SW wind..... feeling autumnal despite the summer solstice and the longest day being imminent!

Selsey Bill: Nothing much moving, but what there was was fairly close in, including a Kittiwake and a couple of Fulmars. Full log below. (AH)

(0700-0830hrs)

Fulmar - 2W

Gannet - 19W

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 6W

Little Tern - 4W

Common Tern - 22W

Fulmar (above), Kittiwake, Gannet, Little Tern & Common Tern at the Bill (AH)

(1630-1750) (SH)

Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - 4E, 4W

Kestrel - 1p

Arctic Skua  - 1E (d/p), 1os chasing terns (l/p)

Kittiwake - 1W
Common Tern  - 16os
Sandwich Tern - 14os
Little Tern - 3W (including one carrying small fish - are they breeding on Medmerry?)

Ferry Pool: Unsurprisingly, there was no sign of the Cattle Egret among the cows sheltering by the roadside, whilst on the pool there was a Teal, two Redshank and 16 Shelduck. (AH)
The Cattle Egret re-appeared early afternoon with an improvement in the weather. (PH/BI)

Cattle Egret on the Ferry (BI)

Teal (above) & Redshank on the Ferry (AH)

Medmerry: Breach Viewpoint - Around the breach this afternoon there were one Little Tern, one Sandwich Tern, a handful of Grey Plover, Ringed Plover and a few Knot, one Curlew and plenty of singing Skylarks and Meadow Pipits about plus four Swallows. (SR)

Church Norton: A quick look in the harbour produced 15 Curlew, five Ringed Plovers and a few Little and Common Terns around the island, plus a pair of Teal in the creek by the horse field. Surprisingly, given the conditions, Cuckoo, Cetti's Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Song Thrush were all vocal on occasions. (AH)

Curlew (above) & Great Tits at Church Norton (AH)

Sunday, 19th June: A fairly pleasant summer's morning, though the westerly breeze picked up markedly as the day progressed....

Ferry Pool: Yesterday's reported Cattle Egret was there again this morning, showing well along the water's edge on the pool and, more typically, in among the cattle herd.

There were seven Black-tailed Godwits and 14 Shelduck later on as the tide rose, and a few Whitethroats Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs were around the Tramway/Visitor Centre area and the Cetti's Warbler was calling again by the pull-in. (SH/AH/IP/SR)

Cattle Egret (above) & juvenile Whitethroat at the Ferry (SH)

The Cattle Egret was still present until 6.20pm, when it flew off over the Tramway towards the North Wall (presumably to roost.) Also about 50 Swallows were feeding over the cattle. (AH)

Cattle Egret at the Ferry (AH)

Selsey Bill: A light-phase Arctic Skua, which flew in from the west and chased the terns near the Mile Basket, before settling on the sea was the highlight, with the rest the pretty standard fare of Gannets, Common and Sandwich Terns, plus a couple of Fulmars going east and west, though six Common Scoter went through east. Full log below.....

(0700-0900hrs) (Obs: SH/AH/SR)

Fulmar - 1E, 1W

Gannet - 5E, 17W

Common Scoter - 6E
Whimbrel - 1W
Curlew - 1W

Arctic Skua - 1os (l/p)
Sandwich Tern - 26os
Common Tern - 9os

auk sp - 1W
Swift - 2p

House Martin - 10p

Sandwich Tern (above) & Gannet at the Bill (AH)

(1600-1715hrs) (SH/SR)

Gannet - 14E, 18W

Arctic Skua - 1os (d/p)

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Common Tern - 17os
Sandwich Tern - 19os
Little Tern - 4os

Church Norton: A Tufted Duck with up to ten young ducklings was on the second Several, and there was still plenty of activity around Tern Island (including Common Terns carrying food), with a big mixed flock of Little and Common Terns, plus Black-headed Gulls feeding near the harbour mouth, and a few Curlew and a Whimbrel on the mud as the tide rose. (IP/AH/S&SaH)

Long Pool/West side: The mother Gadwall still had all nine ducklings with her this morning, and there were Great Crested Grebe and Coots families present, too, on the pool, plus the usual selection of warblers.

In Ferry Channel there were a pair of Teal, seven Avocets, 20+ Redshank, ten Curlews and a family of at least 20 baby Shelducks, whilst a couple of Common Terns were feeding along the creeks on the rising tide.

The West side was pretty quiet save a few Whitethroats, Linnets and the odd Reed Bunting. (AH)

Common Tern (above), Avocets, Shelduck-lings, Great Crested Grebes and Gadwall from Long Pool (AH)

Drayton Pits: There were plenty of Swifts & House Martins over the water, a pair of Pochards, a Mute Swan family, a Little Grebe and several Canada Geese on the water., and in the reeds, there were several Reed Warblers and a Cetti's Warbler. Also, six Marbled Whites, a Small Skipper and a Cinnabar Moth were along the wild flower banks. (BI)

Reed Warbler (above) & Marbled White at Drayton Pit (BI)