29th - 31st May 2017

Wednesday, 31st May: Mainly cloudy and humid at first, clearing to give warm sunny spells through the day, though with a fresh S/SW breeze keeping temperatures down along the coast......

Selsey Bill: Fairly mundane again, apart from 130+ Common Scoter, with no skuas of any species reported, as the Pom King challenge closes for another spring with the same Pom King as last year - well done John Faithfull.  Full log below.....
0630-1030hrs:  (C&ME/SR)
Fulmar - 2W
Gannet - 27E, 3W
Little Egret - 2E
Eider - 1os 
Common Scoter - 134E
Turnstone - 5ob
Oystercatcher - 8E
Common Tern - 12W, 20os
Sandwich Tern - 47os
Black-headed Gull - 28os
Herring Gull - 320os
Swallow - 1p

Ferry Pool: There was little to be seen on the pool late morning; a pair of Shelduck with young and four Redshank plus two chicks, whilst a Cetti's Warbler was singing along the edge. (C&ME)

At 3.10pm there were 72 Black-tailed Godwits, rising to 83 by 5.00pm, when there were also two Redshank present.(MD)

Church Norton: Highlight this afternoon was a Peregrine pursuing and catching a Sandwich Tern then joined by a second bird as it settled down to eat it. Also about were a Cuckoo and 3+ Mediterranean Gulls, but no waders apart from a few Oystercatchers.

Along the west side there was a  Greenshank, a Curlew and two Lapwings, with a handful of Redshanks, and ten Tufted Ducks were on the Long Pool. (MD)

Long Pool: There was a Kingfisher sitting out along the far hedge of the pool this morning, and several Reed and Sedge Warblers were showing in the reeds. (AH)

Kingfisher (above), Reed Warbler & Sedge Warbler along Long Pool (AH)

Chi GPs - Drayton Pits: A breeding season visit this morning to check out what species were about. Two pairs of Mute Swans had young (7 & 6 respectively), and 20 Canada Geese were present, of which one pair had goslings. Other waterfowl included 9 Pochard (of which 7 were drakes),  8 Gadwall (4 pairs), 30+ Tufted Duck, a Great Crested Grebe, 8 Little Grebes, and at least 10 pairs of Coot with young. Other species recorded included  a Water Rail, a Kestrel, 2 Buzzards, 2 Chiffchaffs, 7 singing Reed Buntings, 10 singing Reed Warblers, 3 singing Cetti's Warblers, 2 pairs of Long-tailed Tits, 2 Blackcaps and 4 Whitethroats. Also several (presumed) Southern Marsh-orchids. (OM)

Drayton GPs - Canada Geese with goslings, Mute Swans with cygnets, drake Pochard, Southern Marsh-orchids and the Pits in bloom (OM)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Around the Stilt Pool there were 27 Avocet hicks (plus two more on the reserve), 31 Black-tailed Godwits, three Little Ringed Plovers, and a summer-plumaged Grey Plover, with two Reed Warblers, a Chiffchaff and two Buzzards seen from the banks.

There were also two Brown Hares, a Roe Deer with a small fawn and the first Six-spotted Burnet moth of the year. (S&SaH)

Common Blue (above), Six-spotted Burnet & Black-tailed Skimmer at Medmerry (AH)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - This evening a Grey Wagtail and six Pied Wagtails were on the settling tanks, c200 House Martins, c100 Swallows and c30 Swifts were overhead, and two Lapwings were active over one of the uncropped fields. Also, several Yellowhammers were on the wires along Ham Lane, and a Small Copper was on the track. (AH)

Yellowhammer (above), Grey Wagtail, House Martin & Small Copper at Porthole Farm (AH)

 Tuesday, 30th May: A fairly cool and grey start to the day, though brightening slowly, with a blustery south-westerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: Similar to yesterday, with a few Gannets, Common and Sandwich Terns and Common Scoter moving about, but not too much else. Full log below....
(0630-1030hrs) (C&ME/AH/OM et al)
Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - 32E, 12W
Common Scoter - 24E
Eider - 1os
Oystercatcher - 5E
Kittiwake - 2E, 19W
Common Tern - 4W, 7os
Sandwich Tern - 33os
Razorbill - 1W
auk sp - 1E

Ferry Pool: A male Stonechat at the back was an unseasonable surprise, though the pair of Shelducks with four new ducklings was less so, if still welcome. Also about were 40 Black-tailed Godwits, two Shelduck, two Lapwing, another dozen Shelducks and the regular Cetti's Warbler, Reed Warbler and Whitethroat.
There appeared to be only one Tawny Owlet in the box this morning, whilst the box next door was being prospected by Stock Doves. (AH/KJ et al)

Shelduck family (above). Black-tailed Godwits, Stock Dove & Whitethroat around Ferry (AH)

There was a Bullfinch at Ferry Corner this morning. (AW)

Bullfinch at Ferry Corner (AW)

Church Norton: A Bar-tailed Godwit was in the harbour this morning and at least eight Mediterranean Gulls were loitering around the island, where there was still plenty of Little, Common and Sandwich Tern activity.
A Lesser Whitethroat was calling along the path to the beach, a few Linnets, Skylarks and Swallows were about, too, but there was little in the way of bird-song. (AH/KJ et al)
Also, at 10.45am, a Red Kite went distantly west over the Severals. mobbed by corvids. (KJ)
Later there was a Peregrine in the harbour and 2 Buzzards over Priory copse, plus a Cinnabar Moth on Norton Spit. (SH)

Little Terns (above), Little Tern, Mediterranean Gull and Sandwich Terns, Mediterranean Gull & Skylark at Church Norton (AH)

Cinnabar Moth on Norton Spit (SH)

Pagham Harbour, West side: A Hobby was present at mid-day and has been in the area on & off for the past three days. (A.Wilkes) It was also seen high over the Ferry and Long Pool area early afternoon. (OM)

Hobby in fields along the west side today (A. Wilkes)

Medmerry: Breach Viewpoint - Fairly quiet, but there were a few waders present, consisting of 34 Dunlin, 23 Grey Plover, 3 Turnstones and 4 Oystercatchers, whilst 35 Great Black-backed Gulls were roosting on the mudflats. A Corn Bunting was singing on the rough ground at Toe End, where at least one pair of Meadow Pipits appears to be nesting. (OM)

Bank Holiday Monday, 29th May: Generally cloudy and humid, with heavy showers and some brighter periods......

Selsey Bill: A fairly typical end of season showing with a few late Common Scoter drifting through, but also a lingering Great Northern Diver.... Full log below:

0600-1030hrs:  (SH/AH/CRJ/IP/SR)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Fulmar - 3E, 1W

Gannet - 37E, 8W

Eider - 1os

Common Scoter - 275E

Sanderling - 10E

Common Tern - 12os

Sandwich Tern - 30os

Little Tern - 3E

Kittiwake - 6E, 1W

Also 2 Swifts, 6 House Martins and 3 Swallows present/area

Ferry Pool: There were 42 Black-tailed Godwits, two Lapwing, two Redshank and four Shelduck on the pool, and the Reed Warbler continued to show well at the front. (AH)

Reed Warbler (above) & Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Lapwing was still active on the lettuce fields, a few Swifts Swallows and House Martins were about, plus a Skylark, a couple of Whitethroats and a few Linnets. (AH/IP)

Linnet (above) & Whitethroat at Park Farm, Selsey (AH)

Church Norton: There were still plenty of active Little, Common and Sandwich Terns, a pair of Mediterranean Gulls dropped into the island, though a Curlew and a Redshank, plus a few Ringed Plovers were the only waders about.

A few Linnets and a couple of Skylarks were along the beach, a couple of Reed Buntings were on the Severals, but warbler song was very subdued, though Reed and Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat and Chiffchaff were all present, plus several Cetti's Warblers. (AH/IP)

Little Tern (above), Common Tern, Sandwich Tern, Skylark & Reed Bunting at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry, Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool: Rather quiet in the drizzle this morning although there was a calling Chiffchaff near the Poplars and a few Yellowhammers, a Reed Bunting and a pair of Whitethroats along the banks and bushes. There were also Reed Warblers present at Easton Lane, Marsh Barn and either side of the Stilt Pool. Best birds were probably two Grey Partridges in the field near the second sluice. Unsurprisingly few butterflies but there were still a couple of Common Blues on the wing near Easton viewpoint. (BI)