28th - 30th June 2017

Friday, 30th June: Another still morning, but really quite warm when the sun came out....with literally just a few spots of rain from some angry-looking clouds....

Selsey Bill: Predictably quiet, given the time of year, but still a selection of species, including a couple of skuas, a Fulmar, a few Common Scoter and Gannets, along with a Little Egret and the regular Common and Sandwich Terns. Full log below.....

0730-1000hrs: (C&ME/OM/AH)
Fulmar - 1E
Gannet - 40E, 6W
Little Egret - 1ob, off E
Common Scoter - 12E, 2W
Mallard - 6W
Curlew - 2W 
Oystercatcher - 3W
Little Tern - 3os
Common Tern - 15os
Commic Tern - 21os
Sandwich Tern - 24os
Black-headed Gull - 28os
Mediterranean Gull - 4os
Arctic Skua - 1W (d/p)
Great Skua - 1W
House Martin - 6 p (local nesters)
Swift - 3os
 

Sandwich Terns (above), Little Egret & House Martin at the Bill (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: There were two Sand Martins over the northern end of Selsey this evening, and a Jay and a couple of Pied Wagtails around the farm. (S&SaH)

Ferry Pool: Just nine Black-tailed Godwits, the Shelduck family and five Redshanks on the pool early on, though visiting birders reported three Little Ringed Plovers flying off from the back later on and a Green Sandpiper in the channel opposite. Also, a couple of Reed Warblers were in the reeds at the front. (AH/OM)

Reed Warbler (above), Shelduck & Black-tailed Godwit at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were still plenty of Little, Common and Sandwich Terns, plus a dozen Mediterranean Gulls and plenty of juvenile Black-headed Gulls around the island, the Peregrine family was out on the central vegetation, along with a few Curlews and a Blackcap was singing near the car-park. (AH)

Common Terns at Church Norton (AH)

Chichester Marina: The marsh reedbed received a good deal more attention than usual this morning, from a mini-gathering of locals, but there was no sign of yesterday's Bearded Tits. Several families of Reed Warbler, two Cetti's Warblers, a Blackcap, four Reed Buntings, a Water Rail, a Sparrowhawk and a pair of Buzzards were among the species logged, plus c.10 Swallows, but perhaps the highlight came late morning as the Red Arrows performed over the Downs - albeit distantly - for the festival of Speed at Goodwood! (BI/OM/JD/DS/C&ME/SR).

 The Red Arrows in distant action as viewed from the Marina marsh (OM)

Long Pool: There were two Common Sandpipers at the end of Ferry Channel this evening, along with a family, or perhaps a 'creche,' of about a dozen young Shelducks with two adults and c30 Curlew and Redshank, but there was little to report along the pool itself beside plenty of Gatekeepers. (AH)

Common Sandpiper (above), Shelducks & Gatekeeper along Long Pool (AH)

Thursday, 29th June: Another very still and grey morning, and mainly dry and mild., with a few odd showers....

A Reminder: Our Log-keeper (JA) has once again provided the annual Selsey Bill spring sea-watch summary..... check out the highs and lows by clicking the link on the title bar..... (Eds)

Chichester Marina: At least four, and possibly up to six, Bearded Tits were present in the marsh reedbed early afternoon, including a couple of juvenile birds. Whether this is a first breeding record for the site, or possibly dispersing birds from elsewhere, is uncertain at present, but they may be briefly viewable at times from the Hide (looking towards the back of the reedbed on the right). Also a Kingfisher and a Common Tern present. (PH)

Ferry Pool: Early this morning there were a dozen Redshanks on the pool, including the two well-grown chicks, three Black-tailed Godwits and the Shelduck family.

A Blackcap and a Chiffchaff were singing in the Discovery area, but that was about it. (AH)

Redshank chick (above) & Shelducks on the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: This evening there were four Common Sandpipers at the end of Ferry Channel and there were six Knot, two Dunlin and 30 Grey Plovers in a mobile flock that flew in from across the harbour and back again. There were also 40+ Redshank and 20+ Curlew about, with a pair of Common Terns and half a dozen Swifts feeding along the channel.

There were one or two Reed and Sedge Warblers still singing, plus a Reed Bunting and a couple of Linnets and Whitethroats were along the hedges. (AH)

Common Sandpiper (above), Knot and Grey Plovers, Common Tern, Swift & Reed Bunting along Long Pool (AH)

Wednesday, 28th June: Another very grey morning, with last night's rain mostly passed and almost no breeze at all.....

We are grateful to our Log-keeper (JA) for once again providing the annual Selsey Bill spring sea-watch summary. As ever, there were some highs and lows; this year's report can now be found by clicking the link on the title bar..... (Eds)

Ferry Pool/Tramway area: A Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper were at the back, along with a dozen Redshank this morning, and there were also three Black-tailed Godwits and the well-grown family of four young Shelducks present

Around the Tramway circuit there were three singing Blackcaps, two singing Chiffchaffs and at least four families of Whitethroats, and in Red Barn Ditch there were two families of Reed Warblers. Two Common Terns were feeding in the channel off the Tramway, and there were half a dozen Black-tailed Godwits and Redshank, plus a couple of Curlews in Ferry Channel. (AH)

Green and Common Sandpipers (above), juvenile Shelduck, Black-tailed Godwit, Blackcap, Reed Warbler & Whitethroat around the Ferry (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Marsh Barn - Along the banks there were at least five Whitethroat families, plus a Reed Bunting and half a dozen Yellowhammers, Linnets and Skylarks. Also, a couple of Reed Warblers were in the ditches and three Stock Doves were on the Barn. (AH)

Yellowhammer (above), Whitethroat & Stock Doves at Medmerry (AH)

Selsey, East Beach: The juvenile drake Eider was resting on the groynes along with his partner this morning, (so earning themselves a place in the breeding bird survey!), whilst two Curlews flew west and six Sandwich Terns were offshore. It was quiet at the pond as the pair of Mute Swans have lost their three cygnets, and all I could find was a Grey Heron, a Moorhen with two juveniles, a handful of Mallards  - and the usual Muscovy Duck!  (SR)


Pagham Spit/Lagoon: A Grey Heron flew into the harbour from the Lagoon with a well-grown juvenile Coot, which it drowned and spent a considerable time trying to eat it - so long that I had to leave before it had succeeded!
Also, nine Black-tailed Godwits flew east offshore, a juvenile Peregrine was stretching its wings on the island and there were at least four families of Great Crested Grebes on the Lagoon. (AB)