16th - 18th June 2018

Monday, 18th June: A slowly improving morning, with a little sun and white cloud, after a very breezy, chilly grey and drizzly start......

The Selsey Bill Spring 2018 summary, compiled by our esteemed Log-keeper Justin Atkinson, is now available and gives details of what was a notably variable spring. Click the link on the title bar to get full details.......(Eds)

Selsey Bill: Again nothing was moving beyond the local terns and a few Gannets, plus the pair of Mediterranean Gulls on the beach again. Full log below......  (AH/C&ME)
0700-1030hrs: (C&ME/AH)
Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - 3E, 28W
Common Scoter - 24E
Razorbill - 1W
auk sp - 2W
Little Tern - 3os
Common Tern - 8os
Sandwich Tern - 32os
Mediterranean Gull - 3ob
Pied Wagtail - 1 p

Little Tern (above), Sandwich Terns & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were 52 Black-tailed Godwits on the pool this morning, along with two Little Ringed Plovers, six Avocets, four Lapwing and the Shelduck family, with half a dozen Redshank and Lapwings in the channel opposite. (AH)

Shelduck family (above) & Black-tailed Godwits on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: Three Bar-tailed Godwits dropped into the harbour this morning, and there were also three Ringed Plovers and two Curlews on the mud, whilst there was plenty of Little, Common and Sandwich Tern activity around the island and the Great Crested Grebes were in combative mood, with a lot of fighting and displaying going on.
Also, half a dozen Linnets and Skylarks were around the start of the spit, a Whitethroat family were near the concrete wall, the Swallows were busy around the hide and both Chiffchaff and Blackcap song could be heard. (AH)

Whitethroat (above), Skylark, Linnet, Bar-tailed Godwits, Curlew, Little Tern, Common Tern & Great Crested Grebes at Church Norton (AH)

Sunday, 17th June: A mostly grey, if mild, morning, with a brisk westerly breeze blowing.....

Selsey Bill: Another quiet morning, though there were plenty of Sandwich Terns, plus a few Little and Common Terns feeding offshore. Full log below. (JA/SH/AH/IP)
(0645-0830hrs)
Gannet - 7E, 4W
Common Scoter - 6E
Mediterranean Gull - 2os
Sandwich Tern - 23os
Little Tern - 4os
Common Tern - 9os
auk sp - 1W
Swift - 11os
House Martin - 10p

(1645-1745hrs) (SH)
Manx Shearwater - 1E, 1W
Gannet - 2W
Sandwich Tern - 2os
Little Tern - 2os
Common Tern - 3os

Little Tern (above), Mediterranean Gulls & House Martin at the Bill (AH)

North Wall: An Osprey was over the harbour at c3.30pm today. (RJS/BI/IL)

Park Farm, Selsey: The Avocet was on the balancing pool on Manor Lane again and a Skylark and a few Swifts Swallows and House Martins were over the fields. (SH)

Avocet at Park Farm, Selsey (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were two Green Sandpipers at the back of the pool and there were also the two Little Ringed Plovers, six Avocets, c50 Black-tailed Godwits, a few Lapwing, the Shelduck family and six juvenile Gadwall. (AH) 
Later there were four Little Ringed Plovers present. (IP)

Little Ringed Plover (above), Green Sandpipers & Gadwall on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A Fulmar went back and forth along the beach this morning, and at least 30 Sandwich Terns, plus a few Little and Common Terns were feeding offshore, with more of all three in the harbour, along with a few Mediterranean Gulls,a couple of Curlews and Ringed Plovers and three Turnstones.

A few Whitethroats, Reed and Sedge Warblers and a Reed Bunting were along the front, but there was not too much else of note. (AH/IP/S&SaH)

Fulmar (above), Sandwich Tern and Common Tern at Church Norton (AH)

Saturday, 16th June: Mainly cloudy though still fairly warm, with occasional glimpses of the sun breaking through and a moderate south-westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: A quiet morning with just 25 Common Scoter passing through and a few terns offshore.  Full log below....
0645-0800hrs:  (SH/AH)
Gannet - 2E, 9W
Common Scoter - 25E
Little Tern - 1os
Common Tern - 7os
Sandwich Tern - 15os
Mediterranean Gull - 1os

Sandwich Tern (above) & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Highlight of the day by a distance was a Cory's Shearwater seen heading east 4.15pm, and there were also 21 Manx Shearwaters going east, including a flock of 15. Full log below. (JA/SH)
(1530-1730hrs)

Cory's Shearwater - 1E (1615hrs)
Manx Shearwater - 21E, 1W
Fulmar - 1E, 1W
Gannet - 20E, 3W
Common Scoter - 7E
Mediterranean Gul - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 12os
Guillemot - 4W
auk sp - 1e, 2W
Swift - 1os

Park Farm, Selsey: The Avocet was on the balancing pool again. (SH)

Ferry Pool/Long Pool: The Spotted Redshank was on the pool early this morning, but had again gone by mid-morning, and there were also a Green Sandpiper, two Little Ringed Plovers, five Avocets, 26 Black-tailed Godwits and the Shelduck family, plus a few Redshank and Lapwing present, with c100 Swifts and several hundred hirundines feeding over hte sewage works in the distance.

The Tramway circuit produced the usual selection of Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Whitethroats, Linnets and a couple of singing Reed Warblers, with three Curlews, a few Black-tailed Godwits, Redshank and Shelducks in the harbour.

The Long Pool was quiet save a few Reed and Sedge Warblers and Ferry Channel held 25 Redshank and a few Shelduck. (AH)

Spotted Redshank (above) & Green Sandpiper on the Ferry, Sedge Warbler and Redshanks from Long Pool (AH)

Church Norton: There was plenty of activity around the island and offshore, with Little, Common and Sandwich Terns all now with chicks (per IL), but not too much else of note besides a handful of Mediterranean Gulls, two Curlews and two Ringed Plovers in the harbour, potentially two pairs of Swallows around the hide and a couple of Blackcaps singing sporadically. (AH)

Ringed Plover (above), Curlew, Swallow & Sandwich Ten at Church Norton (AH)

Fishbourne Creek: A blustery walk from Fishbourne to Dell Quay produced a vocal Reed Bunting, two each of Whitethroat and Yellowhammer and three House Sparrows, whilst in the harbour there were 169 Mute Swan, a Black Swan, a Curlew and a Great Crested Grebe, plus 55 Carrion Crows and a single adult Mediterranean Gull drifted through. (RW)

Medmerry: West side - A look from Easton Lane to Ham didn't turn much up although there were a few Swallows and Swifts overhead and the Whitethroats seem to have a had a good breeding year. The Large Skipper colony at Ham is doing well but generally butterflies were at a premium in the strong wind. From Easton Lane to Marsh Barn there were more Whitethroats, a few Linnets, a Reed Bunting or two and the Reed Warblers were still singing in the ditches. The birdscarers seem to have done for the corvid flocks in the neighbouring fields which were much reduced today. (BI)

Large Skipper at Ham (BI)