1st - 3rd July 2018

Tuesday, 3rd July: A mix of warm sun and light cloud, though with a very fresh  and blustery easterly breeze blowing.....

Selsey Bill: (0745-0930hrs) (AH/DF)
Gannet - 15E, 5W
Common Scoter - 2E
Sandwich Tern - 20E, 5os
Common Tern - 4E, 4os
Swift - 2os

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

North Wall/East side: A Ruddy Shelduck was out on the mud along the east side mid-morning, whilst the first Yellow-legged Gull (adult) of the summer was nearby on the mudflats, accompanied by a 2nd c/y bird which was almost certainly of that species. (OM/BFF/BI)
On the Breech Pool were 16 Black-tailed Godwits, a Spotted Redshank in moulting summer-plumage and 8 Teal, whilst in White's creek were a single Avocet, two Knot and 15 more Black-tailed Godwits, plus 15 Curlew and a Whimbrel further out in the harbour. On the Salthouse sluice a family of Swallows were being fed by the adults, with a single juvenile Sand Martin amongst them, presumably hoping for freebies! (OM/BFF)

 Ruddy Shelduck, juvenile Sand Martin, and juvenile Swallow and Sand Martin (OM)

This afternoon the Ruddy Shelduck was still in the harbour with 20+ Shelducks on the rising tide, whilst a Greenshank and 30+ Black-tailed Godwits were on the Breech Pool and at least a dozen young Swallows were in the trees along the east side. (AH)

Ruddy Shelduck (above), Greenshank & Swallow around the North Wall (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were nine Avocets on the pool, including five juveniles, but the one brooding on the little island seems to have given up, with 30 Lapwings having taken up residence! Otherwise there were two Little Ringed Plovers and a Common Sandpiper, 12 Black-tailed Godwits and a few Redshanks present, plus a dozen Teal and a Stock Dove. (AH/OM/BFF)

Avocets (above) & Lapwings on the Ferry (AH)

Chichester Harbour: An Osprey was reported as sat out on a marker in the channel south of Pilsey Island at lunchtime today. (per PH)

Long Pool: A Greenshank flew out of Ferry Channel, where there were c50 Redshank and a few Curlews, but not much else, whilst along the path there were three or four Reed Buntings and a couple of Linnets and Whitethroats, but a lot less Reed and Sedge Warbler song. Also, a lone Sand Martin went over. (AH)

Greenshank (above), Reed Bunting & Whitethroat along Long Pool (AH)

Church Norton: Two Greenshanks were out in the creeks in the harbour this morning, with a couple of Grey Plovers and a few Curlews and Mediterranean Gulls also about, but there was not much else to report beyond at least 50 Sandwich Terns on the mud near the still busy island, and a Blackcap singing near the Mound. (AH/DF)
Later, the two Greenshanks were still present with a Bar-tailed Godwit, and nearby were a Whimbrel and several Curlews. There were 120+ Sandwich Terns spread between the island and the mud, plus several Little Terns fishing, but we didn't even try to count the juvenile Black-headed Gulls which seemed to be everywhere! (OM/BFF)


Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Along the banks there were several Reed Warblers singing, 20+ Mediterranean Gulls on the fields and 50+ Swallows, 10+ Sand Martins, a Swift, a Sparrowhawk and the Buzzards overhead.
Around the Stilt Pool there were a Spotted Redshank, four Little Ringed Plovers and 14 Avocets, with two chicks with them, along with 20+ Redshanks, 30+ Black-tailed Godwits, three Turnstones and two Common Terns. (S&SaH)

Monday, 2nd July: Another very warm morning, but the fresh easterly breeze and blue skies meant it was a bit less humid.....

For interest, after a slow start this year, the Peninsula species count had risen to 200 by the end of June....so as we start the second half of the year, are we perhaps on track for a record total? Time will tell..... (with thanks to IP).  (Eds) 

Ferry Pool: There was nothing too unusual on the pool, though there were still four Avocets, 24 Black-tailed Godwits, ten Redshanks and c50 Lapwing present, plus a dozen Teal and a Grey Heron, whilst the Reed Warbler in the roadside reeds was singing well. (AH)

Reed Warbler (above) & Black-tailed Godwit and Lapwings on the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: There was a totally unexpected flock of seven Pale-bellied Brent Geese at the far end of Ferry Channel this morning - and where on earth have they come from at this time of year? (They were apparently present on Saturday 30th June, plus a Dark-bellied Brent Goose. (CM) )

Otherwise, along the channel there were a Greenshank,  four Whimbrel, a dozen Curlews and c50 Redshank, plus a new family of Shelducks, whilst along the Long Pool there were still singing Reed and Sedge Warblers, plus a few Linnets, and a couple of Teal were on the water. (AH)

Pale-bellied Brent Geese (above), Greenshank, Shelduck family & Sedge Warbler from Long Pool (AH)

Church Norton: There were c75 Sandwich Terns, plus a few Little and Common Terns and at least 100 newly-fledged juvenile Black-headed Gulls out on the mud near Tern Island, with plenty of terns still coming and going over the spit. Also, there were nine Turnstones and three Grey Plover present, but very few small birds were about beyond a few Linnets and a dozen Skylarks along the spit. (AH)

Little Terns (above), Common Tern, Sandwich Terns (inc a juvenile) & Turnstones at Church Norton (AH)

Sunday, 1st July: The morning started bright and sunny, but high cloud filled in later on, leaving a very hot and humid day, alleviated slightly by a moderate sea-breeze....

Selsey Bill: (07615-0715hrs) (SH)

Gannet - 16E, 1W

Eider - 1os

Common Scoter - 6W

Sandwich Tern - 16os

Little Tern - 1os

Common Tern - 5os

Swift - 1p

Swallow - 2p

This afternoon there were four Bottle-nosed Dolphins out near the green buoy, seen from a fishing boat. (NH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Sparrowhawk, a Buzzard and a handful of Swifts, Swallows and House Martins were over the farm, but not much beyond a couple of Linnets and a Mediterranean Gull on the ground. (S&SaH/AH/IP)

Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls at Park Farm, Selsey (AH)

Ferry Pool: A Spotted Redshank and three Little Ringed Plovers were on the pool this morning, along with four Avocets, 25 Black-tailed Godwits, 20 Redshank, 40 Lapwing and a dozen Teal, a Stock Dove was in the field and a Buzzard and a Little Egret went over. (SH/AH/IP)

Spotted Redshank (above), Spotted Redshank and Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit, Teal, Stock Dove & Little Egret at the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: There were at least three Reed Buntings, six Linnets and a family of Whitethroats along the hedges, with several Reed and Sedge Warblers still in song, but not much beyond 30+ Redshank in Ferry Channel and a few Curlew, plus at least one Whimbrel, out in the harbour. Also, there were lots of Gatekeepers and Small Skippers, plus a few Commas along the hedges.(AH/IP)

Whitethroats (above), Linnet, Small Skipper & Comma along Long Pool (AH)

Church Norton: Early on, the Osprey was again over the north of the harbour, before drifting off north-west, whilst a family of Chiffchaffs were in the Severals. (S&SaH)

Later on there were several Reed Buntings along the Severals, one Tufted duckling on the second Several, a dozen or more Swifts over, a couple of Turnstones and a few Curlew in the harbour and plenty of activity around Tern Island. (AH/IP)

Reed Bunting at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There appeared to be a dispersal of Reed Warblers from the ditches and ponds today with many around Marsh Barn and the Earnley track but otherwise it was pretty quiet in the heat with just a few Yellowhammers, Linnets & Reed Buntings along the banks and the flock of Starlings feeding along the path. 

The Stilt Pool held two Little Ringed Plovers c.35 Black-tailed Godwits and a few Black-headed Gulls including a juvenile. Still plenty of Meadow Browns about but more Small Skippers than of late, along with a few Essex Skippers, and good numbers of Gatekeepers feeding on the brambles. (BI)

Black-headed Gulls on the Stilt Pool (above) & Essex Skipper at Medmerry (BI)