23rd - 25th May 2019

Saturday, 25th May: A mix of sunshine and cloud after a grey start, with a moderate westerly breeze picking up during the morning............

Selsey Bill: There were one or two bits moving - including two Manx Shearwaters, four Eider and a few Common Scoters going east, and a pretty confident count of the Bottle-nosed Dolphins, moving slowly east offshore again, suggested 10 adults and two youngsters. Full log below.

(0515-1115hrs):  (BI/SH/IP/AH/OM)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Great Crested Grebe - 1W

Manx Shearwater - 2E

Fulmar - 2E, 3W

Gannet - 48E, 18W

Shelduck - 1p

Common Scoter - 14E

Eider - 4E

Turnstone - 1E
Little Tern - 3os

Sandwich Tern - 38E, 26os

Common Tern - 1W, 3os
Kittiwake - 1W

Swift - 2 p

Swallow - 2N, 4p

House Martin - 15p

Razorbill - 1E

auk sp - 1E

Bottle-nosed Dolphin - 12E

Grey seal - 2os

Common Scoters (above), Sandwich Tern, Common Tern & Bottle-nosed Dolphins at the Bill (AH)

(1500-1600hrs) (SH/SR/BJ)
Great Northern Diver - 1W
Fulmar - 1W
Gannet  - 2E, 7W
Common Scoter -5E
Arctic Skua - 2os (l/p)
Kittiwake - 3W
Sandwich Tern - 12os
Common Tern - 4os

North Selsey: A Reed Warbler - presumably newly arrived - was singing from the hedges in Manor Lane. (SH)

Ferry Pool: The only birds present this morning were four Redshanks, six Black-tailed Godwits and four Lapwings (though none of the youngsters) present, along with a Gadwall and 25 adult and five young Shelducks. 

A further dozen Gadwall and a handful of Shelducks and Black-tailed Godwits were in the channel opposite, with Lesser Whitethroat and Blackcap singing nearby. (AH)

Shelduck-lings (above) & Gadwall around the Ferry(AH)

Church Norton: There were c80 Ringed Plovers and c40 Dunlin out on the mud near the old harbour mouth, with a Sanderling and a Turnstone among them, and a handful of Bar-tailed Godwits were more widely spread. 

Up to 25 Little Terns, double that of Sandwich Terns and a handful of Common Terns were around the islands, but there wasn't much else in the harbour, whilst a Cuckoo was calling from the edge of Priory Wood and a Blackcap was singing around the Mound. (AH/IP)

Cuckoo (above), Sandwich Tern & Ringed Plovers and Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)

This evening there were eight Turnstones among the Ringed Plovers and Dunlin, whilst there was a steady stream of Little and Sandwich Terns going in and out of the harbour to feed. (AH)

Little Tern (above), Common Tern, Dunlin, Ringed Plover and Turnstone & Dunlin, Ringed Plovers and Turnstones at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Ham to the Stilt Pools - The Stilt Pools remained quiet today with just five Little Ringed Plovers and six Avocets present; Avocet numbers are notably down this year. The banks held the usual suspects of Yellowhammers and Skylarks, there were three Kestrels at the Poplars, a Cuckoo here as well and another Cuckoo at Ham. Whitethroats were the most numerous warbler and most of the pools and ditches also held Reed Warblers (and Marsh Frogs!) whilst there were Sedge Warblers at Easton Lane and at the seaward reed bed. Four Hares were spotted and, whilst butterflies were scarce, but there were just a few Common Blues on the wing near Marsh Barn. (BI)

Hare, Common Blue and Marsh Frog chorus at Medmerry (BI)

Friday, 24th May: A bright, dry and sunny start with a light to moderate south-westerly breeze and cloud increasing by early afternoon.......

Selsey Bill: The clear highlight was a party of five Balearic Shearwaters that flew in from the east and headed west, before apparently landing on the sea just beyond the 'mile basket' line and being lost to view. An Arctic Skua and 50+ Common Scoter also passed east, but it was otherwise pretty slow going, though the pod of c10 Bottle-nosed Dolphins were around again
0630-1030hrs:  (C&ME/IP/AH/PB/BI)
Fulmar - 1E, 14W
Balearic Shearwater - 5W then os (see above)
Gannet - 63E, 8W
Common Scoter - 55E
Dunlin - 7E
Razorbill - 1E, 2W
auk sp - 10E
Little Tern - 2os
Common Tern - 4os
Commic Tern - 22os
Sandwich Tern - 52E
Arctic Skua - 1E (d/p)
House Martin - c20p
Swallow - 4p

House Martins at the Bill (AH)

(1630-1730hrs) (SH)

Manx Shearwater - 10E

Gannet - 12E

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 22os

Common Tern - 2os

auk sp - 1E

The pod of Bottle-nosed Dolphins were offshore again this evening. (AW)

North Wall: It was very slow and predictable along the Wall this morning. A Cuckoo was calling close to Welbourne stables and 2 Green Woodpeckers were sharing a fence post in the horse field; otherwise all the usual characters were present along the Wall, including Sedge Warblers which were feeding young and Reed Buntings which were nest building. (JDW)

Ferry Pool: It was very quiet again this morning, with just a Little ringed Plover, the Lapwing (presumably brooding her youngsters), four Redshanks, a couple of Black-tailed Godwits and 28 Shelducks on the pool. (AH/PB)

Little Ringed Plover on the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: There was nothing unusual this morning, though there were three singing Lesser Whitethroats along the bushes, with at least five Sedge Warblers and possibly double that of Reed Warblers present, along with a couple of Whitethroats and Reed Buntings and up to ten Linnets.

Ferry Channel just held a pair of Tufted Ducks, the pair of Wigeon, four Gadwall and a couple of Redshank. (AH)

Lesser Whitethroat (above), Sedge Warbler & Tufted Ducks around the Long Pool (AH)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - A pair of Grey Partridges flew out of one of the arable fields this evening, and there were also a dozen Yellowhammers and half a dozen Linnets and Whitethroats present.

At least 100 House Martins were over the settling tanks, but just a handful of Swallows were with them, and there were also a few Mediterranean Gulls about. (AH)

Yellowhammer (above) & Mediterranean Gull at Medmerry (AH)

Thursday, 23rd May: Another lovely sunny morning, with just a modest south-easterly breeze........

Selsey Bill: We've reached the point where it begins to feel like migration is all over and the summer is upon us.....but not yet! There's still time for a bit of late movement or perhaps a nice overshoot or two, so it's still worth the effort for the next few weeks. However, this morning was not one of the highlights and the only notable species on the move were Common Scoters - 180, and Sandwich Terns - 60+, along with a few Sanderlings and a couple of Fulmars. Full log below.....
(0630-1130hrs)  (C&ME/AH/IP/OM) 
Fulmar - 2W
Gannet - 39E
Mute Swan - 3 os drifted E (having arrived from the west and circled around awhile)
Common Scoter - 180E
Sanderling - 12E
Guillemot - 1E
auk sp - 3E
Common Tern - 5E
Commic Tern - 18 os
Sandwich Tern - 64E
Swift  - 6  area
Swallow - 4N, 5p
Whitethroat - 2 gardens 

(1640-1800hrs)
Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - 15E, 10W
Kittiwake - 3W
Sandwich Tern - 23os
Common Tern - 4os
Swallow - 1N

Fulmar (above), Sandwich Tern & Common Tern at the Bill (AH)

 Mute Swans - actually quite scarce at the Bill - circling around before landing on the sea (OM)

Ferry Pool: There was nothing new on here, though there were two Little Ringed Plovers, the Lapwing parents getting upset with the local Kestrel, an Avocet, four Redshank, 25 Black-tailed Godwits and a Shelduck family.

The usual mix of Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, Whitethroats and a Lesser Whitethroat were around the Discovery Area. (AH)

Little Ringed Plover (above), Redshank, Black-tailed Godwits, Chiffchaff & Kestrel at the Ferry (AH)

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: The pair of Barn Owls were seen hunting and carrying food this evening. (SA)

Church Norton: There were up to 20 Knot, half a dozen Bar-tailed Godwits and a few Dunlin and Ringed Plovers in the harbour, along with pairs of Gadwall and Canada Geese, whilst there was a lot of activity again around the islands.
Passerines were limited to one or two Whitethroats, Reed Buntings, Linnets and Skylarks. (AH/IP)

Little Tern (above), Whitethroat, Reed Bunting & gulls and terns over Tern Island at Church Norton (AH)

This evening there were two Sanderlings in the harbour among c60 Ringed Plovers and 40 Dunlin, whilst there were also eight Bar-tailed Godwits present and a few Little and Common Terns among the Sandwich Terns. (AH), 

Sanderling (above), Bar-tailed Godwit & Little Tern at Church Norton (AH)