10th - 13th May 2020

Wednesday, 13th May: A cold but bright morning, with the nagging north-easterly breeze picking up again during the day.........

Info: Not Peninsula news, but please allow me to just briefly mention here a small subsidiary blog I have set up and am now editing for anyone with an interest in the birds of the Elmer, Ancton and Middleton-on-Sea (EAMoS) area. Named 'The Elmer Birder' this site is at elmerbirder.blogspot.com.............and no, I haven't given up the Peninsula!!! (OM)

Selsey Bill: Nothing was moving beyond a few Gannets, Common and Sandwich Terns offshore.
(0620-0720hrs) (NE, 3) (AH/SR)
Great Crested Grebe – 1os
Gannet – 10E, 4W
Oystercatcher – 2E, 2W
Sandwich Tern – 20os
Common Tern – 6os
This evening a Bonxie and an Arctic Skua went east, with another of the latter lingering offshore. Full log below.
(1700-1830hrs) (S&SaH)
Gannet - 18E
Bonxie - 1E
Arctic Skua - 1E, 1os
Sandwich Tern - 6E, 27os
Common Tern - 3os
auk sp - 1E, 2W

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

Ferry Pool: There were three Little Ringed Plovers and eight Avocets on the pool this morning, along with three Redshank, exactly 50 Black-tailed Godwits, six Gadwall and 30 Shelducks.
Later on, a Yellow Wagtail was along the side of the pool. (AH)

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

North Wall and East side: Two Cuckoos were calling from north of the North Wall, with another towards the spit, whilst there were plenty of singing Whitethroats, Sedge, Reed and Cetti's Warblers, along with a Lesser Whitethroat and the odd Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Reed Bunting, though most were unseen. 
Also, a Common Tern, a Swift and few Swallows briefly lingered over the Breech Pool and a couple of Cattle Egrets dropped into Owl Point.
On the falling tide there were a few waders on the mud towards the spit, including at least two Sanderling, two Greenshank, a Bar-tailed Godwit, 24 Grey Plovers and c40 Ringed Plovers and Dunlin, but beyond a couple of Curlews, most of the harbour was empty. (AH/IH et al)

Greenshanks and Bar-tailed Godwit (above), Grey Plover, Ringed and Grey Plovers, Cattle Egret, Common Tern, Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat & Reed Bunting at the North Wall (AH)

Tuesday, 12th May: After an overnight frost, a lovely morning, warming up from a chill start in the sunshine and light north-easterly breeze.........

Selsey Bill: A Hobby went over going east, but otherwise there was nothing offshore beyond a few terns and Gannets.
(0625-0725hrs) (NE, 3) 
Gannet – 4E, 1W
Sparrowhawk – 1
Hobby – 1N
Oystercatcher – 2E
Sandwich Tern – 10os
Common Tern – 1os
Little Tern – 4os

Little Tern (above) & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Common Sandpiper was again present, along with two Little Ringed Plovers, eight Avocets, a Lapwing and 48 Black-tailed Godwits, whilst wildfowl consisted of six Gadwall, 14 Mallards and c40 Shelduck.

Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: Around 40 Sandwich Terns, nine Little Terns, two Common Terns and two Mediterranean Gulls were out on the mud, but otherwise there were just two Ringed Plovers and Curlews, three Little Egrets and a drake Gadwall.
The bushes were quiet, though two Lesser Whitethroats were at the back of the Severals.

North Wall: A Song Thrush was living up to its name along Church Lane, whilst Reed Warblers were very vocal this morning and a Cuckoo was along Pagham Rife.
The only wader along White's Creek was a Common Sandpiper and the Breech Pool just held 10 Tufted Ducks, a pair of Gadwall and a pair of Canada Geese, whilst six Swifts were overhead. Also, a Roe Deer and a sleepy Fox were close to Owl Copse.

Song Thrush (above) & Fox at the North Wall (JDW)

Fishbourne Creek: A walk from Fishbourne to Dell Quay this morning was much quieter than of late with five Whitethroats and three Blackcaps in the bushes whilst the reedbeds held three Reed Warblers, two Reed Buntings and three Cetti's Warblers.
On the low tide in the harbour were three Greenshanks, two Whimbrels and two Redshanks, whilst amongst the commoner gulls were three Mediterranean and 10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls.
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Cuckoo was calling from the poplars this morning, with a male Stonechat nearby and another at the Stilt Pool, whilst along the banks and pools there were a couple of Sedge Warblers, at least ten Reed Warblers and Whitethroats, half a dozen Yellowhammers and Stock Doves, a pair of Meadow Pipits and numerous Linnets and Skylarks.
A Little Ringed Plover and a Greenshank were on the Stilt Pool, along with a dozen Avocets - with a couple looking like they were sitting and the others all in pairs, though the only other wader seen was a Whimbrel in the tidal area. Also, four, or possibly five, Egyptian Geese came up briefly off of the new reservoirs before disappearing from sight again.

Reed Warbler (above), Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat, Stonechat, Linnet, Skylark, Little Ringed Plover, Avocet & Stock Dove at Medmerry (AH)

Medmerry: Ham Farm - There are definitely two pairs of Stonechats - with two and four fledged young respectively, with a third male a little further along the bank, suggesting another brooding female nearby. (With males/pairs seen recently at the Breach, Chainbridge, Marsh Barn and the Stilt Pool, there could well be as many as seven pairs this spring.)
A Corn Bunting was singing from the bank, too, with two more birds towards the breach and a couple of Reed Buntings and Yellowhammers were in the vicinity, along with numerous Whitethroats, Linnets and Skylarks.
Also, 20+ Sandwich Terns and 10+ Common Terns were feeding off the breach and a whimbrel and half a dozen Ringed Plovers were in the tidal area.

Stonechats (above) & Corn Bunting at Medmerry (AH)

Monday, 11th May: Despite the mix of sunshine and cloud, a fairly unpleasant day to be out, with the temperature struggling to reach double figures and a gale-force north-easterly blasting all before it.....

Selsey Bill: A Merlin came in from way offshore this morning, and also a flock of six Arctic Terns went east, though little else was on the move.
(0530-0730hrs) (NE, F6-7)
Fulmar – 3E
Gannet – 62E, 8W
Merlin – 1N
Oystercatcher – 1E
Sandwich tern – 30E, 10os
Common Tern – 8E
Arctic Tern – 6E
Little Tern – 6os
auk sp – 3E
Swallow – 1N

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

Ferry Pool: The drake Garganey was still showing well, along with a dozen Gadwall and Mallards and c50 Shelducks.
A Common Sandpiper dropped in from the adjacent channel, and there were also three Little Ringed Plovers, seven Avocets, 65 Black-tailed Godwits, three Redshank and a Lapwing present, along with a White Wagtail and two Pied Wagtails.

Garganey (above), Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, White Wagtail, Avocet, Black-tailed Godwits & Avocet and Black-tailed Godwit at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A fairly quick look in almost unwatchable conditions produced a Whimbrel on the mud and c30 Sandwich Terns and a couple of Little Terns among the many Black-headed Gulls.

Whimbrel (above) & Sandwich Tern at Church Norton (aH)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - There was a big increase in Swift numbers this evening, with up to 40 over the fields, along with 300+ Swallows and 200+ House Martins, and, again, just a couple of Sand Martins.

Swifts (above), House Martin & Swallow at Medmerry (AH)

Sunday, 10th May: A much cooler and greyer morning, with the wind freshening considerably from the north and the temperature dropping as the day progressed.....

Selsey Bill: Not too much was on the move this morning, though a Blackcap was seen to come in from well out to sea and three Little Egrets went east.
(0615-0820hrs) (NE, F2)
Great Northern Diver – 1E, 1os
Fulmar – 1E, 1W
Gannet – 37E, 8W
Little Egret – 3E
Shelduck – 3W
Sparrowhawk – 1
Oystercatcher – 7E, 2W
Dunlin – 16E
Black-headed Gull – 6E
Sandwich Tern – 8E, 30os
Common Tern – 3E, 21os
Little Tern - 4os
Swallow – 6N, 7p
Blackcap – 1N

(1615-1745hrs)
Fulmar – 1E
Gannet – 23E, 28W
Kittiwake – 2W
Sandwich Tern – 11E, 7W
Little Tern – 2E
Razorbill – 3W
Guillemot – 2W
auk sp – 12E, 49W

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

Ferry Pool: There was no sign of the Black-winged Stilt this morning, though the Garganey remained, in the company of a dozen Gadwall and Mallards and c50 Shelducks.

Two Little Ringed Plovers were at the back and there were also eight Avocets, c40 Black-tailed Godwits, a Lapwing and four Redshank present.

Garganey (above), Little Ringed Plover & Shelducks at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were a single Common Tern and 11 Little Terns, plus six Mediterranean Gulls, among the c80 Sandwich Terns in the harbour this morning, whilst waders included a Common Sandpiper on Tern Island, four Dunlin, a Curlew and plenty of Ringed Plovers and Oystercatchers.

Passerines were few but included a Garden Warbler and a Jay at Greenlease Farm, where there was also a Hobby seen going over.

Park Farm, Selsey: A Reed Warbler and a Grey Wagtail were both present this morning, along with a Lapwing, two Swifts, a Kestrel and a pair of Sparrowhawks.

North Wall: It was generally quiet, though two Cuckoos were calling to the north and there were the regular spread of calling Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers, Blackcaps, Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs, along with the odd Reed Bunting, plus a few Swallows over.

One or two Cattle and Little Egrets came and went from Owl Copse, whilst out in the harbour there were a dozen Grey and Ringed Plovers and 100+ Dunlin out on the mud, distantly viewable from Owl Point.

Blackcap (above), Reed Bunting & Grey Plover around the North Wall (AH)

East Head: There were still 32 Avocets at Snowhill Creek this morning, and a couple of Little Egrets were having a right old tussle.

Avocets (above) & Little Egrets at East Head (MR)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - At least 500 Swallows, 200 House Martins and a couple of Sand Martins and Swifts were feeding low over the hedges this evening.

Swallows and House Martins at Medmerry (AH)