14th - 16th May 2020

Saturday, 16th May: Another nice morning, more overcast, but just with a light northerly early on, though slowly freshening again as it shifted round the compass again towards south-westerly.....

Selsey Bill: Seven distant Pomarine Skuas east was the highlight of a fairly slow morning, though a Red-throated Diver and 120 Common Scoter also went east. Full log below..
(0520-0930hrs) (NE, F2) (JA/SH/BI/IP/AH)
Red-throated Diver - 1E
Great Northern Diver - 1 os
Fulmar - 2E
Gannet - 43E, 12W
Common Scoter - 122E
Shelduck - 2W
Whimbrel - 5E
Pomarine Skua - 7E (0752hrs)
Sandwich Tern - 37 os, most drifting E
Common Tern - 1 os
Little Tern - 2E
auk sp - 12E, 1W
Swallow - 20N
Whitethroat - 1

(1600-1800hrs) (SH/JA)
Fulmar - 1E
Gannet - 10E, 5W
Common Scoter - 20E
Little Tern - 1 os
Common Tern - 8 os
Sandwich Tern - 50 os
Guillemot - 1W
auk sp - 8E

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

Ferry Pool: There were six Avocets, two Little Ringed Plovers, four Redshank, c40 Black-tailed Godwits, eight Gadwall and c30 Shelducks around the pool this morning. (AH)

Shelducks on the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: The Short-eared Owl was hunting again in the fields alongside this evening. (IP/SR)

North Wall: A Redstart was in the hedges towards Halsey's Farm this morning whilst 2 Swifts circled above. Yesterday's gloom about the lack of Swallow activity at the stables proved to be premature because today two pairs appear to have started nest building. Cetti's, Reed and Sedge Warblers were all very vocal this morning together with Reed Buntings, Common Whitethroats and one Lesser Whitethroat. North of the Breech Pool a Cuckoo called, a Stonechat was perched on a bush and a Roe Deer suckled a very young fawn. (IH/SP/TH)

Roe Deer with suckling fawn at the North Wall (IH)

Park Farm, Selsey: An adult and two juvenile Song Thrush on the wires in Manor Lane, a Reed Warbler was singing in a ditch beyond the farm, a Pied Wagtail and pair of Red-legged Partridges  and two Lapwings were in the fields and a Swift and the usual Swallows and House Martins went over. (IP)

Church Norton: Twelve Little, eight Common and thirty Sandwich Terns were in the harbour, along with, plenty of Oystercatchers and Ringed Plovers, single Whimbrel, Bar-tailed Godwit and Dunlin, two Grey Plovers and two Curlews. Also a White Wagtail was on the metalwork and eight male Tufted Ducks flew in over the spit and then off back towards the Lagoon.

A Lesser Whitethroat was in front of the horse field, plus lots of Whitethroats, whilst a Cuckoo was in the dead tree at the back of the Severals, with Cetti's, Sedge and Reed Warblers and Reed Buntings nearby and two Sparrowhawks were tussling overhead.. 

Also, a male Bullfinch and a Lesser Whitethroat were at Greenlease Farm and Bluebell Wood held a pair of Jays, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Chiffchaff and a number of heard, but unseen, Blackcaps. (IP/S&SaH)

 Reed Warbler, Orange-tip butterfly and Cuckoo at Church Norton (SH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - An adult male and at least two newly fledged juvenile Stonechats were in the gorse near the poplars this morning, though otherwise it was business as usual along the banks and pools, including two or three Yellowhammers and Sedge Warblers, a dozen Reed Warblers and 20+ Whitethroats, Linnets and Skylarks, plus a few Swallows over.

Four Sanderling were on the Stilt Pool, along with a Little Ringed Plover, a Ringed Plover and eight Avocets, plus the usual half a dozen or so Gadwall, Tufted Ducks and Canada Geese, whilst a few Sandwich Terns were offshore, but the main reserve was very quiet.

Stonechats (above), Sanderling, Little Ringed Plover, Ringed Plover, Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler & Linnet at Medmerry (AH)

Friday, 15th May: An altogether more pleasant day, with lots of sunshine and just a light northerly breeze early on, freshening slightly as it shifted to the south later.....

Selsey Bill: Forty Common Scoter, a Guillemot, two Sanderlings and a Red-throated Diver went east, with a few Gannets and Common and Sandwich Terns moving about, too. Full log below. (JA/PB/JF/AH et al)
(0515-1000hrs) (NNW, F2, veering S, F3-4)
Great Northern Diver - 1os
Red-throated Diver - 1E
Fulmar - 1E
Gannet - 75E, 7W
Greylag Goose - 2E
Common Scoter - 40E
Grey Plover - 3E
Sanderling - 2E
Bonxie - 1os
Sandwich Tern - 16os
Common Tern - 14os
Guillemot - 1E
(1000-1200hrs) (OM/JF)
Great Northern Diver - 1W
Gannet - 2E
Common Scoter - 9E
Willow Warbler - 1 Bill House garden
(1630-1800hrs) (wind SW4)  (JA/S&SaH)
Gannet - 2E, 6W
Eider - 4E
Common Tern - 8 os
Sandwich Tern - 34 os
auk sp - 3E, 1W

Red-throated Diver (about), Common Scoters, Guillemot, Common Tern & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

The easing of travelling restrictions and the faint hope of a stray Pom led to the only year tick today....JF with doggie Jack! (OM)

Ferry Pool: The three Little Ringed Plovers were at the back, but there was no sign of the Spoonbill, though there were also seven Avocets, two Lapwings, three Redshank, c40 Black-tailed Godwits, eight Gadwall and c40 Shelduck present.
The adjacent hedges held several Whitethroats, a Blackcap and a Lesser Whitethroat, whilst a Buzzard was low over the Tramway and a Cuckoo was calling nearby. (AH)

Black-tailed Godwits (above) & Buzzard at the Ferry (AH)

This evening the Tawny Owl was showing well again in the Discovery area. (AB/IP)

Tawny Owl near the Ferry (AB)

Long Pool: A Common Sandpiper, a Greenshank and a Whimbrel were along the channel, pairs of Gadwall, Little and Great Crested Grebes were on the water, with plenty of Reed and Sedge Warblers singing, plus a couple of Cetti's Warblers and Reed Buntings. (AH et al)

Sedge Warbler (above), Reed Bunting & Gadwall at the Long Pool (AH)

Later in the morning the Short-eared Owl took to the air briefly before dropping back down. (IL), and it was back hunting along the west side this evening. (AB/AW/IP)

Short-eared Owl along Long Pool (AW)

North Wall: Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers and Reed Buntings were more visible this morning at the wall following the easing of the northerly breeze, whilst a Cuckoo was calling to the north of the Breech Pool, a Kestrel hovered over the wall and two Swifts and a Common Tern were active over the harbour.  
A Green Woodpecker and a Greenfinch were present at the stables but, sadly, there was no sign of any Swallow activity. (IH)

This evening, a Barn Owl was out hunting. (IH)

Church Norton: A dozen or more Little Terns and Common Terns were in the harbour, along with 60+ Sandwich Terns and a couple of Mediterranean Gulls, but the only waders noted were two Grey Plovers, a Ringed Plover and a Curlew.
A couple of Skylarks and Linnets were along the start of the spit, and the pair of Swallows were busy around the hide, but there was surprisingly little birdsong or passerine activity otherwise, despite the wind easing. (AH)

Sandwich Tern (above), Grey Plover & Skylark at Church Norton (AH)

Thursday, 14th May: Another day with a strong and gusty north-easterly blowing, very cold early on, but warming with the sun.....

Selsey Bill: A Great Northern Diver went west, but otherwise it was again just a few Gannets, Common and Sandwich Terns offshore.
Full log below.
(0630-0730hrs) (NE, F5) (AH)
Great Northern Diver - 1W
Gannet - 16E, 7W
Sandwich Tern - 8E, c30os
Common Tern - 3E, c20os

(1700-1830hrs) (S&SaH/JA)
Gannet - 23E, 10W
Arctic Skua - 1W (d/p)
Bonxie - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 28os
Common Tern - 6E

Great Northern Diver (above) & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Three Little Ringed Plovers were on show this morning, along with nine Avocets, three Redshank ,c50 Black-tailed Godwits, six Gadwall and c40 Shelducks. (AH)

Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)

At dusk this evening a Spoonbill was on the pool, feeding by the road and a Tawny Owl was sitting out in the Discovery Area.. (AB/SR)

Spoonbill (AB) & Tawny Owl (SR) around the Ferry

Long Pool: This evening a Short-eared Owl appeared from roost to harass a passing Marsh Harrier and later was hunting over the uncropped field, where it, in turn, was mobbed by a Sparrwhawk.. (AB)

Short-eared Owl (above) & with Sparrowhawk from Long Pool (AB)

North Wall: The usual Cetti's, Sedge and Reed Warblers were present along the Wall this morning together with a Reed Bunting and several Whitethroats, with four Swifts over.  

Also, east of White's Creek there was a Lesser Whitethroat, several Common Whitethroats and a Greenfinch while near Tern Island a Peregrine was eating prey.  (IH)
This evening, a Hobby was hunting Swifts over the Breech Pool and a drake wigeon was in the harbour. (AB)

Hobby & Swifts at the North Wall (AB)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool- A Grey Partridge was being hassled by a Rook in the field opposite the entrance path and there was a Cuckoo calling from behind the Poplars, where there were also there were three Yellowhammers and a Kestrel. 

At the Stilt Pools a pair of Mute Swans had four cygnets with another sadly deceased and there were also  a pair of Little Ringed Plover, three pairs of Avocet with two certainly sitting, two Oystercatchers that could be sitting although it was hard to tell, one Redshank, a pair of Gadwall, four Tufted Ducks, two Mediterranean Gulls, one Common Gull, seven Shelduck and nine Canada Geese. 

Reed Buntings were in the surrounding reeds and a pair of noisy Stonechats were close by with plenty of singing Skylarks, Linnets, Sedge Warblers and Whitethroats, whilst a Swift went over along with eight Swallows and two Little Terns flew east over the sea. (SR)

Grey Partridge (above), Little Ringed Plover & Mute Swans at Medmerry (SR)

Medmerry: Chainbridge to the Breach - There were just a few waders in the tidal areas, comprising of a Bar-tailed Godwit, a Whimbrel, three Curlews, two Dunlin and four Grey Plovers, plus the usual half a dozen Oystercatchers, whilst offshore there were a Common Tern and two Sandwich Terns.

The banks were predictably quiet in the windy conditions, though there were a male Stonechat, at least two pairs of Meadow Pipits and plenty of Whitethroats, Linnets and Skylarks about. (AH)

Grey Plover (above), Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Common Tern, Meadow Pipit, Whitethroat & Linnet at Medmerry (AH)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - There were up to a dozen Swifts feeding low over the fields this evening, along with at least 300 Swallows and House Martins, some of which were dropping down to rest on the maize stubble. (AH)

Swift (above), House Martin & Swallows at Medmerry (AH)