Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 17th

Tuesday, 19th May: Another morning with a blustery westerly blowing, cool and grey early before brightening and warming up............

Selsey Bill: A quiet morning, with 14 Common Scoter east and nine Little Terns together and a Kittiwake west the only birds of note. Full log below. (AH/AM/SR)
(0615-0745hrs) (W, F4)
Gannet - 18E, 5W
Common Scoter - 14E
Oystercatcher - 3W
Kittiwake - 1W
Sandwich Tern - c40os
Common Tern - 1os
Little Tern - 9W
Wheatear - 2

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

Ferry Pool: A Nightjar was flushed from the Medmerry Trail path this morning and flew into Ferry Field. (IL)
There were also 19 Avocets around the pool this morning, along with a Little Ringed Plover, three Redshank, 45 Black-tailed Godwits, six Gadwall and c30 Shelducks, plus two Swifts over. (AH/AM/BFF/DM)

Little Ringed Plover (above) & Avocets at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: A few Swallows circled the stables this morning, two Swifts flew above the harbour, two Skylarks soared and sung and at least two Cuckoos called. A Common Tern was again fishing but little else was noted other than Sedge, Reed and Cetti's Warblers and Common Whitethroats. Also a Whimbrel flew north out of the harbour. (IH/BFF/DM)

Church Norton: There were half a dozen Sanderling among c30 each of Dunlin and Ringed Plovers out in the middle of the harbour, along with four Gadwall, whilst up to 28 Little Terns, half a dozen Common Terns and a few Mediterranean Gulls were among the many Sandwich Terns present.
Passerines were few beyond the now settled Whitethroats, Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs, whilst there was also an Adder along the front of the Severals.. (AH/AM/BFF/DM)

Blackcap (above), Whitethroat (AH), Adder (AM) & the RSPB preparing the electric fencing for the Little Terns at Church Norton

Monday, 18th May: A bright and breezy morning, with plenty of sunshine and a fresh westerly breeze........

Selsey Bill: Highlights this morning were two Arctic Skuas, that went east, pausing to mug the terns on the way, along with another 39 Common Scoter. Full log below.

(0645-0815hrs) (NE, F2) (AH/SR/IP)

Great Crested Grebe – 1os

Fulmar – 1W

Gannet – 18E, 8W

Shelduck – 2W

Common Scoter – 39E

Oystercatcher – 2E, 3W

Whimbrel – 1W

Turnstone – 1W

Arctic Skua – 2E (l/p)

Mediterranean Gull – 4W

Common Gull – 1W

Sandwich Tern – 20os

Razorbill – 4E

Auk sp – 3E
House Martin - 4

Arctic Skua (above), Common Scoters, Whimbrel. Sandwich Tern & House Martin at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Cattle Egret was back feeding in Ferry Field this morning, whilst the pool held a Little Ringed Plover, a Lapwing, eight Avocets, c40 Black-tailed Godwits, six Gadwall and c30 Shelducks, whilst our Swifts were feeding overhead. (AH/IL/IH)

Cattle Egret (above) & Swift at the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: The short-eared Owl was out hunting again for a while this evening before it flew out across the harbour towards the North Wall and didn't return. (AH)

Short-eared Owl from the Long Pool (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Grey Wagtail, a Red-legged Partridge and a couple of Lapwings were in the fields, with a few Swallows and House Martins over. (IP)

Church Norton: A Hobby over Priory Wood and a Wheatear by the concrete blocks was the only evidence of migration this morning, though the Cuckoo was calling continuously at the back of the Severals and their was the usual spread of warblers singing.

There were plenty of Little and Sandwich Terns, plus a handful of Common Terns in the harbour, but waders consisted of three just Grey Plovers, five Dunlin along with the resident Ringed Plovers and Oystercatchers. (AH/IH/IP et al)

Little Tern (above), Sandwich Tern, Grey Plovers, Blackcap & Whitethroat at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: A Goldcrest and Whitethroat were along Church Lane and there ewre signs of Swallow activity around the Welbourne Stables, whilst two Cattle Egrets were foraging in the Honer fields.
A few muddy margins are now appearing around the Breech Pool but probably too late for the wader migration. There were just a few Tufted Ducks and Mallard were on the pool, but two Common Terns were fishing - a regular occurrence this last week.
Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers were along the Wall, plus three Reed Buntings and a Blackcap, a Chiffchaff and sevreal Greenfinches were in Owl Copse. Several Yellowhammers, Goldfinches and Whitethroats along Honer Lane, whilst on Honer reservoir were three pairs of Tufted Ducks and a few Coots.
A Cuckoo was calling along Pagham Rife, but as I approached three more Cuckoos came into the same area, they came out of the sun and I could not determine whether they were males or females. All four flew off together towards and Honer and Owl Copse. (JDW)

Sunday, 17th May: A shift round to a light north-westerly brought a fairly pleasant morning of sunshine and white cloud, though the breeze inevitably freshened as the day progressed....

Selsey Bill: Highlights were a Nightjar seen coming in off the sea at 8.43am, with a Tree Pipit and three Sand Martins also arriving in, whilst 216 Common Scoter went east and two Wheatears and seven Sanderlings were on the beach. Full log below. (SH/PB/BI/JA et al)

(0515-0930hrs) (NW, F2-3)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Fulmar - 1E, 3W

Gannet - 54E, 34W

Common Scoter - 216E, 9W

Oystercatcher - 9W

Ringed Plover - 2W

Sanderling - 7

Whimbrel - 2E

Curlew - 4W

Sandwich Tern - 24os

Common Tern - 5os

Guillemot - 4E

Razorbill - 2E

auk sp - 14E, 2W

Nightjar - 1N (0843)

Swift -7N

Swallow - 24N

HouseMartin - 6N

Sand Martin - 3N

Tree Pipit - 1N

Wheatear - 2

Wheatear (SR) (above), Fulmar, Whimbrel & Common Scoters (AH) at the Bill

1500-1700hrs: (wind SSW5) (SH/JA)

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 7E, 8W

Common Scoter - 10E

Guillemot - 1W

auk sp - 3E

Common Tern - 5os

Sandwich Tern - 18os

Swallow - 1N
Also pod of c.10 Bottle-nosed Dolphins W

Ferry Pool: There were two Little Ringed Plovers, ten fairly excitable Avocets, c25 Black-tailed Godwits, four Redshank, eight Gadwall and c30 Shelducks on the pool, with two pairs of Lapwings over the adjacent arable fields. (AH/PB/AB)

Avocets and Black-tailed Godwits on the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: The Short-eared Owl was out again this evening along the west side. (AB/PB)

North Wall: A Barn Owl was hunting near Owl Copse early this morning, a Common Tern was successfully fishing at the Breach Pool and a pair of Stonechats were also in the shrubs north of the Wall.

Two Cuckoos could be heard far apart and there were also, of course, the usual Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers, Reed Buntings, Common Whitethroats and occasional Lesser Whitethroat. (IH/JDW)

West Wittering: A newly fledged Coal Tit was around the feeders today being fed by its parents - the first time we've had positive evidence of breeding down here.

Also, Blackbird, Robin, Blue and Great Tit, Starling and Wood Pigeon have all successfully bred in the garden this year. (GM)

Coal Tits at West Wittering (GM)

Church Norton: A Spotted Flycatcher was in the fields by the hide, and there were also a couple of Lesser Whitethroats, Whitethroats and Chiffchaffs nearby, plus the Swallows in the hide and a scattering of warblers and Linnets elsewhere, whilst the Cuckoo was calling repeatedly as it roamed around the Severals and then the west side.

At least a dozen Little and Common Terns and c60 Sandwich Terns were in the harbour, along with a few Mediterranean Gulls, two Avocets, six Sanderlings, ten Grey Plovers and the odd Redshank, Curlew and Ringed Plover, whilst the Lapwing was in the creek by horse field.. (AH/IP/AB/NM)
This afternoon, there were a Whimbrel, two Sanderlings, c30 Ringed Plovers and c40 Dunlin in the harbour. (SR/AH)