26th - 28th May 2020

Thursday, 28th May: Another bright day, though with the breeze freshening and from the east to keep temperatures down a little.......

Selsey Bill: Two Tufted Ducks and a few Gannets east was about the sum this morning. (AH/SR)

(0630-0730hrs) (E, F4)

Gannet - 14E, 3W

Tufted Duck - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 20os

auk sp - 1E

Tufted Ducks (above) & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Just the usual mix this morning - including ten Avocets, four Redshank, two Lapwings, c40 Black-tailed Godwits and c20 Shelducks were on the pool. (AH)

Avocet and Black-tailed Godwit on the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: Little to report this morning other than a Blue Tit supplying caterpillars to a nest within the walls of the Salt House and a Cuckoo still calling north of the Wall. (IH)

Church Norton: There were no waders in the harbour beyond a handful of Ringed Plovers and Oystercatchers, but there were plenty of Little, Common and Sandwich Terns about this morning.

There were still the odd Blackcap and Whitethroat calling, plus a few Skylarks and Swallows about, but it definitely feels as though spring is over. (AH)

Little Terns (above), Common Tern & Swallow at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - This evening there was a good count of c75 Swifts over the fields, along with c200 House Martins and c50 Swallows, whilst a Yellowhammer and a couple of Whitethroats were along the hedges and four Mediterranean Gulls went over west. (AH)

Swifts (above), House Martin, Yellowhammer & Mediterranean Gull at Medmerry (AH)

Wednesday, 27th May: The fine spell continues, with more warm sunshine, though the breeze was a little fresher, shifting round from north to south-east during the morning....

Selsey Bill: Another morning with just local birds seen. Full log below. (SR/AH)
(0615-0715hrs) (NE, F2)
Common Scoter - 2E
Mediterranean Gull - 2W
Sandwich Tern - 30E, 30os
auk sp - 1W
Swift - 1
House Martin - 8

(1700-1800hrs) (S&SaH)
Gannet - 2E
Arctic Skua - 1os
Sandwich Tern - 14os

Sandwich Terns at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool:Two Little Ringed Plovers were on the pool this morning, along with four Redshank, 12 Avocets, c40 Black-tailed Godwits and c20 Shelducks and a flock of 16 Mediterranean Gulls went over west..
A Cuckoo flew over the back of the pool, with another along the Tramway circuit, which also yielded a couple of Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps and half a dozen Whitethroats, with a Sedge Warbler and a couple of Reed Warblers in Red Barn Ditch.
Also, a Cattle Egret flew over, heading east. (AH/IL/A&YF)

Cattle Egret (above), Little Ringed Plover, Avocets, Black-tailed Godwit & Chiffchaff around the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: A Cuckoo was calling along the west side, before dropping in briefly, whilst there were up to five Sedge Warblers and ten Reed Warblers singing along the pool this morning, along with a couple of Cetti's Warblers and Reed Buntings and at least half a dozen Linnets and Whitethroats. (AH)

Reed Warbler (above), Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat, Reed Bunting & Linnet along the Long Pool (AH)

North Wall: A Blackcap was singing at the stables this morning and there was Swallow activity too, whilst Cetti's, Reed and Sedge Warblers as well as Reed Buntings and Common Whitethroats were all present along the Wall and a Lesser Whitethroat rattled near Halsey's Farm.  Also,  Cuckoo was active north of the Wall while a Kestrel hovered above. (IH)

Chichester Marina Reed-bed: There was plenty of Reed Warbler activity, both heard and seen, with Reed Buntings about, and a small number of House Sparrows repeatedly flying into the reeds to feed on insects.
A Cetti’s Warbler heard but not seen, close to the hide, and also a distant Cuckoo was calling. There were also three or four Swallows about, a Moorhen with young, and the usual Tufted Ducks and Mallards on the water. (GT)

South Mundham: A brief but peaceful walk this morning produced a Red Kite, two Buzzards and a Kestrel overhead, a Jay, the usual pair of Mistle Thrushes, c10 Skylarks, three Whitethroats, a family of Long-tailed Tits and, around the barn, a pair of Stock Doves and six Swallows. (SR)

Red Kite over South Mundham (SR)

Medmerry: Ham Farm - The regular Corn Bunting was along the bank again this evening, with another singing from the adjacent barley crop, and a couple of Reed Buntings, Stonechats and Reed Warblers were around the ponds, with a Cuckoo and a couple of Whitethroats nearby.

Also, a couple of Yellowhammers and Swallows were along Ham Road. (AH)

Corn Buntings (above), Stonechat & Swallow at Medmerry (AH)

Tuesday, 26th May: Another lovely morning, with unbroken warm sunshine and a light north-westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: Not the slightest hint of migration this morning, but a Great Northern Diver was still offshore, along with a selection of terns. Full log below. (AH/TR/IP/SR)

(0630-0730hrs) (NW, F1-2)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Oystercatcher - 2E

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 20os

Common Tern - 6os

Little Tern - 2os
House Martin - 8

Sandwich Tern (above), Mediterranean Gull & House Martins at the Bill (AH)

Also, for interest, the Milky Way viewed from Selsey East beach area (CB)

Ferry Pool:There were four Dunlin and a Little Ringed Plover on the pool this morning, along with 12 Avocets, a Lapwing, six Redshank, c40 Black-tailed Godwit, a pair of Gadwall and a dozen Shelducks. 

Also, a pair of Cuckoos flew over and a Reed Warbler was singing from the roadside reeds. (AH/TR)

Cuckoo (above), Black-tailed Godwits, Dunlin & Gadwall at the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Willow Warbler was in the hedges along the lane this morning. (IP)

Church Norton: There were few waders about this morning, with just two Grey Plovers, five Turnstones, a Redshank, three Dunlin and half a dozen Ringed Plovers noted, along with a Grey Heron and a few Little Egrets, whilst eight Gadwall were sat offshore and a pair of Shovelers were  on the second Several.

There were plenty of Warblers about, though, including Reed, Cetti's and Sedge, plus Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs though singing is starting to die down, with both Common and Lesser Whitethroats seen carrying food. Also, a Light Emerald moth was on the wing. (AH/IP)

Lesser Whitethroat (above), Whitethroat, Chiffchaff & Light Emerald at Church Norton (AH)

This evening there were three Sanderling, c20 Dunlin and c30 Ringed Plovers on the mud on the dropping tide, with up to ten Little Terns, half a dozen common Terns and c80 Sandwich Terns, plus a couple of Mediterranean Gulls, spread about the vicinity of Tern Island. (AH)

Little Terns (above), Common Terns, Sanderling & Ringed Plovers at Church Norton (AH)

Runcton: A walk from Runcton through the footpaths and fields produced a Red Kite, four Buzzards and two Mistle Thrushes. (CRJ)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There was a lot of defensive action going on at the pools this morning with the cob Mute Swan chasing away a pair of Canada Geese parents that were in the way of his partner and four cygnets, the Geese themselves having five goslings, and on their small island the Oystercatchers were also successfully seeing off Canada Geese. (When they changed sittings I noticed at least two eggs).

There were 10 Avocets with a further four in the channel opposite, along with a Grey Heron, a pair of Gadwall, two Shelducks, six Tufted Ducks, two Redshank, a Lapwing, a Dunlin, four  Ringed Plovers and a Little Ringed Plover. 

Close by were a pair of Stonechats, a Reed Bunting, two Kestrels carrying food, three Yellowhammers, five Swallows and three Stock Doves, whilst two Cuckoos were calling behind the poplars and Whitethroats, Sedge Warblers and Skylarks were plentiful. (SR)

Avocets (above) & Mute Swans and Canada Geese at Medmerry (SR)

Late this afternoon there were two, and possibly three, Cuckoos between Easton Lane and Marsh Barn, along with two Yellowhammers, two Buzzards and plenty of singing Reed Warblers and Whitethroats. (S&SaH)

Cuckoo at Medmerry (SH)