22nd - 24th June 2020

Wednesday, 24th June: Very warm and sunny with a cloudless blue sky, the moderate easterly breeze taking the edge off the temperature along the coast...

Selsey Bill: Very slow again - it must be mid-summer! Full log below. (SR/AH/MO-W)
(0700-0830hrs) (E, F4)
Gannet - 2E
Sandwich Tern - c30os
Swift - 2
House Martin - 4

Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A summer-plumaged Spotted Redshank was on the pool with 15 Redshanks early this morning, before flying off into the harbour. 
Also, there were an Avocet, a Black-tailed Godwit, three Teal and 16 Shelducks on the pool, whilst the three Cattle Egrets were among the cows on Ferry Field.(AH)

Spotted Redshank (above), Cattle Egrets & Teal at the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: It was quiet along the pool, with just the odd Reed Warbler, Reed Bunting and Linnet showing, plus a family of Whitethroats and a couple of Swallows over. (AH)

Whitethroat (above) & Linnet along the Long Pool (AH)

North Wall: The Little Owl was again present near the stables, roosting in a tree at 0641hrs, but it had moved out of sight by 0653 (IH).
The Breech Pool held the usual 25+ Mallard, but there were also three drake Teal and three Tufted Ducks amongst them early on. The reeds were busy with Reed and Sedge Warblers toing and froing, plus a couple of Cetti's Warblers, with just the odd bit of singing, whilst Common Tern and 10 Lapwings were about the best of the rest. (OM)
This evening c30 Sand Martins were feeding over the Breech Pool. (SP)

East side: Two drake Wigeon were in the harbour channel this morning, but there was little else of note: a dozen Curlew, 15 Oystercatchers and six Redshank being about it, apart from a small numbers of Shelduck. 
A Chiffchaff gave a few low-key bursts of song, but the main point of interest for me was a Reed Warbler - perhaps newly arrived - that was singing stridently and continuously from a tamarisk bush near the old jetty - and throwing in a few Blue Tit and Skylark-like calls! My heart rate began to increase somewhat as I began to consider rarer options, but after half an hour I was satisfied it was just the commoner species and I never did get a glimpse of it! (OM)

Wigeon and Shelduck in the harbour channel from the East side (OM)

Church Norton: It was very busy with people from early on this morning, but there was still lots of Little, Common and Sandwich Terns about, whilst up to 20 Turnstones and half a dozen Ringed Plovers were on the beach and four Curlews and six Mediterranean Gulls were in the harbour.

Passerines were limited to a few Linnets, a couple of Whitethroats and Swallows and brief snatches of Blackcap and Chiffchaff.song, and there was also a Marbled White along the path to the beach. (AH)

Turnstones (above) & Whitethroat at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - There was still one raven around the fields this evening, but, unusually, there were no hirundines at all, though the usual mix of Yellowhammers, Skylarks, Whitethroats and Stock Doves were all present. (AH)

Raven (above), Yellowhammer & Stock Dove at Medmerry (AH)

Tuesday, 23rd June: A warm and sunny morning, with a moderate south-easterly breeze just keeping the temperature in check.........

Selsey Bill: Another morning with just local activity. Full log below. (IP/AH/MO-W)
(0640-0810hrs) (SE, F2-3)
Gannet - 5E, 2W
Sandwich Tern - c50os
Common Tern - 6os
auk sp - 4E
Swift - 10
Swallow - 1
House Martin - 8

A watch between 0800 and 0900hrs produced a Red-throated Diver and a dark-phase Arctic Skua, both going west. (KJ et al)

Sandwich Tern (above) & House Martin at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Green Sandpiper was still on the concealed pool early this morning, along with an elusive Water Rail, possibly with young, whilst a Little Ringed Plover, five Black-tailed Godwits, four Redshank and 12 Shelducks on the main pool and three Cattle Egrets were among the cows in Ferry Field. (AH/AW/MO-W/KJ et al)

Green Sandpiper (above), Little Ringed Plover, Cattle Egret (AW), Green Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwits & Cattle Egret (AH) at the Ferry

Donnington: A Red Kite went over, early this morning. (SH)

North Wall: A brief walk this morning encountered two Cuckoos flying together near the stables where the Little Owl was again reported yesterday.
Reed Warblers, Sedge Warblers and Reed Buntings were all active, as were a flock of Goldfinches at the sluice gates, while Little Egrets, Cattle Egrets and Grey Herons were all on show in Owl Copse. (IH)
Later on, at least two, and possibly as many as four, almost fledged Cattle Egret chicks were showing in Owl Copse.
Also, a Cuckoo was calling towards Honer Farm, Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps were also heard and half a dozen Redshank and Curlews were in the harbour, whilst a, a Marbled White and a Comma were among the many Meadow Browns on the wing. (AH/TG)
This evening a Barn Owl was out hunting the fields behind the wall. (KJ)

adult and juvenile Cattle Egrets at the North Wall (TG)

juvenile cattle Egret (above), Little Egret, Reed Bunting, Chiffchaff & Marbled White at the North Wall (AH)

Monday, 22nd June: After a cool start, another warm day of sunshine and cloud, pushed through on a freshening south-westerly....

Selsey Bill: There was just a selection of the regular species this morning. (AH/IP/SR/MO-W)

(0630-0800hrs) (F2-3, SW)

Gannet - 2E, 6W

Common Scoter - 4W

Mediterranean Gull - 2E

Sandwich Tern - c75os

Common Tern - 3os

Swift - 5

House Martin- 7

Linnet - 2

Sandwich Tern (above) & House Martin at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were at least two Cattle Egrets among the cows at the back, though hard to see in the long grass, whilst there were two Avocets, 12 Black-tailed Godwits, four Redshank, two Teal and ten Shelducks on the pool. 

The odd Blackcap, Whitethroat and Chiffchaff were singing sparingly around the Tramway, whilst a Comma was by the hide. (AH)

Teal (above), Black-tailed Godwit & Comma at the Ferry (AH)

This evening a Green Sandpiper was in the concealed pool. (AW)

Green Sandpiper at the Ferry (AW)

Sidlesham: A Red Kite went over Jury's Lane, at the north of the village, just after 8am this morning. (MO-W)

North Wall: It was quiet this morning, though a lone Cattle Egret was in the fields, a Cuckoo was calling, a Lesser Whitethroat was near Halsey's farm and a Buzzard went over. (IH)

Park Farm and North Selsey: A Peregrine and a Sparrowhawk went over and three Pied Wagtails were in the fields. (IP)
A pair of Great Black-backed Gulls have two chicks on a roof in north Selsey. (SR)

Great Black-backed Gull with young, north Selsey (SR)

Church Norton: There were still lots of terns in the harbour, whilst waders comprised a Knot, a Grey Plover, two Curlews, c50 Turnstones and the usual half a dozen Ringed Plovers and Oystercatchers, along with a Grey Heron and six Little Egrets.

Also, a Jay was at Greenlease Farm, two juvenile Stonechats were in the horse field and a Teal and the family of Tufted Ducks with six ducklings were on the second Several. (IP)

Hunston (Wilf's) Copse: A Treecreeper, a Jay, Great Spotted Woodpecker, juvenile Song Thrush, family of Chiffchaffs and Jackdaws and at least three Blackcap families were in the copse, and in the field close by a dozen Swallows and House Martins were about, watched over by a Buzzard. (SR)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - It was fairly quiet this morning, though a Cuckoo called briefly from the poplars before flying off west and the pair of Stonechats nearby appear to be feeding a second brood. Otherwise there were a few Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings and plenty of Linnets, Skylarks and Whitethroats, plus a handful of Swallows, up to ten Stock Doves and two Mediterranean Gulls.

The Stilt Pool held one Avocet, 15 Black-tailed Godwits, six Lapwings, a Redshank, c20 Gadwall and the Canada Goose family, whilst a Common Tern dropped in to feed briefly, and there were another four Avocets and two Ringed Plovers in the creek opposite. 

There were also a handful of Marbled Whites, lots of Meadow Browns and an Emperor dragonfly present. (AH)

 

Cuckoo (above), Stonechat, Common Tern, Lapwing, Swallow, Stock Dove, Marbled White & Emperor at Medmerry (AH)

Fishbourne Creek: A morning walk from Fishbourne to Dell Quay was fairly quiet. Two Reed Buntings and a Yellowhammer, several Whitethroats and singles of Cetti's Warbler and Reed Warbler were present. In the harbour there were at least 5 Curlew, whilst 3 Redshank were opposite Dell Quay where 2 Great Crested Grebe drifted up channel with the tide. A Common Tern was present above Dell Quay, there were 17 Little Egrets roosting on the western shore with several more feeding in the channel and 107 birds were counted in the Mute Swan herd. Despite the breeze there were at least 10 Marbled Whites and 2 Large Skippers on the wing. (RW)

 Little Egret and (presumed) Large Skipper at Fishbourne Creek (RW)