Tuesday, 9th June: A cool and grey morning, with a moderate south-easterly breeze ....
Selsey Bill: An Arctic Skua going east was the highlight, though six Common Scoter also went east and a few terns were feeding offshore again. Full log below. (MO-W/AH/SR/IP)
(0630-0800hrs) (SE, F3)
Gannet - 2E, 1W
Common Scoter - 6E
Oystercatcher - 1E
Arctic Skua - 1E (l/p)
Mediterranean Gull - 1E
Sandwich Tern - 20os
Common Tern - 5os
Little Tern - 2os
House Martin - 4
Ferry Pool: There were just 14 Avocets, a Lapwing, three Redshank and eight Shelducks on the pool this morning. (AH)
North Wall: A Green Sandpiper shot out of the creek by the sluice at the Halsey's Farm end of the wall and flew off over Owl Copse. Otherwise, it was quiet this morning, with little to report besides a Common Tern on the Breech Pool, two Cuckoos calling and a Greenfinch near the stables. (IH)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pools - It was fairly quiet this morning, though two Cuckoos were around the poplars, Stonechats were there and at the Stilt Pool and half a dozen Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings, plus a Lesser Whitethroat, numerous Whitethroats, Linnets and Skylarks were along the banks, along with a handful of Swallows.
Four Egyptian Geese flew out from the new reservoirs and at least three Canada Goose families were present and two Black-tailed Godwits were on the tidal areas, but the Stilt Pool was quiet, with just two Little Ringed Plover, two Redshank, a Lapwing and 14 Avocets present, along with c20 Gadwall and a few Tufted Ducks, plus a Common Tern over. (AH/IP)
Monday, 8th June: After some overnight rain, it was a fairly cool and mostly cloudy morning in the brisk northerly breeze, though with the odd sunny interlude ....(0630-0800hrs) (SE, F3)
Gannet - 2E, 1W
Common Scoter - 6E
Oystercatcher - 1E
Arctic Skua - 1E (l/p)
Mediterranean Gull - 1E
Sandwich Tern - 20os
Common Tern - 5os
Little Tern - 2os
House Martin - 4
Common Terns (above) & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were just 14 Avocets, a Lapwing, three Redshank and eight Shelducks on the pool this morning. (AH)
Lapwing (above) & Avocets on the Ferry (AH)
North Wall: A Green Sandpiper shot out of the creek by the sluice at the Halsey's Farm end of the wall and flew off over Owl Copse. Otherwise, it was quiet this morning, with little to report besides a Common Tern on the Breech Pool, two Cuckoos calling and a Greenfinch near the stables. (IH)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pools - It was fairly quiet this morning, though two Cuckoos were around the poplars, Stonechats were there and at the Stilt Pool and half a dozen Yellowhammers and Reed Buntings, plus a Lesser Whitethroat, numerous Whitethroats, Linnets and Skylarks were along the banks, along with a handful of Swallows.
Four Egyptian Geese flew out from the new reservoirs and at least three Canada Goose families were present and two Black-tailed Godwits were on the tidal areas, but the Stilt Pool was quiet, with just two Little Ringed Plover, two Redshank, a Lapwing and 14 Avocets present, along with c20 Gadwall and a few Tufted Ducks, plus a Common Tern over. (AH/IP)
Egyptian Geese (above), Little Ringed Plover, Swallow, Yellowhammer, Whitethroat, Skylark & Canada Geese at Medmerry (AH)
Selsey Bill: A Garganey east with a small flock of five Common Scoters was the highlight this morning, though otherwise it was quiet save for the mixed flock of Little, Common and Sandwich Terns offshore. Full log below.....
(0615-0915hrs) (wind N/NE 3) (MO-W/OM/IP/AH)
Gannet - 12E
Shelduck - 1N towards gardens
Common Scoter - 25E
Garganey - 1E
auk sp - 1W
Little Tern - 4 os
Common Tern - 8 os
Sandwich Tern - c.25 os
Mediterranean Gull - 4 os
Swift - 2
Ferry Pool: A Greenshank was on the pool early on before flying into the channel opposite, whilst 24 Avocets were about again this morning, along with nine Black-tailed Godwits, three Redshank and 14 Shelducks.
A freshly fledged family of Blackcaps were in the Discovery Area, whilst the odd Chiffchaff, Whitethroat and Blackcap were around the Tramway and a Reed Warbler was singing in Red Barn Ditch. (OM/AH)
Later, amongst the cattle, were six Cattle Egrets in the Ferry fields, before they flew off east at about 1340hrs.(IL)
Long Pool: Presumably the same Greenshank later flew along Ferry Channel, though there were no other waders about save a couple of Redshank, whilst a pair of Lapwings chased off a Magpie from the cultivated fields along the west side.
There wasn't too much singing along the hedges, though a Cuckoo was calling from further away, but there was plenty of activity from a Lesser Whitethroat and several Linnets, Whitethroats, Reed and Sedge Warblers, plus a very confiding Reed Bunting. (AH)
North Wall: Young Blackcaps were in the hedgerow at the end of the lane and a Green Woodpecker flew over the sluice gates, whilst towards Halsey's Farm, there were Skylarks, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, two calling Cuckoos, two Stonechats and - briefly - 30 Swifts.
Presumably the Blue Tits at the Salt House have fledged because there has been no apparent activity in the last two days. (IH)
(0615-0915hrs) (wind N/NE 3) (MO-W/OM/IP/AH)
Gannet - 12E
Shelduck - 1N towards gardens
Common Scoter - 25E
Garganey - 1E
auk sp - 1W
Little Tern - 4 os
Common Tern - 8 os
Sandwich Tern - c.25 os
Mediterranean Gull - 4 os
Swift - 2
Little Tern (above), Sandwich Tern & Common and Sandwich Terns at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: A Greenshank was on the pool early on before flying into the channel opposite, whilst 24 Avocets were about again this morning, along with nine Black-tailed Godwits, three Redshank and 14 Shelducks.
A freshly fledged family of Blackcaps were in the Discovery Area, whilst the odd Chiffchaff, Whitethroat and Blackcap were around the Tramway and a Reed Warbler was singing in Red Barn Ditch. (OM/AH)
Later, amongst the cattle, were six Cattle Egrets in the Ferry fields, before they flew off east at about 1340hrs.(IL)
Avocets (above) & Blackcap at the Ferry (AH)
Long Pool: Presumably the same Greenshank later flew along Ferry Channel, though there were no other waders about save a couple of Redshank, whilst a pair of Lapwings chased off a Magpie from the cultivated fields along the west side.
There wasn't too much singing along the hedges, though a Cuckoo was calling from further away, but there was plenty of activity from a Lesser Whitethroat and several Linnets, Whitethroats, Reed and Sedge Warblers, plus a very confiding Reed Bunting. (AH)
Greenshank (above), Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat & Reed Bunting along the Long Pool (AH)
North Wall: Young Blackcaps were in the hedgerow at the end of the lane and a Green Woodpecker flew over the sluice gates, whilst towards Halsey's Farm, there were Skylarks, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, two calling Cuckoos, two Stonechats and - briefly - 30 Swifts.
Presumably the Blue Tits at the Salt House have fledged because there has been no apparent activity in the last two days. (IH)
Church Norton: A quick look before retreating from the wind produced plenty of tern activity in the harbour, two Swallows around the hide and singing Chiffchaff and Blackcap. (AH)
Swallow at Church Norton (AH)
Chi GPs: Drayton House pits - During a (slightly delayed) WeBS count this morning, 30 Gadwall were located, including a female with five young, plus all the usual wildfowl in small numbers. Four Common Terns were fishing at the pits, two Marsh Harriers were seen, a Kestrel was carrying prey towards a possible nest site and 30 Swifts were also present. (OM)
West Wittering: Sitting in my garden office this afternoon and all hell breaks loose outside ,and there's a Weasel breaking into a shrew's nest. Young shrews all over the place and the weasel goes round dispatching each one before ferrying them one by one back to his/her den. Amazing to watch! (GM)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pools - A Dartford Warbler was in the gorse opposite Marsh Farm buildings this morning. (JW)
Presumably the same Dartford Warbler was seen again this late afternoon opposite Marsh Barn - a scruffy female or a newly fledged juvenile? - and there were also at least four, and maybe five, Cuckoos being very active in the area, whilst the Barn Owl appeared briefly, too.
Also, (amazingly!) the first Green Sandpiper of the year, along with a Lapwing and a dozen Avocets were on the Stilt Pools.
Three Egyptian Geese were still about, too, whilst another nine Lapwing were on the reserve and along the banks and pools were six Reed Warblers, a Sedge Warbler,, two Yellowhammers, three Reed Buntings and five Swallows, plus a Brown Hare. (S&SaH)
Medmerry: Ham Farm - Three different Corn Buntings were singing among six birds seen, with two singing barely 25 yards apart along the fence-line, whilst there were also two males and a pair of Stonechats occupying the areas the fledged young from earlier, though there offspring had clearly dispersed.
There was also an unseen calling Cuckoo, a singing Chiffchaff, several Whitethroats and Reed Buntings and lots of Skylarks about. (AH)
Common Terns and Marsh Harriers at Drayton House pits (OM)
West Wittering: Sitting in my garden office this afternoon and all hell breaks loose outside ,and there's a Weasel breaking into a shrew's nest. Young shrews all over the place and the weasel goes round dispatching each one before ferrying them one by one back to his/her den. Amazing to watch! (GM)
Weasel in a West Wittering garden (GM)
Runcton: A walk from Runcton to North and South Mundham this afternoon produced two Common Buzzards, a male Kestrel carrying food, and 130 Wood Pigeon on pylon wires, together with a calling Cuckoo.
There were also quite a few Meadow Brown butterflies on the wing now, and I also saw a very close Roe Deer. (CRJ)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pools - A Dartford Warbler was in the gorse opposite Marsh Farm buildings this morning. (JW)
Presumably the same Dartford Warbler was seen again this late afternoon opposite Marsh Barn - a scruffy female or a newly fledged juvenile? - and there were also at least four, and maybe five, Cuckoos being very active in the area, whilst the Barn Owl appeared briefly, too.
Also, (amazingly!) the first Green Sandpiper of the year, along with a Lapwing and a dozen Avocets were on the Stilt Pools.
Three Egyptian Geese were still about, too, whilst another nine Lapwing were on the reserve and along the banks and pools were six Reed Warblers, a Sedge Warbler,, two Yellowhammers, three Reed Buntings and five Swallows, plus a Brown Hare. (S&SaH)
Cuckoo (above), Egyptian Goose & Brown Hare at Medmerry (SH)
Medmerry: Ham Farm - Three different Corn Buntings were singing among six birds seen, with two singing barely 25 yards apart along the fence-line, whilst there were also two males and a pair of Stonechats occupying the areas the fledged young from earlier, though there offspring had clearly dispersed.
There was also an unseen calling Cuckoo, a singing Chiffchaff, several Whitethroats and Reed Buntings and lots of Skylarks about. (AH)
Corn Buntings (above), Stonechat & Skylark at Medmerry (AH)
Selsey Bill: Undoubtedly the highlight was two Storm-petrels lingering offshore for nearly three hours, though not visible for long periods, moving along the 'Mile Basket Line,' intermittently pausing to patter on the surface before settling on the sea.
(0530-0900hrs) (SH/BI/IP/PB/AH/SR/NM)
Fulmar - 5W
Storm-petrel - 2os (0605, more or less continuously until 0655, when two seen, then at 0825 and 0845hrs)
Gannet - 15W, 4E
Common Scoter - 11E
Turnstone - 9W
Sandwich Tern - 12os
Common Tern - 5os
Little Tern - 5os
Razorbill - 4E
auk sp - 7E
House Martin - 4
Common Tern (above), Common Scoters & House Martin at the Bill (AH)
(1600-1700hrs) (SSW, F4) (SH)
Gannet - 12E, 3W
Mediterranean Gull - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 21os
Guillemot - 3W
auk sp - 1W
Ferry Pool: There were just six Avocets, eight Black-tailed Godwits and ten Shelducks on the pool this morning. (AH)
Gannet - 12E, 3W
Mediterranean Gull - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 21os
Guillemot - 3W
auk sp - 1W
Ferry Pool: There were just six Avocets, eight Black-tailed Godwits and ten Shelducks on the pool this morning. (AH)
Black-tailed Godwits on the Ferry (AH)
East Head: The Quail was still calling from the same barley field, east of the beach access road, this morning. (MR)
Church Norton: There were no waders beyond the nesting pairs of Ringed Plovers and Oystercatchers, though the harbour was still full of Little and Sandwich Terns, plus a few Common Terns and Mediterranean Gulls.
Passerines were few, though Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Lesser Whitethroat and Whitethroat were all present, with several pairs of Skylarks and Linnets along the spit. (AH/IP/RM/S&SaH)
Little Terns (above), Sandwich Tern, Skylark (AH) & Blackcap (SH) at Church Norton
North Wall: Five Stock Doves were on the roof of Pagham Church, but there were no waders along White's Creek and very little on the Breech Pool apart from a few Mallard and Tufted Ducks plus a pair of Shelducks with 10 ducklings.
Lots of birds were singing along the Wall, including Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers, Goldfinches and Greenfinches, Blue, Great and Long Tailed Tits, Whitethroats, Chiffchaffs and Reed Buntings.
There was also still lots of activity around the Owl Copse heronry, whilst two Brown Hares and a Roe Deer were in Honer 3 field, Chiffchaffs were in Owl Copse and Bremere Bridge Copse and a pair of Jays and a calling Cuckoo were at Honer. (JDW/IH)
Stock Doves (above), Little Egret, Brown Hares & Roe Deer at the North Wall (AH)
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