Selsey Bill: A Guillemot east and a Sand Martin and a Fulmar west were the highlights this morning. (BI/AH/IP)
(0615-0800hrs) (WSW, F4-5)
Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - 2E, 20W
Common Scoter - 1E
Sandwich Tern - 15os
Little Tern - 1os
Guillemot - 1E
Swift -7
House Martin - 4
Sand Martin - 1W
Fulmar (above), Sandwich Tern & House Martin at the Bill (AH)
(1430-1545 & 1620-1800hrs) (JA/SH/BI)
Gannet - 14E, 107W
Shag - 1W
Common Scoter - 11E
Arctic Skua - 1W (d/p)
Black-headed Gull - 30W
Mediteranean Gull - 2W
Herring Gull - 330W
Sandwich Tern - 47os
There were also two dark-phase Arctic Skuas east earlier on. (C&ME)
Ferry Pool: There was little to report this morning, with the pool just containing an Avocet, six Teal and 20 Shelducks. (AH/IP)
Avocet (above) & Teal at the Ferry (AH)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were plenty of the regular species along the banks this morning, including half a dozen Yellowhammers, several Whitethroat families, a singing Sedge Warbler, several Reed Warblers and Reed Buntings and numerous Linnets and Skylarks.
Up to 20 Swifts were over the new reservoirs, along with an handful of Swallows and a couple of House and Sand Martins and a Raven went over west, whilst two Egyptian Geese were near the poplars before flying into the Stilt Pool.
The Stilt Pool itself was quiet, with c20 Black-tailed Godwits, two Avocets and a handful of Lapwings the only waders present, whilst there were also a Common Tern feeding and c20 Gadwall and Canada Geese about. (AH)
Up to 20 Swifts were over the new reservoirs, along with an handful of Swallows and a couple of House and Sand Martins and a Raven went over west, whilst two Egyptian Geese were near the poplars before flying into the Stilt Pool.
The Stilt Pool itself was quiet, with c20 Black-tailed Godwits, two Avocets and a handful of Lapwings the only waders present, whilst there were also a Common Tern feeding and c20 Gadwall and Canada Geese about. (AH)
Raven (above), Egyptian Goose, Common Tern, Swift and House Martin, Yellowhammer, Whitethroat & Linnet at Medmerry (AH)
Pagham East side: A Common Sandpiper was in White's creek early on, and there was a small selection of the commoner waders along the east side, consisting of a single Knot, six Grey Plover, two Dunlin, 24 Oystercatchers, 36 Redshank and 15 Curlew. A single Great Crested Grebe was in the channel, a Common Tern was fishing there and a few Shelduck were scattered around the banks. (OM)
Phone-scoped image of the somewhat distant Knot! (OM)
North Wall: A family of six Greenfinches and a singing Chiffchaff were along Church Lane and in the horse field at Welbourne was a juvenile Green Woodpecker. On the Breech Pool there were 22 Black-tailed Godwits (including the colour-ringed bird again) and the usual Mallard flock, two Teal, two Little Egrets, a single Great Crested Grebe and a couple of Common Terns fishing.
A lot of Little Egret traffic at Owl Copse was going on and a pair of young Grey Herons were testing flight feathers. An explosion of Common Field Grasshoppers was apparent in the field behind Owl Copse, where there were also Gatekeeper and Small Skipper butterflies. In the field east of Honer Farm there were Little and Cattle Egrets chasing after what were, presumably, grasshoppers. (OM/JDW/IH/PC)
A lot of Little Egret traffic at Owl Copse was going on and a pair of young Grey Herons were testing flight feathers. An explosion of Common Field Grasshoppers was apparent in the field behind Owl Copse, where there were also Gatekeeper and Small Skipper butterflies. In the field east of Honer Farm there were Little and Cattle Egrets chasing after what were, presumably, grasshoppers. (OM/JDW/IH/PC)
Cattle and Little Egrets looking for grasshoppers, Gatekeeper and Small Skipper butterflies (JDW)
Apuldram: There was a lot of activity around the car park today with a family of Swallows being fed by parents along the telephone wires and a number of young Wrens were scattered around the bushes, three obligingly coming together just long enough for a family snap.
Other than that it was quiet in the blustery wind; a Kestrel hunted nearby, a Chiffchaff called and two Yellowhammers were about. (SR)
Other than that it was quiet in the blustery wind; a Kestrel hunted nearby, a Chiffchaff called and two Yellowhammers were about. (SR)
Recently fledged Wrens at Apuldram (SR)
Church Norton: The harbour was very noisy and chaotic this evening, with as many as 100 newly fledged Sandwich Tern chicks out on the mud, along with 200+ equally young Black-headed Gulls among very many adults of both, plus a few Little and Common Terns and c40 adult Mediterranean Gulls.
Earlier on two Fulmars and a Gannet went west offshore, where there were many more gulls and terns feeding, whilst three Common Sandpipers were near the harbour mouth and a dozen Dunlin and Redshank, plus a few Ringed Plovers were among the mayhem on the mud. (IL/AH)
Earlier on two Fulmars and a Gannet went west offshore, where there were many more gulls and terns feeding, whilst three Common Sandpipers were near the harbour mouth and a dozen Dunlin and Redshank, plus a few Ringed Plovers were among the mayhem on the mud. (IL/AH)
Sandwich Terns (above), Little Tern, Little and Common Tern, Mediterranean Gulls, Sandwich Tern and Black-headed Gull, Black-headed and Mediterranean Gulls, juvenile Black-headed Gulls & Dunlin and Ringed Plovers at Church Norton (AH)
Selsey Bill: A flock of 22 Common Scoters west was a surprise for the time of year, though otherwise it was business as usual. (IP/SR/AH/MO-W)
(0650-0805hrs) (WSW, F4-5)
Gannet - 5E, 2W
Common Scoter - 2E, 29W
Mediterranean Gull - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 10os
Swift - 6
House Martin - 2
House Martin (above) & Swift at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: Highlight this morning was a mother Water Rail with two black fluffball chicks, popping in and out from the reeds on the concealed pool.
Also, there were two Common Sandpipers on the main pool, along with eight Avocets, 15 Redshanks, eight Teal and a dozen Shelducks, whilst the adult and juvenile Cattle Egrets were in Ferry Field again. (AH/MO-W)
Also, there were two Common Sandpipers on the main pool, along with eight Avocets, 15 Redshanks, eight Teal and a dozen Shelducks, whilst the adult and juvenile Cattle Egrets were in Ferry Field again. (AH/MO-W)
Water Rails (above), Common Sandpipers & Avocet at the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: Terns and gulls dominated the harbour on the high tide, with Little, Common and Sandwich Terns feeding and bringing in fish, with a few Mediterranean Gulls among the huge numbers of Black-headed Gulls, including up to 20 freshly fledged young.
Up to 40 Turnstones were in the harbour at high tide, along with a few Ringed Plovers, Curlews and Oystercatchers, but the bushes were very quiet and just a few Linnets and Skylarks were along the beach. There was also a Marbled white near the concrete wall. (AH/A&YF)
Up to 40 Turnstones were in the harbour at high tide, along with a few Ringed Plovers, Curlews and Oystercatchers, but the bushes were very quiet and just a few Linnets and Skylarks were along the beach. There was also a Marbled white near the concrete wall. (AH/A&YF)
Little Tern (above), Sandwich Tern, Common Tern, Sandwich Terns and Mediterranean Gulls, Turnstones & Skylark at Church Norton (AH)
North Wall: Late this afternoon there were 18 Black-tailed Godwits and a Common Tern on the Breech Pool. (IH)
Medmerry: Ham Farm - A look around the banks in the blustery wind this evening found two new Stonechat families - given their locations they were presumably both second broods, and a couple of Whitethroat and Linnet families.
Also, at least three Corn Buntings and numerous Skylarks were around the big barley field, a couple of Reed Buntings were in the reeds, half a dozen Swallows were feeding overhead and a couple of Yellowhammers were in the hedges, with several more along Ham Road. (AH)
Also, at least three Corn Buntings and numerous Skylarks were around the big barley field, a couple of Reed Buntings were in the reeds, half a dozen Swallows were feeding overhead and a couple of Yellowhammers were in the hedges, with several more along Ham Road. (AH)
Stonechat (above), Stonechat and Linnets, Corn Bunting, Yellowhammer & Swallow at Medmerry (AH)
Selsey Bill: A lone Common Scoter west was the highlight! (AH/IP/MO-W/SR)
(0645-0800hrs) (WSW, F4-5)
Gannet - 12E, 6W, 6os
Common Scoter - 1W
Mediterranean Gull - 1E, 1W
Sandwich Tern - c20os
Common Tern - 2os
Little Tern - 1os
(1610-1710hrs) (SH)
Gannet - 7W
Arctic Skua - 1W (l/p)
Sandwich Ten - 30os
Common Tern - 4os
(1610-1710hrs) (SH)
Gannet - 7W
Arctic Skua - 1W (l/p)
Sandwich Ten - 30os
Common Tern - 4os
Ferry Pool and Long Pool: The adult and juvenile Cattle Egrets were on the field again this morning, whilst on the pool itself there were two Avocets, seven Black-tailed Godwits, a Redshank and five Teal.
The Long Pool was very quiet beyond a Reed Bunting and a couple of singing Reed Warblers, with nothing in the channel on the high tide. (AH)
Cattle Egrets (above) and Avocet at the Ferry & Reed Bunting along the Long Pool (AH)
North Wall: The Spotted Redshank was in the Breech Pool early on, before flying across the harbour, and there were also a Common Sandpiper, a dozen Black-tailed Godwits (one colour-ringed), a few Teal and lots of Mallard present there, whilst a handful of Lapwing and Curlews were in the harbour.
One or two Reed Warblers were still singing, with one seen with a Meadow Brown butterfly in its bill, but generally passerines were few beyond the odd Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat and Reed Bunting.
Also, a Cinnabar moth was along the lower path and there were very many Meadow Browns and the odd Gatekeeper about.(IH/OM/AH)
Common Sandpiper (above), Reed Warbler, Lapwing, Black-tailed Godwit, Teal & Cinnabar moth at the North Wall (AH)
Cropped views of the colour-ringed Black-tailed Godwit (OM)
Chichester Marina: With the tide being high there was little to see other than 4 Common Terns feeding offshore. Along the canal was a pair of Coots with 3 small chicks and 3 Reed Warblers were singing. Birdham Pool held an unusually large number of Little Egrets, I counted 27 roosting in the trees and they were largely juveniles.
There was also a Grey Heron with 2 juveniles, a Cormorant, 2 Little Grebes, a Great Crested Grebe, 12 Tufted Ducks, 18 juvenile Mallards with 4 adults, several singing Reed Warblers and a Sedge Warbler and 2 Goldcrests were in the hedge by the path.
From the hide overlooking the reedbed there was a lot of Reed Bunting activity with at least 7 seen, a Cetti's Warbler and a Chiffchaff were heard, a Buzzard was close by, 2 Swallows fed over the water and a flock of c25 Swifts flew overhead. (SR)
Reed Warbler along the canal and Little Egrets roosting at Birdham Pool (SR)
Chi GP's - Drayton Pits: There were six species of raptor present this morning - singles of Hobby, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel and Red Kite, plus two Buzzards and the family of Marsh Harriers, where a juvenile was located again.....although I have a hunch there might yet be two. (Welfare check at distance).
On the North pit, the Pochard with a single duckling and the Gadwall with five were still present, but no other duck broods could be located there or on any of the other pits as yet. There were however still quite a few of the two aforementioned duck species spread around the three pits.
Otherwise, the usual species were present, with just occasional bits of song from the Reed and Cetti's Warblers, a persistent Grey Heron was on the prowl, and at least 50 Swifts and 20 House Martins were feeding mainly over the South pit. (OM)
Grey Heron and Reed Warbler at Drayton pits (OM)
Juvenile Marsh Harrier - note dark appearance, dark underwing coverts, bulging 'arm' and narrower wingtips, plus golden yellow head and nape and pale golden throat (OM)
Presumed juvenile Marsh Harrier - if so, this may be a second bird as it appears different from the above? (OM)
adult Marsh Harrier (OM)
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