Thursday, 9th July: Another fairly dire morning for the time of year, with a fresh south-westerly, heavy cloud cover and persistent spitty drizzle.........
Selsey Bill: There were lots of Gannets offshore again, with many gulls and Sandwich Terns, too, plus a couple of Kittiwakes and a flock of c25 Sand Martins west and ten Common Scoters east of note. Full log below....
(0630-1000hrs): (wind WSW-SW6) (AH/MO-W/SR/OM)
Gannet - c.200W & 100os
Common Scoter - 10E
Common Tern - 5 os
Sandwich Tern - c.50 os
Kittiwake - 2W
Mediterranean Gull - 24W (some os before slowly drifting away W)
Common Gull - 1W
Swift - 1
Sand Martin - 30W
(0630-1000hrs): (wind WSW-SW6) (AH/MO-W/SR/OM)
Gannet - c.200W & 100os
Common Scoter - 10E
Common Tern - 5 os
Sandwich Tern - c.50 os
Kittiwake - 2W
Mediterranean Gull - 24W (some os before slowly drifting away W)
Common Gull - 1W
Swift - 1
Sand Martin - 30W
Kittiwake (above), Common Gull, Gannet & Mediterranean Gulls at the Bill (AH)
(1700-1800hrs) (SH)
Gannet - 10E, 55W
Mediterranean Gull - 21W, 13os
Black-headed Gull - 50os
Sandwich Tern - 33os
Common Tern - 1W
auk sp - 1W
Ferry Pool: Early on there were just two Black-tailed Godwits and six Shelducks, whilst later on two Little Ringed Plovers were the only birds present. (AH/OM)
Gannet - 10E, 55W
Mediterranean Gull - 21W, 13os
Black-headed Gull - 50os
Sandwich Tern - 33os
Common Tern - 1W
auk sp - 1W
Ferry Pool: Early on there were just two Black-tailed Godwits and six Shelducks, whilst later on two Little Ringed Plovers were the only birds present. (AH/OM)
Little Ringed Plovers on the Ferry (AH)
North Wall: Late morning the Breech Pool contained 30 Black-tailed Godwits and two Cormorants while above were ten Swifts and a single Sand Martin. Six Little Egrets huddled together on Heron Island, two adult Cattle Egrets accompanied a further four Little Egrets in Owl Copse and a Kestrel hunted on the far side of the wood. (IH)
Church Norton: The harbour remains full of families of Sandwich Terns and Black-headed Gulls, with c40 Mediterranean Gulls, including two very young juveniles, spread between the harbour and the beach and a few Little Terns were feeding offshore and bringing in food, as were a few Common Terns.
Church Norton: The harbour remains full of families of Sandwich Terns and Black-headed Gulls, with c40 Mediterranean Gulls, including two very young juveniles, spread between the harbour and the beach and a few Little Terns were feeding offshore and bringing in food, as were a few Common Terns.
A pair of Ringed Plovers were doing the 'injured bird' behaviour on the beach, indicating chicks were nearby, whilst along the foreshore there were a Knot, a Dunlin, a Grey Plover and a few Curlews.
The only passerines noted were a briefly singing Blackcap, plus a few Linnets and Skylarks along the spit. (AH)
Early this afternoon, a Roseate Tern was with Common Terns on the mud, viewed from the hide. There were also a total of 37 Little Terns sitting out on the mud and the local Swallows were also showing well. (BFF/DM/NR/TB)
Early this afternoon, a Roseate Tern was with Common Terns on the mud, viewed from the hide. There were also a total of 37 Little Terns sitting out on the mud and the local Swallows were also showing well. (BFF/DM/NR/TB)
Record shots of the Roseate Tern (above) and Swallow at Church Norton (DM)
Little Tern (above), Knot, juvenile Mediterranean Gull, Sandwich Terns, Mediterranean Gulls, Sandwich and Common Terns and Ringed Plovers at Church Norton (AH)
The Roseate Tern was in the harbour again this evening, along with at least a dozen Common Terns, c50 Mediterranean Gulls, hundreds of Sandwich Tens, c20 Dunlin and c30 Turnstones. (AH)
Roseate, Common and Sandwich Terns (above), juvenile Mediterranean Gull, Common and Sandwich Terns, Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls & Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)
Selsey Bill: The first returning Common Gull was the only bird other than the regular species, though there were a lot of birds about, including 150 Gannets (mostly sub-adults) feeding together at one stage. Full log below. (AH/SR)
(0645-0830hrs) (NW, F3-4)
Gannet - c100W, c150os
Little Egret -1W, then E
Common Scoter - 1E
Curlew - 1W
Common Gull - 1W
Mediterranean Gull - 7W, 3os
Sandwich Tern - c70os
Little Tern - 2os
Mediterranean Gull - 7W, 3os
Sandwich Tern - c70os
Little Tern - 2os
Common Gull (above), Gannets, Mediterranean Gull, Little Egret & Curlew at the Bill (AH)
(1645-1745hrs) (SW, F4) (SH)
Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - flock of c75 feeding close inshore which drifted off west, then another flock formed to the east of 32 birds. Also, 2E, 7W
Common Scoter - 1W
Mediterranean Gull - 2W, 1os
Sandwich Tern - 20os
Swift - 1
House Martin - 2
East Head: A Roseate Tern (one of two seen off Hayling Island recently) was briefly sat on the sand this morning, before flying off (the Black Tern also in the area was not viewable from the Sussex side sadly). Also, the first Yellow-legged Gull of the year, which appeared to have an injured right leg, was in the car-park and a few Common Terns and Gannets were offshore. At Snowhill Creek some of the young Avocets were feeding and a Chiffchaff was along the hedges. (BI)
Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - flock of c75 feeding close inshore which drifted off west, then another flock formed to the east of 32 birds. Also, 2E, 7W
Common Scoter - 1W
Mediterranean Gull - 2W, 1os
Sandwich Tern - 20os
Swift - 1
House Martin - 2
East Head: A Roseate Tern (one of two seen off Hayling Island recently) was briefly sat on the sand this morning, before flying off (the Black Tern also in the area was not viewable from the Sussex side sadly). Also, the first Yellow-legged Gull of the year, which appeared to have an injured right leg, was in the car-park and a few Common Terns and Gannets were offshore. At Snowhill Creek some of the young Avocets were feeding and a Chiffchaff was along the hedges. (BI)
Ferry Pool: There were just three Teal, four Black-tailed Godwits and seven Shelducks on the pool this morning. (AH)
Black-tailed Godwit (above) & Teal at the Ferry (AH)
East Beach: A second brood of Great Black-Backed Gulls was found today with three well-grown chicks. (SR)
Church Norton: There were dozens of young Sandwich Terns and Black-headed Gulls in the harbour, along with c50 Mediterranean Gulls, plus just a few Common and Little Terns, though half a dozen of the latter were feeding close off the beach.
Other than that there wasn't much to report beyond a few Curlews and Redshank in the harbour, up to eight Swallows along the sheltered hedges, a brief snatch of Blackcap song and the odd Linnet and Skylark on the beach. (AH)
Great Black-Backed Gull at East Beach (SR)
North Wall: The water in the Breech Pool this morning was just low enough for five Black-tailed Godwits to be feeding and there were a similar number feeding along Whites Creek. The harbour also contained one Whimbrel, about 30 Redshank, a few Lapwing and Curlew and a Common Tern. (IH)
Church Norton: There were dozens of young Sandwich Terns and Black-headed Gulls in the harbour, along with c50 Mediterranean Gulls, plus just a few Common and Little Terns, though half a dozen of the latter were feeding close off the beach.
Other than that there wasn't much to report beyond a few Curlews and Redshank in the harbour, up to eight Swallows along the sheltered hedges, a brief snatch of Blackcap song and the odd Linnet and Skylark on the beach. (AH)
Little Terns (above), Common Tern, Sandwich Tern & Swallow at Church Norton (AH)
Selsey Bill: A few hirundines were about this morning, including a dozen Sand Martins, with a few Gannets and Sandwich Terns lingering offshore and 20 Common Scoters went west. Full log below. (MO-W/AH/SR/IP)
(0645-0815hrs) (NW, F2)
Gannet - c30os
Common Scoter - 20W
Oystercatcher - 3W
Curlew - 1W
Mediterranean Gull - 7E, 5W, 2os
Sandwich Tern - c40os
Common Tern - 2os
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1
Swift - 8
Swallow - 6
House Martin - 10
Sand Martin - 12
Sand Martin (above), House Martin & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)
(1645-1745hrs) (SW, F4) (SH)
Gannet - 3E, 61W, 10os
Mediterranean Gull - 5W, 2os
Sandwich Tern - 17os
Common Tern - 1os
Guillemot - 1W
Swift - 10
Ferry Pool: This morning there were just four Black-tailed Godwits, five Teal and six Shelducks on the pool. (AH)
Gannet - 3E, 61W, 10os
Mediterranean Gull - 5W, 2os
Sandwich Tern - 17os
Common Tern - 1os
Guillemot - 1W
Swift - 10
Ferry Pool: This morning there were just four Black-tailed Godwits, five Teal and six Shelducks on the pool. (AH)
North Wall: There was no sign of the Little Owl this morning and apart from distant Redshanks, a few Dunlin and 20 Swifts, there was little to see out in the harbour. For a time the Breech Pool contained seven Mute Swans which were probably the seven previously seen at the Lagoon. The Swans flew off and were replaced by 20 Black-tailed Godwits while the surrounding reeds were full of Reed and Sedge Warblers and their young . There were also three young Little Grebes and a parent near the sluice at the far end of the Wall. (IH/TG)
Later, three Common Sandpipers and a Whimbrel were among c40 Redshanks and a dozen Black-tailed Godwits in White's Creek, the Common Tern was feeding over the Breech Pool, a Sand Martin went over south and the odd Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Whitethroat sang sparingly. (AH/TG)
Later, three Common Sandpipers and a Whimbrel were among c40 Redshanks and a dozen Black-tailed Godwits in White's Creek, the Common Tern was feeding over the Breech Pool, a Sand Martin went over south and the odd Chiffchaff, Blackcap and Whitethroat sang sparingly. (AH/TG)
Reed Warbler (above), Whimbrel, Common Sandpipers and Redshank & Common Tern at the North Wall (AH)
Birdham Pool: A Common Sandpiper was the only real bird of interest today, resting on a log at the side of the pool.
Further along, tucked into the reeds a Great Crested Grebe sat on her nest and adult adult Little Grebes were out feeding; two more Little Grebes sat in amongst the tree roots and six Tufted Ducks were tucked into the side along with the usual Coots and Mallards, whilst a Kestrel hovered overhead. (SR)
Further along, tucked into the reeds a Great Crested Grebe sat on her nest and adult adult Little Grebes were out feeding; two more Little Grebes sat in amongst the tree roots and six Tufted Ducks were tucked into the side along with the usual Coots and Mallards, whilst a Kestrel hovered overhead. (SR)
Common Sandpiper at Birdham Pool (SR)
A Red-legged Partridge was strutting around Birdham garden for a few minutes, before it ran rapidly to the side of the house and away ! (GT)
Church Norton: There were at least 50 Sandwich Tern fledglings and probably double that of Black-headed Gull fledglings, along with many adults of both in the harbour this evening, but only a handful of Little and Common Terns (including a juvenile) and 30+ Mediterranean Gulls, whilst 20 or so Redshanks and a couple of Curlews were the only waders seen.
Also, three or four Swallows were being very active around the hide. (AH)
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