17th - 19th May 2021

Wednesday, 19th May: After overnight rain and a wet start, another bright and breezy morning in a brisk north-westerly.....

Selsey Bill: The morning was dominated by a northward movement of Swifts, with small flocks constantly coming in, totalling 247 in all, with a Yellow Wagtail in off the sea, too, and a Chiffchaff was in the tamarisk hedge.

Sea passage was slight, though, with 44 Common Scoters east the only indication. Full log below. (SR/IP/AH)

(0655-0915hrs) (NW, F4)

Fulmar - 1E, 2W

Gannet - 13E, 32W, 20 os

Common Scoter - 44E, 5W

Dunlin - 40W

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Kittiwake - 6E, 3W

Sandwich Tern - 5E, 8W, c25 os

Common Tern - 4W

Razorbill - 1W

Guillemot - 1E

auk sp - 3E, 2W

Swift - 247N

House Martin - 8

Pied Wagtail - 2

Yellow Wagtail - 1N

Chiffchaff - 1

Fulmar (above), Sandwich Terns, Swift, Gannet (AH) & House Martin (SR) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: The pool was very quiet this morning, with just four Avocets, a Black-tailed Godwit, two Redshanks and eight Shelducks on it.

The Tramway circuit was slow, too, though c50 Dunlin were well out in the harbour from the main channel, with otherwise just the usual handful of Whitethroats and Blackcaps, plus a couple of Chiffchaffs. (AH)

Chiffchaff (above), Whitethroat & Avocet around the Ferry (AH)

Warner Lane Paddocks and Crablands: There were calling Cetti's Warbler, Chiffchaff and Sedge Warbler, plus Marsh Frogs this morning, with a Song Thrush gathering food, three Linnets, a Whitethroat and a pair of Swallows around the stables. (SR)

Drayton Pit: At least 100 Swifts were over the lake this morning, and yesterday evening. (BI)

Church Norton: There were a Spotted Flycatcher behind the hide and another by the concrete wall this morning, whilst 20 Swifts and a couple of Swallows went over, but otherwise it was just the usual mix of Whitethroats and Blackcaps, plus at least two Lesser Whitethroats, with a Sedge Warbler and a few Linnets along the Severals.

There were no waders in the harbour, though a Peregrine was about and at least 20 Little Terns, ten Common Terns and 100+ Sandwich Terns were on the mud. (AH)

Spotted Flycatcher (above), Whitethroat & Little Terns at Church Norton (AH)

Late this afternoon the Roseate Tern was back among the Sandwich Terns on the mud. (AW)

Roseate and Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AW)

This evening there were a few waders on the mud on the rising tide, including 11 Sanderlings, four Turnstones, 25 Ringed Plovers and c150 Dunlin, as well as plenty of Little, Common and Sandwich Terns.

Also, a Mistle Thrush was along Rectory Lane. (AH)

Sanderling (above), Dunlin, Sanderling, Dunlin and Ringed Plovers, Little and Sandwich Terns, Mistle Thrush and Shelduck at Church Norton (AH)

Tuesday, 18th May: A pleasantly warm morning, with the westerly breeze a shade lighter, too.....

Selsey Bill: It was quiet this morning, with just 16 Common Scoter and two Kittiwakes east and a Fulmar west of note. Full log below. (SR/MO-W/IP/HR/DM)

(0650-0830hrs) (W, F3-4) 

Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - 9E, 8W
Shelduck - 2W
Common Scoter - 16E
Oystercatcher - 2E
Turnstone - 6
Kittiwake - 2E
Sandwich Tern - 40 os
Common Tern - 8W, 4 os
Razorbill - 1W
auk sp - 1E, 5W
Swift - 1N
Swallow - 5N
House Martin - 6

(1715-1830hrs) (SH)
Gannet – 10E, 12W
Common Scoter – 1E
Kittiwake – 1E, 1W
Sandwich Tern – 63os
Guillemot – 1W
Razorbill – 1E
auk sp – 3E, 4W

Ferry Pool: There were 24 Black-tailed Godwits and 16 Avocets on the pool this morning, along with a dozen Shelducks, two Redshank and a Lapwing, whilst a look round the Tramway produced several Whitethroats and Blackcaps, plus a couple of Chiffchaffs, but not much else. (AH)

Black-tailed Godwits (above), Whitethroat & Blackcap around the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: The Roseate Tern was back on the mud this morning among the Sandwich Terns. (TB et al)

Long Pool: Two Cuckoos were calling along the west side, whilst the hedges had lots of Whitethroats, plus a couple of Reed Buntings and Chiffchaffs and the reeds held at least four Sedge, two Cetti's and ten Reed Warblers.

The pool also held a Gadwall and a Little Grebe, but the channel was empty save a couple of Redshank. (AH)

Cetti's Warbler (above), Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler & Linnet along the Long Pool (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A pair of Avocets with four young chicks were on the Stilt Pool this morning, with another 24 adult birds around the islands, whilst two Little Ringed Plovers, two Dunlin and a Lapwing were also present, along with a pair of Gadwall, ten Tufted Ducks and two families of Canada Geese.

A Cuckoo was near the poplars, and six Swifts, c20 House Martins and c50 Swallows were over the reservoirs, but the banks just held the regular mix of Yellowhammers, Linnets, Whitethroats and Skylarks, plus a handful of Stock Doves. (AH)

Avocets (above), Yellowhammer, Swallow, Stock Dove, Gadwall & Canada Goose at Medmerry (AH)

Runcton. A walk south of the village this morning produced female Sparrowhawk, Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a singing Cetti’s Warbler, a Reed Warbler, two Blackcaps, a Whitethroat, Blackbird, a Song Thrush and three Chaffinches, whilst a single House Martin was briefly over the village.

Along the verges were Green Alkanet, and Cut-leaved Cranesbill, whilst on our garden pond Broad-bodied Chasers continue to emerge, with still a dozen or more larva to come. (CRJ)

Broad-bodied Chasers (above) & Green Alkanet at Runcton (CRJ)

Monday, 17th May: A fairly bright and blustery day, warm in the sun, but tempered by the westerly breeze pushing through banks of cloud and the odd sharp shower.....

Selsey Bill: An Arctic Skua was lingering offshore this morning, periodically harassing the Sandwich Terns, whilst over 50 Swifts came in and a first-summer Common Tern was offshore on an otherwise quiet morning. Full log below. (SR/MO-W/IP/AH)

(0650-0850hrs) (WNW, F4-5)
Gannet – 64E, 34W
Shelduck – 2W
Common Scoter – 9E, 3os
Arctic Skua – 1os (d/p)
Kittiwake – 1E, 2W
Sandwich Tern – 60os
Common Tern – 5os (inc 1st summer bird)
Razorbill – 1E
Guillemot – 1E
auk sp – 3E, 9W
Swift – 57N
Swallow – 2N

Arctic Skua (above), Kittiwake, Common Tern, Sandwich Tern, Shelducks & House Martins at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Two Dunlin were on the pool this morning, though otherwise it was the usual species, including 16 Avocets, 11 Black-tailed Godwits, four Redshank and ten Shelducks, with a couple of Blackcaps and Whitethroats in the nearby hedges. (AH)

Dunlin (above) & Whitethroat at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: The Roseate Tern was sat out on the mud this morning, along with c30 Little Terns, a dozen Common Terns, a couple of Mediterranean Gulls and 200+ Sandwich Terns.

There had been an arrival of waders, too, this morning, with c120 flighty Dunlin, a dozen Ringed Plovers and four Bar-tailed Godwits in the harbour, whilst a Peregrine went over, but passerines were thin on the ground again, though a Reed Warbler was singing from the bushes near the hide and several Lesser Whitethroats, Whitethroats and Blackcaps were in voice and a couple of Swallows and half a dozen Swifts went over. (AH/OM/ARK/IH/AW/A&YF et al)

Roseate Tern with Little and Sandwich Terns, Common, Little and Sandwich Terns, Little Tern & Dunlin and Ringed Plovers at Church Norton (AH)

Roseate and Sandwich Terns (above) & Sanderling at Church Norton (AW)

East Beach Pond: Two Reed Warblers and a Sedge Warbler were in the meagre reeds, where a Mallard who had amassed 16 newly hatched ducklings was hiding.

A Chiffchaff was calling and there was a young family of Long-tailed Tits plus two families of Coot, one with two well grown young and another with one single chick. After an absence of a couple of years a pair of Mute Swans are nesting - they have three eggs but have lost a fourth that rolled out into the water - and the adults were busy shoring up the nest but had to fend off inquisitive passers by in the form of a Coot and the Muscovy Duck. (SR)

Mute Swan (above) & Muscovy Duck at East Beach Pond (SR)

Fishbourne Creek: There were very few waders present during my visit this morning, consisting of just five Dunlin, two Redshank and an Oystercatcher, whilst a count of the Mute Swan herd produced a total of at least 110 (with a few others possibly hidden behind the moored boats). There wasn't too much else of interest in the channel, bar a single Common Tern and a count of 12 Lesser Black-backed Gulls amongst the many Herring Gulls and several pairs of Mallard.

A Cuckoo was calling from the direction of Dell Quay, whilst an active Buzzard - hovering at times - was harassed by the local crows, but it was generally quiet along the path, with several Whitethroats and Blackcaps singing and a Cetti's Warbler and Reed Warblers near the Lavant outfall. (OM)