20th - 22nd May 2021

Saturday, 22nd May: A grey and cloudy day with occasional showers, some heavy, but thankfully with a considerable easing of the wind, yesterday's gales moderating to a westerly force 4-5…

Selsey Bill: A  bit of a mixture this morning, the biggest surprise being a Great White Egret which flew south-west over the sea some way out at 0745hrs, whilst 100+ Dunlin and 50+ Sanderling flew west, as did five Great Northern Divers, with another offshore, and 92 Common Scoter, including of flock of 80, went east. Full log below. (SH/BI/IP/SR/AH et al)

(0530-0900hrs)  (W/SW F5-6)  

Great Northern Diver - 5W, 1 os

Great Crested Grebe - 2 os

Fulmar - 3W

Gannet - 43E, 19W, 13 os

Great White Egret - 1SW (0745hrs)

Common Scoter - 92E

Mallard - 2

Dunlin - 112W

Sanderling - 53W

Arctic Skua - 1 os (l/p)

Kittiwake - 2W

Little Tern - 8 os

Common Tern - 11 os

Sandwich Tern - 15 os

Razorbill - 7W

auk sp - 1W

Swift - 12N

Great Northern Diver (above), Arctic Skua, Gannets, Sanderlings and Dunlin & Dunlin at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were 22 Shelducks and three Tufted Ducks on the pool this morning, but the only waders present were a Redshank and six Avocets. (AH)

Tufted Ducks and Shelducks on the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Lesser Whitethroat was singing along Park Lane this morning. (IP)

Church Norton: There were at least a dozen Little Terns feeding in the harbour mouth this morning, with half a dozen Mediterranean Gulls and plenty of Sandwich Terns about, too, whilst waders included at least ten Sanderlings, 20 Ringed Plover, a Grey Plover, nine Turnstones and c75 Dunlin.

Passerines were few, though a Jay was at Greenlease Farm and a Reed Warbler, a Sedge Warbler, and a few Whitethroats and Linnets were along the Severals, whilst there appear to be better numbers of Greenfinches around compared to recent years. (AH)

Little Tern (above), Sandwich Tern, Mediterranean Gulls & Linnet at Church Norton (AH)

This evening at least 300 Dunlin were in the harbour, along with the usual terns, whilst a Mistle Thrush and a Green Woodpecker were along Rectory Lane. (AH)

Little Tern (above), Mistle Thrush & Green Woodpecker at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Windmill area - A flock of 14 Sanderlings and a Dunlin dropped onto the beach this morning before continuing west. (AW) (Of interest, this was one of the flocks also seen passing the Bill this morning. Eds)

Sanderling and Dunlin at Medmerry (AW)

Friday, 21st May: A very windy day, with a gale-force south-westerly blowing continuously, though fairly mild and mostly dry under quick-moving cloud......

Selsey Bill: There wasn't too much about this morning, though a Bonxie, up to four Arctic Skuas and a few Fulmars and Kittiwakes were moving about. Full log below. (BI/AH/JA/SR/IP/P&LH/RJS)

(0610-0900hrs) (SW, F8-9)
Manx Shearwater – 1E, 1W
Fulmar – 11W
Gannet – 18E, 22W
Sanderling – 1W
Bar-tailed Godwit – 1W
Great Skua – 1E
Arctic Skua – 2E, 2os (all l/p)
Kittiwake – 6W
Sandwich Tern – 16os
Common Tern – 3W
Little Tern – 2W
Swift – 14N
Swallow – 2N
House Martin - 4

Fulmars (above), Common Tern & Gannet at the Bill (AH)

(1640-1800hrs) (SH/JA/AH)
Fulmar – 1W
Gannet – 1W
Sandwich Tern – 9os 

Gannet at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just eight Avocets, ten Shelducks and two Redshank on the pool today. (AH)

Avocet at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were still at least four Sanderling, two Turnstones, c20 Ringed Plovers and c150 Dunlin on the mud, along with a very odd-looking distant Bar-tailed Godwit, looking part leucistic and part summer-plumaged.

Most of the Sandwich Terns were tucked way on the island, though up to a dozen Little Terns were feeding and displaying in the harbour. (AH/P&LH)

Little Terns (above), Sanderling, Ringed Plover & Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)

Late this afternoon five Little Terns were feeding together in the little creek between the benches and the concrete blocks, whilst waders included a Grey Plover, a Curlew, c20 Sanderling, c30 Ringed Plovers and c300 Dunlin. (AH)

Little Terns (above) & Ringed Plovers at Church Norton (AH)

Thursday, 20th May: A cool and very grey morning, though dry, with the southerly breeze freshening all the while.......and becoming strong to gale force by afternoon.

Selsey Bill: Two Arctic Skuas went east, a Great Northern Diver went west and a few Kittiwakes were going in both directions this morning. Full log below. (IP/AH)

(0745-0900hrs) (SSW, F5) 

Great Northern Diver – 1W

Great Crested Grebe – 1W

Gannet – 10E, 11W

Mallard – 2E

Common Scoter – 4E

Oystercatcher – 1E

Arctic Skua – 2E (l/p)

Kittiwake – 8E, 5W

Sandwich Tern – 40os

Common Tern – 3os

Razorbill – 2E, 3W

auk sp – 4W

(1000-1200hrs) (PB/PM)
Manx Shearwater – 1E, 1W
Fulmar – 1W, 2E
Gannet – 31E, 18W
Arctic Skua – 1os (d/p chasing terns)
Kittiwake – 4os
Sandwich Tern – 30os
Razorbill – 3E
auk sp – 7E, 4W
Swift – 3N

Great Northern Diver (above), Arctic Skua, Kittiwakes, Sandwich Tern & Gannet at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A total of 22 Black-tailed Godwits were on the pool this morning, along with five Avocets and ten Shelducks, whilst a Gadwall dropped into the channel opposite and a Reed Warbler and a Whitethroat were at the start of the Long Pool. (AH)

Reed Warbler (above), Whitethroat, Avocet & Gadwall around the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: The Roseate Tern was reported again early on (per RBA), but was not around later, though a second-year Little Gull, 40 Little Terns and ten Common Terns were among the Sandwich Terns, whilst 20 Ringed Plovers, 94 Dunlin, four Sanderling, ten Turnstones and four Grey Plovers were out on the mud and a Peregrine, a Gadwall and two Tufted Ducks were about, too.. (AH/BFF/DM/DIS)

Also, news from Tern Island that there were 11 pairs of Mediterranean Gulls and four pairs of Little Terns nesting in the colony, with another 17 Little Tern nests on Peregrine Island. (IL)

Little and Sandwich Terns (above), Common and Sandwich Terns, Sandwich Terns & Ringed Plover at Church Norton (AH)

West Itchenor: A Gannet was a long way up the harbour this afternoon, seen off of the  Chalkdock/Itchenor shore. (PH)

Gannet at West Itchenor (PH)

Ivy Lake: The lake area was full of feeding Swifts and House Martins - plus a single Sand Martin - and although difficult to count the total was around 100 birds in the mixed flock. (MJ)

North Mundham: A Coal Tit was on the feeders in the garden this morning. (MJ)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Stilt Pools -  A Cuckoo was by the flint barn and another was calling nearby. At the Stilt Pools the Avocets were hunkered down on their nests - apparently four chicks are still there but they were keeping well out of sight in the chilly weather. 
A pair of Common Terns were also on the pools along with a few Canada Geese, three pairs of Tufted Duck, a Lapwing and a few Shelduck. The Stonechat family were close to the path, two adults with at least two youngsters. (SR)

Cuckoo (above) & Stonechat family at Medmerry (SR)