13th - 15th June 2021

Tuesday, 15th June: A slightly cooler morning, though still pleasant, with a bit more cloud and a fresher northerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: A couple of Little Terns were feeding along the shoreline, though the Sandwich Terns were a long way out. (AH)

(0645-0730hrs) (N, F3) 

Gannet - 2E

Sandwich Tern - 40os

Little Tern - 2os

House Martin - 10

Linnet - 2

Little Terns (above) & House Martin at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were 14 Avocets on the pool this morning, along with 12 Black-tailed Godwits, a Lapwing and 20 Shelducks, with the singing Reed Warbler and Whitethroat still present, too.

Also, at least two Tawny Owlets were still in their box. (AH)

This evening a Greenshank was on the pool. (AW)

Tawny Owlet (above) & Avocet around the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: The male Yellowhammer was again present at the end of the pool, whilst there were also a distantly calling Cuckoo, a couple of Reed Buntings, half a dozen Linnets and Whitethroats and a scattering of Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers. (AH)

Yellowhammer (above), Cetti's Warbler, Sedge Warbler & Whitethroat along the Long Pool (AH)

West Wittering: A male Golden Oriole was singing early this morning in Rookwood Lane before flying off north at 0610hrs (GM)

There was also a Meadow Pipit at East Head. (MR)

Meadow Pipit at East Head. (MR)

Chichester Canal: A Norfolk Hawker was again present today. (DSa/GM)

North Wall: There were 16 Cattle Egrets at Halsey's Farm this morning, whilst the summering drake Wigeon was again present - initially at the far end of White's Creek before moving out onto the harbour mudflats. 

Along the Wall the regular selection of warblers and Reed Buntings were still singing and two Cuckoos were also still around, one in almost continuous song for quite a while. At the Breech pool the pair of Great Crested Grebes with their three young were very obvious, whilst the pair of Marsh Harriers were also active over the fields to the rear. 

There were also plenty of Starlings about, but no sign of any ‘pinkies’ despite the national influx ! (OM)

Church Norton: A steady conveyor belt of Sandwich Terns, plus the odd Common Tern, were bringing fish into the colony this morning, whilst there were still plenty of Little Terns around their island and a few Mediterranean Gulls among the Black-headed Gulls.

Passerines were fairly thin on the ground, but there were plenty of Linnets about, with the odd Blackcap, Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler singing. (AH)

Linnet (above), Reed Bunting, Mediterranean Gull, Common Tern & Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AH)

Later, there were also seven Knot and four Gadwall, (BFF/DM/DIS), and this evening at least ten Turnstones were in the harbour and a Mistle Thrush was in Rectory Lane (AH).

Little Tern (above) & Turnstone at Church Norton (AH)

Monday, 14th June: Another very warm morning, with uninterrupted sunshine and just a light northerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: It was very quiet this morning, though a group of eight Common Terns went east together. (AH)

(0645-0730hrs) (NE, F2) 

Gannet - 3E

Sandwich Tern - 20os

Common Tern - 8E

Swift - 2

House Martin - 14

Sandwich Tern (above) & House Martins at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were two Little Ringed Plovers on the pool this morning, along with three Avocets, 14 Black-tailed Godwits, a Redshank and ten Shelducks, whilst a Reed Warbler was singing from the roadside reeds and a Whitethroat from the pine trees by the EA yard. (AH)

Little Ringed Plovers (above), Reed Warbler & Whitethroat at the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Sparrowhawk flew across the fields with prey (probably a Starling), whilst a Lesser Whitethroat sang briefly. (IP)

Church Norton: A Cuckoo was at the Severals this morning, where a Red Kite drifted over and there were also a Buzzard, two Green Woodpeckers, two male Reed Buntings, a few Linnets and the odd singing Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warbler.

Also of note, there were lots of Sandwich Terns bringing in small fish, which hopefully suggests that there are now chicks in the colony. (IP)

Cuckoo at Church Norton (IP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The most interesting sighting this morning was of the pair of Little Ringed Plovers with three very small chicks on the Stilt Pool, though otherwise there were just a pair of Swallows, two Avocets, four Lapwing and c50 Canada Geese present, with another pair of Avocets and a well-grown juvenile in the tidal area opposite.

A Cuckoo was calling from the reserve, whilst there were plenty of Whitethroats, Linnets and Skylarks along the banks, but not much else beyond the odd Reed Warbler, Reed Bunting and Stock Dove. Also, half a dozen Meadow Browns were on the wing. (AH)

Little Ringed Plover and chicks (above), Avocet, Skylark, Linnet, Whitethroats & Meadow Brown at Medmerry (AH)

Sunday, 13th June: A very warm and sunny morning, with the modest easterly bringing a little welcome relief from the heat....

Selsey Bill: A Fulmar went west and 26 Common Scoters, a Ringed Plover and a Curlew went east, whilst Little Terns were feeding along the strand-line this morning.. (SR/AH/IP)

(0655-0810hrs) (E, F2)

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 13E, 2W

Common Scoter - 26E

Sparrowhawk - 1

Ringed Plover - 1E

Curlew - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 20os

Little Tern - 12os

auk sp - 3E

Stock Dove - 8E

Swift - 2

Swallow - 2

House Martin - 12

Little Terns (above), Sandwich Tern & House Martin at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A Cattle Egret was in the field early on and a Little Ringed Plover popped up at the back, but it was otherwise quiet, with just one Avocet, 16 Black-tailed Godwits, a Lapwing, a pair of Tufted Ducks and 14 Shelducks on the pool, with a Whitethroat, a Cetti's Warbler and the pair of Reed Warblers also about. (AH)

The three Tawny Owlets were still in their box this evening. (SR)

Cattle Egret (above), Little Ringed Plover & Black-tailed Godwit at the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: There wasn't much to report beyond the usual Reed and Sedge Warblers and a few Whitethroats and Linnets. (AH)

Sedge Warbler (above), Whitethroat & Linnet along the Long Pool (AH)

North Wall: The pair of Marsh Harriers were seen completing an aerial food pass this morning at the Breech Pool, whilst there was also a Barn Owl at Halsey's Farm and a pair of Cuckoos together and at least ten Cattle Egrets at Owl Copse. (S&SaH)

Marsh Harriers (above), Barn Owl, Cuckoo & Cattle Egret at the North Wall (SH)

Chichester Canal: A Norfolk Hawker was still present this morning, and there were also a Cuckoo and a Red Kite present, too. (SR)

Park Farm, Selsey: Numerous Skylarks were singing and displaying over the fields this morning, with Swifts, House Martins and Swallows also about, whilst there were also a female Kestrel and a female Great Spotted Woodpecker present, too. (IP)

Church Norton: Little Terns were less numerous in the harbour than of late, whilst feeding on the mud were a dozen Dunlin, ten Turnstones and the odd Ringed Plover and Oystercatcher.

A family of Green Woodpeckers were along the Severals and a Red legged Partridge in the horse field, plus two Reed Buntings singing and a Buzzard over the Priory, but that was about it. (IP)

Chi GPs: - Quarry Lane pits - I went to check out the nesting colony that has established here in recent years, on the roof of a commercial building adjacent to the lake. It is not the easiest of locations but there are reasonable – if partly obscured – views from a public footpath that runs from opposite Covers depot (Gate 3) to the A27. 

Birds are nesting on a corrugated and slightly pitched roof (and it is not possible to properly see both sides of the roof) – but I reckoned there were at least 10 nesting pairs of Common Terns present (some feeding young) and at least 16 pairs of nesting Black-headed Gulls (mostly with young). A 'scope is recommended!

At least two pairs of Herring Gulls with young were also nearby on the roof of another building close to the above one. Several pairs of Reed Warbler and a pair of Great Crested Grebes with young were also noted. (OM)

Nesting Common Terns and Black-headed Gulls with young at Chi GPs, Quarry Lane (OM)

Drayton House pits: WeBS count day and there were still Pochard on all three pits, though it was otherwise fairly mundane except for the first brood of Tufted Duck – which actually consisted of just one duckling! 

The best of the action was when the female Marsh Harrier appeared and patrolled the area whilst a Hobby was briefly hunting over the water (for the third time in a row during my visits and I’m wondering now if the latter could even be breeding nearby?) O(M)

Marsh Harrier, Pochards with Coot and female Tufted Duck just about visible in bright sunshine with her one duckling! (OM)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm and Ham Farm - A look this evening produced at least 30 Swifts and a few Swallows and House Martins feeding over the fields and houses, along with a pair of Buzzards, but the hedges were quiet beyond a few Yellowhammers and Whitethroats.

Only one Corn Bunting could be found at Ham, where there were also two pairs of Stonechats, two pairs of Reed Buntings, half a dozen Reed Warblers and at least 20 Skylarks. (AH)

Swift (above), Yellowhammer, Stonechat, Skylark & Buzzard at Medmerry (AH)