Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 22nd

Thursday, 24th June: A sunny start, and quite warm despite the light north-westerly breeze, though clouding up slowly as the morning progressed.....

Blast from the past: of interest I recently received a message from Bob Lord, (who now lives out of the area) but for those that are unaware, back in the day he was the (WSCC) Warden at Pagham Harbour nature reserve, complete with green van.... and he could often be found sea-watching at the Bill too! He forwarded a photo dating back to the 1980's, which showed him outside the Visitor centre talking to another person, whose name he couldn't recall. Fortunately I was able to assist with the image, which shows Bob with the late Harold Turner. A bench commemorating Harold was placed at the end of Long Pool following his passing..

I thought it would be nice to share the pic, which might be of interest to the more elderly of the Selsey faithful.... (OM)

A bearded Bob Lord, then Warden, talking to the late Harold Turner by the Visitor centre in the 1980's (OM - photo by permission per RML)

Selsey Bill: A Brent Goose and a Grey Heron west were the only oddities this morning. Full log below. (AH)

(0655-0745hrs) (NW, F2)

Gannet - 10E, 4W

Grey Heron - 1W

Brent Goose - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 40os

Common Tern - 1os

Little Tern - 3os

Swallow - 1

House Martin - 6

Brent Goose (above), Gannet & House Martin at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were eight Teal on the pool this morning, along with a dozen or so Lapwings, Redshank, and Black-tailed Godwits and five Shelducks.

A Cuckoo was calling somewhere to the west, but the adjacent hedges were quiet beyond a family of Long-tailed Tits and the odd bit of Blackcap song. (AH)

This evening two of the Tawny Owlets were showing in their usual trees, whilst a Barn Owl was hunting over Ferry Field. (S&SaH)

Long-tailed Tits (above) & Teal at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were still plenty of Sandwich and Little Terns, plus the odd Common Tern, fishing and bringing in food this morning, whilst wader interest comprised of the Whimbrel, at least ten Curlews, a couple of Ringed Plovers and five Dunlin.

A Lesser Whitethroat and a couple of Whitethroats and Blackcaps were the only warblers singing, whilst a pair of Reed Buntings and a few Linnets were around the first Several and the pair of Swallows were back around the hide. (AH)

Lesser Whitethroat (above), Whitethroat, Linnet, Little Tern, Common Tern & Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Stilt Pool - This morning there was a Common Tern fishing over the pools and c25 Sand Martins were around the reeds before they headed off west. (AW)

Common Tern (above) & Sand Martins at Medmerry (AW)

North Wall: The male Marsh Harrier was out hunting without success before the female joined him and soon caught a duckling.

There were also three different Cuckoos about, as well as two Swifts, a Sand Martin, three Swallows, a Common Tern and three Cattle Egrets. (S&SaH)

Marsh Harrier at the North Wall (SH)

Wednesday, 23rd June: At last a change in the weather, with a pleasantly sunny morning, but still with a fairly cool northerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: It was just the regular species again this morning! Full log below. (SR/AH/MO-W)

(0620-0800hrs) (N, F4)

Gannet - 1E, 3W, 2 os

Common Scoter - 3E, 3W
Oystercatcher - 3E
Sandwich Tern - 2E, 50os
Common Tern - 1W
Little Tern - 6os
Swift- 1
House Martin - 4

Also, a look round Broadreeds Estate only found two House Martin nests, where there were 11 last year. (SR)

Little Tern (above) & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just two drake Teal, eight Gadwall,.16 Lapwings, ten Redshank and six Black-tailed Godwits present this morning. (AH)

Later on this morning, the three Tawny Owlets were finding some respite from the sun, huddled together in their tree beneath a leafy branch. SR)

Teal on the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: A Cuckoo was calling this morning, a male Marsh Harrier was over the fields before heading off across the harbour and a female Gadwall was on the pool with six ducklings, but otherwise it was quiet beyond the odd Reed Warbler singing and a couple of Reed Buntings and Linnets. (AH)

Cuckoo (above), Marsh Harrier, Gadwall family & Reed Bunting around the Long Pool (AH)

North Wall: A Cuckoo was calling at Halsey's Farm and Whitethroats, Reed and Cetti's Warblers were still vocal along the wall, whilst a dozen Swifts and a Common Tern were over the Breech Pool.

At least a dozen Cattle and Little Egrets were around Owl Copse and Halsey's Farm, but waders in the harbour were restricted to a couple of Curlews, five Black-tailed Godwits and c20 Redshank. (AH/PC/LP)

Cattle Egrets (above), Whitethroat, Swift & Common Tern at the North Wall (AH)

Chi GPs: Drayton pits - It was still rather quiet and much the same as my previous visit, although at least a dozen Gadwall were present this time plus a joint total of at least seven broods of Little Grebe. A female Marsh Harrier was still patrolling the area and a single Egyptian Goose was furtively staying close to the reeds, whilst a pair of Common Terns spent half an hour chasing each other around and calling frequently, eventually being joined by a third bird. Nearby, a pair of Bullfinches remained typically elusive, presumably in a nesting area and a single Mediterranean Gull went over. (OM)

Marsh Harrier (above), Common Terns, Egyptian Goose and Pyramidal orchids at Drayton pits (OM)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - On the quiet side this morning, with the Stilt Pools just holding a family of Whitethroats and one of Linnets, a Swallow, a Grey Heron, a Little Egret, a Sandwich Tern, a Lapwing and 28 Canada Geese.

In the channel opposite, the Brent Goose was foraging alongside half a dozen Shelduck, a Kestrel and a Buzzard were out hunting and a Cuckoo could be heard across at Ham, whilst along the path there were a pair of Stock Doves, six Yellowhammers and more Linnets, Whitethroats and Skylarks.

Also, Meadow Brown butterflies and Emperor Dragonflies were on the wing, as was a Cinnabar moth. (SR)

This evening, in addition to the above, there were two Cuckoos, two Stonechats, three Reed Warblers, a Green Woodpecker and ten Swallows along the banks, with five Avocets on the tidal areas, but just the lone Brent Goose and a few Oystercatchers were on the Stilt Pool. (S&SaH)

juvenile Whitethroat (above), Brent Goose & Cinnabar Moth at Medmerry (SR)

Tuesday, 22nd June: Another thoroughly cold and wet morning, with belts of fairly persistent drizzly rain being pushed through by a brisk north-easterly breeze......

The Spring 2021 Sea-watching Summary: The annual summary has again been compiled by our esteemed log-keeper JA and can now be viewed by clicking the link on the title page. Not the best year we've ever had, but certainly an interesting read..... (Eds)

Selsey Bill: A Redshank and a Turnstone were the only birds beyond the usual species, whilst 30 Swifts were over the houses. Full log below. (SR/AH/IP)

(0650-0820hrs) (NNE, F4-5)

Gannet - 8E, 2W, 15os

Common Scoter - 1W

Redshank - 1E

Turnstone - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 30os

Common Tern - 6os

Little Tern - 4os

Swift - 30

House Martin - 5

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

Ferry Pool: The Avocet count reached 22 this morning, along with 16 Black-tailed Godwits, 18 Redshank, six Teal, 11 Gadwall and five Shelducks. (AH)

Avocets (above) & Black-tailed Godwits and Teal on the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: This evening a Peregrine went over north, two Curlews went over west and a Sandwich Terns were going both ways as they took a shortcut from the harbour. (S&SaH)

Ivy Lake: The family of two adult and six juvenile Egyptian Geese were still around Peckham's Farmhouse and there was a Black Swan on the lake. (IP)

North Wall: A Sand Martin and c50 Swifts were over the Breech Pool this morning. (LP)

Church Norton: A second-year Little Gull was on Tern Island this morning, whilst a Whimbrel was in the harbour, along with a dozen Curlews, a Turnstone, a Redshank, two Grey Plovers, five Dunlin, two Black-tailed Godwits and four Ringed Plovers.

There was still a lot of activity among the colony, with plenty of Sandwich and Little Terns bringing in fish, whilst some of the Black-headed Gull chicks appear quite large and well-grown. (AH/BFF/DIS/DF e al)

Whimbrel (above), Curlews & Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - A Barn Owl was out hunting this evening, whilst c30 Swifts and c20 Swallows and House Martins were over the fields and settling tanks, where there were at least 800 Starlings, but not a pink one among them!

Also, at least 50 Mediterranean Gulls were among the many Black-headed Gulls on the newly cropped fields along Ham Road. (AH)