7th - 9th June 2021

Wednesday, 9th June: Another lovely morning, with lots of sunshine and a light westerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: There were just the usual species again this morning. Full log below. (AH/SR)

(0630-0800hrs) (W, F2)

Gannet - 5W
Common Scoter - 5E
Sandwich Tern - 57os
Common Tern - 2os
Little Tern - 6os
Swift - 5
House Martin - 14

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

Ferry Pool: The pool just held the usual suspects this morning, including six Avocets, eight Black-tailed Godwits, two Lapwings, three Gadwall and 36 Shelducks. (AH)

Avocet (above), Gadwall & Shelducks at the Ferry (AH)

Later on, a Tawny Owlet was visible in its box, a Grass Snake was in the pond again, just visible by the walkway, and a Lizard was sunning itself on rocks in the Discovery Area.
Also, half a dozen Linnets were about along with four Blackcaps, nine Whitethroats, three Cetti's Warblers and two Chiffchaffs, with two Buzzards overhead and both Blue and Great Tits were feeding young, whilst there were two Painted Lady butterflies on the wing, as well. (SR)

Grass Snake (above) & Common Lizard at the Ferry (SR)

Chichester Canal: At least one, and possibly two, Norfolk Hawker dragonflies were along the western part of the canal again late this afternoon, with a Downy Emerald damselfly also seen. (AB et al)

North Wall: At least six Cattle Egrets and similar of Little Egrets were seen coming and going from Owl Copse this morning, but otherwise it was the usual mix of Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers along the wall, along with a couple of Reed Buntings, whilst the Swallows were still around the stables.
Half a dozen Lapwing were the only waders seen, whilst wildfowl comprised of a couple of Gadwall, half a dozen Tufted Ducks and c40 Shelducks, with most of the latter out in the harbour. There was also a mother Roe Deer with a very young fawn in Honer 2 field.(AH/PC/LP)

Cetti's Warbler (above), Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Cattle Egret, Reed Bunting & Roe Deer at the North Wall (AH)

Tuesday, 8th June: A beautiful summer's morning, with unbroken warm sunshine in a light north-westerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: There was a little more this morning, including a flock of 30 Common Scoter east and a Fulmar and - unusually - a Skylark west. Full log below. (AH/IP)

(0700-0800hrs) (NW, F2)

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 2E

Common Scoter - 30E

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 50os

Common Tern - 1os

Little Tern - 1os

Skylark - 1W

Swallow - 1

House Martin - 12

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

Ferry Pool: There were 23 Black-tailed Godwits, six Avocets, four Redshank, a Lapwing and c30 Shelducks around the pool, with a distantly calling Cuckoo, a Whitethroat, a Cetti's Warbler and a couple of Blackcaps also in the vicinity. (AH)

At least one Tawny Owlet was still in the box in the car-park this evening. (S&SaH)

Black-tailed Godwit (above), Whitethroat & Avocets, Black-tailed Godwits and Shelducks around the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A Roseate Tern was among the many Little and Sandwich Terns this evening. (S&SaH)

Medmerry: Windmill to the Breach - A pair of Meadow Pipits and a pair of Skylarks were on the rough ground between the windmill and the beach and half a dozen Sandwich Terns were feeding close inshore off the rocks.

There were at least two more pairs of Meadow Pipits and Skylarks, a dozen Linnets, two families of Stonechats, a family of Pied Wagtails and a newly fledged family of Swallows along the banks near the breach, which also had a profusion of Grass Vetchling growing upon them.

Also, out in the tidal area there were a Greenshank, six Knot, five Dunlin, a Curlew and 28 non-breeding Grey Plovers.

Disappointingly, the last bit of rough grass near the viewpoint is currently being prepared to be covered in caravans. (AH) 

Stonechats (above), Swallow, Meadow Pipit, Sandwich Tern, Greenshank, Knot and Grey Plover, Grass Vetchling & Toe End being prepared for yet more caravans at Medmerry (AH)

Chichester Marina: Three Egyptian Geese were present this morning. (MR)

Egyptian Geese at Chichester Marina (MR)

Chichester Canal: A Norfolk Hawker dragonfly was along the canal this afternoon. The second for the Peninsula, and quite probably the county, after the first for the county  at Medmerry in 2019. (AW)

Norfolk Hawker at Chichester Canal (AW)

Monday, 7th June: A grey and fairly cool morning after a slow to clear foggy start in just a light south-easterly breeze....

Selsey Bill: There were just a Little Tern and 26 Sandwich Terns seen in virtually unwatchable conditions. Full log below. (SR/IP/AH)

(0650-0750hrs) (SE, F2)

Sandwich Tern - 26os

Little Tern - 1os

Common Seal - 1os

Ferry Pool: There were eight Black-tailed Godwits, four Avocets, four Redshank, a Lapwing, four Gadwall and 24 Shelducks around the pool, with two pairs of Reed Warblers in the roadside reeds. (AH)

Two Tawny Owlets were n the box in the car-park this evening. (SR)

Avocet (above), Black-tailed Godwit & Blackcap around the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: There were another family of Sedge Warblers showing this morning further along the pool, but otherwise it was the usual mix of Reed Warblers and Whitethroats, along with a couple of Reed Buntings and half a dozen Linnets, whilst a pair of Gadwall and a Little Grebe were on the pool. (AH)

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

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: The fields and hedges along Church Farm Lane held a couple of Yellowhammers, a dozen Linnets and Skylarks, a couple of singing Blackcaps and half a dozen Whitethroats, whilst c20 Mediterranean Gulls were among the Black-headed Gulls following the plough nearby.

The hedges elsewhere were quiet, with a single Cattle Egret and a handful of Swallows at Chalder Farm and a Goldcrest in the churchyard the only other birds of note. (AH)

Cattle Egret (above), Swallow, Yellowhammer, Skylark & Mediterranean Gull around Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (AH)

Medmerry: Medmerry Trail to Ham Viewpoint - By the viewpoint two Corn Buntings were singing, three pairs of Stonechats were along the banks with one bird carrying food, and there was plenty of Yellowhammer and Skylark activity, whilst a Brown Hare could be made out in the heat haze.

A distant Cuckoo could be heard and Sedge and Reed Warblers were being drowned out by noisy Marsh Frogs. Two family groups of Whitethroat were seen, three Cetti's Warblers were heard, a Lesser Whitethroat and three Reed Buntings were in the hedges and three Stock Doves, two Buzzards, a Kestrel, a Green Woodpeckers and five Linnets were in the fields. The water treatment works had attracted c50 Swifts, c30 House Martins and c30 Swallows. (SR)

Corn Bunting (above), Stonechat & Whitethroat at Medmerry (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were a juvenile Stonechat, a Green Woodpecker and several Whitethroats, Linnets and Yellowhammers along the banks today. (EB)

Stonechat (above), Linnet, Yellowhammer, Whitethroat & Green Woodpecker at Medmerry (EB)