Thursday, 12th May: Another bright and breezy morning, quite mild in the moderate westerly........
Selsey Bill: It was fairly quiet this morning, though a Bonxie and five Arctic Skuas were seen, with a Hobby coming in and a late flock of six Shovelers and 26 Common Scoters going east. (SR/MO-W/AW/AH/CS)
(0615-0900hrs) (W, F4)
Great Northern Diver - 3W
Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - 28E, 6W, 4os
Shag - 2E
Shoveler - 6E
Common Scoter - 26E
Hobby - 1N
Sanderling - 13W
Dunlin - 1W
Common Sandpiper - 1W
Great Skua - 1E
Arctic Skua - 3E, 2os
Sandwich Tern - 38os
Common Tern - 6os
Little Tern - 1os
auk sp - 1E, 1W
Swallow - 7N
(1700-1800hrs) (SH/JA)
Great Northern Diver - 1os
Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - 4E, 1W
Sanderling - 4E
Dunlin - 10E
Turnstone - 13E, 2W
Arctic Skua - 1os
Sandwich Tern - 71os
Common Tern - 8os
Little Tern - 14os
Razorbill - 1E
auk sp - 1W
Swallow - 1N
Hobby (above), Sanderlings and Dunlin, Common Sandpiper, Shags (AW), Arctic Skuas (AW top, AH lower), Great Northern Diver & Common Tern (AH) at the Bill
Ferry Pool: There were approximately 150 Black-tailed Godwits on the pool this morning, along with six Avocets, c30 Shelducks and three Redshank, but not a lot else beyond a calling Cuckoo. (AH/ABi et al)
Avocet on the Ferry (AH)
Chichester GPs: A Spotted Flycatcher was in the hedges this morning (HR), and later at least 30 Swifts were overhead (NM).
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The long-staying Dartford Warbler still present today, south of Marsh Barn, whilst there were plenty of Whitethroats and Skylarks along the banks.
A Common Sandpiper and up o three Little Ringed Plovers were on the Stilt Pool, along with lots of Avocets. (ABi)
Church Norton: There was no sign of the Roseate Tern up to midday, though the tide was high, with a singing Redstart in the churchyard and three Wheatears along the spit the only birds of note, though the Swallows were around the hide and a Chiffchaff and a Cuckoo were heard..
There were still plenty of terns in the harbour, but waders were few beyond c50 Dunlin, a Knot, six Ringed Plovers, a dozen Bar-tailed Godwits and a couple of Whimbrel and Turnstones, which were all disturbed several times by both a Hobby and a Peregrine. (DC/OM/AH/PC et al)
Sandwich Terns (above), Swallow & Bar-tailed Godwits at Church Norton (AH)
This evening there were at least 30 Little Terns in the harbour, along with c100 Dunlin, c30 Ringed Plovers, three or four Sanderling and similar numbers of Bar-tailed Godwits, Whimbrel and Curlew, whilst a Chiffchaff was by the Mound. (AH)
Little Tern (above), Bar-tailed Godwit, Ringed Plovers and Dunlin & Chiffchaff at Church Norton (AH)
Wednesday, 11th May: A very blustery day, with a mix of sunshine and cloud in a freshening south-westerly.....
Selsey Bill: There wasn't much moving again, beyond local movements by the regular species, though a House Martin was prospecting one of last year's nest sites on Broadreeds Estate. Full log below. (SR/AH/AW)
(0620-0850hrs) (SW, F4)
Great Northern Diver - 1W
Red-throated Diver - 1E
Fulmar - 1E, 2W
Gannet - 36E, 9W
Eider - 1E
Common Scoter - 1E, 3W
Oystercatcher - 1W
Turnstone - 1
Kittiwake - 2E, 2W
Sandwich Tern - 30os
Common Tern - 10os
Little Tern - 4os
Razorbill - 2W
auk sp - 8E, 3W
Swallow - 3N
House Martin - 4
Later in the morning a Roseate Tern was reported offshore among the feeding flock. (per Birdguides)
(1630-1800hrs) (SH)
Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - 9E, 8W
Sanderling - 1E
Sandwich Tern - 63os
Common Tern - 5os
Little Tern - 1os
Swift - 2N
House Martin - 1N
Great Northern Diver (above), Fulmars (AW) & Kittiwake (AH) at the Bill
Ferry Pool: The Greenshank was again present this morning, along with a Snipe, a Dunlin, ten Avocets, two Redshank, c75 Black-tailed Godwits and c30 Shelducks, with a Cuckoo calling nearby. (AH/CG)
Black-tailed Godwit at the Ferry (AH)
North Wall: It was predictably quiet along the wall this morning in the very windy conditions, with just a couple of Whimbrels and a few Shelduck in the harbour and two Little Ringed Plovers on the Breech Pool, along with a few Sedge and Reed Warblers.
A Whitethroat and a Skylark were at Halsey’s Farm along with a few Swallows and a Cuckoo was calling from the trees, and fifteen Cattle Egrets were in the fields there. Also, the Swallows were still busy around the stables. (LP/CT/PC)
Little Ringed Plover (above) & Swallow at he North Wall (LP)
Runcton: A Coal Tit was on the feeders this morning. (CRJ)
Coal Tit in a Runcton garden (CRJ)
Church Norton: The Roseate Tern reported off of the Bill turned up early this afternoon in the harbour, though was elusive, whilst later on, two were present, together. (SR/AW et al)
Earlier there were at least 40 Little Terns and ten Common Terns among the Sandwich Terns sitting on the mud, whilst waders included five Whimbrel, 24 Bar-tailed Godwits, a Grey Plover, c30 Dunlin and four Ringed Plovers.
Otherwise, a Peregrine went over the harbour and a Lesser Whitethroat, a couple of Swallows and several Whitethroats were along the west side. (AH)
One Roseate Tern was still present off and on this evening, whilst there were a minimum of 60 Little Terns sitting out on the mud, along with a few Common and lots of Sandwich Terns and up to ten Wheatears were around the concrete blocks and the start of the spit..
Also, there was a big increase in small wader numbers, including at least seven Sanderling, c40 Ringed Plovers and c200 Dunlin, along with a dozen Bar-tailed Godwits and several Whimbrel. (AB/CG/MB/DB/AH/IH/TH/NM et al)
Roseate Tern with Little, Common and Sandwich Terns (above), Little Terns, Wheatears & Sanderling, Ringed Plovers, Dunlin and Turnstones at Church Norton (AH)
Tuesday, 10th May: A pretty miserable, murky morning, with a blustery westerly and a few spells of drizzle, though brightening up considerably later on.....
Bad timing: A snippet of interest was received from Bob Lord (former warden at Pagham Harbour and Bill regular back in the golden years of the 1990's). He turned up recently at the Bill mid-morning, hoping to catch up with the locals and doubtless a few Poms - only to find a deserted wall. In his own words 'Thought I’d drop in to say hello. Seems like you shirkers had
cleared off by 09.00 on Friday. Can’t blame you – no birds about.
Luck of the draw!'
Really sorry to have missed you Bob but have a look at yesterday's blog entry.....there was a time you'd have sussed it! Do come again and better luck next time. (Eds)
Bob Lord arrives to find the place deserted - better luck next time! (RML)
Selsey Bill: Back to reality this morning, after yesterday's excitement, with nine Brent Geese east the highlight of a slow morning. (JA/SR/IP et al)
(0530-0800hrs) (W, F4)
Red-throated Diver - 1E
Gannet - 36E, 25W, 3os
Brent Goose - 9E
Common Scoter - 23E
Oystercatcher - 1E
Kittiwake - 10E
Sandwich Tern - 30os
Common Tern - 5os
Little Tern - 3os
Razorbill - 1E, 1W
auk sp - 10E, 5W
Swift - 7N, 5 present
Swallow - 2N
House Martin - 3
Blackcap - 1
Chiffchaff - 1
Four dark-phase Arctic Skuas went east between 1015 and 1215hrs today. (RJS)
(1645-1800hrs) (SH)
Gannet - 7E, 12W
Eider - 5E
Sanderling - 3W
Arctic Skua - 2E
Kittiwake - 3W
Sandwich Tern - 57os
Common Tern - 4os
Little Tern - 4os
Razorbill - 1E
auk sp - 1E, 2W
Ferry Pool: The Greenshank with the somewhat deformed rear-end was back on the pool early on, and later in the channel, for at least it's third year, with otherwise just c75 Black-tailed Godwits and c40 Shelducks on the pool, with a drake Gadwall, a Bar-tailed Godwit and a couple of Whimbrel in the channel. (AH/AT)
North Wall: There were four Little Ringed Plovers on the Breech Pool this morning, whilst a female Wheatear was along the wall and later 15 Cattle Egrets were on the fields at Halsey's Farm. (TB/NR et al)
This evening the Short-eared Owl was once again out hunting behind the Breech Pool. (TH)
Long Pool: There were plenty of singing Sedge and Reed Warblers about, plus a Cetti's Warbler and a couple of Whitethroats, whilst a pair of Little Grebes were on the pool and c100 Mediterranean Gulls were in the adjacent fields. (AH)
Chichester GPs: Ivy Lake complex - There were up to 40 Swifts over Ivy Lake this morning, along with similar of Sand Martins, c100 House Martins and c200 Swallows, all disturbed briefly by a Hobby that shot through.
There seemed to be Reed Warblers in every possible bit of reed or vegetation around the lakes, with a couple of Cetti's Warblers, Blackcap and Chiffchaffs about, too, and a Whitethroat was singing from the overgrown verge on the other side of the main road.
Up to ten Pochard were on the water - mostly drakes, along with a few Tufted Ducks, a pair of Gadwall and several pairs of Great Crested Grebes, including one with two chicks, whilst at least five broods of Canada Geese and one of Greylag Geese were present, too. (AH)
Swift (above), Sand Martin, House Martin, Whitethroat, Pochard, Gadwall, Greylag Goose family & Canada Goose family at Chichester GPs (AH)
Church Norton: A photograph of a probable male Ashy-headed Wagtail, seen briefly along the west side of the harbour was received by the RSPB visitor centre today. (per RN)
probable Ashy-headed Wagtail at Church Norton (per RSPB)
There were just four Bar-tailed Godwits in the harbour this evening, along with seven Whimbrel, a Grey Plover and 16 Dunlin, whilst the frenetic activity around Tern Island seems to to have calmed down somewhat, though the Little Terns were still busy bringing in fish and displaying. (AH)
Bar-tailed Godwits (above), Grey Plover and Dunlin & Little Tern at Church Norton (AH)
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