1st - 3rd May 2022

Tuesday, 3rd May: Another grey morning, a little warmer than of late, in a very light north-easterly breeze, becoming more variable later.

Selsey Bill: It was a quiet morning, with just a couple of Arctic Skuas, a Black-throated Diver  and a few Common Terns east, plus a Yellow Wagtail, two Wheatears, a House Martin and 180+ Swallows in off the sea. Full log below. (JA/SR/TR/IP/OM/AH/WH et al)

(0540-1300hrs) (NE, F1 - SSE F2 - SW F3)

Red-throated Diver - 6E

Black-throated Diver - 1E 

Great Northern Diver - 2os

diver sp - 1E

Fulmar - 1E, 2W

Gannet - 30E, 8W

Brent Goose - 13E

Mallard - 2os

Gadwall - 4W

Common Scoter - 10E

Oystercatcher - 6E, 2W

Dunlin - 1E

Whimbrel - 8E

Bar-tailed Godwit - 5E, 3W

Turnstone - 2E, 18 present

Great Skua - 1os

Arctic Skua - 2E

Mediterranean Gull - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 50os

Common Tern - 34E

Commic Tern - 42E

Little Tern - 4E, 10 os

Yellow Wagtail - 1N

Pied Wagtail - 1N

Swallow - 183N

House Martin - 1N

Wheatear - 2N

Blackcap - 1

(1600-1730hrs) (SSW, F3) (SR)
Great Northern Diver - 4os
Gannet - 7E, 2W, 2os
Oystercatcher - 1E
Turnstone - 9W
Arctic Skua - 2E
Sandwich Tern - 15E, 7W, 17os
'Commic' Tern - 8E
auk sp - 2W

Little Terns (above), Wheatear & Gannet at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A drake Garganey was on the pool all morning, whilst there were also a Snipe, ten Avocets, c25 Black-tailed Godwits, four Gadwall, three Shovelers and 56 Shelducks present and  a Cuckoo flew over west. (AH/OM/KT/TS et al)

Garganey and Shelducks (above), Snipe and Black-tailed Godwit & Shoveler at the Ferry (AH)

Northcommon Farm: The first Spotted Flycatcher of the year was here this morning. (AW et al)

Spotted Flycatcher at Northcommon Farm (AW)

North Wall: A Cuckoo was showing well at Halsey's Farm this morning.(TS)

The Short-eared Owl was still around behind the Breech Pool this evening, as was the male Marsh Harrier, along with three Cuckoos, with lots of Reed and Sedge Warblers present and nine Swallows and 27 Whimbrel went over north.

Also, Owl Copse held at least ten Cattle.Egrets, four Little Egrets and four Grey Herons. (S&SaH/IP/D Hill)

Short-eared Owl (above) & Sedge Warbler at the North Wall (SH)

Church Norton: At least 40 Swallows flew east along the beach, but there was no other evidence of migration, with just a few Sedge Warblers, Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and Whitethroats singing from regular spots. Also a pair of Red-legged Partridges were along Rectory Lane and a Great Spotted Woodpecker and a pair of Stock Doves were at Greenlease Farm.. 

The harbour held up to 20 Bar-tailed Godwits and half a dozen Whimbrel, but little else of note, whilst at least a dozen Little Terns were among the multitude of Sandwich Terns. (AH)

Bar-tailed Godwit (above), Sandwich Tern, Swallow, Whitethroat, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Stock Dove & Red-legged Partridge at Church Norton (AH)

This evening there were 30+ Bar-tailed Godwits, 20+ Whimbrel and half a dozen Common Terns in the harbour. (AH)

Whimbrel (above) & Bar-tailed Godwit at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry Trail: A Cuckoo was showing well at the start of the trail his morning. (H Walker)

Cuckoo along the Medmerry Trail (H Walker)

Bank Holiday Monday, 2nd May: A very heavily overcast and fairly cool morning, with odd spells of drizzle, in a light and variable breeze, brightening and warming up considerably a the day progressed..

Selsey Bill: Four Hobbies in off the sea early on was noteworthy, but eastward passage was confined to a coupe of Arctic Skuas and a few Brent Geese, Common Scoters and Bar-tailed Godwits. Full log below. (JA/SH/BI/SR/IP/AH/KT et al)

(0530-0830hrs) (S, F1)

Great Northern Diver - 7os

Great Crested Grebe - 1w, 2os

Fulmar - 1E

Gannet - 26E, 7W

Shag - 2os

Grey Heron - 1W

Brent Goose - 10E

Common Scoter - 41E

Sparrowhawk -1

Hobby - 4N

Oystercatcher - 10E

Dunlin - 2E

Bar-tailed Godwit - 24E

Whimbrel - 5E

Curlew - 2E

Great Skua - 1E

Arctic Skua - 2E

Little Gull - 1E

Kittiwake - 1W, 1os

Sandwich Tern - 35os

Common Tern - 8E, 10os

Little Tern - 12os

Swallow - 3N

Sand Martin - 2N

(1330-1800hrs) (JA/SH/SR/IP/SM/AH)

Great Northern Diver - 7os

Red-throated Diver - 2E

Great Crested Grebe - 3E

Gannet - 37E, 6W

Common Scoter - 18E

Oystercatcher - 6W

Knot - 7E

Bar-tailed Godwit - 2E

Turnstone - 2E, 18 present

Great Skua - 1os

Arctic Skua - 4E

Sandwich Tern - 35os

Common Tern - 168E (inc a flock of 86)

Little Tern - 7os

Razorbill - 2E

Arctic Skua (above), Brent Geese, Bar-tailed Godwits & Sparrowhawk at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were ten Avocets again on the pool this morning, along with five Black-tailed Godwits, three Redshanks, two Tufted Ducks, four Shovelers and 46 Sheducks. (AH)

Avocet on the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: A pair of Cuckoos were being very active around the hedges, upsetting the small birds, including a pair of Yellowhammers, whilst there were plenty of warblers about, including many Reed and Sedge Warblers, at least two Lesser Whitethroats and Cetti's Warblers and up to five Whitethroats, with a couple of Reed Buntings and Swallows present, too.

Three Little Grebes were getting very animated on the pool, whilst at least three pairs of Lapwings were in the fields, and a couple of Whimbrel, a Bar-tailed Godwit and a pair of Gadwall were in Ferry Channel. (AH/RS)

Cuckoo (above), Cuckoo and Yellowhammers, Reed Warbler, Cetti's Warbler & Gadwall along the Long Pool (AH)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - A Whinchat was on the telephone wires near the buildings this morning, whilst there was a good flock of hirundines above the water treatment works this morning - c100 Swallows and c50 House Martins feeding on thousands of newly hatched flies.

Also two Pied Wagtails were about, with a Cuckoo calling and Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler and Cetti's Warbler all heard singing, and two Shovelers and a Little Egret flew over. (SR)

Park Farm, Selsey: There were two House Martins, three Swallows and a Pied Wagtail around the farm this morning. (S&SaH)

North Wall: A Wheatear was in the horse paddock this morning along with a Green Woodpecker and a few Swallows, which were very active around the stables, while a Blackcap was singing in a nearby tree.

A drake Garganey was with a drake Teal and a female of one or the other were in White's Creek, with, with otherwise just a Whimbrel, four more Teal and a few Shelducks seen, while a Little Ringed Plover was on the Breech Pool where there were lots of Reed and Sedge Warblers about, and a Marsh Harrier was sat in a bush behind the pool.

At Halsey’s Farm a Cuckoo was calling from the trees and a Whinchat and a couple of Whitethroats were in the bushes. (LP/PC/KT)

Whinchat (above), Garganey and Teal, Wheatear (LP), Little Ringed Plover & Cuckoo (KT) at the North Wall

The drake Garganey was on the Breech Pool this evening. (AW)

Garganey at the North Wall (AW)

Chichester Canal: The pair of Little Ringed Plovers were still on the flooded corner of the arable field today. (BI)

Ivy Lake: The Common Terns were reported back on their rooftop nesting site nearby, and at least five were over the lake this morning, with c20 Swifts and c50 hirundines feeding very high in the sky. (AH)

Common Tern at Ivy Lake (AH)

Church Norton: A Wheatear on the beach was about the only hint of migration this morning, with few birds showing or singing, beyond a couple of Whitethroats and Blackcaps, in the poor conditions.

At least a dozen Bar-tailed Godwits and half that of Whimbrel were in the harbour, but there was little else to report beyond the activity around Tern Island. (AH/S&SaH)

Wheatear (above), Bar-tailed Godwits, Sandwich Tern & Whimbrel at Church Norton (AH)

Sunday, 1st May: The morning started cool and grey, with barely a breath of breeze, freshening slightly as the day progressed and it shifted to the south west.....and with some light drizzle later.

Selsey Bill: A Pomarine Skua went east at 0922hrs, and also a lone Pale-bellied Brent Goose, a Common Sandpiper and three Avocets went through, with another Hobby in off the sea, too, but beyond one or two Bonxies and half a dozen Arctic Skuas, it was pretty quiet. Full log below. (JA/SH/PB/AB/BI/IP/RHa/AH/OM/RJS et al)

(0525-1400hrs) (SSE, F1 - SSW F2)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 4os

Red-throated Diver - 2E

diver sp - 2E

Great Crested Grebe - 3E

Fulmar - 1E

Gannet - 75E, 33W

Shag - 1os

Pale-bellied Brent Goose - 1E

Eider - 1E, 6W

Common Scoter - 200E

Hobby - 1N

Oystercatcher - 2E, 1W

Avocet - 3E

Bar-tailed Godwit - 46E

Whimbrel - 15E, 1W

Curlew - 1W

Common Sandpiper - 1E

Turnstone - 2W

Great Skua - 3E, 2os

Pomarine Skua - 1E

Arctic Skua - 6E

Mediterranean Gull - 2E, 2os

Kittiwake - 2E, 1W

Sandwich Tern - 31E, 40os

Common Tern - 44E, 16os

Little Tern - 16os

Razorbill - 1E

auk sp - 1E

Swallow - 42N

Wheatear - 1

Bottle-nosed Dolphin - 3os

Grey Seal - 3os

Common Seal - 1os

(1525-1800hrs) (SR/SH/JA)

Great Northern Diver - 6os

Gannet - 17E, 6W, 2os

Brent Goose - 29E

Eider - 9W

Oystercatcher - 1E

Knot - 7E

Dunlin - 6E

Bar-tailed Godwit - 1E

Whimbrel - 3E

Turnstone - 2os

Great Skua - 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 5E, 7W

Common Tern - 2E

Swallow - 16N

Bottle-nosed Dolphins 3E

seal sp - 1os

Pale-bellied Brent Goose (above), Hobby & Bar-tailed Godwit at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Ten Avocets, six Redshank and c40 Black-tailed Godwits were the only waders present on the pool this morning, together with three Gadwall, eight Shovelers and c30 Shelducks.

Also, a Cuckoo was calling to the west, a Reed Warbler was singing from the roadside reeds and at least three Whimbrel were in the channel opposite. (AH/OM e al)

Whimbrel (above) & Gadwall at the Ferry (AH)

Ivy Lake: Four Swifts were feeding high over the lake, whilst on the water were two Common Terns, a pair of Egyptian Geese, the Black Swan, eight Common Pochard and 12 Great Crested Grebes, with one distant pair doing their courtship display. (SR)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Wheatear was around the building sites this morning, whilst the Swallows have returned to the barns and a few Skylarks were over the fields. (IP)

Warner Lane and Northcommon Farm: There was little to report this morning beyond a Swallow, a couple of Whitethroats, a Willow Warbler and Linnets at the former and nothing other than another Willow Warbler at the latter. (AH/OM)

Swallow (above) & Linnet at Warner Lane paddocks (AH)

North Wall: There were six Swallows in and around the stables this morning and a Blackcap was in the trees nearby, but it was very quiet in the harbour with just a single Whimbrel in White's Creek and six Wigeon and a few Shelduck further out.

A Little Ringed Plover flew onto the mud by the Breech Pool but there was nothing else there of note, though both Marsh Harriers were seen behind the pool, where there was also a pair of Lapwing, and c20 cattle Egrets were around Owl Copse.

There were up to four Cuckoos in the area, along with lots of Sedge and Reed Warblers, a couple of Willow Warblers, four Chiffchaffs, three Lesser Whitethroats and half a dozen Whitethroats, plus a small group of Long-tailed Tits, and a few Skylarks. (LP/PC/S&SaH)

Little Ringed Plover (above) & Whitethroat at the North Wall (LP)

Church Norton: At least a dozen Little and Common Terns were among the many Sandwich Terns in the harbour this morning, with waders including at least ten Bar-tailed Godwits, five Whimbrel and the odd Dunlin, Turnstone and Ringed Plover, whilst wildfowl included a lone Brent Goose, two Gadwall and c40 Shelducks.

At least one Swallow was around the hide, with half a dozen more going through, but beyond that it was just the now settled summer visitors in song. Also of note, a pair of Lapwings with two chicks were along the west side, with at least another three pairs in the vicinity, three Jays were at Greenlease Farm and the pair of Mistle Thrushes were along rectory Lane. (AH/RS/IP/RJS et al)

Lapwings (above), Bar-tailed Godwits & Sandwich Tern at Church Norton (AH)