23rd - 25th May 2022

Wednesday, 25th May: A decidedly cold morning for the time of year, heavily overcast and with a very brisk westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: Three Fulmars went west and 16 Common Scoters went east, but that was about it. Full log below. (SR/AH) 

(0630-0800hrs) (W, F4-5)

Fulmar - 3W

Gannet - 12E, 26W, 7os

Common Scoter - 16E

Oystercatcher - 1E, 1W

Sandwich Tern - 30os

auk sp - 2W

Swallow - 1

House Martin - 1

This evening the first Manx Shearwaters for some weeks - eight in total - were seen. Full log below. (SH)

(1700-1830hrs) 

Manx Shearwater - 8E

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 30E, 6W

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 72os

Common Tern - 2os

Guillemot - 1W

auk sp - 1E

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

Ferry Pool: A Common Sandpiper, a Whimbrel and 16 Black-tailed Godwits were in the channel early on, along with the pair of Shelducks and four young.

Another c100 Black-tailed Godwits were on the pool, along with six Avocets, six Redshank, the drake Shoveler and 25 Shelducks, whilst two Cattle Egrets flew over west. (AH)

Also, three Ravens went over together this morning. (TG-P)

Common Sandpiper (above), Whimbrel & Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A pair of Cuckoos were being busy around the Severals this morning, and a Cattle Egret was in the horse field, but land-birds were at a premium in the wind, with just the  odd Whitethroat, Blackcap and Sedge Warbler heard.

Ten Sanderlings flew out of the harbour, where there were otherwise just seven Bar-tailed Godwits and a few Dunlin and Ringed Plovers, plus the multitude of terns.

There were large numbers of Sandwich Terns plus a dozen or so Little Terns and a couple of Common Terns feeding offshore, whilst a Gannet went west close in and two Great Crested Grebes were on the sea. (AH/SaH)

Cuckoo (above), Sanderlings, Little Tern, Sandwich Tern, Gannet & Great Crested Grebe at Church Norton (AH)

This evening there were a lot more small waders about, including c40 Ringed Plovers, c75 Dunlin and c20 Turnstones, though only four Sanderlings. (AH)

Dunlin (above) & Ringed Plovers at Church Norton (AH)

Chichester GPs: Ivy Lake complex - The pair of Red-crested Pochards were on Leythorne Lake (the small lake beside the holiday village entrance) today. The drake was being very attentive, chasing off a Tufted Duck and offering his partner food.

Ivy Lake was badly windswept, but it still held two Pochards, six Great Crested Grebes, three Common Terns, two Gadwall, a pair of Greylag Geese with five goslings, a nesting Black-headed Gull and good numbers of feeding Swifts and House Martins.

There were also two families of Mute Swan, a few Long-tailed Tit families and singing Chiffchaff, Cetti's Warbler, Blackcap and Sedge Warbler about, too. (SR)

Red-crested Pochards (above) & Mute Swan cygnets at Chichester GPs (SR)

Tuesday, 24th May: A bright and breezy morning, with sun and white cloud in a blustery north-westerly......

Selsey Bill: An Arctic Skua and a Guillemot west and a few Common Scoters east were the highlights this morning. Full log below. (SR/IP/AH)

(0615-0805hrs) (WNW, F5)

Gannet - 4E, 19W, 3os

Common Scoter - 16E

Arctic Skua - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 60os

Guillemot - 1W

Swift - 1

House Martin - 2

(1700-1800hrs) (SH)

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 2E, 3W

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Kittiwake - 3W

Sandwich Tern - 4E, 74W

Swift - 1

Ferry Pool: The drake Shoveler was again on the pool his morning, along with six Avocets, four Redshank, c20 Shelducks and c130 Black-tailed Godwits. (AH)

This evening a summer-plumaged Knot and two Little Ringed Plovers were on the pool this evening, whilst a Common Sandpiper was in the channel opposite and a Cuckoo flew over. (AW et al)

North Wall: There were Cuckoos calling at Halsey's Farm and behind the Breech Pool this morning, with a Lesser Whitethroat, a couple of Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps and plenty of Reed and Sedge Warblers singing, plus at least three Reed Buntings and Cetti's Warblers about, too.

A Peregrine, three Swifts and a few Swallows went over Halsey's Farm, with more of the latter around the stables, along with a Sparrowhawk and a Kestrel, and at least three Gadwall were seen, but there were no waders seen on the Breech Pool or in the harbour. 

Also, two nearly-fledged young Grey Herons were in Owl Copse and at least 20 Cattle Egrets were spread around the fields. (AH/JDW/LP/KJ et al)

Peregrine (above), Cattle Egret, Sedge Warbler, Swallows, Gadwall & juvenile Grey Heron at the North Wall (AH)

Church Norton: This evening, on the rising tide, there were 12 Sanderlings, seven-Bar-tailed Godwits, a Whimbrel, three Grey Plovers, a dozen or so Ringed Plovers and Turnstones and at leas 30 Dunlin out on the mud, with plentiful Little Terns, Sandwich Terns and Mediterranean Gulls about.

There were also a Chiffchaff and a Blackcap around the Mound and a Mistle Thrush in Rectory Lane. (AH/DC)

Sanderlings (above), Turnstone, Whimbrel, Bar-tailed Godwits, Chiffchaff & Mistle Thrush at Church Norton (AH)

Monday, 23rd May: A fairly cool and grey morning, still earlier on, but with the breeze freshening from the west later......

Selsey Bill: Another very quiet morning, though with plenty of Sandwich Terns feeding offshore. Full log below. (SR/RP/AH/IP)

(0640-0830hrs) (NNW, F1-2)

Gannet - 12E, 2W

Oystercatcher - 1W

Sanderling - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 50os

Common Tern- 2os

Swift - 1

Swallow - 3

House Martin - 12

Sandwich Tern (above) & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A drake Shoveler, an Avocet and two Lapwings were on the pool this morning, along with 14 Shelducks, whilst the Black-tailed Godwit count had risen to c130. (AH)

Shoveler (above) & Black-tailed Godwit at the Ferry (AH)

North Mundham: A Red Kite went over the village this morning. (MJ)

Church Norton: There were a few waders in the harbour this morning, including a Sanderling, eight Dunlin, two Bar-tailed Godwits, two Ringed Plovers and several Curlews, whilst a Common Tern and a few Little Terns were among the Sandwich Terns.

A Cuckoo was calling from the back of the Severals, with a few Whitethroats, Linnets and Reed and Sedge Warblers along the front, whilst a Chiffchaff, a Blackcap and the Swallows were around the Mound/hide area. (AH/AW)

Cuckoo (above), Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Swallow, Linnet & Ringed Plovers at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Stilt Pools - On the Stilt Pools a pair of Avocets had two small chicks and at least five more birds were sitting, along with an Oystercatcher and a Little Ringed Plover, the pair of Wigeon, the drake of which sadly has an injured leg, two pairs of Tufted Duck and a Gadwall.

The Stonechats were still with their two chicks in the gorse, a pair of Canada Geese had two goslings and the Egyptian Geese were with their well grown juvenile, whilst out in the reserve were five Black-tailed Godwits and a few more Avocets and Lapwings that were chasing off a Buzzard.

There was also two Kestrels, and Chiffchaffs, Yellowhammers, Cetti's Warblers and Whitethroats were singing from the hedges, eight Linnets were about and Skylarks were in good voice. (SR)

Stonechat (above), Avocet family & Wigeon and Shelducks at Medmerry (SR)