4th - 6th June 2022

Monday, 6th June: A blustery morning of fast-moving heavy banks of cloud and the odd sunny interlude, in a fresh westerly..........

Selsey Bill: A dozen Common Scoters went east, but it was mostly just Sandwich Terns and Gannets about this morning. Full log below. (SR/AH)

(0640-0810hrs) (W, F5)

Gannet - 17E, 3W

Common Scoter - 12E

Sandwich Tern - 75os

Little Tern - 1os

auk sp - 1W

House Martin - 8

(1645-1800hrs) (SH)

Gannet - 7E

Mediterranean Gull - 2W

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 83W, 21os

Little Tern (above), Gannet & House Martin at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Thee were just three Avocets, c20 Black-tailed Godwits and eight Shelducks on the pool this morning, whilst the pair of Shelducks and their fast-growing offspring were in the channel opposite. (AH)

Avocet (above) & Shelduck family at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A fairly quick look this morning produced a juvenile Stonechat in the trees by the hide, a Lesser Whitethroat, a couple of Blackcaps and Whitethroats, and four Cattle Egrets in the vicinity of the horse field.

Four or five Curlews were the only waders seen, whilst a couple of Common and Little Terns were in the harbour, with endless Sandwich Terns bringing in fish. (AH)

Stonechat (above), Cattle Egret, Whitethroat, Common Tern & Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AH)

Marsh and Chalder Farms, Sidlesham: A Yellowhammer, three Whitethroats and half a dozen Linnets were along Church Farm Lane, whilst a Raven was being mobbed by crows near the dairy unit.

Cattle Egrets were widely spread in all the fields with cows in - probably a minimum of 25 birds, but there wasn't too much else, beyond a Skylark, a Kestrel, half a dozen Swallows and a couple of Chiffchaffs at Chalder Farm. (AH)

Cattle Egrets (above), Linnet & Kestrel at Marsh Farm, Sidlesham (AH)

North Wall: Two Blackcaps were singing along Church Lane, but it was very quiet along the wall in the brisk westerly breeze, though a male and female Cuckoo were along Pagham Rife, and several fields have had a recent hay cut and Cattle Egrets were prospecting for food.
Also, there was a lot of traffic in and out of the Owl Copse heronry where young Cattle Egrets could be seen exercising their wings. (JDW)

Honer Reservoir: The male Marsh Harrier was hunting just north of the reservoir, but not much happening on the reservoir itself beyond five Coots and a family of Shelducks. (JDW)

Shelduck family at Honer Reservoir (JDW)

Sunday, 5th June: A very overcast, if quite mild, morning in a moderate breeze, initially from the north-east before swinging round to the west.......

Selsey Bill: A Hobby flew in off the sea this morning, but otherwise, in two shifts, it was just the usual mix of species. Full log below.

(0650-0805hrs) (NNE, F4) (SR/JA/AH)

Fulmar - 2E

Gannet - 21E, 14W, 2os

Hobby - 1N

Sandwich Tern - 43os

Common Tern - 3os

Little Tern - 2os

Swift - 6

Swallow - 3

House Martin - 8

(0920-1050hrs) (SH/PB)

Gannet - 17E, 8W

Mediterranean Gull - 1os

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 30os

Common Tern - 4os

House Martin - 2

Grey Seal - 3os (together off Mile Basket rocks)

Little Tern (above), Sandwich Tern & House Martins at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There wasn't much to report this morning, with just 30 Black-tailed Godwits, eight Redshank, two Gadwall, 12 Mallards and 14 Shelducks present. 

Also, a Great Crested Grebe was struggling to consume an eel in the channel opposite.(AH)

Great Crested Grebe at the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: A family of five Ravens were in the tall trees just south of the pool this morning. Presumably they nested nearby and there have been several sightings in the vicinity, including of one carrying food, so this is potentially the first ever breeding record of the species on the Peninsula.

Also, a newly fledged juvenile Yellowhammer was along the hedges by the pool, attended to by its mother, confirmation of successful breeding in an area where the species has been absent for some years.

Otherwise, two Cuckoos flew over from the Tramway area and there was the usual mix of Reed and Sedge Warblers, Whitethroats and Linnets along the hedges, together with a newly fledged family of Great Tits, with a Curlew and ten Redshanks in Ferry Channel.(AH)

juvenile Yellowhammer (above), Ravens, Cuckoo & juvenile Great Tit along the Long Pool (AH)

Park Farm and north of Selsey: Two Lesser Whitethroats and three Blackcaps were in the hedges this morning and 20 or so Swallows and House Martins were over the farm. (S&SaH)

Church Norton: There was little to report in the windy conditions beyond the conveyor belt of Sandwich Terns bringing in fish and a couple of Grey Plovers in the harbour. (S&SaH)

North Wall: Early this morning a Little Owl was seen again  and the female Marsh Harrier was seen bringing in what looked like a young Coot, whilst later both harriers were out hunting.

Later on, at least four Cuckoos were heard calling from the trees and bushes to the north of the wall, whilst Reed and Sedge Warblers were showing as the breeze dropped, as did the odd Chiffchaff and Whitethroat, whilst thee were still half a dozen Swallows around the stables.

A Common Tern went over, but there was nothing but a Grey Heron on the Breech Pool, whilst there was still plenty of activity in Owl Copse, including the nearly-fledged Grey Herons, several very excitable young Little Egrets and Cattle Egrets bringing in food. There were also at least ten Cattle Egrets around the cows at Halsey's Farm.

Also of note, a Banded Demoiselle damselfly - quite uncommon on the south of the Peninsula - was along the wall. (DHi/LP/SP/AH/S&SaH))

Reed Warbler (above), Sedge Warbler, Chiffchaff, juvenile Little Egret, Cattle Egret & Banded Demoiselle at the North Wall (AH)

Chi GPs: Drayton House pits - Soon after I arrived a flock of eight Black-tailed Godwits – unusual here - were circling over North pit before dropping down low as if to land, when they were obscured from view due to vegetation. A search failed to re-locate them so presumably they moved on due to the lack of muddy margins. My other highlight was the discovery of three now well-grown juvenile Grey Herons in the ‘stacked’ on-ground nest previously located, which was great, but a further surprise was to follow a short while later. When checking around the South pit, I discovered another occupied Heron nest in the low branches of a waterside tree (barely a metre above water level)….so that’s where the second pair went! Importantly, this is the first such breeding on these pits, which are now officially recorded as a heronry site.

Most of the interest was on North pit today, where there were three pairs of Great Crested Grebes (two with young), a pair of Mute Swans with five cygnets, an Egyptian Goose, two pairs of Canada Geese with young, ten Pochard (nine drakes and a single female) and 14 Gadwall. Passerines included plenty of breeding Reed Warblers, at least two pairs of Chiffchaff and three of Blackcap, at least four Cetti’s Warblers and two Song Thrushes singing on territory. At least two Bullfinches were heard but not seen – presumably post-breeding birds now a short distance from their breeding site.

On the South pit it was considerably quieter: the resident pair of Mute Swans seem to have failed again this year, two pairs of Great Crested Grebes were present – one with young – and there were 20 loafing Canada Geese and a single Greylag. (OM)

Three juvenile Herons in nest on North pit and adult on new nest at South pit....excuse the poor quality, taken at distance and heavily cropped - but at least you get the idea! (OM)

Hunston Church to Runcton: A Little Owl was in an oak tree on private land this morning, and a single Cattle Egret relieved the cows of those annoying flies that settle on their faces.

A minimum of six active House Martins nests were found at North Mundham, a distant Cuckoo was heard, and five Skylarks were singing. Other birds seen included a Kestrel, a Great Spotted and a Green Woodpecker, two Linnets, two Whitethroats, a Yellowhammer, several Blackcaps, a Chiffchaff and two Swallows. (SR)

Little Owl (above) & Cattle Egret in the Hunston area (SR)

Saturday, 4th June: Overnight rain extending into the morning, followed by periods of blue sky and heavy thundery clouds, the risk of showers, and a fairly cool and brisk east-north-easterly wind.......

The Selsey Pom-King challenge continued as strongly as ever this year, with both the winner and runner-up proving to be Selsey residents, namely Justin Atkinson and Sarah Russell respectively. The overall total of Poms logged this spring was 75 birds, (15 in April, 60 in May - with a peak of 43 on 9th) and Justin's winning total was 62, followed by Sarah's commendable effort with 51.

It is no easy feat putting in the long hours and as most will know, Pomarine Skuas are very unpredictable, on occasions moving through when nothing else does! This is Justin's eighth title so he has now drawn level with a certain elderly editor and an even more elderly Mervyn Jones - and he is now just one title behind the all-time leader Chris Janman whose ninth and last title was in 2011. However, an honourable mention must also go to Sarah, our first female to figure in the title positions and perhaps a good bet for a full title in the next few years. Congratulations to them both and we look forward to next spring's competition.....where a bit of diversity is always welcome!  (Eds)

Selsey Bill: A Guillemot went west, and a tight flock of six Common Terns, five Ringed Plovers and a Sanderling went east, whilst there were a number of Fulmars about, along with plenty of Gannets and Sandwich Terns. Full log later. (SH/SR/AH)

(0550-0850hrs) (ENE, F4-5)

Fulmar - 3E, 6W

Gannet - 27E, 28W

Mallard - 3W

Ringed Plover - 5E

Sanderling - 1E

Kittiwake - 5E, 2W

Sandwich Tern - 95os

Common Tern - 6E (together), 6os

Little Tern - 5os

Guillemot - 1W

Swift - 18

Swallow -3

House Martin - 1

(1500-1600hrs) (SH)

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 10E, 3W

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Kittiwake - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 57os

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

Ferry Pool: There were two Greenshanks on the pool this morning - given the wind direction presumably heading south rather than north, despite the early date.

Otherwise it was much as usual, including six Avocets, 28 Black-tailed Godwits and 15 Shelducks, whilst a look round the Tramway circuit produced several singing Blackcaps, Whitethroats, Reed and Cetti's Warblers, but all keeping low in the wind. (AH)

Later in the morning three Barnacle Geese flew over, heading into the harbour. (TB/NR)

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

North Wall: The Swallows were still busy around the stables this morning, with a Blackcap, a Chiffchaff, two Greenfinches, a Jay and a Green Woodpecker around the paddock.

A Little Ringed Plover was on the Breech Pool, along with just a Shelduck and a pair of Moorhens, whilst there were lots of juvenile Starlings around the sluice and a few Sedge, Reed and Cetti’s Warblers were singing in the reeds, along with some Reed Buntings.

In the rife at Halsey’s Farm there were a pair of Tufted Ducks, a drake Teal, a single Black-tailed Godwit and a pair of Little Grebes, a Cattle Egret was around the cows, a Whitethroat was in the bushes, and a few Skylarks were singing. 

A Cuckoo was heard at the back of the fields and a Buzzard and a pair of Swifts were overhead. (LP)

Swallow (above), Little Ringed Plover, Blackcap, Little Grebe & Starling at the North Wall (LP)

Church Norton: There was a constant stream of Sandwich Terns bringing in Sand-eels this afternoon and 50 Little Terns came up from their island. (S&SaH)

Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (SaH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Cuckoo and a Cattle Egret were out on the reserve this morning, whilst a couple of Yellowhammers, a Reed Bunting, a Reed Warbler and ten Whitethroats were along the banks and two Swifts, three Swallows and two Buzzards went over.

There were four Avocet chicks on the Stilt Pool, along with ten adults, as well as the Oystercatchers with two chicks, two Little Ringed Plovers, two Redshank and the pair of Egyptian Geese and their well-grown gosling. (S&SaH)

Chichester GPs: A female Pochard with two very young ducklings were on Peckham Lake this morning, with at least 30 Tufted Ducks and ten Great Crested Grebes on the adjacent Vinnetrow Lake.

A pair of Greylag Geese with five goslings were by the house this morning, with another 20 Greylag Geese and four Egyptian Geese nearby, whilst up to a dozen Pochard, 20 Tufted Ducks and half a dozen Great Crested Grebes were around the various lakes.

A handful of Swifts went over high, but there were no hirundines, with a Blackcap, a Chiffchaff, a Cetti's Warbler and several Reed Warblers mostly heard being the only other birds of note.

Also, a female Emperor dragonfly was laying eggs in Deep Lake. (AH)

Pochard family (above), Swift, Chiffchaff, Egyptian Goose & Emperor dragonfly at Chichester GPs (AH)

Hunston Church to South Mundham: Chiffchaffs were very much in evidence today, with parents feeding one newly fledged family, but most birds were keeping a low profile in the strong wind, though two Blackcaps, a Yellowhammer, five Whitethroats, a Jay, two Kestrels, two Buzzards, a Green Woodpecker, four Swallows and three House Martins were seen, and Sedge Warblers were heard.

Insect life included eight species of butterfly, including a number of Small Skippers, and there were also a Silver Y moth, a Nettle-tap and a Cinnabar moth, a pair of Emperor dragonflies and a female Black-tailed Skimmer. (SR)

Chiffchaff (above) & Black-tailed Skimmer between Hunston and South Mundham (SR)