20th - 22nd May 2023

Monday, 22nd May: A cool and overcast start in a light northerly breeze, a little brighter later in the morning as the breeze freshened...........

Selsey Bill: There wasn't much going on, though seven Shelducks flew in and landed on the sea and four Kittiwakes and three Mediterranean Gulls were among the large number of Herring and Black-headed Gulls offshore. Full blog below. (SR/AH/IP)

(0700-0830hrs) (N, F2-3)

Gannet - 1E, 1W

Shelduck - 7os

Common Scoter - 4E

Oystercatcher - 2E

Turnstone - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 1E, 3os

Kittiwake - 1E, 4os

Sandwich Tern - 5os

Common Tern - 2os

Little Tern - 1os

Swift - 2

House Martin - 3

Meadow Pipit - 1N

Common Seal - 1os

Shelducks at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A Temminck's Stint was on the islands at the back of the pool, late this morning, and there were also 12 Avocets, c140 Black-tailed Godwits, ten Mallards and 28 Shelducks present, with two Cattle Egrets among the cows in the fields at the back. (AH)

Temminck's Stint and Mallard (above), Temminck's Stint, Shelducks and Black-headed Gull & Black-tailed Godwits on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There was a nice gathering of late wader migrants on the mud this evening, comprising at least six Sanderling, 15 Grey Plovers, c40 Dunlin and at least 80 Ringed Plovers, whilst a lone sandwich Tern flew in, circled the empty island and departed again. (AH)

Sanderlings (above), Ringed Plover and Dunlin & Ringed Plovers at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There was a big increase to 22 Avocets on the Stilt Pool this morning, all in pairs, though none on the fenced off island, and there were also a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper and a pair of Ringed Plovers present, along with a single Common Tern, half a dozen Swallows and the usual wildfowl.

There were up to 20 Yellowhammers along the banks, though otherwise they were quiet, with just a handful of Whitethroats, two or three Reed and Sedge Warblers, a pair of Stonechats, four Reed Buntings, a dozen Stock Doves and up to 20 Linnets and Skylarks. (AH)

This evening, a Dartford Warbler, a Chiffchaff, two Stonechats and a Cuckoo were along the banks, whilst two Common Sandpipes, a Whimbrel and three Pied Wagtails were on the Stilt Pool. (S&SaH)

Greenshank (above), Common Sandpiper, Avocets, Stonechat, Yellowhammer, Reed Bunting & Stock Dove at Medmerry (AH)

Sunday, 21st May: Another bright and sunny morning, though with the breeze remaining fresh and from the north-east.......

Selsey Bill: Five Common Terns, 12 Kittiwakes, a Whimbrel and 21 Common Scoters went purposefully east, and two Dunlin came in from a long way out with a smaller, unidentifiable, wader with them, but otherwise it was just the regular species seen. Full log below. (SH/SR/IP/AH)

(0530-0815hrs) (NE, F5)

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 6E, 16W, 8os

Common Scoter - 21E

Oystercatcher - 1E, 1W

Dunlin - 2W

Whimbrel - 1E

Kittiwake - 12E, 2W

Sandwich Tern - 12os

Common Tern - 5E, 3os

Little Tern - 6os

Razorbill - 1W

Swift - 1N

House Martin - 2

Goldfinch - 20

Ferry Pool: There were 18 Avocets on the pool this morning -  a big increase from recent weeks, though otherwise there were just c60 Black-tailed Godwits, a drake Gadwall, eight Mallards and c25 Shelducks, with two Cattle Egrets in the field and another that flew out of the small pool opposite, whilst a Cuckoo was calling from the Tramway. (AH)

Avocet (above), Avocets, Shelducks and Black-tailed Godwits & Gadwall at the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: The very modest highlight this morning was a Lesser Black-backed Gull going over, with, otherwise, just two Kestrels, a Sparrowhawk and a Pied Wagtail about. (IP)

Church Norton: It was quiet in the wind, with just five Little Terns, c75 Dunlin, a Turnstone, a dozen Ringed Plovers, two Grey Plovers and a Curlew seen in the harbour, along with an unseasonal female Wigeon.

A Cuckoo calling intermittently from the area of Priory Wood throughout the morning was about it on the landside, along with a Sparrowhawk and a Great Spotted Woodpecker at Greenlease Farm. (IP)

North Wall: It was quiet in the blowy conditions, though behind the Breech Pool a Cuckoo was calling and the female Marsh Harrier was out briefly, along with a Red Kite, whilst a couple of Swallows were around the stables and six Swifts were feeding overhead.

A few Reed and Sedge Warblers, and a couple of Reed Buntings and Whitethroats were along the wall, with two drake Gadwall, four Tufted Ducks, a Great Crested Grebe and the pair of Mute Swans on the Breech Pool.

Three Cattle Egrets were at Halsey's Farm, with two or three more coming and going from Owl Copse, where the young Grey Herons were showing well, whilst a pair of Little Grebes were on Owl Water, a Lapwing and a few Shelduck were on the fields, with a few more of the latter in the harbour, too. (LP/DHi/AH)

Red Kite (above), Cattle Egret, Grey Herons, Sedge Warbler, Swallow (LP), Swallow, Reed Bunting & Marsh Harrier (AH) at the North Wall

This afternoon, at Halsey's Farm, five Swifts, two Swallows, a Buzzard being mobbed by a crow, a Pied Wagtail, two Whitethroats, three Cetti's Warblers, two Shelduck and four Chiffchaffs were about. Despite the high wind there were quite a few butterflies enjoying the meadow flowers, with Orange-tips on Cuckoo Flower, the first Common Blue flying along with two Painted Ladies and a Small Copper, plus a few Red Admirals and Speckled Woods, whilst a Pale Tussock moth was along the roadside at Honer.

Also, a Broad-bodied Chaser was laying eggs in a puddle, a Common Darter was seen and there were large numbers of Common Blue Damselfly around the ditches. (SR)

This evening the female Marsh Harrier was seen to catch and eat a small prey item, whilst four buzzards and c30 Swifts were also on the wing, a constant flow of up to 20 Cattle Egrets were coming in and out of Owl Copse and three Blackcaps and a Chiffchaff were at Halsey's Farm. (S&SaH)

Later still, a Barn Owl was out hunting. (TH)

Orange-tip on Cuckoo Flower at the North Wall (SR)

Pagham Spit: At least 30 Little Terns were feeding around the harbour mouth and coming and going from their island, but there was little else to report, beyond a Sandwich Tern feeding offshore, two Swifts and four Swallows over and a Meadow Pipit and half a dozen Linnets along the spit. (AH)

Little Terns at Pagham Spit (AH)

East Head: At Ella Nore this afternoon there were c200 Oystercatchers present, including at least two apparently nesting pairs, and there were also ten Ringed Plovers, again with some evidence of nesting activity, a single whimbrel, three Curlews, a Turnstone and a Common Tern. (GM)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were eight Stonechats along the banks this morning, including at least one juvenile, with two Dartford Warblers, four Reed Warblers, three Cetti's Warblers, nine Whitethroats, nine Yellowhammers and three Reed Buntings also logged, with two Swifts, a House Martin and c20 Swallows going over.

A Red Kite, a Buzzard and a Kestrel also went over, with seven Cattle Egrets and a Mediterranean Gull on the reserve, whilst the Stilt Pools held two Common Sandpipers, three Turnstones, two Ringed Plovers and seven Avocets. (S&SaH)

This evening a Barn Owl was out hunting, and a Cuckoo was calling towards Ham. (SR)

Turnstone at Medmerry (SH)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - This evening there were c40 Swifts, c25 Swallows and c10 House Martins over the settling tanks, a single Whitethroat in the hedges, five Pied Wagtails and a pair of Red-legged Partridges on the maize field and a Stonechat further along Ham Road. (AH)

Swift (above), Swallow, House Martin & Red-legged Partridge at Medmerry (AH)

Saturday, 20th May: A bright and sunny morning, cold early on, warm later, but with a fresh and blustery north-easterly breeze throughout......

Selsey Bill: A Long-tailed Duck and three Sanderlings went west early on, but it was otherwise quiet. Full log below. (SH/AH/IP)

(0530-0800hrs) (NE, F5)

Great Northern Diver - 1W

Gannet - 21E, 25W

Shelduck - 3E

Long-tailed Duck - 1W

Common Scoter - 7E, 1W

Sandeling - 3W

Sandwich Tern - 22os

Common Tern - 4os

Little Tern - 2os

Swift - 3N

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

Ferry Pool: There was a Little Ringed Plover on the pool this morning, along with five Avocets, c75 Black-tailed Godwits, ten Mallards and c25 Shelducks, whilst three Cattle Egrets were among the cows in the field, and a pair of Mute Swans with six cygnets were in the channel opposite..

A look round the Tramway produced just a couple of Reed Warblers, Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps, half a dozen Whitethroats and a Cuckoo that called very sporadically before flying off towards the Long Pool. (AH)

Little Ringed Plover (above), Cattle Egrets, Chiffchaff, Black-tailed Godwits & Mute Swan cygnets at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A ring-tail Hen Harrier - the first of the year - was over the Severals briefly this morning, before heading off west over Priory Wood.

Otherwise there were five Sandwich and three Common Terns offshore, and at least 30 Little Terns, two Mediterranean Gulls and a small flock of Black-headed Gulls in the harbour, with some of the latter taking an interest in the island, but waders comprised just a couple of Grey and Curlews, a handful of Ringed Plovers and c50 Dunlin.

A Cuckoo was calling continuously from the back of the Severals, and a Swift went over, but otherwise it was quiet. (IP)

Hen Harrier at Church Norton (IP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Two Marsh Harriers were out over the reserve, with another distant harrier sp that, by shape, could well have been the Hen Harrier seen earlier over Church Norton. 

There was a good selection of other species seen going over, too, including a Great White Egret that flew out of the reserve, a Raven, a Red Kite, two Kestrels, eight Buzzards, three Swifts, five House Martins and c30 Swallows, whilst a Cuckoo and nine Cattle Egrets were out on the reserve.

Two Dartford Warblers were along the banks, along with 11 Whitethroats, a Chiffchaff, a Blackcap, six Reed Warblers, four Cetti's Warblers, four Reed Buntings and a dozen Yellowhammers, but the Stilt Pools just held a Common Sandpiper, two Ringed Plovers and seven Avocets. (S&SaH)

Medmerry: Medmerry Trail to Porthole Farm - There were up to a dozen Whitethroats spread along the Trail, along with three or four Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers, whilst a female Marsh Harrier went over heading east.

Around a dozen Swifts and Swallows, and half a dozen House Martins, were over Porthole Farm, but there was nothing else much beyond a couple of Whitethroats, a couple of Skylarks, a Buzzard and half a dozen Shelducks. (AH)

Swifts (above), Whitethroat, Marsh Harrier & Buzzard at Medmerry (AH)

Chi GPs: Drayton House pits - This morning's WeBS count produced nothing out of the ordinary, other than perhaps a pair of Shoveler keeping a low profile on the North pit (and perhaps thinking of breeding?) Several pairs of Canada and Greylag Geese now have broods of young, as does a pair of Mute Swans, whilst Pochards were still much in evidence, with a total of 31 birds, of which all but five were drakes. 

Two Egyptian Geese were still present and at least five pairs of Great Crested Grebes now have young. A Kingfisher made a fleeting appearance and seven Swifts were feeding above, but it was otherwise fairly quiet. 

A dragonfly which dropped in briefly was a Hairy Dragonfly. (OM)

Two pairs of Canada Geese with their creche of 19 goslings, drake Pochards and pair of Shoveler on Drayton House pits. (OM)

Hairy Dragonfly at Drayton Pits (OM)