Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 13th

Thursday, 15th June: Another warm and sunny morning in a quite welcome moderate north-easterly breeze ......

Selsey Bill: It remains quiet, with two Sanderling in from far offshore the only hint of movement. Full log below. (SR/AH)

(0700-0800hrs) (NNE, F3)

Gannet - 2E, 1W, 4os

Kestrel - 1

Oystercatcher - 1E

Sanderling - 2W

Mediterranean Gull - 3W, 8os

Sandwich Tern - 12os

House Martin - 10

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

Ferry Pool: There were ten Teal on the pool this morning, along with one Avocet, four Lapwings and 19 Shelducks. (AH)

Lapwing (above), Shelduck and Avocet & Teal at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: Half a dozen Sandwich Terns and c40 Black-headed Gulls were in the harbour this morning, with up to a dozen Little Terns around their island, but the only waders about were a dozen Grey Plovers and three or four Curlews and Oystercatchers, with a small gathering of Shelducks, including the families on the concrete slabs.

The bushes were quiet, though a couple of Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Whitethroats, plus a Cetti's Warbler, a Reed Bunting and a handful of Linnets and Swallows were seen/heard, whilst a Pied Wagtail and a pair of Stock Doves were at Greenlease Farm. (AH)

Whitethroat (above), Linnet, Pied Wagtail, Swallow & Stock Dove at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pools - There were four Sand Martins among c30 Swallows around the Stilt Pools this evening, and a pair of Lapwings with a new chick, whilst 14 of the 26 Avocets present were still sitting, and there were also still the pair of Little Ringed Plovers, four Ringed Plovers, a Dunlin, two Pied Wagtails and the Egyptian Goose family.
The banks were fairly busy, with a Cuckoo, two Dartford Warblers, a Chiffchaff, a Blackcap, two Cetti's Warblers, four Reed Warblers, 11 Whitethroats, three Reed Buntings and 14 Yellowhammers all seen or heard, whilst a Cattle Egret was on the reserve and a Kestrel and three Buzzards went over. (S&SaH)

Sidlesham: Having not seen any Swifts at all over the garden so far this summer, there were at least 50 feeding overhead today, building up through the afternoon and remaining well into the evening. (AH)

Swifts over Sidlesham (AH)

Wednesday, 14th June: Another very warm, dry and sunny day, with the moderate north-easterly breeze easing during the morning......

Selsey Bill: Nothing was really moving at all, on another very quiet morning. Full log below. (SR/P&LH et al)

(0700-0800hrs) (NNE, F3-4)

Gannet - 4E

Mediterranean Gull - 2os

Sandwich Tern - 2os

Swift - 6

House Martin - 12

Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (SR)

Ferry Pool: There was nothing but 28 Shelducks on the pool this morning, though including several juveniles, and there were two Cattle Egrets on the field. (AH)

Cattle Egret (above) & juvenile Shelduck at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: A Cuckoo was calling from the fields at the back and a male Marsh Harrier flew over before landing in the reeds. Breech Pool held 19 Black-tailed Godwits, eight Teal, five Little Egrets, three Shelduck and a Lapwing. Two Reed Warblers were seen and several Cetti's Warblers called. At Owl Copse there were at least seven young Cattle Egrets awaiting their parents.

At Halsey's Farm the hedges held a Lesser Whitethroat, three Whitethroats, half a dozen Cetti's Warblers and Chiffchaffs and there was Reed Warbler song from the reeds. Two Swallows flew over and another Cuckoo could be heard from Marsh Farm. (SR)

Young Cattle Egrets (above) & Marsh Harrier at the North Wall (SR)

A look at Halsey's farm this evening produced a hunting Barn Owl, a steady flow of Cattle and Little Egrets heading for Owl Copse, a Blackcap, a Reed Warbler, a couple of Chiffchaffs and half a dozen Swallows. (AH)

Barn Owl (above), Cattle Egret & Chiffchaff at the North Wall (AH)

Runcton: The fourth Southern Hawker of the summer was seen emerging from our pond today, and there has also been a Grass Snake about. (CRJ)

Southern Hawker (above) & Grass Snake in a Runcton garden (CRJ)

Tuesday, 13th June: A really warm and sunny morning in a light to moderate north-easterly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: Another quiet morning, with 12 Common Scoters the only things of note. Full log below. (SR/IP)

(0705-0805hrs) (NNE, F3-4)

Gannet - 5E, 9W, 5os

Common Scoter - 12W

Mediterranean Gull - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 3os

Common Tern - 1os

Swift - 8

Swallow - 1

House Martin - 7

Rook - 1

Goldfinch - 8

Common Seal - 1

House Martins (above) & Common Seal at the Bill (SR)

Ferry Pool: A look this afternoon produced just two Avocets, three Lapwings and 22 Shelducks on the pool and two Cattle Egrets on the fields. (AH)

Shelduck at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: Both the male and female Marsh Harriers were out hunting behind the wall this evening, and there were also two Cuckoos, three Swifts, a Sedge Warbler and four Reed Warblers about.

There was constant activity around Owl Copse, including six visible young Cattle Egrets, with seven adults, two Chiffchaffs and two Blackcaps around Halsey's Farm. (S&SaH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were at least a dozen Yellowhammers along the banks this evening, along with a handful of Whitethroats, two or three Reed Warblers, a Reed Bunting, a dozen Skylarks and 20+ Linnets, with a couple of Swifts and half a dozen Swallows over.

A couple of Cattle Egrets were on the reserve, whilst c30 Avocets, the pair of Little Ringed Plovers, four Lapwings, the Egyptian Goose family and c30 Canada Geese were all on the Stilt Pool until a Fox went through and upset them all. (AH)