22nd - 24th June 2023

Saturday, 24th June: Another morning of arm sun and white cloud, with the breeze starting in the west before backing to south-westerly......

Selsey Bill: There were quite a few Sandwich Terns offshore, and a few Swifts and a Little Egret were about, too. full log below. (SR/P&LH/AH)

(0650-0820hrs) (W, F3)

Gannet - 2E

Little Egret - 1W

Oystercatcher - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 38os

auk sp - 2E

Swift - 19

Swallow - 3

House Martin - 8

Sandwich Tern (above) & Little Egret at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were two Cattle Egrets on the pool this morning, but otherwise there were just five Avocets and six Shelducks present. (AH)

Cattle Egret (above) & Avocet and Shelduck on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A Sedge Warbler was in full song from the top of a bush in front of the horse field and a Cattle Egret flew along the wall at the back, dropping out of view behind the wall, whilst a Song Thrush was on the path between the Severals, hammering a snail on the stones and a Meadow Pipit was along the spit.

Only two Little Terns were seen feeding in the channels, and a single Sandwich Tern flew in with a fish, whilst the nine Shelduck-lings were all feeding on the mud.

Waders in the harbour numbered just three Curlews, a Ringed Plover, a Black-tailed Godwit and a handful of Oystercatchers, though a flock of 13 Turnstones flew through and continued south easterly and later 11 Dunlins flew through in the opposite direction. (IP)

This evening there were five Common Terns, six Sandwich Terns and four Mediterranean Gulls around Tern Island, along with c100 Black-headed Gulls, and up to ten Little Terns were around their island. (AH)

Sandwich Tern (above) & Mediterranean Gull and Common Terns at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: Only one distant Marsh Harrier was seen this morning, whilst a Green Woodpecker was in the paddock and there were a few Greenfinches, Goldfinches and a Wren in the bushes, and along the wall there were a few singing Reed Warblers and Sedge Warblers, plus a Cetti's Warbler and a couple of Whitethroats.

Along White’s Creek there were just ten Redshanks, six Lapwings and three Curlews, and on the Breech Pool there were just two Tufted Ducks and the Coot family.

Owl Copse was very busy, with at least 20 Cattle and 20 Little Egrets about, plus a couple of Grey Herons, whist a dozen young Swallows were sitting out at Halsey's Farm, where there were also a couple of singing Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs. (LP/CT/AH)

Later on, an Egyptian Goose was on the Breech Pool, with a Gadwall and a drake Wigeon in White's Creek, along with 26 Lapwings, 12 Curlews, 48 Redshanks and two Mediterranean Gulls. (PJ/GJ)

Late this afternoon the two adult Marsh Harriers were seen doing aerial food passes to two juveniles behind the Breech Pool. There was also a Lesser Whitethroat at Halsey's Farm. (S&SaH)

Sedge Warbler (above), Swallow, Cattle Egret, Cattle and Little Egrets (AH), Reed Warbler, Green Woodpecker & Wren (LP) at the North Wall

West Wittering: Both a Garden Warbler and a Whitethroat were in song as they moved rapidly through my garden this morning, with several singing Blackcaps as well. The former two are unusual for the garden, so may have been on the move from elsewhere. (GM)

Apuldram: A Firecest was singing along the path between the car-park and the church this morning. (PJ)

Chichester GPs: The female Red-crested Pochard was again on Peckham Lake this morning. 

There were also six common Terns, a Great Black-backed Gull, two Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 22 Greylag Geese, 50 Canada Geese, six Egyptian Geese, ten Gadwall and a female Pochard on the various pits, with four singing Cetti's Warblers, a singing Lesser Whitethroat, two singing Reed Buntings and four Stock Doves also about. (PJ/GJ)

Fishbourne Creek: There were just four Curlews in the creek, with a Green Woodpecker, a singing Yellowhammer and a singing Song Thrush along the harbourside. (PJ/GJ)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pools - Three Little Ringed Plover chicks were with their parents on the Stilt Pool, with another pair nearby, and the Avocet count had risen rapidly to 29 adults and 29 chicks, whilst there were also two pairs of Oystercatchers with two chicks each, the pair of Egyptian Geese and their five goslings, four Ringed Plovers three Lapwings, two Common Terns and two Little Terns, with six Greylag Geese among the c50 Canada Geese present, plus a Sandwich Tern and three Mediterranean Gulls offshore.

Along the banks there were two Dartford Warblers, c20 Whitethroats, five Stonechats, two Chiffchaffs, two Blackcaps, one Cetti's, two Sedge and three Reed Warblers, three Reed Buntings, 10 Linnets, nine Skylarks, c15 Yellowhammers and 20 Stock Doves, whilst eight Swifts, a Sand Martin, c20 Swallows,a Kestrel and two Buzzards went over. (S&SaH/P&LH/PJ/GJ)

Friday, 23rd June: A pleasant summer's day of sun and white cloud in a moderate westerly breeze.........

Selsey Bill: There was a little bit of variety this morning, including an Arctic Skua chasing terns well offshore, a Common Scoter and a Little Egret east and a pod of at least eight Bottle-nosed Dolphins lingering offshore. Full log below. (SR/AH)

(0650-0750hrs) (WNW, F4)

Gannet - 1E, 2W

Little Egret - 1E

Common Scoter - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 9os

Swift - 2

House Martin - 6

Bottle-nosed Dolphin - 8os

Sandwich Tern (above) & House Martin at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just four Avocets, five Redshanks, two Lapwings and five Shelducks on the pool today, with a couple of Cattle Egrets among the cows at the back and a Reed Warbler singing from the reeds by the road. (AH)

Avocets at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: Up to four Marsh Harriers were up over the reeds this morning, including at least one juvenile, but there were just four Tufted Ducks on the Breech Pool, along with the Coot family, and in White’s Creek there were just 12 Redshank, two Lapwing and a Curlew,

A family of Jays were down the lane by the stables and a Chaffinch was in the garden of Little Welbourne, whilst there were a few Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers and Reed Buntings along the wall, as well as a small group of Long-tailed Tits.

Also, four Grey Herons and two Cattle Egrets were on their island, with lots more Little Egrets and Cattle Egrets in Owl Copse, but it was quiet at Halsey’s Farm, with just a few Skylarks around the fields. (LP/JDW/SP)

This evening there were five Marsh Harriers present - most likely the pair and three newly fledged youngsters.

There were also two Buzzards, c20 Sand Martins and c40 Swallows in the Breech Pool area, whilst there was a constant flow of Cattle and Little egrets in and out of Owl Copse, and a Blackcap, two Reed Warblers and three Chiffchaffs were around Halsey's Farm. (S&SaH)

Marsh Harrier (above), Cattle Egret, Reed Warbler, Skylark & Jays at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were four Avocet families, totalling ten chicks, around the Stilt Pool this morning, with another ten birds apparently still brooding, and the two pairs of Little Ringed Plovers, a pair of Ringed Plovers, the pair of Oystercatchers and their two chicks, a couple of Lapwing and the Egyptian Goose family all present, too.

Eight Cattle Egrets were on the reserve together and a dozen Swallows were about, whilst there was quite a bit of activity along the banks and pools, including a dozen or more Whitethroats and Yellowhammers, a Stonechat, a couple of Reed Buntings and Reed Warblers, two Chiffchaffs and lots of Linnets and Skylarks.

There were also lots of butterflies about, including a few Small Skippers, Gatekeepers and Marbled Whites and lots of Meadow Browns. (AH)

Avocet family (above), Oystercatcher and chick, Little Ringed Plover, Cattle Egrets, Swallow and Cattle Egret, Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Skylark at Medmerry (AH)

Chichester Canal: The canal between Hunston and the Birdham Road this morning held plenty of variety, including up to 20 Reed Warblers, with several fledged families among them, plenty of young Coots and Moorhens, two Mute Swan families of four and five cygnets, two Little Grebes and a chick, two juvenile Stonechats - a surprising species here, six Swallows, a Red Kite and four Ravens that looked like a family group, whilst two Cattle Egrets were in the field north of Hunston. (RBe)

More sadly, there are large numbers of dead fish west of Donnington, including two large pike and at least 16 large Carp, plus numerous smaller fish. The Canal Office tell me that this is due to low dissolved oxygen caused by the excess weed and algae combined with the hot weather on shallow water. I wonder if this accounts for the unusually low numbers of Little Grebe in this stretch. (RBe)

juvenile Stonechats (above), Reed Warbler, Cattle Egret & Coot chicks along Chichester Canal (RBe)

Thursday, 22nd June: A warm and humid day, with a mix of sun and cloud in a breeze that started light and from the north-west, freshening as it backed to the south-west.....

Selsey Bill: Three Common Terns offshore was the modest highlight this morning. Full log below. (SR/AH)

(0650-0750hrs) (NNW, F2-3)

Gannet - 2E

Oystercatcher - 2

Mediterranean Gull - 4os

Sandwich Tern - 8os

Common Tern - 3os

House Martin - 6

Goldfinch - 2

Common Seal - 1os

Common Terns at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were four Avocets, eight Redshank, two Lapwings and four Shelducks on the pool this morning, with two Cattle Egrets among the cows at the back. (AH)

Shelduck at the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: There wasn't much to report along the reeds and hedges this morning, with a couple of Sedge Warblers, half a dozen Reed Warblers and Whitethroats, a couple of Reed Buntings and at least eight Linnets being about it, though a Cuckoo was heard from the vicinity of the Tramway.

There was nothing beyond a family of Coots and a family of Mallards on the pool, whilst the far end of Ferry Channel held c20 Redshank and a couple of Lapwings. (AH)

Sedge Warblers (above), Whitethroat, Reed Bunting, Linnet & Redshank along the Long Pool (AH)

North Wall: There was encouraging news this morning, with the pair of Marsh Harriers seen out behind the Breech Pool with a juvenile bird with them.

There was also a Red Kite going over. (SP/TG et al)

Church Norton: A look in the harbour this evening produced up to ten Little Terns around their island and a Common Tern and three or four Sandwich Terns in the harbour, along with three Dunlin, half a dozen Ringed Plovers and Curlews and the Shelduck family. (AH)

Ringed Plovers (above), Dunlin & Shelduck family at Church Norton (AH)

Chichester GPs: Ivy Lake Complex - The female Red-crested Pochard was still on Peckham Lake today, alongside ten Tufted Ducks and two Great Crested Grebes, whilst Runcton Lake held eight Tufted Ducks, six Great Crested Grebes, including a courting couple, a pair of Mute Swans with two cygnets and a female Common Pochard.

Also, in the hedges were a family of Long-tailed Tits, two Blackcaps, a Cetti's Warbler and a number of calling Chiffchaffs, with three Swallows over. (SR)

Red-crested Pochard (above) & Great Crested Grebes at Chichester GPs (SR)