1st - 3rd July 2023

Monday, 3rd July: The westerly wind freshened again through the morning, slowly pushing the clouds through as it did so....

Selsey Bill: Two Common Sandpipers were present again, with a dark-phase Arctic Skua chasing gulls well out to sea and seven Little Terns went purposefully through, whilst there were a large Gannet flock and two mixed gull flocks feeding a long way out. Full log below. (SR/IP/AH)

(0645-0815hrs) (WNW, F4-5)

Gannet - 2E, 1W, 35os

Oystercatcher - 1

Common Sandpiper - 2

Arctic Skua - 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 50os

Sandwich Tern - 18os

Little Tern - 7W

Swift - 12

(1630-1730hrs) (W, F7) (SH)

Gannet - 1W

Common Scoter - 8W

Mediterranean Gull - 13W, 9os

Kittiwake - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 10os

Common Tern - 2os

Common Sandpipers (above) & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were seven Avocets, five Black-tailed Godwits and eight Shelducks on the pool this morning. (AH)

Avocet (above), Black-tailed Godwit & Shelducks on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There was a big flock of roosting (and, presumably, non-breeding) birds in the harbour this morning, including c40 Sandwich Terns, two Common Terns, c150 Mediterranean Gulls and c100 Black-headed Gulls, but waders were restricted to ten Curlews and a couple of Ringed Plovers.

The hedges were quiet, with just a couple of Whitethroats and a Blackcap noted, along with a family of Long-tailed Tits, and there were a lot of butterflies about again, including a Painted Lady and a Peacock. 

Also, a Roe Deer was seen walking out along the spit, and then cut right across the harbour to get back to the west side. (AH)

Sandwich Tern (above), Sandwich Terns, Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls, Long-tailed Tit, Painted Lady & Roe Deer at Church Norton (AH)

This evening, there were three Little Terns, 11 Common Terns and 24 Sandwich Terns, including a young juvenile, sat out on the mud, with half a dozen Mediterranean Gulls and a Turnstone also about. (AH)

Common and Little Terns (above), Common, Little and Sandwich Terns, Common and Sandwich Terns & Turnstone and Curlew at Church Norton (AH)

Birdham Pool: Four Common Sandpipers had joined 17 Black-headed Gulls on the raft this morning, two of the gulls were juveniles but it was impossible to tell whether they had actually bred here.

Also on the pond were 20 more Black-headed Gulls, a Mediterranean Gull, two Great Crested Grebes, three Little Grebes, a family of Mute Swans, five Swallows, a Mallard family, a sitting Coot and a Common Tern.

The marsh, seen from the marina hide held a Reed Bunting, singing Reed Warblers, a pair of Tufted Ducks, a Grey Heron, a Buzzard and 12 Swallows, with a Norfolk Hawker dragonfly nearby. (SR)

Common Sandpipers and Black-headed Gulls at Birdham Pool (SR)

Sunday, 2nd July: Another mild, grey and blustery morning as the fresh westerly persists....

Selsey Bill: A Fulmar and nine Little Terns went west this morning, and there were 20 Swifts about, including some way out to sea. Full log below. (SH/PB/MRB/SR/AH/P&LH)

(0600-0830hrs) (W, F4-5)

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 4E, 10W

Mediterranean Gull - 2W, 18os

Sandwich Tern -  8W,13os

Little Tern - 9W, 1os

Swift - 20

Sand Martin - 2

House Martin - 2

Pied Wagtail - 1W

(1310-1440hrs) (P&LH)

Gannet - 11os

Curlew - 2W

Mediterranean Gull - 8W

Sandwich Tern - 10W

Common Tern - 1W

Swift - 1E

Swallow - 1W

(1530-1630hrs) (SH)

Gannet - 7E 19W

Mediterranean Gull - 2E, 9W

Sandwich Tern - 1os

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

Ferry Pool: The pool just held three Black-tailed Godwits, six Avocets, a Redshank, a Lapwing, a Teal and six Shelducks, whilst there were around 25 Cattle Egrets among the cows in the fields at the back. 

A look round the Tramway only yielded a couple of Whitethroats and Blackcaps, but there were an extraordinary number of butterflies along the sheltered hedges, with every clump of bramble covered in them, including many hundreds of Red Admirals and Gatekeepers, with two or three Painted Ladies, Commas and Small Tortoiseshells among them. (AH/PB/MRB)

Avocets (above), Shelduck, Whitethroat, Comma, Painted Lady and Red Admiral & Red Admirals around the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A pair of Red-legged Partridges were in the second small field out from the farm, and there were also ten Swifts in the area and a Common Whitethroat was calling beside the cottages for the second morning in a row. (IP)

Church Norton: The Wheatear was still around the concrete blocks this morning, whilst 15 Common Terns were all sat together on the mud and about 40 Sandwich Terns were around, including some bringing fish into the harbour. Also three Little Terns were seen, two of which were fishing offshore and half a dozen Mediterranean Gulls flew over west.

Waders were very thin on the ground, with ten Curlews, a Ringed Plover and a few each of Redshank and Oystercatcher was the sum total.

The first Several again had a displaying Sedge Warbler, along with a Green Woodpecker in the dead tree at the back and a male Reed Bunting taking food into an apparent nest in the young green reeds. Also, a Jay flew across the back of the Second Several and a patrolling male Sparrowhawk was in the general area. (IP) 

There were plenty of butterflies at Church Norton too including a typically elusive White-letter Hairstreak, Purple Hairstreaks, Marbled Whites and many Red Admirals, Gatekeepers and Small Whites. (BI/SI)

Purple Hairstreaks at Church Norton (BI)

This evening the Whimbrel was back in the harbour, along with a couple of Ringed Plovers, half a dozen Curlews and c20 Redshank, whilst c20 Sandwich Terns, a Little Tern and half a dozen Mediterranean Gulls were roosting on the mud. (AH)

Whimbrel (above) & Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: All four juvenile Marsh Harriers were around the fields to the north of the wall this morning, sitting out on the bushes and going for short flights, and the male was seen bringing in food at one point.

In White's Creek, the drake Wigeon, two Curlews, ten Redshanks and two Lapwings were on the mud early on, with 17 Shelducks and six Lapwings out in the harbour, whilst three Teal, a pair of Tufted Ducks, the Canada Goose family, and six Black-tailed Godwits were on the Breech Pool.

It was busy around the sluice with a Lesser Whitethroat, two Common Whitethroats, two Reed Warblers, a Sedge Warbler, a Reed Bunting, a Skylark and two juvenile Green Woodpeckers around, with six Swallows over the paddock, with one seen flying into the stables, where the previous nest was predated by Magpies. Also, a Water Vole was in the channel and a Weasel shot through.

There were lots of Little Egrets and Cattle Egrets around Owl Copse and the island, along with four Grey Herons, and at Halsey’s Farm a Kestrel and a Buzzard were over the fields and a couple of Skylarks were along the fence line.

There were also lots of butterflies noted, including Marbled Whites, Small Skippers, Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns, Peacocks, lots of Red Admirals and a painted Lady. (LP/SR/AH)

This afternoon the male and at least three juvenile Marsh Harriers were about, with two of the juveniles hunting over the reservoir. (S&SaH)

Lesser Whitethroat (above), Reed Warbler, Whitethroat, Marsh Harrier, Cattle Egret, Wigeon (LP), Marsh Harriers, Green Woodpecker (SR), Marsh Harriers, Black-tailed Godwits & Marbled White (AH) at the North Wall

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were 17 adult Avocets and 27 chicks counted this morning on the Stilt Pool, with two pairs of Little Ringed Plovers and four chicks, including very small new one, the two pairs of Oystercatchers with two young each, and the pair of Egyptian Geese with now just four goslings, plus a single Ringed Plover and a Common Sandpiper.

What must have been a family party of eight Dartford Warblers moved through together, with up to five other birds seen, with c20 Whitethroats, four Stonechats, including three juveniles, ten Yellowhammers, two Reed Buntings, six Reed Warblers, two Sedge Warblers, a Cetti's Warbler and six Green Woodpeckers, including two juveniles, also seen along the banks.

The Spoonbill was out on the reserve, before flying off high to the west, with a Bar-tailed Godwit also on the reserve, whilst c100 Swifts were over the reservoirs, with two Sand Martins, c30 Swallows, a Kestrel and three Buzzards also going over. (S&SaH/PB/MRB/P&LH/MT)

Common Sandpiper (above), Avocet, Stonechat, Swallow, Yellowhammer, Gatekeeper & Common Darter at Medmerry (MT)

Saturday, 1st July: A very blustery and mostly overcast morning in a fresh westerly, though pleasantly mild....

Selsey Bill: Two Manx Shearwaters went west this morning, along with an Arctic Skua and seven Little Terns. Full log below. (SH/SR/AH)

(0530-0745hrs) (W, F5-6)

Manx Shearwater - 2W

Gannet - 3E, 4W

Common Scoter - 4E

Oystercatcher - 2E

Arctic Skua - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 5W, 1os

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 3W, 3os

Common Tern - 2os

Little Tern - 7W

Swift - 7

House Martin - 2

Bottle-nosed Dolphin - 6E

Later this morning, three Manx Shearwaters went east. (SH)

(1100-1200hrs) 

Great Crested Grebe - 2W

Manx Shearwater - 3E

Gannet - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 1W, 1os

Sandwich Tern - 8os

Common Tern - 2os

House Martin - 3

Ferry Pool: There were just seven Avocets, a Black-tailed Godwit and four Shelducks on the pool this morning, with at least half a dozen Cattle Egrets with the cows at the back.

Also, two Reed Buntings and a Whitethroat were in the adjacent hedges, along with a proliferation of Red Admirals and a single Painted Lady. (AH)

Black-tailed Godwit (above), Reed Bunting & Red Admirals at the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: There were a large number of Swallows around the farm buildings this morning, where the young appear to have fledged. (IP)

Church Norton: The Wheatear showed briefly on the concrete blocks and the Whimbrel was again in the very southern part of the harbour this morning, whilst five Turnstones were roosting on the metalwork and also present were a Ringed Plover, five Curlews and the usual Oystercatchers, with a small indication of the changing seasons in a pair of Teal roosting in the southern part of the harbour, along with 15 Redshanks.

Only one Little Tern was seen in the harbour, however interestingly on two occasions a Sandwich Tern flew in with a fish, disappeared behind the concrete blocks and then re-appeared without the fish - it is possible that there may be one or two birds nesting nearby, whilst there were half a dozen mores on the metalwork and a dozen patrolling offshore.

The Severals held a pair of Reed Buntings, along with the usual Whitethroats, Sedge and Reed Warblers, whilst a female Tufted Duck was at the back of the Second Several with five very ducklings and a Kestrel was hunting along the front.

Also, several Purple Hairstreaks were around an oak in Bluebell Wood and a single Sand Martin was seen over the wood. (IP)

This evening the Wheatear was still around the concrete blocks, and half a dozen Sandwich Terns and Mediterranean Gulls were in the harbour. (AH)

Wheatear (above) & Mediterranean Gull, Sandwich Tern and Black-headed Gulls at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: There were five Marsh Harriers sat in their favoured bush behind the reeds this morning, with the adult male also seen high overhead, while on the Breech Pool there were seven Black-tailed Godwits and a Lapwing, with a flock of the latter flying over the harbour and a Peregrine flew through heading north.

A total of 35 Little and Cattle Egrets along with two Grey Herons were spread between Owl Copse and Heron Island, and at Halsey’s Farm a few Skylarks were singing, and a pair of Whitethroats were feeding a juvenile along the hedgerow.

It was quiet along White’s Creek with just a few Curlew, Oystercatchers and Shelduck out on the mud, and in the fields a Fox successfully hunted and killed a Moorhen. Also, a Collared Dove was down the lane, and a few young Great Tits and Blue Tits were in the trees. (LP/SP)

Marsh Harriers (above), Cattle Egret, Cattle Egrets, Little Egrets and Grey Heron, Black-tailed Godwits, Collared Dove & Fox at the North Wall (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The immature Spoonbill was again on the Stilt Pool this morning, with plenty of other activity still, including 26 Avocet chicks counted, a pair of Little Ringed Plovers with three chicks, and another adult with a chick, two pairs of Oystercatchers with two chicks each, a Lapwing pair with just one chick, the Egyptian Goose family, two Ringed Plovers, a Common Sandpiper and a Black-tailed Godwit.

There were up to 50 Swifts, 40 Swallows, 25 Sand Martins and a House Martin feeding low overhead, mostly around the reservoirs, with three Buzzards, three Kestrels and a couple of Mediterranean Gulls going over, too.

The banks were fairly quiet in the windy conditions, but still produced c20 Whitethroats, a dozen Yellowhammers, a Reed Bunting, two Dartford Warblers, two Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap, three Reed Warblers, a Cetti's Warbler and lots of Linnets and Skylarks. (S&SaH/AH)

Spoonbill (above), Spoonbill and Avocet, Avocet chicks, Little Ringed Plover & Ringed Plover at Medmerry (AH)

West Itchenor: The House Martin colony on the Harbour Master's Office continues to thrive, with 12 nests currently occupied and at least seven having chicks inside, some of which are almost ready to fledge.

A Swallow was also seen, along with three Swifts, two Chiffchaffs, a Blackcap, a Curlew and an Oystercatcher. (SR)

House Martin at West Itchenor (SR)

Chi GPs: Drayton House pits - A visit to check if there were any late Pochard broods again this year and I wasn't disappointed, being pleased to find a pair with four small young on South pit, then a female with two tiny ducklings on North pit, bringing the total to an exceptional eight broods this year. Such a number is of national significance and surely increases the urgency for these pits to acquire some formal protection!

A single Common Tern was fishing, there were also at least 24 Gadwall, the regular Canada and Greylag Geese and Great Crested Grebes, and several pairs of Little Grebes with young. Reed Warblers were still singing stridently at times, with the odd Blackcap and Cetti’s Warbler joining in. 

On the down side, all the lovely ox-eye daisies and most of the orchids have recently disappeared due to extensive mowing, with some of the hedges having been partly flailed too…the place looking more like a sterile country park again with all flower meadows removed. Needless to say, not many butterflies now either! (OM)

Female Pochard with two tiny ducklings on the North pit, whilst I include the following two shots as a reference to record the current situation....South pit having been recently mowed, removing the flowers and orchids, and (lower) some recent flailing to the hedgerow on North pit. (OM)