Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 20th

Wednesday, 22nd May: It was another cool and overcast morning, in a fresh and blustery westerly, though the forecast heavy rain largely failed to materialise.....

Selsey Bill: There wasn't much going on this morning, though five Sanderling dropped in on the beach. Full log below. (AH/SR)

(0630-0815hrs) (WNW, F5-6)

Great Northern Diver - 1W

Gannet - 6W, 5os

Common Scoter - 9E, 7W

Sanderling - 5W

Turnstone - 5W

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Kittiwake - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 14os

Common Tern - 1W

Swallow - 3W

(1430-1530hrs) (SH)

Gannet - 1E, 3W

Kittiwake - 9W

Sandwich Tern - 6os

Kittiwake (above), Sanderlings, Common Tern, Sandwich Tern & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There just four Avocets, two Lapwings, a drake Shoveler, the drake Teal, six Mallards and 14 Shelducks on the pool. (AH)

Shoveler on the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: Three Cuckoos were moving along the bushes this morning and there were also a few Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers, Cetti’s Warblers, Long-tailed Tits, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Chaffinches and a Green Woodpecker about, whilst a Sparrowhawk flew down the East side, and both male and female Marsh Harriers were over the reeds.
A Great Crested Grebe, six Tufted Ducks and the Mute Swans were on the Breech Pool, but the Honer fields are now almost dry, and there were just four Gadwall and a few Mallards on the remaining patches of water. There was the usual selection of Grey Herons, Little Egrets and Cattle Egrets in Owl Copse, and six Mediterranean Gulls flew over, but it was quiet in the harbour with just 28 Mute Swans and 18 Shelducks out on the water. (LP)

Cuckoos at the North Wall (LP)

North Mundham: There were two Coal Tits in the garden today. (MJ)

Church Norton: There were a few waders about again this morning, including five Bar-tailed Godwits, 11 Whimbrel, 23 Sanderlings, three Knot, three Curlews, seven Grey Plovers, c60 Dunlin and c100 Ringed Plovers, along with a few Oystercatchers and Shelducks, whilst half a dozen Swallows went over, but the bushes were very quiet beyond a couple of Chiffchaffs and a Blackcap, plus a Mistle Thrush in Rectory Lane. (AH)

Sanderlings (above), Bar-tailed Godwits, Whimbrel, Dunlin, Ringed Plovers & Chiffchaff at Church Norton (AH)

Tuesday, 21st May: A decidedly cool and very grey morning, with the odd spell of light drizzle, in a light to moderate north-easterly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: Two Great White Egrets flew in together from far out to sea at 0655hrs, but it was otherwise just a mix of the regular species. Full log below. (SH/IP/AH/SR)

(0530-0800hrs) (NNE, F3)

Great Northern Diver - 1W, 4os

Great Crested Grebe - 1E, 1W

Fulmar - 1E, 1W

Gannet - 22E, 3W

Great White Egret - 2N (0655hrs)

Common Scoter - 10E

Oystercatcher - 2E, 1W

Sanderling - 3W

Turnstone - 4W

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 2os

Kittiwake - 12E

Sandwich Tern - 19os

Common Tern - 8E

Razorbill - 2E

Swift - 1

Swallow - 2N

House Martin - 4

(1500-1600hrs) (SH)

Great Northern Diver - 2os

Gannet - 12E, 6W

Common Scoter - 17E

Oystercatcher - 4E

Sandwich Tern - 2os

House Martin - 14

Great White Egrets (above), Fulmar, Great Northern Diver, Sandwich Tern & Gannet at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There wasn't much change to report this morning, with four Avocets, two Lapwings, the Black-tailed Godwit, the drake Teal, eight adult and eight young Mallards and 30 Shelducks being it. (AH)

Teal at the Ferry (AH)

The one surviving Tawny Owlet was proving that it is just about ready to fledge from the Discovery Area this afternoon. (per RSPB)

Tawny Owlet in the discovery area (RSPB)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - It was busy along the banks this morning, with two adult and two young Dartford Warblers the highlight, and there was also one youngster among the five Stonechats seen, with 18 Whitethroats, two Lesser Whitethroats, three Chiffchaffs, three Sedge Warblers, three Cetti's Warblers, ten Reed Warblers, six Reed Buntings and 20 Yellowhammers also noted.

Also, a Lapwing with two chicks and two Cattle Egrets were on the reserve, 28 Avocets, two Ringed Plovers, four Little Ringed Plovers, a Bar-tailed Godwit and a Common Tern were on the Stilt Pool and two Kestrels, two Swifts and c25 Swallows and House Martins went over. (S&SaH)

Lapwing chicks (above) & Yellowhammer at Medmerry (SaH)

Medmerry: Chainbridge to Ham - It was generally very quiet this morning in the overcast conditions, particularly around the Chainbridge area, with only a couple of Whitethroats noted, up to ten Reed Warblers and four Reed Buntings along the rifes and ditches, 30+ Linnets and a dozen Skylarks along the banks towards Ham and a Cattle Egret, half a dozen Yellowhammers and a few Stock Doves along the Trail. (AH)

Yellowhammer (above), Reed Bunting, Linnet & Skylark at Medmerry (AH)

Church Norton: There was a little selection of waders in the harbour again this afternoon, including three Knot, five Bar-tailed Godwits, nine Whimbrel, six Curlews, a Sanderling, c20 Dunlin and c40 Ringed Plovers, whilst three Sandwich Terns went over, but beyond a distantly calling Cuckoo and a few Oystercatchers and Shelducks, that was the lot. (AH)

Knot and Shelduck (above), Knot and Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel, Sandwich Terns & Ringed Plovers and Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)

Monday, 20th May: Another bright and sunny morning, though with a brisk north-easterly breeze tempering things somewhat......

Selsey Bill: It was predictably quiet this morning, though 23 Common Terns and 39 Common Scoters went east and three Eider were about, too. Full log below. (PB/DBo/AH/IP/SR)

(0530-0900hrs) (NE, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 3os

Fulmar - 1E, 1W

Gannet - 35E, 14W

Eider - 2W, 1os

Common Scoter - 39E, 13W

Oystercatcher - 4E

Sanderling - 8W

Whimbrel - 2E

Kittiwake - 12E

Sandwich Tern - 20E, 16os

Common Tern - 23E

auk sp - 1E

Swift - 9

Swallow - 5N

House Martin - 6

Eider (above), Common Terns & Common Seal at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just three Avocets, a Black-tailed Godwit, the drake Teal and 16 Shelducks on the pool his morning. (AH)

Black-tailed Godwit on the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: It was just the regular species along the wall this morning, with a Cuckoo along the hedgerows and a few Reed Warblers, Sedge Warblers, Cetti’s Warblers and Reed Buntings in the reeds, whilst four Tufted Ducks were on the Breech Pool, along with a Great Crested Grebe and the pair of Mute Swans, two Lapwings were in the fields, and a Marsh Harrier was further back.

There was a lot of activity around Owl Copse from the Grey Herons, Little Egrets and Cattle Egrets with lots of young birds about, but it was quiet out in the harbour with just 24 Mute Swans and 16 Shelducks on the water. (LP/CT)

Cuckoo (above), Tufted Duck, Little egret chicks & Grey Heron chick at the North Wall (LP)

Church Norton: There were a few waders on the mud on the rising tide this morning, including four Whimbrel, six Curlews, three Bar-tailed Godwits, eight Sanderling, c20 Dunlin and c40 Ringed Plovers, along with a few Oystercatchers and Shelducks.

A Chiffchaff by the Mound was the only thing of note in the hedges, though several Whitethroats and Reed Warblers were along the Severals, together with a dozen Linnets, whilst a Cuckoo was in the trees at the back and half a dozen Swallows went over. (AH)