Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 7th

Thursday, 9th May: A lovely, warm and sunny morning in just a light breeze, initially from the east, then the south............

Selsey Bill: A Hooded Crow unexpectedly popped up on the shingle bar among the Carrion Crows for a short time this morning, before they were all pushed off by the tide.

Otherwise, it was very slow again, with just a couple of lingering Arctic Skuas and a pair of Pintail, a few Sanderlings and five Bar-tailed Godwits and Whimbrel east of note. Full log below. (PB/PM/AH/MO-W/SR/ABi)

(0545-0930hrs) (ESE, F2)

Great Northern Diver - 8os

Gannet - 18E, 2W

Shag - 1E

Brent Goose - 1E

Shelduck - 14W

Gadwall - 2W

Common Scoter - 43E, 25W

Oystercatcher - 2E, 16W

Sanderling - 15E

Dunlin - 1E

Bar-tailed Godwit - 5E

Whimbrel - 5E

Arctic Skua - 2os

Kittiwake - 15W

Sandwich Tern - 8E

Common Tern - 2os

'Commic' Tern - 10E

Little Tern - 7E, 2os

Swift - 1N

Swallow - 5

Hooded Crow - 1

Hooded Crow (above), Arctic Skua, Little Tern, Bar-tailed Godwit & Whimbrel at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The pool just held half a dozen Avocets, four Redshanks and c22 Shelducks this morning. (AH/ABi)

North Wall: The Purple Heron was out in Honer 2 field early this morning, whilst three Avocets, two Shovelers, lots of Shelducks and two Redshanks were on the Honer fields and a Red Kite and a Marsh Harrier went over, with three Cuckoos about, too.
Also, a Whimbrel, two Little Egrets, a Great Crested Grebe and a few Mallards were in White's Creek, the Breech Pool held five Gadwall, the Wigeon and two Tufted Ducks, with lots of Sedge, Reed and Cetti's Warblers and three Reed Buntings about, too. (ABi/PB/PM/JDW et al)

Purple Heron (above) & Sedge Warbler at the North wall (ABi)

Church Norton: This evening there were two Sanderlings among c40 Dunlin and c30 Ringed Plovers on the mud, and there were also four Bar-tailed Godwits and two Curlews present, but that was about it. (AH)

Sanderling (above) & Ringed Plovers and Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There wasn't too much about this morning, with no sign of the Temminck's Stints, and just 22 Avocets, a Common Sandpiper,and two Redshanks on the Stilt Pool, along with a pair of Little Terns and half a dozen Gadwall.

A Marsh Harrier showed well near the car-park, as did a Buzzard, whilst eight Cattle Egrets were near the Marsh Farm buildings, and the banks were full of the regular birds, including a dozen Whitethroats and Yellowhammers, a Reed Bunting, several singing Reed Warblers, 20+ Linnets and Skylarks and four Swallows. (AH et al)

Marsh Harrier (above), Little Tern, Cattle Egret, Whitethroat, Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer & Skylark at Medmerry (AH)

Wednesday, 8th May: The morning started misty and cool, not brightening up till later on, though the breeze remained light and from the east......

Selsey Bill: After a few Common Terns through early on, it was very quiet in the murk. Full log below. (PB/AH/LP/NM/SR/AW)

(0500-1000hrs) (ESE, F2-3)

Great Northern Diver - 2E, 4os

Gannet - 19E, 19W

Common Scoter - 27E

Oystercatcher - 5E, 4W

Sanderling - 6E

Whimbrel - 11E

Turnstone - 1

Mediterranean Gull - 2E

Kittiwake - 3E, 9W

Sandwich Tern - 37E, 22os

Common Tern - 29E, 12os

Little Tern - 12os

Swallow - 2

This evening, two Cattle Egrets went west and eight Brent Geese dropped in on the beach. Full log below. (SH)

(1630-1730hrs)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 2E

Cattle Egret - 2W

Brent Goose - 8os

Oystercatcher - 5E

Sandwich Tern - 22E, 3W, 18os

Common Tern - 16os

'Commic' Tern - 1E

Little Tern - 2E, 1W

Little Tern (above), Sandwich Tern (AH), Kittiwakes, Sanderlings & Whimbrel (AW) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: The Common Sandpiper was on the pool again this morning, but otherwise there were just eight Avocets, four Redshanks, the drake Teal and 22 Shelducks present. (AH)

Common Sandpiper on the Ferry (AH)

Medmerry: Stilt Pool - The Temminck's Stint was again out on the reserve this morning, beyond the big pool opposite the Stilt Pool (MRe), and later on, there were two birds at the back of the Stilt Pool again. (TG-P/DBo)

Temminck's Stint on the Stilt Pool (TG-P)

North Wall: The three Cuckoos were still being very active this morning, but it was quiet along the wall, with just the usual scattering of Reed, Sedge and Cettti's Warblers and a couple of Whitethroats and Reed Buntings about, along with c20 Sand Martins and Swallows.

A Greenshank and a Bar-tailed Godwit were the only waders on the flooded fields, with a handful of Whimbrel the only waders in the harbour, whilst, otherwise, one Marsh Harrier was up briefly, c20 Cattle Egrets were around Owl Copse and various fields and a couple of Greylag Geese and a dozen Gadwall, plus the regular drake Wigeon, were around the Honer fields and Breech Pool. (AH/JDW/TG/MRe et al)

This evening the Purple Heron re-appeared, seen in flight before it landed back in the reeds. (NM)

Reed Warbler (above), Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat, Cattle Egret, Greylag Goose & Gadwall at the North Wall (AH)

East Beach: Three pairs of House Martins were renovating old nests in the East Beach Walk estate this morning, whilst two Buzzards flew overhead, and a Linnet was seen along with a Holly Blue Butterfly. (SR)

West Itchenor: The first three pairs of House Martins have taken up residence in three of the artificial nests on the Harbour Office but there was very little else about - just a single Swallow, two Pied Wagtails, two Sandwich Terns, a Curlew, three Oystercatchers, a Little Egret, a Shelduck, a Blackcap and two Chiffchaffs was all I could find. (SR)

House Martin at West Itchenor (SR)

Medmerry: Porhole Farm - There were at least 40 Swifts over the settling tanks this evening, but there were just 20 or so House Martins and Swallows with them. (AH)

Swift (above), House Martin & Swallow at Medmerry (AH)

Tuesday, 7th May: A surprisingly warm and mostly sunny morning, despite the freshening north-easterly breeze......

Selsey Bill: The sea was almost completely dead this morning, but there was a small fall in the gardens, including a Redstart, two Garden Warblers, two singing Reed Warblers, a Lesser Whitethroat and two Whitethroats. Full log below. (AH/IP/CRJ/ML et al)

(0630-1200hrs) (NE, F2-3)

Great Northern Diver - 8os

Red-throated Diver - 1E, 1os

Gannet - 6E, 2W

Common Scoter - 2E

Red-breasted Merganser - 2E

Oystercatcher - 3W

Curlew - 1W

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1os

Kittiwake - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 10E, 33os

Common Tern - 3E, 3os

'Commic' Tern - 7E

Little Tern - 2E, 6os

Swallow - 5N, 3 present

House Martin - 2

Pied Wagtail - 1N

Redstart - 1

Whitethroat - 2

Lesser Whitethroat - 1

Garden Warbler - 2

Reed Warbler - 2

Garden Warblers (above), Whitethroat & Great Northern Divers at the Bill (AH)

This afternoon, a Red-throated Diver drifted east, close in. (AW)

Red-throated Diver at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: A Common Sandpiper was on the pool early on, and later a Greenshank flew in, but otherwise it was just eight Avocets, four Redshanks, 22 Shelducks and - for the first time in a few days - a pair of Shovelers. (AH)

Later on, there were 12 Avocets, seven Redshanks and a lone Dunlin on the pool. (BFF/DM)

Greenshank and Shelducks (above) & Shovelers at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: The Spotted Flycatcher was still present this morning, and showing well behind the stables. (JMo)

Later, in lovely sunshine and with an incoming tide slowly pushing the waders towards us an enjoyable morning was had. A female Marsh Harrier was over the reeds, with a Red Kite drifting east, and perhaps 30 Gadwall were in the flooded fields, whilst two Cuckoos were calling and on patrol all morning.

A lovey White Wagtail showed in one of the flooded fields behind the Breech Pool, with a Wheatear along the wall, whilst out in the harbour there were 81 Dunlin, 26 Ringed Plovers, 16 Whimbrels, two Greenshanks, 12 Grey Plovers, 14 Bar-tailed Godwits. (BFF/DM)

This evening there were two Spotted Flycatchers behind the stables, and the first Wood Sandpiper of the year was on Honer 2 field, along with an Avocet and two Greenshanks. (SP/NM/AB et al)

Medmerry: Stilt Pool - The Temminck's Stint was still present today, on the big pool opposite the Stilt Pool. (per Birdguides)

Church Norton: A Spotted Flycatcher was in the churchyard this morning and two Wheatears and a Swallow were along the beach, but there were no other indications of migration.

A Cattle Egret and a Cuckoo were around the Severals, whilst in the harbour there was just one Bar-tailed Godwit, along with at least 15 Whimbrel, with c20 Little Terns were feeding in the harbour mouth, at least 50 Sandwich Terns coming and going from offshore and c100 Black-headed Gulls, plus a handful of Mediterranean Gulls around the island. (AH)

Later there were 22 Bar-tailed Godwits and 16 Whimbrel in the harbour, with 35 Sandwich Terns and six Little Terns coming and going,with plenty of Black-headed Gulls and at least a dozen Mediterranean Gulls on and around the island, and a Red Kite went over high, heading east. (BFF/DM)