4th - 6th June 2024

Thursday, 6th June: A fairly sunny, but not especially warm, morning in a light westerly breeze......

Selsey Bill: It was very slow this morning! Full log below. (SR)

(0650-0750hrs) (W, F3)

Mediterranean Gull - 8W, 150os

Sandwich Tern - 6W, 4os

Common Tern - 2os

Swift - 8

House Martin - 15

Sandwich Terns (above) & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (SR)

Ferry Pool: A Greenshank was in Ferry Channel early this morning, but the pool just held a dunlin,  four Avocets, two Lapwings, the drake Teal and 22 Shelducks, whilst a look round the Tramway just produced a couple of Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs and up to four Whitethroats. (AH)

Greenshank (above), Avocets, Blackcap & Chiffchaff around the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: A Golden Oriole was singing near the stables along Church Lane early this morning, and then a little later it was heard singing from the large bushes on  the harbour side of the Slipe Field.

Also, the American Golden Plover was still present along White's Creek, in the same area as yesterday, present throughout the day

Other birds seen in the harbour included two Knot, seven Bar-tailed Godwits, a Black-tailed Godwit, a Ringed Plover and c25 Grey Plovers, with a Cuckoo, a Marsh Harrier and 15 Little egrets seen from the wall. (CS/PB/MO-W/CRJ/SP/GHi/IP et al)

American Golden Plover at the North Wall (GHi)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The banks were full of birdsong this morning, with good numbers of Skylarks, Yellowhammers and Whitethroats, plus a Lesser Whitethroat, nine Linnets, a Jay, a calling Cetti's Warbler, several Reed Warblers, and a Kestrel.
The Stilt Pool held 24 Avocets, 13 seemed to be sitting and one couple were carefully constructing a new nest, whilst there were at least seven chicks visible. Four Little Ringed Plovers were about, and one might have been on a nest, whilst two Ringed Plovers were seen, along with a Shoveler, 17 Tufted Ducks, a Little Tern, 12 Swallows, five House Martins, a Grey Heron, a Reed Bunting, six Lapwings, three Little Egrets and eight Canada Geese. (SR)

Little Ringed Plover (above) & Yellowhammer at Medmerry (SR)

Wednesday, 5th June: A pleasantly sunny morning in a light, if freshening to moderate, north-westerly breeze......

Selsey Bill: There wasn't much going on this morning, with a Fulmar west and 24 Common Scoters east the best, whilst thee were still large numbers of Mediterranean Gulls about. 

There were also seven House Martin nests in the Broadreeds Estate, with more birds still prospecting. Full log below. (AH/SR)

(0645-0815hrs) (NW, F2-3)

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 2E, 1W

Common Scoter - 24E

Mediterranean Gull - 60W, 100os

Sandwich Tern - 20os

Swift - 14

House Martin - 15

House Martins (SR top, AH lower), Swifts & Mediterranean Gull (AH) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: There were again ten Avocets on the pool this morning,along with a dozen Redshanks, the drake Teal and 18 Shelducks. (AH)

Shelduck (above) & Teal on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A female Red-backed Shrike (found by JC) was along the west side late this morning, initially by the Thrift shelf, then re-appearing on the hedges just north of Reedy Marsh, though generally a little distant and flighty.

Otherwise two Cuckoos were along the west side, along with two Yellowhammers, half a dozen Whitethroats and plenty of Linnets, whilst two more Cuckoos were around the Severals, along with a Lesser Whitethroat and more Whitethroats and Linnets, plus eight Swifts and three Swallows over.

The harbour was very quiet, though, with just a Whimbrel and a Bar-tailed Godwit of note, whilst half a dozen Sandwich Terns were offshore. (JC/CRJ/AH/AB/CD/BI/RAI/LGRE et al)

Red-backed Shrike (above), Yellowhammer., Lesser Whitethroat & Whitethroat at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: A summer-plumaged American Golden Plover was found in White's Creek this morning (by ARK) before the tide rose, but there was no more sign of it. 

There were also 26 Bar-tailed Godwits, a few Grey Plovers and a Marsh Harrier in the vicinity.

Also, the Osprey was hunting over the harbour earlier on (LP)

American Golden Plover at the North Wall (ARK)

The American Golden Plover was showing well, albeit fairly distantly, at the south end of White's Creek this afternoon. 

This is just the third Peninsula record, after one in the harbour in September 1988 and one in Fishbourne Creek in September 2010. (CRJ/SR/BI/KT/BI/AH/MB et al)

American Golden Plover at the North Wall (MB top, KT next two, AH lower two)

Tuesday, 4th June: A fairly cool and grey morning, but in just a light westerly breeze......

Selsey Bill: There were lots of Mediterranean Gulls offshore again this morning, but not too much else was going on on. Full log below. (AH/LP/IP/P&LH)

(0635-0820hrs) (W, F2)

Gannet - 1E, 5W

Common Scoter - 6E

Oystercatcher - 6W

Mediterranean Gull - 150os

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1os

Kittiwake - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 16os

Common Tern - 2os

Little Tern - 1W, 1os

Swift - 12

House Martin - 18

(1320-1420hrs) (WSW, F4) (SH)

Gannet - 1W

Arctic Skua - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 72os

Razorbill - 1E

Sandwich Tern (above), Mediterranean Gull, Gannet & House Martin at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were ten Avocets on the pool this morning, along with four Redshanks, two Lapwings, a drake Teal, ten Mallards and 28 Shelducks. (AH)

Lapwing (above) & Avocets and Shelducks at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: The Osprey re-appeared for its fourth day in the harbour, and was seen to catch a fish and then sit out at high tide.

Otherwise, there were just 11 Whimbrel, a Curlew, c30 Ringed Plovers and c20 Dunlin about, whilst a Little Tern went over the islands and a dozen Sandwich Terns, two Mediterranean Gulls and c20 Black-headed Gulls dropped in before the tide pushed them off.

Also, a handful of Swallows went over the harbour and the odd Whitethroat, Blackcap and Chiffchaff could be heard. (AH/LP/SH/SR/P&LH/MRe et al)

Osprey (above), Whimbrel, Sandwich Terns & Ringed Plovers and Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: There were three female Marsh Harries seen this morning - with two over the Breech Pool and another over the harbour.

Thee were also three Cuckoos together at Halsey's Farm, and there was a constant flow of Little Egrets, pus the odd Cattle Egret, in and out of Owl Copse, where all three Grey Heron chicks, including the small, late one, appeared to be doing well. Also, the Mute Swans ere in White's creek, but with only four cygnets. (SH/GHi)

juvenile Grey Herons and Little Egret at the North Wall (GHi)