7th - 9th June 2024

Sunday, 9th June: It remains quite cool in the north-westerly freeze that freshened through the morning, though there was plenty of sunshine between the high clouds.............

Selsey Bill: A Mute Swan and three Canada Geese west were the most unusual sightings,  were proof of how quiet it was, though a Sparrowhawk went west right out on the horizon and nine Bottle-nosed Dolphins went east Full log later. (SH/AH/IP)

(0545-0815hrs) (NW, F2)

Fulmar - 1E, 4W

Gannet - 7E, 12W

Mute Swan - 1W

Canada Goose - 3W

Sparrowhawk - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 85W, c100os

Sandwich Tern - 10os

Cuckoo - 1 (distantly heard to the north)

Swift - 13

House Martin - 15

Bottle-nosed Dolphin - 9E

Sandwich Tern (above), Swift, Mute Swan & House Martins at the Bill (AH)

(1230-1500hrs) (SH/AW)

Gannet - 1E, 2os

Mute Swan - 1E

Common Scoter - 1W

Grey Plover - 80W (flocks of 50 and 30)

Mediterranean Gull - 31W, 44os

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 2os

Kittiwake - 5W

Sandwich Tern - 14os

Guillemot - 1W

Common Scoter at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: A Greenshank was on the pool again this morning, along with four Redshanks, ten Avocets, 15 Mallards and 28 Shelducks, including a pair with a dozen tiny ducklings. (AH)

Greenshank (above), Shelduck-lings & Avocets at the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Reed Warbler was singing from the rife between the fields this morning - the first heard here this year, but, otherwise, there were just a Pied wagtail and a Green woodpecker about. (IP)

North Wall: The American Golden Plover was still out in the middle of he harbour, viewable from the east side, this morning. (per RBA) Also, there were six Little Terns on the mud near the harbour mouth early this morning. (BI)

Church Norton: A Cuckoo was calling all morning, and a female Marsh Harrier flew in over the Several from the west, whilst a Kestrel and at least five Buzzards were in the area, along with a male Reed Bunting and two Green Woodpeckers.
The harbour was very quiet; with a Common Tern that flew through the most noteworthy thing, whilst waders were limited to a flock of six Dunlin flying around, a Ringed Plover that flew in from the beach, a Curlew and a number of Oystercatchers, and apart from 30 Black-headed Gulls and a similar number of Shelduck, that was it. (IP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were 14 Avocets chicks and 24 adults on the Stilt Pool this morning, along with two Little Ringed Plovers (one on a nest), two Ringed Plovers, a brooding Oystercatcher, 16 Tufted Ducks and c40 loafing Canada Geese, but there was little on the reserve beyond two cattle Egrets, a Buzzard and a Kestrel over..

The banks were busy, though, with at least 20 Whitethroats, 30 Yellowhammers, 50 Linnets and 20 Skylarks seen, along with a pair of Stonechats, four Chiffchaffs, a Lesser Whitethroat,  half a dozen Reed Buntings and Reed Warblers and two or three Sedge and Cetti's Warblers, whilst a Cuckoo worked its way down the western side and four Swifts and a dozen Swallows went over. (S&SaH/AH)

Avocet chicks (above), Little Ringed Plover, Cuckoo, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff, Skylark & Grass Vetchling at Medmerry (AH)

This afternoon, on the field opposite the Stilt Pool, there were a pair of Lapwings with two quite well-grown chicks and a pair of Ringed Plovers with chicks. (HB/LT)

Lapwing chicks at Medmerry (HB)

Saturday, 8th June: A decidedly cool and mostly grey morning, with just the odd spit of rain, in a blustery westerly breeze........

Selsey Bill: A Shag, a Whimbrel and six Bottle-nosed Dolphins went east this morning, with a mix of te regular species about, too. Full log below. (SH/PB/AH/IP/SR/MO-W/JA/RWh)

(0545-0815hrs) (W, F4)

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 4E, 8W

Shag - 1E

Common Scoter - 22E

Oystercatcher - 1W

Whimbrel - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 20W, c75os

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1W

Kittiwake - 5W

Sandwich Tern - 8W, 10os

Common Tern - 2os

auk sp - 1W

House Martin - 15

Bottle-nosed Dolphin - 6E

(1115-1215hrs) (SH)

Great Skua - 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 13os

Sandwich Tern - 14os

Common Tern - 2os

House Martin - 5

Gannet (above) & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A Greenshank and a Little Ringed Plover were on the pool early this morning, along with ten Avocets, a Lapwing, six Redshanks and 24 Shelducks. (AH)

Little Ringed Plover (above) & Greenshank and Redshank at the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: There wasn't too much this morning in the windy conditions, with just a Lesser Whitethroat, three or four Whitethroats, a couple of Sedge and Cetti's Warblers, five Reed Warblers, four Reed Buntings and a dozen Linnets along the pool, plus a fly-over Cuckoo. (AH)

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

North Wall: The American Golden Plover was still out in the harbour, viewable rather distantly from the east side to the large crowd that assembled over the morning.

Elsewhere, a pair of Bullfinches were an unexpected sighting along the path at Halsey’s Farm, where there was also a Song Thrush, a Jay, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Cuckoo, two Chaffinches, three Whitethroats, a Linnet, a Greenfinch, five Stock Doves and two Skylarks.

There was lots of activity in and around Owl Copse from the Grey Herons, Little Egrets and Cattle Egrets – with at least ten fledged young of the latter two seen there and in the adjacent fields.

It was quiet along the wall, with just a few Reed Buntings, Reed, Sedge and Cetti’s Warblers along the reeds, and just a pair of Tufted Ducks along with lots of Mallards on the Breech Pool.

Also, a male and two female Marsh Harriers were up over the reeds, along with a couple of Swifts,  37 Lapwing came off the fields and a Green Woodpecker and 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers flew through, whilst up to ten Bar-tailed Godwits, a Curlew and a pair of Gadwall were in the harbour. (LP,AH/IP/RWh/ESt/MPh et al)  

Bullfinches (above), Cuckoo, Song Thrush, Cattle Egret, juvenile Grey Herons (LP), marsh Harriers, Cattle Egret juvenile Cattle and Little Egrets & Bar-tailed Godwits (AH) at the North Wall

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were nine Avocet chicks and 24 adults on the Stilt Pool this morning, along with two Little Ringed Plovers and a Ringed Plover, whilst a sub-adult male and a female Marsh Harrier were over the reserve, along with a Buzzard, two Kestrels, two Swifts, four House Martins and a dozen Swallows.

Also, along the banks there were c20 Yellowhammers and Whitethroats, four Reed Buntings, two Chiffchaffs, two Sedge, three Cetti's and five Reed Warblers. (S&SaH/PB)

Friday, 7th June: A pleasantly sunny morning, though the moderate north-westerly breeze was surprisingly chill........

Selsey Bill: A female Eider was sat on the sea, close inshore, this morning, and a couple of Fulmars were about. Full log below. (AH/MO-W/IP)

(0630-0800hrs) (NW, F3-4) 

Fulmar - 1E, 1W

Gannet - 3E, 4W, 1os

Eider - 1os

Oystercatcher - 4W

Mediterranean Gull - 35W, c120os

Sandwich Tern - 12os

Common Tern - 2os

Swift - 2

House Martin - 15

Eider (above) Mediterranean Gull, Gannet & House Martins at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Six Avocets were on the pool this morning, along with a Lapwing, a dozen Redshanks, the drake Teal and 26 Shelducks. (AH)

Lapwing at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: The American Golden Plover was again showing along the east side, though frustratingly further down and much further away.

Otherwise, there were a dozen Bar-tailed Godwits and half  dozen Grey Plovers in the harbour, but not much else, whilst along the wall, the male and a female Marsh Harrier were on the wing at different times, a Cuckoo  was calling, ten Cattle Egrets were in Honer 3 field and half a dozen Gadwall and Lapwings were spread about, though there were just the odd Reed Bunting, Reed and Sedge Warblers singing sporadically, plus a Grey Wagtail along the side of the Slipe Field where there were also two or three Meadow Browns on the wing. (IH/LP/BI/OM/AH/RBe et al)

Marsh Harrier (above), Cattle Egret, Gadwall, Bar-tailed Godwits & Grey Wagtail at the North Wall (AH)

In addition to the above report, there were also three Knot, two Sanderlings, 12 Dunlin, 26 Ringed Plovers and 28 Grey Plovers, as well as the American Golden Plover and the Bar-tailed Godwits, unfortunately all quite distant, and a Lesser Whitethroat was calling from the inner path. (LP)

Knot (above), Bar-tailed Godwits & Sanderling, Ringed Plovers and Dunlin at the North Wall (LP)

American Golden Plover video (GHi)

Church Norton/West Side: In the harbour this morning, there were three Whimbrel, a Turnstone, 13 Ringed Plovers and 18 Dunlin, whilst two Cuckoos were around the first Several, before one chased the other off and dropped into the reeds.

Also, the first Meadow Brown of the summer was on the wing. There was no sign of the Red-backed Shrike this morning along the west side but a Cuckoo was showing and calling well by Reedy Marsh. (CRJ/BI)

Meadow Brown at Church Norton (CRJ)