1st -3rd July 2024

Wednesday, 3rd July: The morning started fairly still and overcast, before the breeze backed to the south-west and freshened considerably, bringing a few drizzly squalls with it...............

Selsey Bill: The female Eider was offshore again, but, otherwise, it was just a few of the regular species. Full log below. (AH/MO-W)

(0650-0820hrs) (N, F2 backing to SW, F3-4)

Gannet - 1W

Eider - 1os

Common Scoter - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 20W, 20os

Sandwich Tern - 4E, 12W

Common Tern - 1E, 2W

Razorbill - 1E

Swift - 2

Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1

House Martin - 6

(1630-730hrs) (SH)

Gannet - 1E, 1W

Arctic Skua - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 6E, 4W

Kittiwake - 3W

Sandwich Tern - 8W

Common Tern - 4W

House Martin - 2

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

Ferry Pool: The two Spotted Redshanks were on the pool again early on, and there were also a Greenshank, three Little Ringed Plovers, six Redshanks, two Lapwings and 20 Black-tailed Godwits present at different times, whilst the drake Teal and the fast-growing family of young Shelducks were still around and a couple of Cattle Egrets were among the cows. (AH/MO-W/TG-P/NR)

Spotted Redshanks (above), Black-tailed Godwits, Cattle Egret, Teal & Shelduck family at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: There were two Greenshanks with 24 Redshanks, a Lapwing, and a Curlew out in the harbour on the rising tide, but it was very quiet along the wall, with just a few Goldfinches and a Reed Bunting in the bushes and the usual Grey Herons, Little Egrets and Cattle Egrets around Owl Copse.

There were just Mallards and Coots on the Breech Pool and around the paddock a Chiffchaff and a Long-tailed Tit in the trees was about it. (LP)

Greenshank and Redshanks (above), Curlew & Cattle Egret at the North Wall (LP)

East Head: A Red Kite went over Ella Nore today. (SH)

Church Norton: There really was very little to see on the high tide, with a Little Tern flying west along the spit and three Sandwich Terns, two Mediterranean Gulls, a Ringed Plover and a handful of Curlews, Redshanks and Oystercatchers all that was in the harbour, and the bushes were deadly quiet in the freshening breeze. (AH)

Little Tern (above) & Ringed Plover at Church Norton (AH)

Tuesday, 2nd July: The north-westerly breeze had freshened this morning, leaving it decidedly cool and grey, though warm in the odd sunny interlude..... .....

Selsey Bill: There was a bit of interest this morning, including a pale-phase Arctic Skua chasing terns offshore, the female Eider on the sea and a Sand Martin east, with a few more of the regular species about, too, including at least two juvenile Sandwich Terns. Full log bellow. (AH/MO-W/IP et al)

(0705-0920hrs) (NW, F4-5)

Gannet - 19E, 5W

Eider - 1os

Common Scoter - 23E

Oystercatcher - 1W

Arctic Skua - 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 19W

Sandwich Tern - 11E, 29W

Common Tern - 1E, 4W

Swift - 15

Sand Martin - 1E

House Martin - 15

Eider (above), Common Tern & adult and juvenile Sandwich Terns at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: Once again, the two Spotted Redshanks were on the pool early on, but not later, and there were also a Common Sandpiper, an adult and two juvenile Little Ringed Plovers, four adult and a juvenile Redshank, four Lapwings, 18 Black-tailed Godwits, seven Teal and the Shelduck family present, whilst seven Cattle Egrets were in the field. (AH/MO-W)

Late this afternoon there were c50 Swifts feeding over the pool, and there were also two Little Ringed Plovers, a Greenshank, a Redshank and 23 Black-tailed Godwits on the pool and two Cattle Egrets in the field. (MRe)

Spotted Redshanks (above), Spotted Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit, Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plovers, juvenile Redshank & Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There wasn't much to see in the windy conditions this morning, though the six Little Terns were again near the harbour mouth and a dozen Sandwich Terns were with a few Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls by the concrete slabs, but there were no waders about, bar a handful of Curlews and Oystercatchers.

It was quiet on the land-side, too, with just the odd snippet of Chiffchaff and Blackcap song, a dozen Linnets along the front, half a dozen Swallows over Priory Wood and half a dozen House Martins along Rectory Lane. (RS/AH)

Linnet (above) & Sandwich Tern at Church Norton (AH)

This evening there were a Greenshank, six Whimbrels, 16 Ringed Plovers, a Grey Plover, four Lapwings, six Redshanks, including a juvenile, and at least 25 Curlews on the mud, along with a dozen or so very noisy Oystercatchers, two Little Terns, six Mediterranean Gulls and a family of at least eight juvenile Shelducks. (AH/MRe)

Whimbrel (above), Ringed Plovers & Oystercatchers at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: Two Teal were on the Breech Pool, along with two Little Egrets, a Grey Heron and the regular Mallards, and eight Black-tailed Godwits circled overhead before heading out over the harbour.

Along the wall there were a couple of Reed Buntings, and around Owl Copse there were a Blackcap, a Long-tailed Tit, a Cetti’s Warbler and a Collared Dove, together with the usual selection of Grey Herons, Little Egrets and Cattle Egrets.

At Halsey’s Farm, a Kingfisher was by the outfall and two Little Grebes were along the rife, with a few Skylarks and five Swifts overhead but there wasn’t too much out in the harbour, with just a couple of Lapwings, a Curlew, six Redshanks and another Black-tailed Godwit seen. (LP/JDW)

Black-tailed Godwits (above), Teal & Collared Dove at the North Wall (LP)

Monday, 1st July: Another very grey morning, cool early on, warming up and becoming muggy later in the moderate north-westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: A few Common Scoters were about this morning and seven Swallows went west over the sea, but it remains quiet. Full log below. (IP/AH)

(0700-0815hrs) (NNW, F3)

Common Scoter - 26E, 4W

Mediterranean Gull - 1E, 30W

Sandwich Tern - 1E, 6W

Common Tern - 3W

Swift - 7

Swallow - 7W

House Martin - 8

Common Scoters (above), Sandwich Tern & Swallows at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: The two Spotted Redshanks were again present early on, but not later, though the Black-tailed Godwit count rose from seven to 18 by mid-morning, but otherwise there were just a dozen Redshanks early on and the Shelduck family and five Lapwings were present throughout, whilst half a dozen Cattle Egrets were with the cows. (AH)

Spotted Redshank (above), Lapwing & Bar-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: Six Little Terns were on the mud near the harbour mouth before flying off, whilst c25 Sandwich Terns and eight Mediterranean Gulls were among c40 Black-headed Gulls, but waders comprised of just a handful of Curlews and Oystercatchers, plus a Turnstone.

All the small birds were keeping low, but two or three Whitethroats, Reed Warblers and Chiffchaffs, plus a Cetti's Warbler and a Reed Bunting were seen/heard along the front, together with at least 30 Linnets, a dozen Greenfinches and a Swallow. 

There were also half a dozen Purple Hairstreaks along the path between the Severals and a few Gatekeepers and Marbled Whites were along the sheltered hedges (AH)

Chiffchaff (above), Whitethroat, Linnet, Reed Bunting, Sandwich Terns and Mediterranean Gulls, Purple Hairstreak & Gatekeeper at Church Norton (AH)