14th - 16th May 2025

Friday, 16th May: Another cool, bright and very breezy morning as the fresh north-easterlies continues to persist.......

Selsey Bill: It was just about as quiet as it gets this morning, with just a few of the regulars offshore. Full log below. (AH/IP/SR)

(0645-0815hrs) (NE, F4)

Gannet - 8E, 6W

Oystercatcher - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 40os

Kittiwake - 1E, 1W

Sandwich Tern - 16os

Common Tern - 3os

auk sp - 1E

House Martin - 6

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

Ferry Pool: There were just eight Black-tailed Godwits, four Avocets, five Redshanks, a pair of Gadwall, a drake Shoveler and six Shelducks present this morning. (AH)

Avocets on the Ferry (AH)

This afternoon, the first Wood Sandpiper of the spring appeared at the back of the pool and was still present this evening. (AB/AH)

Wood Sandpiper on the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: A Cuckoo, two Water Rails, a Reed Warbler, a Cetti's Warbler, a Tufted Duck and two Gadwall were seen/heard this evening around the flooded field and adjacent reeds. (MRe)

Runcton: There were a pair of Ring-necked Parakeets in the village early this morning. (A Wells)

Ring-necked Parakeet in Runcton (A Wells)

Chichester Canal: A look from the Birdham road to the Donnington road this morning produced up to 20 Reed Warblers, five Chiffchaffs, two Blackcaps, three Cetti's Warblers and a Whitethroat, along with a Grey Heron, a pair of Gadwall and several families of Mallard and Coot.

Also, half a dozen Swifts went over, along with a couple of Swallows and a Buzzard. (AH)

Reed Warblers (above), Chiffchaffs, Gadwall, Grey Heron & Mallard family at Chichester Canal (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were plenty of birds around this afternoon, but nothing unusual, with a Cuckoo near Marsh Barn and two Stonechats, two Chiffchaffs and Reed Buntings, half a dozen Reed Warblers and a dozen or more Yellowhammers, Whitethroats, Skylarks and Linnets along the banks, plus a couple of Swallows over.

Two Little Ringed Plovers, six Ringed Plovers, four Avocets, three Lapwings, a Lesser Black-backed Gull and a Common Tern were on the Stilt Pool, with a couple more of the latter on the rafts on the pool opposite, and there were also half a dozen Lapwings and a party of eight Egyptian Geese on the reserve. 

Also, two or three Common Blues and a Small Copper were on the wing. (AH)

Later on, in addition to the above, a Short-eared Owl and two Marsh Harriers were out over the reserve, with four Whimbrel about, too, whilst three Little Terns, a Dunlin and two Redshanks were on the Stilt Pool. (MRe)

Common Tern (above), Lesser Black-backed Gull, Skylark, Egyptian Geese, Common Blue & Small Copper at Medmerry (AH)

Thursday, 15th May: It was much cooler, though still mostly bright, this morning as the breeze once again picked up from the north-east.......

Selsey Bill: It would appear that spring passage is drawing to a close, with another slow morning, though there were still four Brent Geese heading east, along with a few Sanderling, and the Serin was briefly heard, but not seen. Full log below. (AH/IP/LL)

(0700-0830hrs) (NE, F4)

Gannet - 3E, 5W

Brent Goose - 4E

Shelduck - 1W

Sanderling - 7E, 10 present

Whimbrel - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 1E, 7W

Sandwich Tern - 16os

Common Tern - 4os

House Martin - 6

Serin - 1 (heard)

Common Terns (above), Brent Geese, Whimbrel, Sanderlings & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just four Avocets, eight Black-tailed Godwits, a Lapwing and six Redshanks on the pool this morning, along with a female Gadwall and eight Shelducks, and, unusually, five Mute Swans. (AH)

Avocet (above), Gadwall & Mute Swans at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: A Common Sandpiper was along White’s Creek this morning, as well as eight Mute Swans and a pair of Gadwall, whilst two Kingfishers flew out from the sluice and six Swallows were also about.

The usual mix of Reed Warblers, Sedge Warblers and Reed Buntings were in the reeds, and three Tufted Ducks were on the Breech Pool along with a Great Crested Grebe, whilst much further back a Cuckoo was calling from the trees..

At Owl Copse, the three Grey Heron chicks were showing well in their nest, and it was good for raptors with a Red Kite, two Sparrowhawks, a Marsh Harrier, a Kestrel, and a Buzzard all seen throughout the morning. (MJa/IH/LP/SP)

Common Sandpiper (above), Red Kite, Grey Heron chicks, Kestrel and Reed Bunting at the North Wall (LP)

Church Norton: There were c25 Sandwich Terns and c40 Black-headed Gulls in the harbour this afternoon, along with two or three Little Terns, but waders consisted of just four Whimbrel and a dozen Oystercatchers, and the only things of note were a pair of Mistle Thrushes along Rectory Lane. (AH)

Whimbrel (above), Sandwich Terns & Mistle Thrush at Church Norton (AH)

Fishbourne Creek: The Grasshopper Warbler was again present this morning. (SR/KT/OM)

Grasshopper Warbler at Fishbourne Creek (KT)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Cuckoo was calling continuously this morning and a Short-eared Owl was around early on, whilst a Common Sandpiper, two Little Ringed Plovers, two Ringed Plovers, four Avocets, eight Oystercatchers, four Tufted Ducks and a family of Canada Geese were on the Stilt Pool, and at least six Lapwings, a Whimbrel and two Common Terns were on/over the reserve.

The banks were fairly busy, despite the breeze, with three Stonechats, one or two Reed and Sedge Warblers, a Chiffchaff, a Lesser Whitethroat and a dozen Whitethroats about, together with four Meadow Pipits, four Swallows, three Reed Buntings, half a dozen Skylarks and a dozen Yellowhammers and Linnets. (MRe/AH)

Cuckoo (above), Stonechat, Swallows, Whitethroat, Common Sandpiper & Canada Goose family at Medmerry (AH)

Wednesday, 14th May: After a cool start and a return of the fresh-north-easterly, a slowly warming morning in the bright sun, as the breeze eased and shifted to the south.......

Selsey Bill: It was very quiet this morning, with barely a hint of migration among a mix of the regular species, and an Eider west the highlight. Full log below. (CRJ/AH/IP/SR et al)

(0555-0825hrs) (NNE, F4)

Gannet - 6E

Eider - 1W

Common Scoter - 9E

Oystercatcher - 3E

Sanderling - 3

Turnstone - 4

Mediterranean Gull - 200os

Kittiwake - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 12os

Common Tern - 2os

Little Tern - 6os

Swift - 2

Swallow - 2

House Martin - 10

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

Ferry Pool: There were two Little Ringed Plovers on the pool this morning, along with just a Lapwing, six Redshanks, five Black-tailed Godwits and 14 Shelducks. (AH/MRe)

Little Ringed Plover (above) & Lapwing at the Ferrry (AH)

Long Pool: Along the hedges and pool this morning there were just half a dozen or so Reed Warblers and Whitethroats, a couple of Sedge and Cetti's Warblers, two Reed Buntings, a dozen Linnets and a Swallow over.

Also, a pair of Little Grebes were on the pool, a couple of Shelducks were in Ferry Channel, a pair of Redshanks were being active around the adjacent fields and a Cuckoo was calling distantly from the Tramway area.. (AH)

Reed Bunting (above), Linnet, Swallow & Little Grebe along the Long Pool (AH)

North Wall: A look around Halsey's Farm this morning produced a calling Cuckoo, two or three Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Whitethroats, a Sedge Warbler, at least four Reed Warblers and two Cetti's Warblers, plus half a dozen Cattle Egrets among the cows. (AH)

Sedge Warbler (above), Linnet & Cattle Egret at the North Wall (AH)

A look from the other end this morning found just 14 Shelducks in the harbour,, and along the reeds a few Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers and Cetti’s Warblers, with a Linnet, a couple of Chiffchaffs, five Whitethroats and a Blackcap along the hedges, and it was busy at Owl Copse with the young Grey Herons growing daily, and most of the Cattle Egret nests also have chicks now.

There were just three Tufted Ducks, a Great Crested Grebe and a Gadwall on the Breech Pool, two Swallows and a Jay were in the paddock, with a Cuckoo calling from the trees further back and a Sparrowhawk passed over heading North. (LP/MJa)

Swallows, Grey Heron chick & Cattle Egret with chick at the North Wall (LP)

Fishbourne Creek: The Grasshopper Warbler was still reeling from Fishbourne Meadows this morning. (AB/SR)

Chichester GPs: A Hobby was hawking over Ivy Lake late this evening, and a Common Sandpiper was heard at West Trout Lake. (CS)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - Around 100 Swallows and House Martins were over the fields and the settling tanks this evening, but a couple of Whitethroats and Yellowhammers, plus a handful of Stock Doves, was about it, otherwise. (AH)

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