17th - 19th May 2025

Monday, 19th May: Yet another morning that began cool and grey in a brisk north-easterly breeze, then improving slowly as the wind eased .....

Selsey Bill: An Arctic Skua was chasing Sandwich Terns off-shore before heading off west and just a few bits went east Full log below. (AH/SR/IP)

(0500-0800hrs) (ENE, F4)

Gannet - 8E, 3W

Little Egret - 1E

Oystercatcher - 1E

Ringed Plover - 1E

Whimbrel - 1E

Bar-tailed Godwit - 1E

Arctic skua - 1os, then W

Mediterranean Gull - 20os

Sandwich Tern - 35E, 16os

Common Tern - 2os

Little Tern - 1os

Swift - 1

Early this afternoon, a Cattle Egret flew in and settled on one of the gardens along the beach - presumably the same one as last week's unexpected bird (ML)

Arctic Skua (above), Arctic Skua and Sandwich Tern (AW), Sandwich Tern & Mediterranean Gull (AH) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: There were just 24 Black-tailed Godwits, six Redshanks, two Avocets and 18 Shelducks on the pool this morning, whilst a Cuckoo could be heard calling from the Tramway area. (AH/RS/AB)

Black-tailed Godwits on the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: A Kingfisher was about again this evening and nine Whimbrel were in the harbour, whilst the three Grey Heron chicks were doing well and there were also five Cattle Egrets and a Buzzard about.

Also, a dozen Reed Warblers three Chiffchaffs, two Cetti's Warblers and two Reed Buntings were along the wall. (S&SaH)

Chichester Canal: The Nightingale was still singing this morning, near the Tramway crossing at Hunston. It sang briefly a couple of times this afternoon, too, while the Norfolk Hawkers are back along the canal between Donnington and Hunston.(AW)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Two Cuckoos were about this morning, with a good selection along the banks including a Lesser Whitethroat, five Whitethroats, two Chiffchaffs, three Cetti's warblers, two Sedge Warblers, five Reed Warblers, five Stonechats, two Reed Buntings and a dozen Yellowhammers, with ten Swallows, a Marsh Harrier and five Buzzards over.

There were also a Cattle Egret and half a dozen Egyptian Geese on the reserve, with another of the latter, a Little Ringed Plover, two Ringed Plovers and five Avocets on the Stilt Pool. (S&SaH)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - A Sedge Warbler singing from scrub was unusual, but otherwise there were just the regular species present this morning, including a pair of Stonechats, c20 Whitethroats, a couple of Skylarks and a dozen or so Yellowhammers and Linnets, plus a handful of Swallows, two Buzzards and c40 Mediterranean Gulls. (AH)

Stonechats (above), Whitethroat, Yellowhammer, Linnet & Mediterranean Gull at Medmerry (AH)

Sunday, 18th May: Another morning that started cool and overcast before brightening up as the moderate breeze swung right round from northerly to southerly.....

Selsey Bill: A Fulmar went west and a Great Northern Diver was on the sea, but there was just the slightest eastward sea passage, including a dozen Sanderlings. Full log below. (JA/AH/IP/OM/SR et al)

(0550-0950hrs) (NNE, F3-4)

Great Northern Diver - 1os

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 8E, 4W, 4os

Mallard - 2

Common Scoter - 14E, 4W

Oystercatcher - 5E

Sanderling - 12E

Mediterranean Gull - 7os

Kittiwake - 7E

Sandwich Tern - 16os

Common Tern - 8E

'Commic' Tern - 2E

Wood Pigeon - 2N

Swift - 4N, 2 present

Swallow - 10N

House Martin - 8+

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

Ferry Pool: The water level is dropping quite quickly at present, and it was very quiet again this morning, with just a Little Ringed Plover, four Redshanks, four Avocets and 24 Black-tailed Godwits on the pool, along with a drake Shoveler and five Shelducks. (AH)

A Cuckoo was calling from near the Visitor Centre late this afternoon. (GW)

Little Ringed Plover (above) & Shoveler at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: Four Swallows were around the paddocks this morning, as well as two Pied Wagtails, and further back two Marsh Harriers and two Buzzards were over the reeds.

A Wigeon was along White’s Creek, but there was little else in the harbour beyond the usual Shelducks and Black-headed Gulls, two Tufted Ducks were on the Breech Pool and the usual mix of Reed Warblers, Sedge Warblers, Reed Buntings and Whitethroats were along the reeds and hedges.

At Owl Copse, the Grey Heron and Cattle Egret chicks were showing well, and a Little Grebe was on the water, while at Halsey’s Farm, a Kingfisher was along the rife, an Oystercatcher was on the mud and a Meadow Pipit, and two Skylarks were around the fields. (MJa/MRi/LP)

Swallow (above), Sedge Warbler, Cattle Egret, Marsh Harrier & Oystercatcher at the North Wall (LP)

Church Norton: This evening c20 Little Terns and c50 Black-headed Gulls came up from the islands beyond Tern Island and a pair of Sandwich Terns were flying about together, whilst waders comprised a Whimbrel, two Sanderlings, two Grey Plovers, c20 Dunlin, c30 Ringed Plovers and a dozen Oystercatchers. (AH)

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

Chichester Marina: A Tree-creeper was singing in Salterns Copse this morning, with another in the trees by the entrance off the Birdham Road, where there was also a singing Goldcrest and a pair of Mistle Thrushes.

A look around the reed-beds produced a Cuckoo, a couple of Swallows, a Common Tern, eight Reed Buntings, six Reed Warblers, two Cetti's Warblers and a Jay, wihth five Cattle Egrets in amongst the cows nearby. (MRe)

Chichester Canal: A Bullfinch was at the Birdham Road end of the canal this morning, with a Cuckoo, a Hobby, a Red Kite, plus a pair of Egyptian Geese flew east along the canal, also noteworthy.

Also, at least 30 Reed Warblers were seen/heard, along with a number of Cetti's Warblers, a Tufted Duck, a number of Little Grebes and two Buzzards. (IP/MRe/RHa)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were at least 30 Yellowhammers and similar of Linnets along the banks this morning, along with a couple of Chiffchaffs, half a dozen Whitethroats and Skylarks and a pair of Stonechats.

The only waders on the Stilt Pools, though, were two Ringed Plovers, four Avocets, three Lapwings and six Oystercatchers, along with five Egyptian Geese, three Gadwall and ten Tufted Ducks. (AH)

Cuckoo (above), Chiffchaff, Yellowhammer, Linnet, Egyptian Geese & Ringed Plover at Medmerry (AH)

Saturday, 17th May: The morning started cool and grey in an all too familiar brisk north-easterly, before the cloud cleared as the breeze eased a little and shifted to the south.....

Selsey Bill: An Arctic Skua went east, a Little Tern and three Common Terns were offshore and the Serin popped up again briefly, but that was about it. Full log below. (IP/SR/AH/MRe)

(0640-0810hrs) (NE, F4)

Gannet - 8E, 4W, 3os

Little Egret - 1E

Mallard - 2

Common Scoter - 12E

Turnstone - 2E

Arctic Skua - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 15os

Sandwich Tern - 6os

Common Tern - 3os

Little Tern - 1os

Swift - 2

Swallow - 2N

House Martin - 4

Serin - 1

Sandwich Tern (above), Little Tern, Mediterranean Gull, Turnstones (AH) & Fox (SR) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: Yesterday's Wood Sandpiper appeared not to have lingered, with just a Little Ringed Plover, four Avocets, six Redshanks, 22 Black-tailed Godwits, two Little Egrets, two drake Shovelers, a pair of Gadwall and 14 Shelducks present this morning. (AH/MRe/IP)

This evening a Barn Owl flew across the road here. (SR)

Little Ringed Plover (above) & Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: There were plenty of singing Reed Warblers along the pool this morning, but the Sedge Warblers were less conspicuous, with otherwise, several Cetti's Warblers, Whitethroats and Reed Buntings, plus a dozen Linnets, about, whilst a Cuckoo was calling from the Tramway area and two or three pairs of Redshanks were displaying over the fields and a Whimbrel flew down Ferry Channel. (AH)

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

North Wall: Up to three Cuckoos were calling from behind the wall this morning and three Marsh Harriers were seen together - a male and two females, whilst a Kingfisher caught a fish from the creek at Halsey's Farm and carried it off towards the wall - hopefully suggesting it is nesting somewhere near. Also, in Owl Copse, the three Grey Heron chicks continue to grow at a remarkable rate and at least one nest of Cattle Egret chicks was visible, with at least another dozen adults scattered about the fields.

There were plenty of Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers about, more heard than seen, along the wall, together with the odd Whitethroat and Chiffchaff and two or three Reed Buntings, whilst a couple of Swallows went over. (AH/LP/MJa)

Kingfisher (above), Cattle Egret, Grey Heron chicks, Sedge Warbler & Whitethroat at the North Wall (LP)

Chichester Canal: There were lots of Reed Warblers again between the Birdham and Donnington roads this morning, along with a Jay, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Grey Heron, a Kestrel and several families of Mallards. (IP)

West Itchenor: There are now four occupied House Martin nests at the Harbour Office with two other couples prospecting, similar to the five occupied nests this time last year. 

There was also two Swallows and a Common Tern close by. (SR)

House Martin at West Itchenor (SR)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Short-eared Owl was out hunting late this evening, and a visiting birder reported the Barn Owl out earlier, but than that it was just the usual species, with nine Yellowhammers, singing Reed and Sedge Warblers, two Cetti's Warblers, a Kestrel and a Buzzard seen, and Stonechats were heard, but not seen, in the gorse .

Also of interest, a Badger was out in the fields at dusk, along with three Brown Hares and six Toe Deer, whilst a nest of Lackey moths were busy dispersing into the gorse. (SR)

Badger (above) & Lackey moth caterpillars at Medmerry (SR)