22nd - 24th June 2025

Tuesday, 24th June: A very grey and cool morning, with a bit of intermittent drizzle, in a fresh westerly breeze........

Selsey Bill: There were eight Little Terns and lots of Sandwich Terns and Mediterranean Gulls about this morning, whilst the Common Sandpiper re-appeared, along with ten Turnstones. Full log below. (SR/AH/IP/OM)

(0700-1000hrs) (WSW, F5-6)

Gannet - 2E, 26W, 8os

Mallard - 2

Common Sandpiper - 1

Turnstone - 10

Mediterranean Gull - 25E, 50W, 100os

Sandwich Tern - 5E, 82W

Little Tern - 8os

(1630-1745hrs) (SH)

Gannet - 1E, 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 8E, 18W

Sandwich Tern - 2E, 37W

Little Tern - 6W

Little Tern (above), Sandwich Tern, Gannet, Common Sandpiper & Turnstones at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were three Black-tailed Godwits, two Avocets, a Lapwing, five Redshanks and 16 Shelducks on the pool this morning. (AH/OM)

Black-tailed Godwit (above) & Lapwing at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: In White's Creek this morning there were four Mediterranean Gulls, six Black-headed Gulls, a Curlew, a few Shelducks Mallards and a Little Egret, whilst a Common Seal was hauled out in the channel.

On the Breech Pool there were six Tufted Ducks, a a Little Egret, a pair of Shovelers and several Mallards, some with young, whilst an adult Marsh Harrier was over the reeds at the back and one or two Reed Buntings and Reed Warblers were about.

Also, in the fruit field on Church Lane there were ten Mediterranean Gulls, numerous Black-headed Gulls, a Lesser Black-backed Gull, a few Herring and Common Gulls and two roosting Oystercatchers. (P Gomersall)

Pagham Lagoon and Spit: Six Great Crested Grebes, two Tufted Ducks, eight Black-headed Gulls, a Common Gull and a Lesser Black-backed Gull were on the lagoon this afternoon.

At the harbour entrance there were a Little Egret, two Turnstones, a few Black-headed Gulls, Mediterranean Gulls, Sandwich Terns and Little Terns, with a Skylark and the Linnets along the spit (P Gomersall)

Church Norton: There were at least 500 Mediterranean Gulls in the harbour this morning, along with c100 Sandwich Terns, a dozen Little Terns and a couple of Common Terns, but the only waders seen were three Curlews and eight Oystercatchers. (AH/TS)

Sandwich Tern (above), Common Tern, Sandwich Tern and Mediterranean Gulls & Mediterranean Gulls at Church Norton (AH)

Monday, 23rd June: A bright and mostly sunny morning, but the north-westerly breeze was very brisk and blustery throughout........

Selsey Bill: The first three Balearic Shearwaters of the year appeared together this morning at 0730hrs, initially heading west, before stalling well east of the Mile Basket and eventually going back off east, and there was also a Common Sandpiper among a reasonable selection of species. Full log below. (SH/AW/AH/SR/IP)

(0615-0830hrs) (NW, F5-6)

Balearic Shearwater - 3W, then E (0730hrs) 

Great Crested Grebe - 3W

Gannet - 2E, 14W, 12os

Mallard - 2

Common Scoter - 1E

Common Sandpiper - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 12E, 15W, 50os

Sandwich Tern - 17E, 46W

Common Tern - 1E, 6W

Little Tern - 2W

Guillemot - 1E

Razorbill - 1E

Swift - 2

House Martin - 2

Hummingbird Hawk-moth - 1

(1050-1150hrs) (P&LH)

Gannet - 9os

Mallard - 1

Mediterranean Gull - 40os

Sandwich Tern - 20os

Swift - 1

House Martin - 2

(1400-1500hrs) (SH)

Gannet - 2W

Mediterranean Gull - 9E, 18W

Sandwich Tern - 25W

Common Tern - 1W

Little Tern - 2W

(1745-1930hrs) (MRe)

Manx Shearwater - 1W

Gannet - 3E, 3W

Mediterranean Gull - 30W, 50os

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 8W

Kittiwake - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 125W

Common Tern - 1W

auk sp - 2W

Common Sandpiper, Mediterranean Gulls (AW top, AH lower) & Hummingbird Hawk-moth (AH) at the Bill

Ferry Pool: An adult and a juvenile Little Ringed Plover were on the pool this morning, presumably from the pair that were here from early in the spring, though for the second year running the chick was never seen before appearing as a fully-fledged juvenile.

Also about were two Avocets, a Black-tailed Godwit, three Lapwings, two Redshanks and 22 Shelducks, whilst a Cuckoo flew over, heading west. (AH/TG-P)

Little Ringed Plovers at the North Wall (AH)

North Wall: A Cuckoo was still calling from the trees beyond the paddocks and a Marsh Harrier was over the reeds, but it was otherwise quiet along the wall with just a pair of Linnets and a few Greenfinches and Goldfinches along the bushes, whilst three Tufted Ducks were on the Breech Pool and in and around Owl Copse there were 14 Little Egrets, six Cattle Egrets and five Grey Herons.

A Yellow-legged Gull was out on the mud along White’s Creek, as well as three Lapwings, an Oystercatcher and two Curlews, with a Great Crested Grebe on the water.

Also of note were two Marbled White butterflies along the lower path, where the small clump of Pyramidal Orchids are also starting to bloom. (LP/MJa)

Yellow-legged Gull (above), Cattle Egrets, Little Egrets and Grey Herons, Oystercatcher & Pyramidal Orchid at the North Wall (LP)

Church Norton: There were a lot of birds round the islands this morning on the rising tide, including 30+ Little Terns, half a dozen Common Terns, 100+ Sandwich Terns and at least 300 Mediterranean Gulls, including many of the latter on Tern Island, whilst waders included a couple of Grey Plovers and Turnstones, a Curlew and a handful of Redshanks. (AH/P&LH/BFF/SL)

Little Tern (above), Mediterranean Gulls & Little, Common and Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AH)

This evening the Roseate Tern was back in the harbour, among a vast flock of gulls and terns that were sat out on the mud.(AH)

Roseate Tern (above) & Common Terns at Church Norton (AH)

North Mundham: There was a lot of House Martin activity here today, and 11 active nests were identified along Fletcher Place. (SR)

Fishbourne Creek: With the high tide and stiff breeze this morning it was rather quiet. Off Dell Quay there were 26 Curlew and 19 Little Egrets, and off the Lavant outflow there was a Grey Plover, with a Reed Warbler singing from the reedbeds there, whilst at the top of the creek there were three Lapwings, two Lesser Black-backed Gulls and a Mediterranean Gull. (RW)

 

Grey Plover at Fishbourne Creek (RW)

 

Sunday, 22nd June: The breeze remained fresh, but had gone round nearly 180 degrees to be from the west, leaving it a little cooler in a mix of sun and fast-moving cloud.....

Selsey Bill: A flock of six Razorbills and four Guillemots going east together was unusual for the time of year, but otherwise it was just the usual mix. Full log below. (SH/AH/IP/SR)

(0615-0800hrs) (WNW, F4)

Gannet - 5E, 3W, 1os

Mallard - 2

Common Scoter - 7W

Mediterranean Gull - 2E, 30W, c100os

Sandwich Tern - 8E, 21W, 12os

Common Tern - 2W

Razorbill - 6E

Guillemot - 4E

Swift - 8

House Martin - 8

(1430-1530hrs) (SH)

Gannet - 2E

Common Scoter - 8E

Oystercatcher - 1E

Mediterranean Gull - 11W, 20os

Sandwich Tern - 1E, 44W, 10os

Common Tern - 1E, 1W

Little Tern - 2E, 3W

Razorbills and Guillemots (above), Swift & House Martin at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: A Little Ringed Plover and five Avocets were on the pool this morning, along with a Black-tailed Godwit, two Lapwings, three Redshanks and three Shelducks, and a Cuckoo could be hear distantly from the west. (AH)

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

Church Norton: A Roseate Tern was among the Sandwich Terns in the harbour late this morning.

Also, there were five Common Terns, seven Little Terns, two Knot, 25 Grey Plovers, seven Curlews and a Ringed Plover present, with a Lesser Whitethroat and a whitethroat in the bushes. (AWi)

Roseate Tern and Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AWi)

There was no sign of the Roseate Tern this evening, though there were 19 Little Terns, four Common Terns, 50 Sandwich Terns, three Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 150 Mediterranean gulls out on the mud, along with the first returning Common Sandpiper, two Whimbrel,  three Ringed Plovers, eight Dunlin ,five Black-tailed Godwits and two Curlews.

The hedges held a Blackcap, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Whitethroat, a Meadow Pipit and a Green Woodpecker, but best of all was a confiding Bank Vole along the path to the car park. (SR/MRe)

Bank Vole at Church Norton (SR)

Pagham Spit: At least 40 Little Terns were about this morning, on their islands, bringing fish in, sat out and feeding offshore, whilst at least 60 Sandwich Terns were on the new islands, with many more, and plenty of Mediterranean Gulls further across the harbour.

Also, two young Ringed Plovers were on the shingle by the islands, with a few more adults about, too, whilst three or four Skylarks and a dozen Linnets were along the spit, three Swallows went west, a Common Seal was in the harbour mouth and a pair of Mute Swans with five cygnets, a Great Crested Grebe and four Tufted Ducks were on the lagoon. (AH)

Little Terns (above), Sandwich Terns, Mediterranean Gull, Ringed Plover chicks, Skylark & Common Seal at Pagham Spit (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There was still a fair selection along the banks, despite the breeze, including a Stonechat, two Lesser Whitethroats, c20 Whitethroats, five Chiffchaffs, a couple of Reed and Sedge Warblers and c20 Yellowhammers, with four Sand Martins and nine Swallows over.

Also, five Common Terns were around their raft, seven Sandwich Terns were offshore. four Avocets, seven Oystercatchers, two Ringed Plovers and a Redshank were on the Stilt Pool and a Marsh Harrier, two Kestrels and four Buzzards went over. (S&SaH)