4th - 6th June 2025

Friday, 6th June: A very cool and overcast morning, with some fairly prolonged spells of rain in a a near gale-force south-westerly......

Selsey Bill: The highlight this morning was three Arctic Skuas that turned up and mugged the feeding flock before moving on, and there was a slight but steady movement of Common and Little Terns west. Full log below. (BI/AH/SR/P&LH)

(0605-0905hrs) (WSW, F5-6)

Gannet - 21W

Common Scoter - 10E

Oystercatcher - 1W

Arctic Skua - 3os, then E

Mediterranean Gull - 2W, 50os

Sandwich Tern - 26W, 35os

Common Tern - 23W, 5os

Little Tern - 21W, 5os

Guillemot - 1E

(1230-1330hrs) (P&LH)

Gannet - 3os

Mediterranean Gull - 16os

Sandwich Tern - 26W

Common Tern - 1W

Little Tern - 3W

Arctic Skuas (above), Little Terns, Common Tern & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There was no sign of the Red-necked Phalarope this morning, though three Little Ringed Plovers dropped in and flew off again, early on, with just five Avocets, a Lapwing, two Redshanks, a dozen Black-tailed Godwits and two Shelducks present, otherwise. (BI/AH)

Lapwing (above), Redshank & Black-tailed Godwit and Avocets at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There  were at least 20 Little Terns around their island and busy feeding in the harbour this morning, with six Common Terns and c50 Sandwich Terns and Mediterranean Gulls also about, with some displaying and mating taking place among them.

Beyond that there wasn't too much else to report, though there were still three Whimbrel, five Black-tailed Godwits, four Grey Plovers, a Turnstone, half a dozen Ringed Plovers and a dozen Dunlin about. (AH/PD/P&LH)

Little Terns (above), Common Tern and Sandwich Tern, Grey Plovers, Whimbrel & Turnstone and Shelducks at Church Norton (AH)

There wasn't much change this afternoon, though there were three Bar-tailed Godwits, two Turnstones and half a dozen Ringed Plovers off the benches and a flock of c50 Dunlin, with three or four Sanderling among them out in the main channel. (AH)

Bar-tailed Godwit (above), Ringed Plover & Common Terns at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: A Common Tern was over the Breech Pool this morning, and three House Martins, five Swallows and a Swift flew through, whilst both male and female Marsh Harriers were over the reeds and a few Reed Warblers, Sedge Warblers, Whitethroats and Reed Buntings were along the bushes.
Two of the juvenile Grey Herons were still around their nest, with the third out on the island, along with eight Little Egrets, two Cattle Egrets and another Grey Heron, whilst at Halsey’s Farm three Lapwings and two Oystercatchers were on the mud, and a Linnet and three Skylarks flew over the fields. (LP/CT/IH/SP)

Marsh Harrier (above), Cattle Egrets, Little Egrets and Grey Herons, Lapwing & Oystercatcher at the North Wall (LP)

Thursday, 5th June: A very cool and overcast morning, with some fairly prolonged spells of rain in a a near gale-force south-westerly......

Selsey Bill: The stormy conditions didn't produce much beyond a Manx Shearwater, a Kittiwake and a few Gannets west, whilst a flock of 20 Common Scoters went east, a few Little Terns were close in and a big feeding flock was further out. Full log below. (SR/AH)

(0700-0900hrs) (SW, F7)

Manx Shearwater - 1W

Gannet - 4E, 17W, 5os

Common Scoter - 20E, 2W

Oystercatcher - 2W

Turnstone - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 4W, 150os

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 3E, 24W, 75os

Common Tern - 1W, 2os

Little Tern - 9os

A Little Gull went west and an Arctic Skua was offshore this afternoon. Full log below. (SH/PB)

(1630-1815hrs) 

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 2E, 6W

Mallard - 2

Arctic Skua - 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 23W, 12os

Kittiwake - 12W

Little Gull - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 35W, 12os

Common Tern - 6W, 4os

Little Tern - 6W

Guillemot - 1W

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

Ferry Pool: There were just four Avocets, 14 Black-tailed Godwits and five Shelducks on the pool this morning. (AH)

Avocet on the Ferry (AH)

This afternoon, an amazingly obliging, though often flighty male Red-necked Phalarope turned up on the pool, giving fantastic views at the front on occasions, and staying on into the evening. 

This is the second year one has appeared on the Ferry and Peninsula, after a ten year gap to the previous one. (AB/CD/AH/LL/SR/BI/PB et al)

Videos of the Red-necked Phalarope here: RED-NECKED PHALAROPE 

& here: RED-NECKED PHALAROPE PART 2

Red-necked Phalarope (above) & Red-necked Phalarope and Black-tailed Godwits on the Ferry (AH)

`Mill Pond Marsh: There was a calling Cuckoo here this morning. (LL)

Church Norton: There were still c80 Sandwich Terns and c150 Mediterranean Gulls in the harbour this morning, along with half a dozen Little Terns, and there were also a Whimbrel, a Curlew, a Dunlin, four Black-tailed Godwits and a few Oystercatchers and Shelducks about. (AH)

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

Wednesday, 4th June: After a grey start, a bright and breezy morning in a fresh westerly.......

Selsey Bill: A couple of Fulmars and six Sanderlings went west and the huge mixed feeding flock was offshore again, though little was moving. Full log below. (SH/PB/AH/P&LH)

(0615-0845hrs) (W, F4)

Fulmar - 2W

Gannet - 7E, 5W

Mallard - 2

Oystercatcher - 1E

Sanderling - 6W

Mediterranean Gul - c100os

Sandwich Tern - 45W, 20os

Common Tern - 7W, 2os

Razorbill - 3W

auk sp - 1W

(1615-1845hrs) (SH/MRe)

Gannet - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 24W, 150os

Kittiwake - 4os

Sandwich Tern - 44W, 40os

Common Tern - 3W, 2os

Little Tern - 5W

Guillemot - 1W

Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just 36 Black-tailed Godwits and six Shelducks on the pool - which is fast running out of water - this morning. (AH/RBe)

Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)

East side: A Whimbrel and 11 Curlews were on the mud this morning, including a colour-ringed one of the latter, and six Common Seals were hauled out. (ARK)

North Wall: The male Marsh Harrier was seen bringing in food to the female this afternoon, and a possible juvenile came up briefly.

There were also a Kingfisher on the Breech Pool, 13 Cattle Egrets at Halsey's Farm, a Lesser Whitethroat, two Chiffchaffs and three Reed Warblers about, plus three Buzzards over. (S&SaH)

Church Norton: There were a lots of birds sitting out this morning - c100 Sandwich Terns and c200 Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls, with more of the latter on Tern Island, whilst a dozen or more Little Terns came and went from their island, and a couple of Common Terns were present, too.

There weren't many waders about, though, with just five Bar-tailed Godwits, c20 Black-tailed Godwits and a dozen Dunlin seen, plus a couple of Curlews and the regular Oystercatchers.

Otherwise, a Mistle Thrush was by the Mound and there were a couple of Whitethroats and half a dozen Linnets about, plus a couple of Swallows over. (AH/RBe/P&LH)

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

Medmerry: Ham Viewpoint - A Cuckoo was calling here this afternoon. (LL)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Greenshank, 14 Black-tailed Godwits and four Dunlin were on the reserve this morning, along with three Common Terns around the nesting raft and four Egyptian Geese, whilst a Little Ringed Plover, three Ringed Plovers, two Lapwings,  six Avocets and six Oystercatchers were on the Stilt Pool.

Also, along the banks there were two Cuckoos, a Dartford Warbler, a Lesser Whitethroat, 15 Whitethroats, a Chiffchaff, two Cetti's Warblers, six Reed Warblers and a dozen Yellowhammers, with five Swifts, five Swallows, two House Martins, a Sparrowhawk, a Kestrel and three Buzzards over. (SH/EB)

Oystercatchers (above), Avocets, Ringed Plover, Avocets, Sparrowhawk & Roe Deer at Medmerry (EB)