1st July 2025

Tuesday, 1st July: An even warmer morning, and muggy, too, in a mix of sun and light cloud and just a light north-westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: There was nothing happening offshore, but a few hirundines and Swifts were around, along with a Hummingbird Hawk-moth. Full log below. (AH/IP)

(0645-0800hrs) (NW, F2)

Mediterranean Gull - 7E, 10os

Sandwich Tern - 3E, 5W, 6os

Little Tern - 2W

Swift - 6

Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1

Swallow - 15

Sand Martin - 4

House Martin - 20

Hummingbird Hawk-moth - 1

Swift (above), House Martin, Mediterranean Gull & Hummingbird Hawk-moth at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were just five Black-tailed Godwits, two Redshanks and a Shelduck on the pool this morning. (AH)

Black-tailed Godwits on the Ferry (AH)

Mill Pond Marsh: There were two Green Sandpipers on the flooded field this morning, along with five Teal, c50 Mallards, including at least three families, a Little Grebe with two chicks and several Reed Warblers. (AH)

Green Sandpipers (above) & Little Grebe and chick at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)

North Wall: A Green Sandpiper flew over the wall and across the harbour and there was a noticeable increase in Redshanks, Lapwings and Curlews as well as a Greenshank and a Grey Plover spread out on the mud at low tide early this morning, whilst three Sandwich Terns flew over the wall before heading back towards their islands and a Swift was also over the harbour.

The four juvenile Marsh Harriers were again in the bushes behind the Breech Pool, all taking to the skies when the adult male returned with food, and with the water level dropping on the pool there were 31 Little Egrets and eight Black-tailed Godwits there early on, plus a Kingfisher, but just a single Tufted Duck was on the water with the c40 Mallards.

At Owl Copse, the two juvenile Grey Herons were still being fed by the adults and 14 Cattle Egrets were along the tops of the trees, with 25 more in the cattle fields behind, the Little Grebe was still on her nest, and along the bushes there was a Great Spotted Woodpecker, four Chiffchaffs, three Linnets, a House Sparrow, numerous Reed Warblers and Sedge Warblers and a couple of Reed Buntings, with four Swallows and a Green Woodpecker in the paddock.

 Also about were at least three Lesser Whitethroats and half a dozen Chiffchaffs, and a dozen of Swallows were in Mill Lane. (LP/MJa/CT/AH)

Marsh Harriers (above), Black-tailed Godwits, Greenshank, Cattle Egrets, Grey Herons, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker (LP), Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler, Chiffchaff, Reed Bunting & Swallow (AH) at the North Wall