Saturday, 3rd May: The morning started cool and grey in a moderate north-easterly, but steadily warmed and brightened up as it veered around to the south-west .......
Selsey Bill: It proved to be a quiet morning, punctuated by three highlights, namely a distant Puffin east at 0535hrs, a fairly close summer-plumaged Red-necked Grebe at 0545hrs and three distant Manx Shearwaters west together at 0830hrs, though otherwise there were just low numbers of a wide range of species. Full log below. (JA/SH/BI/PB/PM/AHu/IP/PA/AH/SR/AWi et al)
(0510-0925hrs) (NE, F3)
Great Northern Diver - 1E, 5os
Red-throated Diver - 2E
diver sp - 4W
Red-necked Grebe - 1E (0545hrs)
Great Crested Grebe - 1E
Manx Shearwater - 3W
Fulmar - 1E
Gannet - 11E, 10W
Shag - 4os
Common Scoter - 7E, 5W
Oystercatcher - 40E, 1W
Grey Plover - 5E
Sanderling - 1E, 1 present
Dunlin - 1E
Whimbrel - 4E
Bar-tailed Godwit - 1E
Turnstone - 2E
Mediterranean Gull - 3E, 1W
Black-headed Gull - 77E
Common Gull - 4E
Kittiwake - 10E, 2W
Sandwich Tern - 18E, 8os
Common Tern - 20E, 1os
'Commic' Tern - 5E
Little Tern - 5E, 5os
Puffin - 1E (0535hrs)
Razorbill - 1W
auk sp - 3E
Swift - 5
Swallow - 9N, 2 present
House Martin - 6
Yellow Wagtail - 1N
Bottle-nosed Dolphin - 5os
(1545-1800hrs) (SH/JA)
Great Northern Diver - 2os
Gannet - 3E, 3W
Common Scoter - 1E
Great Skua - 1os
Mediterranean Gull - 10W
Sandwich Tern - 10os
Common Tern - 10E
Little Tern - 1os
Swift - 5N
Swallow - 62N
Ferry Pool: A Common Sandpiper and a Greenshank were in the channel opposite and then the pool this morning, with, a Little Ringed Plover,, a Snipe, a Lapwing, four Black-tailed Godwits and ten Avocets also present, along with five Egyptian Geese, two Shovelers and c30 Shelducks. (AH/PA)
North Wall: A Cuckoo flew over the Breech Pool and the male Marsh Harrier was up over the reeds this morning, while on the water there were pairs of Shoveler, Gadwall, Teal, and Tufted Ducks, as well as a Great Crested Grebe.
The reeds and bushes were full of Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers, Cetti’s Warblers, Reed Buntings, Whitethroats, Greenfinches and Long-tailed Tits but the harbour was quiet, with just a few Shelducks, and at Halsey’s Farm a Greenshank was along the rife and six Cattle Egrets were in the fields. (LP/MO-W et al)
Medmerry: Earnley car-park to the Stilt Pool - There were plenty of birds along the banks this morning, including a Dartford Warbler, c10 Sedge Warblers, c20 Reed Warblers, five Cetti's Warblers, 15 Whitethroats, four Reed Buntings and eight Yellowhammers. plus a Swallow and a Raven over, whilst two Ringed Plovers and 13 Avocets were all that could be seen on the Stilt Pool. (S&SaH/PB)
Medmerry: Porthole Farm - There at least a dozen Whitethroats holding territory around the hedges today, a male Stonechat was in roadside scrub where a pair have been recently and at least four pairs of Swallows were along the wires, but there was no suggestion of anything new in, with, otherwise, just half a dozen Yellowhammers and Skylarks and a dozen or so Linnets seen. (AH)
Friday, 2nd May: The breeze went round to the west this morning, but was only light to moderate, and it was warm in the hazy sunshine.......
Selsey Bill: Unexpectedly, for a westerly, two Pomarine Skuas went east, as did two Arctic Skuas, but star bird was a Nightjar picked up heading west a fair way out, and showing no inclination to make for land.
Also, 30 Brent Geese went east, whist another nine dropped in offshore, as did a smart pair of Eider. Full log below. (JA/MRe/PA/BI/IP/TR/AH/AWi/JC et al)
(0530-0930hrs) (NNW, F2 backing to SW, F3)
Great Northern Diver - 5os
Red-throated Diver - 1E
Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - 3E, 18W, 6os
Brent Goose - 30E, 9os
Eider - 2os (pair)
Common Scoter - 11E
Oystercatcher - 4E, 5W, 1 present
Sanderling - 2
Whimbrel - 2E
Turnstone - 6
Pomarine Skua - 2E (0648 & 0733hrs)
Arctic Skua - 2E
Mediterranean Gull - 5E
Kittiwake - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 14os
Common Tern - 2W
Little Tern - 2os
Nightjar - 1W (0715hrs)
Swift - 4
Swallow - 3
House Martin - 6
Pied Wagtail - 1
Reed Bunting - 1N
(1600-1730hrs) (JA)
Red-throated Diver - 1E
Gannet - 1E, 7W, 1os
Mediterranean Gull - 8os
Sandwich Tern - 5os
Ferry Pool: A Greenshank and a Snipe were about this morning, along with six Black-tailed Godwits, six Redshanks, ten Avocets, two drake Shovelers, three Canada Geese and c35 Shelducks. (AH)
Later, two Great White Egrets flew over towards the harbour. (AWi)
Long Pool: There were two Greenshank in the Ferry Channel first thing, including the one with a deformed underbelly that has passed through each spring and autumn for quite a number of years.
The path along the pool was noisy with singing Whitethroats, Reed, Sedge, and Cetti's Warblers, and there was also a Lesser Whitethroat and a few Reed Buntings. (AW)
Greenshank (above), Lesser Whitethroat, Reed Bunting, Sedge Warbler & Whitethroat along the Long Pool (AW)
North Wall: Two Great White Egrets were in the ditch at the back of Honer 3 before relocating to Bremere Rife, where there was a lone Teal on the water, and a Kingfisher on the fence, whilst a Cuckoo was calling from Halsey’s Farm, where 25 Cattle Egrets were around the cows, and two Red Kites were overhead.
Elsewhere there was the now usual selection of Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers, Cetti’s Warblers, Whitethroats and Reed Buntings, as well as a Lesser Whitethroat and a pair of Linnets.
Also, the male Marsh Harrier was over the reeds, but there was nothing of note on the Breech Pool, while out in the harbour it was mostly Shelducks, although four Wigeon were still along White’s Creek, and a couple of Whimbrels were out on the mud. (LP/GHi/MJa/SP/JDW/PA/AHu)
Great White Egrets (above), Kingfisher, Reed Warbler, Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler, Red Kite & Wigeon at the North Wall (LP)
This afternoon at Halsey's Farm, a Greenshank was in the rife and at least 28 Cattle Egrets were among the cows, with a Great White Egret also seen, and three Swallows and three Buzzards went over..(AH/S&SaH)
Church Norton: It was very quiet in the harbour late this morning, though 14 Little Terns were around the mouth and two Mediterranean Gulls went over, with waders comprising just two Bar-tailed Godwits and Curlews, six Whimbrel and a dozen or so Dunlin, Ringed Plovers and Oystercatchers, with just the odd snippet of Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Whitethroat song from the bushes. (AH et al)
Whimbrel (above), Ringed Plovers & Mediterranean Gull at Church Norton (AH)
East Head: A look round this evening produced a Lesser Whitethroat and a dozen Whimbrel. (JC)
Medmerry: A female Grey Partridge was near the Earnley car-park this evening, and a Barn Owl was about too, as was a Cuckoo, a Dartford Warbler, a few Whimbrel, c25 Bar-tailed Godwits, a pair of Egyptian Geese and several Brown Hares. (AB/CD/BI/AH/IP/CRJ et al)
Thursday, 1st May: The north-easterly breeze freshened overnight, leaving another warm, but hazily sunny morning.......
Selsey Bill: Three Pomarine Skuas went east early on, and another in the afternoon, with a Black Tern, a Black-throated Diver and a few Little Gulls and Arctic Skuas also going east, though it was slower than yesterday. Full log below.
(PA/AB/RHa/JF/IP/AH/LP/SP/OM/SR/BFF/SHo/AW) et al)
(0600-14300hrs) (NE F2-3 - SE3-4)
Great Northern Diver - 3E, 2os
Black-throated Diver - 1E
Red-throated Diver - 5E
diver sp - 1E
Great Crested Grebe - 1W
Fulmar - 1W
Gannet - 15E, 2W
Shelduck - 3E
Common Scoter - 63E
Red-breasted Merganser - 1W
Oystercatcher - 7E
Grey Plover - 5E
Knot - 4E
Whimbrel - 6E
Bar-tailed Godwit - 5E
Turnstone - 4E
Sanderling - 16E
Common Sandpiper - 1E
Pomarine Skua - 4E (3 @ 0606hrs, 1 @ 1351hrs)
Arctic Skua - 5E
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 5E
Mediterranean Gull - 12E
Kittiwake - 4E
Little Gull - 6E
Sandwich Tern - 22E, 15os
Common Tern - 3E
Little Tern - 30E, 4os
Black Tern - 1E
Swift - 6
Swallow - 13N
House Martin - 8
Yellow Wagtail - 2N (one landed in Bill House garden)
Pomarine Skua (above), Grey Plovers and Knot, Common Sandpiper (AW), Little Tern, Common Tern & House Martin (AH) at the Bill
Late this afternoon, a Bonxie went west and four Arctic Skuas and a Brent Goose went east. Full log below. (JA/SH/AH/SR)
(1545-1830hrs)
Great Northern Diver - 2os
Gannet - 1E, 2W
Brent Goose - 1E
Oystercatcher - 2E
Sanderling - 4E
Great Skua - 1W
Arctic Skua - 4E
Mediterranean Gull - 6E, 2os
Sandwich Tern - 2E, 6W
Common Tern - 1W
Ferry Pool: There was no sign of the Temminck's Stint this morning, though a Great White Egret dropped in early on and there was also two Greenshanks about.
Otherwise, two Little Ringed Plovers were present, along with a Snipe, eight Black-tailed Godwits, six Redshanks, 11 Avocets, five Grey Herons, two Little Egrets, five Gadwall, four Shovelers and c40 Shelducks.
Also, a Cuckoo was calling near the Visitor Centre, two Whinchats were along the fence-line in the field, and a couple of Whitethroats and a Cetti's Warbler were in the hedges. (PA/RHa/AH/LP/SP et al)
Greenshank (above), Black-tailed Godwits, Little Ringed Plover, Avocets & Grey Herons and Shelducks at the Ferry (AH)
East side: There were 14 Grey Plovers, nine Whimbrel and 20 Bar-tailed Godwits along the east side of the harbour today. (PA)
Church Norton: The first Spotted Flycatcher of the spring was seen this morning (G Charles), whilst this evening a Turtle Dove was heard calling intermittently, but never seen, in the trees to the south of the path to the harbour, and then further in towards Priory Wood.
Also, in the harbour, there were four Little Terns, about half a dozen Bar-tailed Godwits and Whimbrel, and a Sanderling among c20 Ringed Plovers and Dunlin out on the mud. (AH/MRe/IP/SR/AB)
East Head: There were 38 Whimbrel present Snowhill Marsh today. (PA)
Medmerry: Earnley car-park to the Stilt Pool - The Short-eared Owl was still about this afternoon, with two Wheatears, a Dartford Warbler and 18 Whitethroats seen along the banks .Also, a Brent Goose and a Little Gull went east offshore, 12 Sanderlings were on the beach and the pair of Little Ringed Plovers and a Common Sandpiper were on the Stilt Pool. (PA)