1st May 2026

Friday, 1st May: As the wind eased, a warm and sunny morning in a moderate breeze, initially from the east before veering to the south-east.....

Selsey Bill: Highlight by a distance for a big gathering of observers were the two Bee-eaters that flew in from the south-east at 1035hrs and lingered around the area for a good 45 minutes before drifting off west.

Otherwise, there was some activity offshore, though not as much as anticipated, including a close Pomarine Skua and three distant ones, five Arctic Skuas, a Velvet Scoter, a Black-throated Diver and a few waders, plus a Hobby in off. Full log below.

(JA/SH/PB/PM/BI/IP/AB/JF/RHa/AH/OM/AHu//MRe/LP/SP/JFi/JDa/KT/LGRE et al)

(0500-1200hrs) (ESE, F4)

Great Northern Diver - 1E, 5os

Black-throated Diver - 1E

Red-throated Diver - 2E

diver sp - 1E

Fulmar - 3E

Gannet - 52E, 13W

Brent Goose - 14E

Shelduck - 2E, 2W

Velvet Scoter - 1E

Common Scoter - 190E, 18os

Hobby - 1N

Peregrine - 1E

Oystercatcher - 3E, 2W

Sanderling - 1W

Whimbrel - 23E

Bar-tailed Godwit - 47E

Common Sandpiper - 1

Turnstone - 1W

Pomarine Skua - 4E (1 at 0938hrs & 3 at 0950hrs)

Arctic Skua - 5E, 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 1E, 3W

Common Gull - 20E, 1W

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 2E

Great Black-backed Gull - 38E, 1W, 6os

Kittiwake - 14E

Sandwich Tern - 123E, 90os

Common Tern - 38E

'Commic' Tern - 50E

Little Tern - 4E, 32os

Razorbill - 1E

Bee-eater - 2 (1035-1120hrs)

Swallow - 9N, 2 present

House Martin - 6

Pied Wagtail - 1N, 1 present

Bee-eaters (above), Arctic Skuas, Black-throated Diver, Kittiwakes & Little Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were still one Little Stint and two Wood sandpipers on the pool this morning, along with three Common Sandpipers, three Bar-tailed Godwits, a Black-tailed Godwit, a Little Ringed Plover, 14 Avocets, two Redshanks, six Shovelers, eight Gadwall and 28 Shelducks. (AH/AB/OM/KT et al)

Bar-tailed Godwits (above), Little Ringed Plover & Wood Sandpiper and Avocet at the Ferry (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool -  Along the banks today were 22 Whitethroats, two Lesser Whitethroats, four Dartford Warblers, nine Reed Warblers, five Sedge Warblers,, four Chiffchaffs, three Cetti's Warblers, five Reed Buntings and six Yellowhammers, plus Swallow over, whilst the Stilt Pool held a Greenshank, eight B ar-tailed Godwits and three Common Terns.

Also, a Slow-worm was seen and a Buzzard was seen carrying off an Adder. (S&SaH)

Buzzard with an Adder at Medmerry (SaH)