26th May 2026

Tuesday, 26th May: The very warm spell continues, with unbroken blue skies, though the moderate easterly breeze kept temperatures bearable....

Selsey Bill: It was very slow this morning, though 19 Common Scoters went east and large numbers of gulls and terns were feeding way out. Full log below. (AH/IP et al)

(0645-0815hrs) (ESE, F4)

Gannet - 2W

Common Scoter - 19E

Oystercatcher - 6E

Mediterranean Gull - 6E, 1W

Great Black-backed Gull - 1os

Sandwich Tern - 150os

House Martin - 20

Ferry Pool: There were three families, of two, two and three - young Avocets around the pool this morning, along with 43 adults, a Little Ringed Plover, two Redshanks, 66 Black-tailed Godwits, seven Gadwall and eight Shelducks. (AH)

Long Pool: At least half a dozen Reed Buntings were about this morning, along with similar of Sedge Warblers, ten Reed Warblers, five Whitethroats and Skylarks and c20 Linnets, whilst an adult Great crested Grebe was feeding a chick on the pool, and a pair of Gadwall flew out. (AH)

Church Norton: There wasn't much to see this morning on the high tide beyond the vast numbers of Sandwich Terns, Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls on the islands, which were quite flighty, as were the c60 Little Terns on their island, after a Peregrine bombed through.

Quite a few waders - including c20 Grey Plovers, c50 Ringed Plovers and c100 Dunlin were flying about, too, though distantly, but the odd Blackcap and Whitethroat was it for the bushes. (AH/Jda et al)

North Wall: A Glossy Ibis was on the Breech Pool early on, before heading off towards Marsh Farm, and 32 Black-tailed Godwits were also there as the water level is dropping.

Elsewhere along the wall it was the usual fare, with a Cuckoo and two Marsh Harriers over the reeds, lots of Reed Warblers, Sedge Warblers, Whitethroats, Reed Buntings, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Blackcap in the reeds and bushes, and a few Cattle Egrets, Little Egrets and Grey Herons in Owl Copse. (DHo/MJa/KU/LP/SP/PB/JB/AGB )

East Side: There were a few waders along the East Side on the rising tide, including 64 Ringed Plovers, 22 Dunlin, 16 Grey Plovers, 12 Bar-tailed Godwits, six Whimbrels, eight Oystercatchers and two Curlews, whilst a Common Tern, a Little Tern and two Sandwich Terns flew along the channel and a Great Crested Grebe was on the water. (LP/DHo/PB/SP/AGB/JB)