10th - 11th June 2026

Thursday, 11th June: After a bright start, a morning that quickly deteriorated into persistent drizzly rain under leaden skies, and cool, too, in the brisk westerly.........

Selsey Bill: A pale-phase Arctic Skua was lingering offshore, intermittently chasing the terns in the large feeding flock, and also two Guillemots went west, though it was quiet otherwise. Full log below. (AH/IP)

(0645-0815hrs) (W, F4-5)

Gannet - 1E, 4W, 2os

Oystercatcher - 1

Arctic Skua - 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 4E, 3W

Great Black-backed Gull - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 200os

Common Tern - 5os

Little Tern - 6os

Guillemot - 2W

House Martin - 10

Sandwich Terns (above) & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were still at least 20 young Avocets spread around the pool this morning, along with 33 adults, a Little Ringed Plover, a Redshank and just a dozen Black-tailed Godwits, with the pair of Common Terns, the drake Teal and 16 Shelducks, plus the eight ducklings, still present, too. (AH)

Avocets (above), Little Ringed Plover and Avocets & Common Terns at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There was nothing to report on the near high tide this morning beyond the activity around Tern Island and the adjacent harbour, with vast numbers of Sandwich Terns, Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls and half a dozen Common and Little Terns, plus half a dozen Shelducks, being the sum. (AH)

Sandwich Terns (above) & Mediterranean Gulls at Church Norton (AH)

Wednesday, 10th June: A mostly bright and sunny morning, surprisingly cool early on, but warming up later, despite the fresh westerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: Two Sanderlings west and a Turnstone on the beach were the only things of note this morning. Full log below. (SH/PB/AH/IP)

(0600-0800hrs) (W, F4-5)

Gannet - 13W

Common Scoter - 6E

Sanderling - 2W

Turnstone - 1

Mediterranean Gull - 2W

Great Black-backed Gull - 2os

Sandwich Tern - 200os

Common Tern - 3os

Little Tern - 6os

House Martin - 10

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

Ferry Pool: There were still at least 20 young Avocets and 36 adults on the pool today, and the first family of Shelducks - a pair with eight ducklings - appeared, with a pair of Common Terns, a Little Ringed Plover, two Redshanks, an Oystercatcher, the drake Teal, two drake Shovelers, a female Gadwall and 18 further adult Shelducks also present.

Also, around the Tramway there were a couple of Lesser Whitethroats, a Chiffchaff, three Blackcaps and Reed Warblers, half a dozen Whitethroats and a couple of Linnets. (AH/JC)

Avocets (above), Little Ringed Plover, Shelduck family, Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat, Blackcap & Chiffchaff at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were half a dozen Little and Common Terns among the endless procession of sandwich Terns this morning, whilst 20 or more Black-headed Gull chicks could be seen, including a few on the mud away from the island.

There were also Greenshank, three Whimbrel and four Ringed Plovers about early on, and later eight Black-tailed Godwits flew around before heading back up the harbour. (PB/IP/AH/JDa/J Kirkman)

Later, a Roseate Tern re-appeared on the mud and there was also a Sanderling about. (C Holter)

Sandwich and Common Terns at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: There was a lot of Cuckoo activity along the wall this morning with at least four birds seen, and the Barn Owl was about early on at Halsey’s Farm, where there was also a Little Tern fishing along the rife and three Lapwings on the mud.

Three recently fledged Sedge Warblers were along the lower path and a family group of Whitethroats were also about, whilst the Lesser Whitethroat was still singing by Owl Copse. Six Cattle Egrets were in the fields with the cows and five Little Egrets were with three Grey Herons out on their island.

A Red Kite flew over the fields and a Buzzard, a Kestrel, five Swifts and a dozen Swallows were also about, whilst on the Breech Pool, two Tufted Ducks and two Black-tailed Godwits were with the usual Mallards and Coots.

Two Kingfishers were by the sluice, and six more Black-tailed Godwits were along White’s Creek but otherwise there was a just a Curlew and four Shelducks out in the harbour. (LP/KU/JDW/MJa/DHo/IH/GHi/CT/CRJ)

Cuckoo (above), Tufted Ducks & Black-tailed Godwits at the North Wall (LP)

Also, the Barn Owls were out early this morning at Halsey's Farm. (AD)

Barn Owl at the North Wall (AD)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were five Dartford Warblers along the banks this morning, along with 13 Reed Warblers, three Cetti's Warblers, two Chiffchaffs, c30 Whitethroats, five Stonechats, three Reed Buntings and c20 Yellowhammers, plus six Swallows and a House Martin over.

Also, a Greenshank was on the Stilt Pool, 14 Common Terns were around the rafts, 21 Lapwings were on the reserve and a Kestrel and five Buzzards went over. (S&SaH)