28th June 2026

Sunday, 28th June: A slightly cooler and greyer morning in a moderate to brisk south-westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: Another quiet morning, though nine Common Scoters went east and the first Hummingbird Hawk-moth of the summer was seen. Full log below. (SH/AH/IP/P&LH)

(0600-0830hrs) (SW, F5)

Gannet - 1E, 7W

Common Scoter - 9E, 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 9W

Great Black-backed Gull - 14os

Sandwich Tern - 200os

Common Tern - 2os

Little Tern - 4os

Swift - 5

House Martin - 2

Hummingbird Hawk-moth - 1

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

Ferry Pool: The pair of Oystercatchers still had all three chicks this morning and the Shelducks still had five ducklings, though some of the fledged Avocets and presumably their parents had moved off, though at least 20 youngsters and 15 adults remain. 

Also, a family of Whitethroats were in the adjacent hedges, a Sedge Warbler was in the Small Pool. and two Swallows went over. (AH)

Oystercatcher chick (above), Avocet family & Shelduck family at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: The Wood Sandpiper was on the Breech Pool early on, before flying off and dropping into the saltmarsh, but c40 Black-tailed Godwits and a handful of Redshanks and Curlews in the harbour and up to five Avocets between the Breech Pool and the rife at Halsey's Farm were the only other waders about.

Also, a Common Tern was on the Breech Pool, a Sandwich Tern went over the wall and two or three Little Terns were feeding in the adjacent areas of the harbour and a Cormorant was wrestling with a sizeable Eel in White's Creek.

Thedre was just the odd Whitethroat, Reed and Sedge Warbler along the wall, plus a couple of Swallows over, whilst at Halsey's Farm there were a Chaffinch, a Chiffchaff, a Blackcap and a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the trees and a Sparrowhawk flew over, and there were lots of butterflies along the hedgerows including Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns, Marbled Whites and Painted Ladies as well as a Comma. (LP/MJa/MRi/DHi/GHi/AH et al)

Common Tern (above), Sandwich Tern, Black-tailed Godwits (AH), Cormorant (GHi), Avocet, Chaffinch & Comma (LP) at the North Wall

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Common Sandpiper was on the Stilt Pool this morning, along with three Greenshanks, nine Lapwings, five Black-tailed Godwits, four Oystercatchers and four Common Terns, with another eight of the latter around the rafts, the first returning Kingfisher and a Whimbrel on the reserve and a Sandwich Tern offshore.

Small birds were keeping low in the breeze, but there were still a dozen Whitethroats, five Reed Warblers, two Sedge Warblers, a Cetti's Warbler, a Pied Wagtail, three Reed Buntings and c20 Yellowhammers noted, plus a Sand Martin, 19 Swallows and 11 Swifts over. (S&SaH)