Tuesday, 2nd June: After heavy overnight rain, continuing past dawn, a mostly grey and muggy morning, though with the odd sunny spell, in a fresh westerly breeze.....
Selsey Bill: Two Great Northern Divers west was a surprise this morning, and there were also an Arctic Skua, a Kittiwake and six Common Scoters going east. Full log below. (AH/IP)
(0630-0830hrs) (WSW, F4-5)
Great Northern Diver - 2W
Gannet - 9W
Common Scoter - 6E
Oystercatcher - 1W
Arctic Skua - 1E
Great Black-backed Gull - 12os
Kittiwake - 1E
Sandwich Tern - 200os
Common Tern - 8os
Little Tern - 6os
Swift - 3
House Martin - 12
Great Northern Diver (above), Little Tern & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were still at least 15 Avocet chicks about, though only 28 adults, along with a Greenshank that flew in from the channel opposite, a Little Ringed Plover, two Redshanks, c80 Black-tailed Godwits, a Teal, eight Shelducks and c20 Mallards. (AH)
Greenshank (above), Avocet chick & Black-tailed Godwit at the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: There were again vast numbers of Sandwich Terns coming and going this morning, along with the odd Common and Little Terns, with waders restricted to two Whimbrel, five Curlews and Oystercatchers and a dozen or so distant Dunlin and Ringed Plovers.
A Whitethroat and a Blackcap were it for the hedges, though three Swallows were along Rectory Lane. (AH)
Sandwich Tern (above), Whimbrel & Whitethroat at Church Norton (AH)
North Wall: It was just the regular species seen along the wall this morning, with a Cuckoo calling from the trees, the male Marsh Harrier up high and the usual mix of Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers, Cetti’s Warblers and Whitethroats along the bushes, along with a Lesser Whitethroat, a Blackcap and two Linnets.
The Swallows were busy around the stables and two Swifts were overhead, also the first Pyramidal Orchid of the year was starting to bloom in their usual patch along the lower path. (LP/IH)
Sedge Warbler (above), Swallow, Cattle Egret & Pyramidal Orchid at the North Wall (LP)
Chichester GPs: The pair of Red-crested Pochards and four ducklings re-surfaced on New Lake today, having been hiding for the last fortnight. (IH)
Monday, 1st June: A mostly bright, but blustery morning, cool early on but warming up later, with the breeze freshening steadily from the south-west.....
Selsey Bill: There were at least 250 Sandwich Terns feeding offshore, but the only things moving were a flock of 15 Common Scoters east and six Gannets west. Full log below. (IP/AH)
(0705-0805hrs) (SW, F3-4)
Gannet - 6W
Common Scoter - 15E
Mediterranean Gull - 4W
Sandwich Tern - 250os
Common Tern - 10os
Little Tern - 4os
House Martin - 20
Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were still at least 15 Avocet chicks and 42 adults on the pool this morning, along with a Little Ringed Plover, two Redshanks, c125 Black-tailed Godwits and six Shelducks. (AH)
Little Ringed Plover at the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: The Sandwich Tern conveyor belt was in full swing this morning, with a constant flow of birds heading off west and returning with fish, with more sat on the mud, along with a dozen Little Terns and half a dozen Common Terns.
Waders were few, though, with just a Whimbrel, two Curlews and half a dozen Ringed Plovers and Oystercatchers seen, and the hedges were quiet beyond a couple of Whitethroats and Linnets, plus a couple of Swallows over. (AH)
Sandwich Terns (above), Sandwich, Common and Little Terns & Linnet at Church Norton (AH)
