Monday, 30th June: A very warm and sunny morning, only tempered by the fairly fresh easterly breeze............
Selsey Bill: A dozen Bottle-nosed Dolphins going east was probably the highlight, with little else moving offshore, though a few Swallows and Sand Martins went through. Full log below. (AH/MO-W/IP)
(0700-0815hrs) (E, F3-4)
Gannet - 4E, 2W
Common Scoter - 4E
Oystercatcher - 1E
Mediterranean Gull - 18E, 5W, 20os
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 16E, 10os
Common Tern - 1E
Swift - 6
Swallow - 22E
Sand Martin - 5E
House Martin - 20
Pied Wagtail - 3E
Bottle-nosed Dolphin - 12E
Sandwich Tern (above), Mediterranean Gulls, House Martin & Bottle-nosed Dolphin at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were 29 summer-plumaged Black-tailed Godwits on the pool this morning, along with the three Avocets, a Redshank and a Shelduck. (AH)
Black-tailed Godwits (above) & Avocet at the Ferry (AH)
Selsey: There were at least 20 Swifts over the houses near the Selsey Centre this morning, and another dozen near the Fisherman's Joy pub (AH), and this evening there were 34 Swifts over the north of the village and a Little Ringed Plover went over, too (MRe)
Church Norton: There were less birds sat on the mud his morning - perhaps 200 Mediterranean Gulls and 50 Sandwich Terns, but still plenty of activity around the islands and Little and Sandwich Terns bringing fish in from offshore.
Otherwise, though, there wasn't much to report, with few waders about, but two Cattle Egrets flew over Priory Wood, a couple of Lesser Whitethroats and a few Whitethroats were in the bushes, a dozen Linnets and a couple of Skylarks were on the beach and a couple of Swallows went over. (AH/HR/DMe)
This evening there were also six Common Terns, including two first-summer birds, and a third summer Yellow-legged Gull among the flock on the mud, and there was also a Common Sandpiper about. (MRe)
Little Terns (above), Sandwich Tern, Cattle Egret & Skylark at Church Norton (AH)
North Wall: A Common Sandpiper was by the sluice early on, and a Weasel was by the rife, while further along White’s Creek there were 15 Lapwings, 22 Redshank, 27 Curlews and a single Grey Plover.
A Black-tailed Godwit was on the Breech Pool, where a Common Tern was fishing and a Tufted Duck was on the water, whilst in the bushes further back, the four juvenile Marsh Harriers were receiving regular food drops from both of the adults.
Four Swallows were again around the stables and two Green Woodpeckers, two Chiffchaffs and three Jays were in the nearby trees. (MJa/DHi/LP)
All four young Marsh Harriers were sat out this evening, with one taking a great mid-air food pass from its mother.
Also, c100 Sand Martins and c30 Swallows went over. (S&SaH)
Swallow (above), Grey Plover (LP), Common Sandpiper & Weasel (MJa) at the North Wall
Sunday, 29th June: An increasingly warm, but grey and muggy morning in a light to moderate breeze, initially from the north-west before backing to the south-west......
Selsey Bill: There was very little to report this morning. Full log below. (MRe/AH/IP)
(0645-0800hrs) (NW, F3)
Gannet - 2E, 5W
Oystercatcher - 1W
Mediterranean Gull - 15W, 40os
Sandwich Tern - 12W, 10os
Swift - 8
House Martin - 11
Sandwich Tern (above) & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: The three Avocets were on the pool again this morning, along with three Shelducks and 18 Black-tailed Godwits, most of which were in summer-plumage and possibly newly arrived.
Also, a Reed Warbler and a couple of Chiffchaffs were in the adjacent hedges. (AH)
Black-tailed Godwits (above), Avocet & Chiffchaff at the Ferry (AH)
An explanation from the RSPB of what is going on at the Ferry (AH)
Park Farm, Selsey: Half a dozen Swallows were around today, along with two Swifts and c75 House Martins. (IP)
Church Norton: The harbour was very busy again this morning, with at least 60 Little Terns, half a dozen Common Terns, 100+ Sandwich Terns and 400+ Mediterranean Gulls about, plus a Grey Heron, half a dozen Little Egrets, a dozen Shelducks and a Great Crested Grebe, whilst waders included five Curlews, a dozen Redshank and the usual Oystercatchers, including the two juveniles on Tern Island, plus a dozen Turnstones along the beach and a flock of seven Black-tailed Godwits that flew west over the Severals.
Along the Severals, both Reed and Sedge Warblers were seen, plus many family groups of Whitethroat and a few Cetti's were heard too, whilst a Green Woodpecker flew into Priory Wood and two Great Spotted Woodpeckers were in Bluebell Wood, along with several Blackcaps and Chiffchaffs, and a pair of both Tufted Duck and Little Grebe were on the second Several. (IP)
North Wall: The four young Marsh Harriers were again in the bushes behind the Breech Pool this morning, and the adult female was bringing in food to them, whilst two Kingfishers were by the sluice, and along White’s Creek there were five Redshanks, and four Curlews.
On the Breech Pool a Lapwing was joined by two Black-tailed Godwits, which were probably new arrivals, the pair of Tufted Ducks were on the water and a Water Rail was calling from the reeds where there were also a few Reed Warblers and Reed Buntings.
A family of Sedge Warblers were by Owl Copse, where there was the usual mix of Grey Herons, Little Egrets and Cattle Egrets in the trees, and the Little Grebe was still on her nest on the water, whilst at Halsey’s Farm , a Kingfisher was along the rife, and a flock of 22 Sand Martins flew over the fields and out over the harbour.
The Swallows were still around the stables, and a couple of Chiffchaffs, as well as a Green Woodpecker were in the adjacent trees. (LP/MRi/MJa/DHi/EB)
This afternoon just the female Marsh Harrier was out, along with four Buzzards and two Kestrels, whilst nine Grey Plovers, six Cattle Egrets and c30 Little Egrets were on the island in the harbour and a Blackcap, three Chiffchaffs, five whitethroats and six Reed warblers were along the wall and a Swallow went over. (S&SaH)
This evening there wee a few more additions to the list, including three Avocets, a Whimbrel and 26 Grey Plovers in the harbour, six Black-tailed Godwits on the Breech Pool, a count of 35 Cattle Egrets, a Lesser Whitethroat, a Meadow Pipit, five Sand Martins and seven Swallows. (MRe).
juvenile Marsh Harriers (above), Swallow, Sedge Warbler, Black-tailed Godwit (LP) & Kingfisher (MJa) at the North Wall
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Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Two Dartford Warblers, c30 Whitethroats, 11 Reed Warblers, three Chiffchaffs, two Stonechats, five Reed Buntings, c20 Yellowhammers and three Green Woodpeckers were along the banks this morning, with ten Swallows over.
Also, seven Common Terns were again around the rafts, two Ringed Plovers and five Oystercatchers were on the Stilt Pool and a Kestrel and a Buzzard were about. (S&SaH)
Medmerry: Porthole Farm to Ham Farm - There wasn't much around Porthole Farm or the Trail beyond a handful of Yellowhammers and Linnets and 20+ Whitethroats, though a pair of Stonechats with two juveniles and a Mistle Thrush were along Ham Road.
At Ham, two Corn Buntings were out in the big field, along with a handful of Skylarks, whilst a Reed Bunting, a Sedge Warbler and several Reed Warblers were around the reedbeds, and another dozen Whitethroats were about, too.
Also, a Common Tern was feeding offshore from the Breach, c50 Mediterranean Gulls were among the flock in the tidal area and a Brown Hare could be seen running along the bottom of the shingle bank there. (AH)
Whitethroat (above), Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Stonechat, Mistle Thrush & Yellowhammer at Medmerry (AH)
Saturday, 28th June: After a fairly cool and grey start, an increasingly warm and sunny day, though the breeze remains fresh and from the south-west......
Selsey Bill: There wasn't much out of the ordinary this morning for a lot of hours split among various watchers. Full log below. (MRe/SH/AH/IP/P&LH)
(0520-0835hrs) (SW, F4)
Gannet - 4E, 29W
Little Egret - 1W
Shelduck - 6W
Common Scoter - 15E, 8W
Curlew - 1W
Mediterranean Gull - 7E, 64W, 40os
Sandwich Tern - 47W, 40os
Common Tern - 1W
Swift - 9
Swallow - 1
House Martin - 2
(1445-1545hrs) (SH)
Gannet - 3W
Mediterranean Gull - 190os
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 3W, 2os
Sandwich Tern (above), Gannet & Great Black-backed Gull at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were just the two adult Avocets and a juvenile present again this morning. (AH)
Avocet on the Ferry (AH)
Long Pool: The odd Reed Warbler, Sedge Warbler and Whitethroat popped its head up in the breezy conditions, along with a couple of Reed Buntings and half a dozen Linnets, whilst at least five Skylarks were in the adjacent fields.
Also, the adult and juvenile Great Crested Grebes and a Little Grebe were still on the pool, whilst a Lapwing and c15 Redshanks were along the channel. (AH)
Linnet (above) & juvenile Great Crested Grebe along the Long Pool (AH)
Park Farm, Selsey: A Buzzard was over the reservoir this morning, but only two Swallows were seen, though again large numbers of House Martins were present. (IP)
North Wall: Four juvenile Marsh Harriers were in the bushes behind the Breech Pool this morning, and the adult female was also around, whilst six Cattle Egrets were in the fields with the cows, and four Swifts flew over.
A Common Tern was fishing over the Breech Pool and on the water, there were two Tufted Ducks and 45 Mallards, whilst a Reed Bunting and several Reed Warblers were in the reeds and a Green Woodpecker flew through as well as a flock of 42 Long-tailed Tits.
At Halsey’s Farm two Skylarks were singing and two Linnets were on the fences, whilst at Owl Copse, the Little Grebe was still sitting on her nest, and there were still many Grey Herons, Little Egrets and Cattle Egrets in the trees.
A Kingfisher was around the sluice, and two Swallows, a Lapwing and four Redshanks were along White’s Creek, with the Yellow-legged Gull again sat out on the mud. (LP/MJa/CT/S&SaH)
juvenile Marsh Harriers (above), Yellow-legged Gull, Green Woodpecker & Redshank along the North Wall (LP)
Sidlesham: This afternoon, a dozen or so Swallows and Sand Martins went over the garden. (AH)
Church Norton: There were over 400 Mediterranean Gulls sat out on the mud this morning, with at least 100 more scattered around the islands and elsewhere, and there were also at least 30 Little Terns, half a dozen Common Terns and 100+ Sandwich Terns, plus at least three juvenile Black-headed Gulls present, with breeding confirmed for all five species.
Otherwise in the harbour, there were 25 Shelducks, two Lesser Black-backed Gulls, a pair of Oystercatchers with two well-grown chicks, a Whimbrel, aBlack-tailed Godwit, half a dozen Dunlin and Ringed Plover, ten Redshanks and a few Curlews, whilst a flock of 25 Turnstones flew in from offshore
Also, a Cattle Egret flew in to the Severals, a mixed flock of two Swifts, half a dozen Sand Martins and a dozen Swallows went through, and a Whitethroat, a Blackcap and the odd one or two Chiffchaffs, Reed, Sedge and Cetti's Warblers were along the front, with two Buzzards, a Kestrel, a Jay and Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers also noted. (AH/IP/P&LH)
Cattle Egret (above), Sandwich Tern, Ringed Plovers & Mediterranean Gulls at Church Norton (AH)
There were similar numbers of gulls and terns around the harbour again this evening, including the first-summer Common Tern, whilst four Sanderlings were on the mud, along with a few Dunlin and a couple of Ringed Plovers, and a Swallow went over.. 9MRe/AH)
Little Terns (above), Mediterranean Gull & Little Tern and Sanderlings at Church Norton (AH)
Mill Pond Marsh: A Black-tailed godwit and the field two returning Teal were on he flooded field this evening. (PA)
Teal at Mill Pond Marsh (PA)
