7th - 9th June 2018

Saturday, 9th June: A dry and cloudy day with periods of hazy sunshine breaking through and a light easterly/variable breeze.....

Church Norton: Early this morning there were 4 Little Egrets, 4 Curlews and a Whimbrel in the harbour. Also, 2 Lesser Whitethroats were in the hedgerows near the churchyard, with a singing Skylark and 10 Swifts passing overhead.  (AW)

 Curlew (above), Whimbrel (centre) and Lesser Whitethroat at Church Norton (AW)

Ferry Pool: There were a few less birds about this morning, but still included a Greenshank, a Little Ringed Plover, six Lapwings, 18 Avocets, ten Redshank, 22 Black-tailed Godwits, five Teal and the Shelduck family. (AH) 

Greenshank (above), Avocets, Lapwing & Black-tailed Godwit on the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: There was the unusual sight of an Avocet in the small balancing pond at the end of Manor Lane this morning. (IP/S&SaH)

Avocet at Pak Farm, Selsey (SH)

Nearby, in our moth-trap there was a Buff-tip. (SH)

Buff-tip in a Selsey garden (SH)

Long Pool: There were at least eight singing Reed Warblers and three singing Sedge Warblers along the pool, plus a couple of Whitethroats and Linnets, with two or three Skylarks over the fields.

At the far end of Ferry Channel there were c30 Dunlin and a dozen Grey Plovers, along with c50 Shelduck and two Gadwall. (AH/IP)

Sedge Warbler (above), Grey Plover & Gadwall from Long Pool (AH)

Medmerry: West side - This morning the were still a few corvids around the cultivated areas along with a few Herring and Black-headed Gulls and there were the usual Skylarks &  Yellowhammers along the banks as well as a confiding Cuckoo. There was plenty of Whitethroat activity near Marsh Barn and there were three Large Skippers along the path here along with a deceased Cream-spot Tiger moth. The Stilt Pool held much the same as yesterday with the addition of four Dunlin and the return of the presumed Tufted Duck X Pochard aythya hybrid. (BI)

Medmerry: Ham -  A Corn Bunting was singing from the fenceline and a Reed Bunting was doing likewise near the pools. Another Large Skipper was by the viewpoint as was a Painted Lady. (BI)

Cuckoo (above), Large Skipper, (ex) Cream-spot Tiger & aythya hybird at Medmerry (BI)

Reed Bunting at Ham (BI)

Friday, 8th June: The breeze persisted from the north-easterly quarter, but was fairly light, and again the day brightened up slowly after a grey start, becoming reasonably warm........

Selsey Bill: Nothing much was moving offshore, apart from 80 Common Scoters, a Fulmar and a Kittiwake, but the pair of Shelducks that have been around all spring re-appeared on the sea with a brood of small youngsters that must have been hatched very nearby. This must surely be a first breeding record for the Bill! Full log below......(OM)

0740-1010hrs: (OM)

Fulmar - 1W

Gannet - 5E, 2W

Shelduck - Pair with 8 small ducklings on sea

Common Scoter - 80E

Sanderling - 3W

Sandwich Tern - 5 os fishing

Kittiwake - 1E

Swift - 8p (local birds)

Swallow - 3p

also - Painted Lady butterfly - flew N up beach onto vegetation

above - Presumed female Shelduck with brood of 8 small young on the sea, fairly close to shore but swimming out,  and below - further out, joining up with presumed male bird. The male had been alone offshore some while, but then flew into the gardens.....before flying back out to sea. A short while later the female and brood appeared and were seen just offshore, eventually heading well out to sea to join him. (OM)

Newly-arrived Painted Lady butterfly on beach vegetation at the Bill; yes Andy, I know you're meant to photo the upperwing, but it wouldn't oblige, then flew off north into gardens! (OM)

Medmerry: West side - There was no sign again of the Hooded Crow this morning although there were still plenty of corvids in the area especially on the newly planted broccoli fields. Elsewhere it was fairly quiet with just the usual Whitethroats, Yellowhammers & Skylarks around the banks and Reed Warblers & Reed Buntings along the pools. The Stilt Pool held Canada Geese, Tufted Ducks, the remaining Avocets & chicks, a Ringed Plover and 21 Black-tailed Godwits. (BI)

Reed Bunting at Medmerry (BI)

Breach (east side): Three Corn Buntings were singing around the periphery, and 2 pairs of Skylark were interacting with each other in the remaining grassy area near the fence line. It was however very quiet on the mudflats area, with no waders at all bar a couple of Oystercatchers, 3 Great Crested Grebes in the channels and plenty of loafing gulls and Cormorants. (OM)

Medmerry: Ham - There were at least three Corn Buntings singing here as well, two Reed Warblers were singing from the pools and a Cuckoo flew over towards the farm. There were at least six Painted Lady butterflies along the paths and better numbers of Common Blues as well as a small but welcome emergence of Meadow Browns. (BI)

Corn Bunting (above), Common Blue, Painted Lady & Meadow Brown at Ham (BI)

Sidlesham: Church Farm Lane - The two Grey Partridges were in the fields at the far end of the lane again this evening. (IP)

Ferry Pool: More or less a replay of yesterday morning, with the Greenshank, Knot, two Dunlin and two Little Ringed Plovers all still present, along with the Shelduck family, 12 Avocets, 65 Black-tailed Godwits, eight Lapwing and ten Redshank (plus two young). (AH/OM)

Knot and Redshank (above), Greenshank and Redshanks, Little Ringed Plovers & Lapwing at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A look along the west side produced a Whimbrel, four Curlews, two Dunlin,  16 Black-tailed Godwits, ten Ringed Plovers and eight Grey Plovers in the harbour, along with the usual terns and gulls and c50 Shelducks, with 15 Lapwings going over west, but there was little of note along the hedges beyond 20+ Linnets, a couple of Whitethroats and a briefly singing Lesser Whitethroat. (AH)

Whimbrel and Curlew (above), Curlew, Grey Plovers, Black-tailed Godwits and Shelducks, Common Tern, Linnets & Thrift at Church Norton (AH)

Thursday, 7th June: The north-easterly breeze had eased a little this morning, though it was another murky start........

Medmerry: Earnley to Marsh Barn - A Hooded Crow was among the many corvids on a field being ploughed between the Earnley car-park and Marsh Barn. Unfortunately it was lost among the mobile corvid flocks and could not be re-found by 1pm. (JDW)

Ferry Pool: There was a good selection on the pool this morning, including a Greenshank, a Knot in summer plumage, two Dunlin, two Little Ringed Plovers, 22 Avocets, 110 Black-tailed Godwits, five Lapwing (with another dozen drifting over west), eight Redshank, the Shelduck family and six Teal (including five drakes).

The Tramway circuit was fairly quiet, though a mobile Cuckoo was about and a couple each of Blackcap, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff and Reed Warbler were singing.(AH)

Knot (above), Knot and Black-tailed Godwit, Knot, Little Ringed Plover and Black-tailed Godwits, Greenshank & Chiffchaff around the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: Two Cuckoos were showing well along the wall his morning and plenty of Reed Warblers were singing, though no Sedge Warblers. There was not much in the harbour, though there were a Whimbrel and three Black-tailed Godwits on the mud. (PB)

Church Norton: There are currently 16 Little Tern nests, 20 of Sandwich Tern and 12 of Common Tern on the island, along with several pairs of Ringed Plover and Oystercatcher. (IL)
This morning a Peregrine was out in the harbour, whilst on the mud there were a Curlew, a couple of Dunlin and c20 Ringed Plovers, along with three Gadwall. A Cuckoo was at the back of the Severals and the Little Grebe with two chicks was on the second Several, but beyond a few Linnets and the odd snatch of Blackcap, Whitethroat and Reed Warbler song, it was fairly quiet. (AH/IL)

Cuckoo (above), Linnets, Gadwall, Curlew & Little Grebes at Church Norton (AH)

Selsey: An Elephant Hawk-moth was in the trap this morning. (SH)

Elephant Hawk-moth in a Selsey garden (SH)

4th - 6th June 2018

Wednesday, 6th June:  The brisk north-easterly breeze made it a very chilly start to the day, but it warmed up as the sun broke through later in the morning........

Ferry Pool: The Avocet tally had risen to 22 this morning, including a couple of potentially brooding birds, and there were also 43 Black-tailed Godwits,the two Little Ringed Plovers, the three juvenile Lapwings, several Redshank and the Shelduck family around the pool. (AH/OM) Later on there were four Little Ringed Plovers present. (RW)

Juvenile Lapwing (above), Black-tailed Godwits & Avocets on the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: There were plenty of Reed and Sedge Warblers singing, but keeping low, along with a Blackcap and a couple of Linnets and Reed Buntings, whilst a Cuckoo was calling along the west side and on the water there were a Little Grebe and two chicks, a new Coot family and four Gadwall.
There were two drake Teal in Ferry channel, along with a Whimbrel, a dozen Redshank and c40 Shelduck. (AH)

Whimbrel (above), Teal, Little Grebes & Reed Bunting from Long Pool (AH)

Fishbourne Creek: A growing flock of Red Kites that reached an amazing 11 birds (surely a peninsula record?) was following the plough in the field by Apuldram church early this afternoon. (AB)

Church Norton: A quick early look was very unproductive, with no waders seen and just the usual mix of terns and gulls on the island, all put up by something unseen, whilst there were also a pair of Lapwings and a Skylark on the lettuce fields in Rectory Lane.. (AH)
On the rising tide this afternoon there was a Bar-tailed Godwit and distantly in the heat haze five Ringed Plover and a Dunlin. Also, a Gannet passed low very close to the beach before landing on the sea and drifting towards the Bill. (RWE)

Tern Island (above), Lapwings & Skylark and Lapwing at Church Norton (AH)

Sidlesham: A Cuckoo flew over our garden on the west of the village early this morning, calling as it went. (AH)

Selsey: Two Common Terns went over our garden on the north of the village this morning, and a Poplar Kitten was in the moth-trap. (SH)

Poplar Kitten in a Selsey moth-trap (SH)

West Itchenor: There were a dozen House Martins around the harbour office this morning, but very little else of note, with just the odd Blackcap or Chiffchaff singing and a dozen Grey Plovers out on the mud on the far side. (AH)

House Martin at West Itchenor (AH)

North Wall: On the Breech Pool there were two Tufted Ducks, a few Mallard and the Great Crested Grebes still sitting on eggs, whilst Swallows were using the fence posts as preening stations and nearby, a Jay was hunting in the bushes and causing great distress to a pair of Linnets. 
The Mute Swans at Owl Point recently hatched 5 cygnets but I could not locate them this morning though a Cuckoo was at this location and a couple of Common Terns were fishing along Pagham Rife, the first time I have recorded them here. On Honer Reservor there were three Mute Swans and five Tufted Ducks, four males and a female, and Ox-eye Daisies were out in full bloom there. (JDW)

Swallow (above), Jay, Great Crested Grebe & Ox-eye Daisies around North Wall (JDW)

Medmerry (west side): A midday walk from the Earnley car park to the stilt pools found plenty of Swifts low over the fields with Yellowhammer and Whitethroat common in the scrub/hedges. At the stilt pool a summer plumage Knot was in with in with the 47 Black-tailed Godwits. (Also, a possible Cream-Spotted Tiger Moth was over the ditch between Medmerry Park and the car park  - thanks to the RSPB volunteers at Sidlesham for sorting out the ID)  (RW)

Tuesday, 5th June:  A cool and very grey morning, with a fresh north-easterly breeze....

Ferry Pool: There were two Little Ringed Plovers on the pool again, along with six Avocets, 22 Black-tailed Godwits, five Dunlin, ten Redshank, six Lapwing and the Shelduck family. (AH)
Later, a Greenshank and a Green Sandpiper (late migrant or first returner?) were present, the Black-tailed Godwit count had risen to 66 and a Whimbrel was near the end of Ferry channel. (S.Chastell)

Black-tailed Godwit and Lapwing (above) & Dunlin on the Ferry (AH)

(above) Green Sandpiper and Greenshank with Black-tailed Godwits on the Ferry Pool, and (below) Black-tailed Godwit (S. Chastell)

Church Norton: There were 3 Little, 12 Sandwich and 2 Common Terns present this afternoon, plus 15 Dunlin, 17 Ringed Plover, 19 Black-tailed Godwits and a Cuckoo. (S.Chastell)

Sidlesham: Church Farm Lane - There was no sight or sound of the Nightingale in the copse at the far end of the lane early this morning, though Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, Reed Warbler and Song Thrush were all singing well, whilst a Brown Hare and two Shelducks were in the fields. (AH)

Shelduck (above) & Brown Hare at Church Farm Lane, Sidlesham (AH)

Selsey: A Small Elephant Hawk-moth in the trap this morning was a new one for us. (SH)

Small Elephant Hawk-moth in a Selsey moth-trap (SH)

North Wall / East side: Predictably quiet with early summer now upon us. On the Breech Pool were 6 Tufted Duck, a Gadwall, the pair of Great Crested Grebes and a Canada Goose, whilst along the Wall the now-resident Whitethroats, Reed and Sedge Warblers and a couple of Cetti's Warblers were making their presence felt with bursts of song and up to 10 Swifts were hawking over the back fields.

Out on the mudflats from the east side there were 3 Curlews and 4+ Ringed Plovers among the resident Oystercatchers, but little else bar a few Shelducks and the lone Brent Goose, plus 2 Great Crested Grebes in the channel. Several Whitethroats and a couple of Chiffchaffs were along the hedgerows, and another Cetti's Warbler was heard near to the caravan park. (OM)

Monday, 4th June:  A bit cooler than yesterday, with a fresh north-easterly breeze, but still a pleasant and mostly sunny morning....

Selsey Bill: 0720-0820hrs: Hardly worth the effort this morning, with just 5 Gannets east and up to 10 Sandwich Terns fishing offshore. A check along the gardens produced nothing except for half a dozen Swifts (presumably now local birds), and at least 12 of the now-resident House Martins were collecting mud from around the puddles. Sadly, it seems that someone (residents or council) has needlessly decimated the tamarisk bushes (in front of the bungalows) again! (OM)

With Bill-tip habitat at a premium, why was it thought necessary to hack down these tamarisk bushes - and in the nesting season too! (OM)

Sidlesham: Church Farm Lane - A Nightingale was singing from the copse at the far end of the lane this evening. (S&SaH) Later there was a Grey Partridge in the field near the footpath. (BI)

Grey Partridge at Church Farm Lane (BI)

Ferry Pool: There was a Greenshank at the back this morning, and there were also at least two Little Ringed Plovers, 12 Avocets, c60 Black-tailed Godwits, eight Dunlin, six Redshank, four Lapwing and the Shelduck family present. (AH/OM)

Greenshank and Little Ringed Plovers (above), Little Ringed Plover & Black-tailed Godwit on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A quick look early on produced c40 Black-tailed Godwits, c30 Dunlin and a few Ringed Plovers in the harbour, along with few Sandwich and Little Terns, but not too much else. (AH/AW)

Little Tern at Church Norton (AH)

This evening in the harbour there were at least eight Sanderling, around 30 Dunlin and Ringed Plovers, 11 Black-tailed Godwits, two Redshank and 22 Turnstones. (AW)

Sanderlings, Dunlin and Black-tailed Godwit (above) & Sanderlings at Church Norton (AW)

Medmerry: Breach area - There were three singing male Corn Buntings and probably six birds in total, around the last bit of undeveloped waste ground near the viewpoint, along with a Stonechat and several Linnets, whilst on the tidal pools there was a flighty flock of 18 Sanderling and 11 Dunlin, and a couple of Swifts, House Martins and Swallows were overhead. (AH/MJ)

Corn Buntings (above), Sanderlings & Sanderlings and Dunlin at Medmerry (AH)

Medmerry: Chainbridge to Ham Farm - Encouragingly, there were a further three singing male Corn Buntings, and again probably six birds in total, around the banks at Ham this morning, along with another Stonechat, a Yellowhammer, a Reed Bunting and a few Linnets and Skylarks.

A Meadow Pipit was carrying food on the Chainbridge field, and there were a couple of Reed Warblers in the ditches and Whitethroats in  the hedges, plus a dozen or so Linnets and a Green Woodpecker. (AH)

Corn Buntings (above), Corn Bunting and Yellowhammer, Yellowhammer, Linnet, Meadow Pipit, Whitethroats & Green Woodpecker at Medmerry (AH)

Fishbourne Creek: A quick look this morning on the falling tide....the only birds of any note being the herd of 110 non-breeding Mute Swans, and the now-traditional small summering flock of Brent Geese (8 birds counted). (OM)

 Mute Swans in the channel at Fishbourne creek, and summering Brent Geese (OM)

Selsey: A Buff Ermine and a Small Magpie were in the trap this morning. (SH)

Buff Ermine (above) & Small Magpie in a Selsey moth-trap (SH)