22nd - 24th June 2015

Wednesday, 24th June: Another bright and breezy day after a cool grey start.....becoming warm later though still with a cooling south-westerly persisting, especially along the coast.....And just a reminder that Church Norton car park is closed today.

Church Norton: The Hudsonian Whimbrel was reported present at 0650hrs when it apparently flew down a channel further into the harbour (per RBA), but there were no further reports by late afternoon (perhaps partly due to observers not being able to access the car-park?)

Ferry Pool: There was a Common Sandpiper and three Little Ringed Plovers on the pool this morning, along with a peak of c130 Black-tailed Godwits, seven Teal, five Lapwing and 20 Redshank. There were four newly-fledged juvenile Avocets among the dozen present, and the six young Shelduck are almost fledged, too.

The Nightingales were heard fleetingly, but not seen, though still a number of Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps and Whitethroats singing around the Tramway/cycleway area, and the first Gatekeeper butterfly of the summer was seen. Also, one of the Song Thrushes includes a very passable Greenshank impersonation in its repertoire! (AH/OM)

Chiffchaff (above), juvenile Avocets, Black-tailed Godwits, juvenile Shelducks & Gatekeeper around the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: Still the usual Reed and Sedge Warblers singing intermittently, plus Reed Buntings and Linnets and the Great Crested and Little Grebe families present. Half a dozen Common Terns flew down the channel and off west over the Ferry and c30 Swifts were feeding high overhead. (AH)

Common Tern along Long Pool (AH)

Selsey Bill (0900-1000hrs): A dozen Gannets were fishing offshore, plus two Little Terns and about six each of Common and Sandwich Terns, whilst the only movement was a flock of 20 Common Scoter E. About 15-20 House Martins were present, most still doing their thing and collecting mud from the car-parking area puddles. One little highlight for me was discovering that one pair at least is nesting at Bill House. It's not possible to fully access the site to check for more (yet!) - but I cannot recall the species ever previously nesting there - unless anyone knows different? (OM).

House Martins still collecting mud from puddles at the Bill and a nest at Bill House (OM) 

Medmerry - Breach Viewpoint: A few waders present this morning... 24 Grey Plover, a single Dunlin, a Greenshank, 3 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Oystercatchers and 2 Curlew. Little else of note except for a Skylark apparently nesting in the rough grassy area west of the new caravans, and several Linnets (OM).

 

Tuesday, 23rd June: Bright and sunny early on, but cloud increasing by mid-morning, still with a fairly cool NW breeze....

Please remember that as of tomorrow 24th June the Church Norton car park will be closed for resurfacing for 3 days. Please park at the visitor centre. Thank you for your co-operation. (Per IL, Warden).

Church Norton: No sign of the Terek Sandpiper by mid-afternoon, but the Hudsonian Whimbrel was still present in the harbour, and was seen from the hide at 3.30pm, when it flew south. (PH) 

The Cuckoo was still calling around the Priory, but apart from a Blackcap or two, and a Sedge Warbler and a dozen or more Linnets along the Severals it had gone very quiet. There were two or three Common Terns and a Little Tern offshore, and the two Black-headed Gull chicks were still in the creek by the horse field, but there was not much else in the harbour. (AH et al)

Black-headed Gull chicks (above), Common Tern & Linnets at Church Norton (AH)

Ferry Pool: The Nightingales were still present, heard but not seen along the cycleway, and several Blackcaps and Whitethroats were singing in the vicinity. On the pool there were 12 Avocets, 15 Redshank, 6 Lapwing and c120 Black-tailed Godwits, plus a few Teal and a very freshly fledged Black-headed Gull. Also a Holly Blue and a few Meadow Brown butterflies were about. (AH)

Blackcap (above) & Holly Blue around the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: There were two families (a three and a two) of Little Grebes, plus the Great Crested Grebe family (of two chicks)  this morning, though the Reed and Sedge Warblers are starting to go quiet. There were plenty of Linnets and a couple of singing Reed Buntings along the edges, and there were 25 Redshank in the channel. (AH)

Sedge Warbler (above), Little Grebes & Great Crested Grebes along the :Long Pool (AH)

Sidlesham: A Tawny Owl was sitting on an electricity pole near the house this evening at 10pm, but didn't linger long. (AH)

Monday, 22nd June: A grey and rainy morning with a moderate NW wind, showers and drizzle lasting until mid-afternoon before the clouds cleared and the sun appeared....

Church Norton: The Terek Sandpiper was showing well from the bench area until 8.30am, when it flew off high over the harbour and appeared to land towards the North Wall, but it was not then re-located for some while. As more observers began to arrive and spread out to check various parts of the harbour there was a bit of unease growing, with some feeling it may have departed, but then late morning it popped out again, back in the same general area as before, much to everyone's relief.... and after a bit of hide-and-seek as it was temporarily lost from view in deep channels, it began to show well to all. What a pleasure to see so many happy birders...! (AH/OM)
The Hudsonian Whimbrel was also still present; it was seen in flight at 9am, but then dropped out of view, before being re-located and showing from time to time.

Otherwise, the Cuckoo was still calling, and in the harbour there were six Turnstones, four Ringed Plover, at least one Eurasian Whimbrel and three Curlew. (AH/OM/DF et al) Later also a Greenshank and 2 Bar-tailed Godwits (PJ).

Terek Sandpiper at Church Norton (AH)

This evening the Terek Sandpiper was showing well again to a fair sized crowd by the benches, and the Hudsonian Whimbrel was being typically difficult out in the saltmarsh with a couple of Whimbrel and a dozen Curlews, only giving itself up occasionally in brief flights, but most visitors were going home happy, having seen both. (AH)

More images of the Terek Sandpiper at Church Norton (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were three Little Ringed Plovers, a Common Sandpiper, a Green Sandpiper, a Dunlin, 11 Avocets, six Teal, the Shelduck family,  24 Redshank and 121 Black-tailed Godwits around the pool late morning. We've had a grumble or two in the past (!), but it's fair to say the pool is looking great for waders right now (AH/OM/DSh et al)

Nearby, along the cycle path this afternoon, one adult Nightingale was seen flying into the bushes, three young Whitethroats were being fed by their parent, two young Blackcaps worked their way noisily along the hedge with both parents nearby and a young Chaffinch was being fed.  Also a Kestrel present and a Green Woodpecker flew over (SR).

Green Sandpiper (above) & Common Sandpiper on the Ferry (AH)

Avocets, Black-tailed Godwits and a few Redshank roosting on the Ferry this afternoon (OM)

Selsey Bill (1200-1330hrs): Cloudy, rain/drizzle, W/NW 3-4. Basically a long lunch-break taken at the Bill in the vain hope of a petrel or a bit of movement.... it didn't happen of course and the only birds logged were Gannets (9E, 6W), a Little Tern and several each of Common and Sandwich Tern moving to-and-fro, 2 Ringed Plovers on the beach and c.10 of the 'local' House Martins now spoilt for choice with a selection of puddles to visit! (OM).

A colourful Bill House garden in summer bloom - it is still surely the best garden for migrants at the Bill-tip, but most observers apart from a few hardened regulars will not have seen it like this, now the spring sea-watching season is over (OM).

North Wall: Very quiet this morning - the highlight was 2 Cuckoos, a male was calling loudly at Honer and a female was perched on the back of a bench along the Wall trying to swallow a large caterpillar. No sooner had the caterpillar disappeared then the Cuckoo was 'bombed' by a Reed Warbler. No contest in size but it was the Cuckoo that flew off! Also there were 9 Swifts over the Breech Pool. (JDW)