Stay Signed In
Do you want to access your site more quickly on this computer? Check this box, and your username and password will be remembered for two weeks. Click logout to turn this off.
Stay Safe
Do not check this box if you are using a public computer. You don't want anyone seeing your personal info or messing with your site.
Back to the first of the month again and I gave it a good try to get somewhere near 100 for the month. Close of play (4pm), I had notched up 75 species, which wasn’t too bad on a beautiful day yet again. A breezy easterly wind kept the temperatures down to the mid
Unbeknown to me, the Glossy Ibis that was seen yesterday was still around, but I took the drive down to the Breach Pool to hopefully see the drake Garganey. A small crowd of birders were present, but none offered to say that the Ibis was still present.
The tide was up within the harbour and a lone Great Crested Grebe was seen near the sea wall, somewhat asleep on the water. Out in the harbour on the islands, I could see good numbers of both Whimbrel and Bar-tailed Godwits. Most of the Godwits were in their brick red dress though a few still showed winter plumage. Amongst them included my first Knot of the year (another summer plumaged bird), Grey Plover and Dunlin. Up to six Wigeon were seen swimming near the waders also.
Back on the Breach Pool, I found the drake Garganey asleep on the bank next to a drake Gadwall. The bird was disturbed briefly by a flapping Canada Goose and came out of its slumber to check out that it was safe to go back to sleep! A drake Shoveler was also on the Pool as well as a pair of Tufted Ducks. Just the one Little Grebe was seen near the reedbeds.
Waders on the Pool included a couple of Redshank, then a pair of Little Ringed Plovers turned up from out of the blue! These showed very well and very obliging for anyone with a camera. A pair of Reed Warblers chased each other over the reedbed and a singing male Reed Bunting was seen perched on a bramble within the fields.
It turned out that the Ibis was seen sometime mid morning then showed again flying north around 2pm. I suppose it would have been nice to see another one seeing I only have seen the Devon bird some years ago. But there is a good chance it could hang around.
I stopped off quickly at the Ferry Pool incase of a passing odd wader but the only thing of note was a single Little Ringed Plover near the road. I also counted 47 Shelducks on the Ferry Pool but very little else of note.
After having my lunch within Church Norton car park, I decided to give the churchyard a miss seeing it was gone midday. The tide was slowly going down within the harbour but at least 40+ Sandwich Terns were seen perched on one of the groynes. A pair of Little Terns flew past over the harbour and a second pair was seen flying past the shoreline by the beach.
Out in the harbour, just like off the Breach Pool, good numbers of Whimbrel and Bar-tailed Godwit rested on the islands. I picked up my first Turnstone of the month also so it was worth scanning the islands after all.
Allegedly, a Montague’s Harrier flew over Church Norton this morning, but there was no sign of the bird this afternoon. I was hoping for yesterdays Spotshanks on the Severals to be still present so I took a walk in that direction. Apart from a Lapwing, there was sod all in the Pony Field so I headed north along the footpath seeing there was no sign of the Spotshanks.
Common Whitethroat and Cetti’s Warbler were comfortably added to my month total, as was a single Chiffchaff, which showed all to briefly. The long walk back behind the Priory and to the car park produced a couple of Red-legged Partridges and a Kestrel, which upset the local Swallows. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen high up in a distant tree with a second flying over the woodland, but no sightings of any Green Woodys.
I had a quick look at Marlpit Lane for Nightingales but none were singing this afternoon. Also, a quick look on Thorney, overlooking the Pony Fields, produced no further month ticks, though the Turtle Dove has returned with the bird showing well perched on overhead wires.
70’s but the strength of that sun was evident.
Kicking off with the Chichester Gravel Pits, there were plenty of usual suspects present but no sign of last weeks Ruddy Duck, which was a shame. But an unexpected Common Sandpiper near Trout Lake made up for that, a ‘first for the year’ bird.
Both Reed Warblers and Sedge Warblers showed well with many small reedbed or bramble holding one of these species. A male Blackcap dashed across the footpath to be added to my list. Wildfowl included Tufted Duck and Gadwall, and the Grey Lags had to go on my list. Coots had their young out on the water, as did a pair of Mallards.
Overhead, I was pleased to see my first Turtle Doves of the year, with three birds chasing each other over the vicinity. With a clear blue sky, I was hoping for more Hirundines or a Hobby, but for my efforts, only a couple of Swifts were seen, though good numbers of Common Terns were courting one another high in the sky. On the insect front, I saw my first Blue tailed Damselflies of the year, with one individual sat on the footpath for me to photograph.
Blue-tailed Damselfly on the footpath on Chichester Gravel Pits today.
Breach Pool, North Wall, Pagham Harbour, West Sussex.
The drake Garganey and drake Gadwall on the Breach Pool this morning.
Siddlesham Ferry Pool, West Sussex
The pair of Little Ringed Plovers on the Breach Pool this morning.
Church Norton & Pagham Harbour, West Sussex.
Barwits and Whimbrel resting within Pagham Harbour this afternoon.
