Little Terns added to year list.

Saturday 7th May 2022.

Above, Scorched Carpet moth and below, Least Black Arches at Cowplain Marshes this morning.

So surely we would get lucky today at being at one of the south coasts top seawatching sites, Selsey Bill and see our first Skua of the year? Right? Fat chance! Apparently, none went through this morning and a possible went through much later in the afternoon after Andy and myself had long left! However, we did get some ‘year-ticks’ under our belts with Andy getting both Little Tern and Sand Martin on his year list, while I just added the Little Tern. 

Above, Common Pug and below, May Highflyer also at Cowplain Marsh.

Work is still being carried out in my back garden and so no moth trap was put out overnight. However, Andy had his on overnight and we were rewarded with some nice moths. New for the year present here included a Scorched Carpet, Common Pug (2), Nut-tree Tussock, May Highflyer, Least Black Arches and the micro moths, Common Plume, Light Brown Apple Moth and Notocelia cynosbatella. There was also two Cockchafer beetles in attendance by the moth box.

Cockchafer Beetles by the moth box.

A Common Seal off Selsey Bill this morning.

Arriving at Selsey Bill around 9am, we decided to sit on one of the benches to watch what went through and though no Skua’s were seen, there was a bit of variety offshore including a lot of Terns fishing offshore. Sandwich, a few Common and a lot of Little Terns were seen passing through and probably catching fish and then heading off to Pagham Harbour . Several Gannets were noted with most flying west and at least 4 flocks of Common Scoter headed east. Other sightings here while enjoying a lovely cup of coffee from the little Kiosk nearby, included a pair of Great Crested Grebes heading low west over the sea; 2 individual Whimbrel flying east as was a single Bar-tailed Godwit and finally, a single Oystercatcher. Another bonus was the sighting of a couple of Green-veined White butterflies fluttering about  along  with a few Small and Large Whites among the Hoary Cress growing near the beach.

A flock of Common Scoter passing through eastbound.

A passing Spitfire entertaining the birders over the sea! 

A Green-veined White butterfly flying over the Hoary Cress by the beach. 

By 11am, things really began to fizzle out and what with jet skis going through and the tide being well out, it began  to get really quiet and so we decided to 'up-sticks' and make our way to Church Norton. Walking down the path to the harbour, a male Blackcap showed well in a dead tree , but little else of note around the Church yard. We managed to grab one of the benches overlooking the harbour and I got to work checking out the many waders on the mudflats. Unfortunately, there was no sign of yesterdays Curlew Sandpiper, but there were good numbers of Dunlin (in summer plumage), Bar-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel and Ringed Plover. A few Turnstone were seen on the beach to the south and a few Curlew were further north in the harbour. 

The male Blackcap by the footpath leading to Pagham harbour.

One of many Whimbrel in the harbour.

 These summer-plumage Dunlin in the harbour. Heat haze was kicking in as the morning wore on.

Sandwich and Little Terns among the Black-headed Gulls in the harbour.

Again, there was a lot of Terns out in the harbour  resting on the mudflats that included Sandwich, Little and a single Common Tern and also good numbers of Mediterranean Gulls on both the mudflats and Tern Island. We then took a stroll around the Severals area and then took the path around Greenlease Farm area and back to the car park. Sightings along here included Chiffchaff, Common Whitethroat, Mistle Thrush and Great Spotted Woodpecker, but nothing more exciting than that.

Ringed Plover and Dunlin in the harbour.

A Black-tailed Godwit on the Ferry Pool.

A Little Egret flying east over the Ferry Pool.  

A Marsh Frog on the small pool near the Hide.

Our next stop was to be Sidlesham Ferry Pool, but not before checking out the big pond on the way to the Hide. By the pond, I had my first female Hairy Dragonfly of the year and actually laying eggs, but grabbing a photo of the insects was proving difficult. I got much better luck when I managed to take some photos of the vocal Marsh Frog, which I lent my binoculars to an old lady to view the Frogs (my good deed for the day!) From the Hide, the only waders present in the pool were around 30+ Black-tailed Godwit, and singles of Avocet and Redshank. There was no sign of yesterdays drake Garganey, Whinchat or Wheatear out in the fields, however, a male Kestrel was hovering just south of the Ferry Pool So, it was time to go home and reflect on a relaxing mornings birding.