At Medmerry on the west side on Friday, plenty of local birders about so good coverage of the area. For my part, the two Garganeys were still on Easton pool and around Marsh Barn, good numbers of both Whinchat and Stonechat.
I've been walking from the stilt pools to the breach recently and whilst this area hasn't produced much so far surely its time will come; reminds me so much of Pennington/Keyhaven or Hollesley with pools just the other side of the shingle. It may take time but I'm convinced that something good will be found here (not by me obviously!!). Fingers crossed. On Friday, approximately twenty Wheatears along the fenceline and on the beach, Meadow Pipits, a constant passage of House Martins & Swallows and an Osprey sat in the middle of the reserve. The Osprey was still there viewable from the east side later in the day.
Wheatear:
Osprey (honest-heat haze & distance an issue!):
Black Tern, juvenile:
Meadow Pipit:
On the way back I stopped at Ivy Lake on the Chichester Gravel Pits complex to see if the Black Tern, unreported for a couple of days, was still there. Happily it was.
Stonechat:
Wheatear:
Osprey (honest-heat haze & distance an issue!):
Black Tern, juvenile:
On Saturday I repeated Friday's route. The Garganey were still there but there were fewer Whinchat, Stonechat and only one Wheatear. At the sea defence rocks I spotted something splashing about as if having a bath and it turned out to be a first Winter Razorbill, I did wonder if it was OK, maybe oiled etc., but it turned up later at the breach looking fine.
Razorbill, having a wash:
Meadow Pipit:
I'd put the Black Tern out on the SOS website (not everyone reads blogs!) and it was good to see a few people there today checking the bird out including one fellow who took his time, bless him, to pontificate on the bird and to show me a photo of it just so I knew it was the correct bird...my photo from the Selsey Birder blog as it happened, I didn't let on but did have a little silent chuckle I admit!
Black Tern:
