First, a look round Oving with my son where we found a Whitethroat and a showy Garden Warbler.
In the afternoon I cycled down to Medmerry, the four Avocets were still on the first pool by Easton Lane:

a Corn Bunting on the way down:

and the Black-Winged Silts:

Then over to Sack Lane at Lidsey where the farmer was spraying the crops in the water meadow! Funny to moan about birders disturbing the crops & Lapwings when the Glossy Ibises were there and then to be doing this I thought...Despite the disturbance, a Yellow Wagtail, a Redshank and some Ringed Plovers were about. Also there what I presume is the Summer plumage Little Stint reported on Birdguides, very red indeed..is it something more (or less?)? Sanderling or Red Necked Stint!!!!

More Brown Long Eared Bats in the trees at the Common last night than usual, also a fly-over Grey Heron and a pair of Mallards. A Woodlark was singing in its usual spot. Woodcocks not so numerous but better views as they skimmed the trees. Nightjars started churring about 8:45.

Woodcock:

Nightjar:

A cycle ride to Medmerry this morning, and the Black-Winged Stilts were being twitched by the world which is fair enough. Also there the Avocets, Little Ringed Plovers and Ringed Plovers. On the way back plenty of Yellowhammers and Reed Warblers.

Little Ringed Plover:

Avocet on a stick..:

Ringed Plover:

Only had time for a quick look around in the last couple of days, not much doing for me but a Reed Warbler was one of the many at the Ferry Pool area of Pagham:

a few Avocets there too:

At home, a twilight Song Thrush:

A fantastic night at a Sussex common! Fortunate to see at least ten Woodcocks including a close pair, Stonechats, a Hobby and many Nightjars, including a really close bird in near daylight.

Woodcock exit stage left:

Yellowhammer:

Took the family (including Grandad!!) to Arundel WWT today. Reed Warbler, Cetti's Warbler and Reed Bunting showed well, but Sedge Warbler was absent as far as I could see (probably in residence though!). A Common Tern was also well photographed by those with far bigger cameras than me!:

Black-Headed Gull tending her nest:

A wild Mandarin Duck (well it flew in anyway!):

and a Water Vole, which we all enjoyed as it had a snack on the bank:

A distant Wood Sandpiper was at the very back of the Ferry Pool at Sidlesham earlier in the week, yet again though, the news took its time getting out...fortunately it did hang around:

Also there were about 100 Swifts and a nice Redshank:

Also earlier in the week, a Curlew Sandpiper was at Medmerry with the "breeding" Black-Winged Stilts.

At Medmerry today with the family and the Black-Winged Stilts were still in residence, mainly having a doze whilst we were there, they did stand up for a while:

And I must say a thing of elegance is a Stilt in flight, even if I didn't get a picture!

I missed the Tree Pipit, but did get a Skylark (there are plenty to be fair!):

And off the beach at the end was a steady stream, I'll not call it a passage, of Sandwich Terns:

Firstly, a few bits from the farm, Whitethroat, Chiffchaff and Jay:

Then I happened upon the Selsey Birding Blog and a report of two Black-Winged Stilts at Medmerry. As far as I know the news wasn't put on RBA/Birdguides/Sussex Birding so I put it out. Thankfully, a few more people got to see them than otherwise might have been the case...

A bit of a shaky video here of the Stilts:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8YiK6eVCBI&feature=youtu.be

So...no one actually saw the "Marsh Warbler" at North Walls as it was too skulking, but at least two people definitely heard a warbler with an odd combination and mimicry of a song...someone turns up and sees a Reed Warbler not mimicking anything and being really showy and "there you go definitely not a Marsh Warbler!!" is put on Birdguides! ffs. but moving swiftly on via Gosport, cough...

Cetti's Warbler at Lidsey:

Reed Warbler at North Walls:

A Fox... "hang on though could be a Finnish Spitz, I know that even though I've not seen it"...

Four Black Swans on Ivy Lake:

And a Song Thrush at Church Norton:

Narrowly missed the Hooded Crow at Selsey Bill as it flew from the shingle bar just before I arrived (hey maybe the news could have been put out a bit sooner...) on the way back plenty of Common Terns on Westhampnett and a Peregrine over the farm.

A bit limited today due to illness but managed an hour round Pulborough Brooks before the lurgi took hold! A Spoonbill was distantly visible from the visitor centre via their scope and Nightingales were skulking at the back of Adder alley, though in good voice despite the wind. On the feeders, a Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, a Blackcap and a Moorhen (!) all showed well amongst others, and that was me for the day.

An influx of Spotted Flycatchers today at Church Norton, with at least five being seen (Climping had eight as well):

Chichester GPs were full of Swifts, House Martins, Common Terns and the odd Swallow, also present on Ivy Lake was a Black Swan:

Here is a little video of the possible Italian Sparrow at East Meon, Hampshire, whether it is the genuine article or a hybrid I don't know (appears to lack the streaking of a Spanish Sparrow though...) but it's certainly an interesting bird to see which is what it's all about for me:

http://youtu.be/cdhEV1_ABmU

and a few stills too:

I'm sure everyone knows by now that May 5th 2014 was a special day for south coast sea watchers! At last the Pomarine Skuas moved en masse with some sites recording more than 100 past-Selsey managed 74 all told of which I saw a good few (also managed a few from Climping too), as well as Arctic Skuas, Great Skuas and all manner of Terns.

Pomarine Skuas on a mission: