19th - 22nd May 2025

Thursday, 22nd May: A grey, cool start with a light breeze N 2-3, remaining dry and soon becoming brighter as the breeze shifted to the SE.

I was birding well away from the local patch all morning, time allowing just a short visit to Bilsham farm on my way back. It was fairly quiet yet again, but on the reservoir were two Great Crested Grebes, two Tufted Ducks, a few Coots including a pair on the plastic floats re-building their nest after it was marauded, and now four broods of Mallard with their respective parents. Amongst the mainly Herring Gulls washing and preening on the water were three Lesser Black-backed Gulls (a near adult and two second-cycle birds = immatures)

A pair of Buzzards were again active over the fields and a Kestrel was also hunting the area.

Just a short visit today, with nothing too exciting to be found, but a Kestrel (above) was hunting, whilst amongst the gulls were some immature Lesser Black-backed Gulls (below - right, and bottom - centre)

Wednesday, 21st May: A notable change in the weather, with grey skies, intermittent light rain and a cool N wind force 3-4, which quickly changed as the breeze dropped and backed SW 1-2.

Elmer Rocks: The sea was flat calm most of the time, but there was no visible migration offshore that I could see. However, a total of ten Great Crested Grebes still on the sea was a bit of a surprise at this time of year, mostly in the general vicinity of the Poole Place rocks. A flock of seven Sanderlings stopped briefly before heading off eastwards close inshore, whilst along the beach were nine Oystercatchers, ten Turnstones and two Little Egrets, plus three Mallard still frantically chasing each other about near the rife.

There wasn't much else to report; a Chiffchaff and several Whitethroats, Blackcaps and Song Thrushes were still singing and a couple each of Swift and Swallow were flying over the back fields. Meanwhile, I was pleased to see that some of the vegetated shingle areas - a nationally rare habitat - have survived the upheaval and recent re-profiling of the beach, with the flowering Yellow-horned Poppies a real joy.

Two of the ten Great Crested Grebes off Elmer Rocks and Poole Place this morning

Vegetated shingle is a nationally rare habitat and it was a pleasure to see some of these hardy plants have survived the upheaval and re-profiling which has occurred in the last few years on the east end of Elmer beach. The Yellow-horned Poppies which are now in bloom are a joy to behold.

Tuesday, 20th May: More of the same yet again, with a very dry, fairly warm and mainly sunny day, as the NE wind force 4 soon eased down a couple of notches....

Shripney area: I opted for a bit of a change this morning, covering the wider area of Shripney and a bit of Lidsey, hoping for a bit of interest as things have gone notably quiet in the local area - and also hoping to target a Cuckoo as I haven't been able to connect with one on the local patch so far this year, even though they have been reported by others.

In the event, it proved to be quiet here also; literally, as there was no sound (or sight) of a Cuckoo or indeed anything much else beyond the expected species. On a small farm reservoir were two Little Grebes, a couple of Coots and two pairs of Mallard, with broods of six and one ducklings respectively. The usual selection of now-regular warbler species were all present (Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Reed, Sedge and Cetti's) plus Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker, Buzzards, Reed Bunting, Greenfinches and Yellowhammer, but there were to be no excitements, before I headed back for coffee.

You know it's a quiet time when Mallard turns out to be the highlight (!) but this was the case this morning, with this pair and their young on a small farm reservoir.

Monday, 19th May: Much the same weather as the last couple of weeks; high pressure, very dry, cloudy at first giving way to sunshine later, combined with a moderate NE breeze force 4, easing by late afternoon.

Elmer Rocks:  Having been committed with domestic duties through the day, a walk along the beach on a glorious evening was in order, with the tide receding and the wind having dropped. There was nothing out of the ordinary seen, but nonetheless my visit from 18:45-20:15hrs was very pleasant, as below:

Great Crested Grebe - 4 o/s

Gannet - 2 o/s

Little Egret - 2

Grey Heron - 1

Oystercatcher - 15

Whimbrel - one heard flying over, but not seen

Turnstone - 14 feeding on rife outfall, later flew E

Mediterranean Gull - c.20 o/s amongst large gathering of feeding gulls

Common Tern - 2 distant amongst feeding gulls

Sandwich Tern - 5 o/s drifted off E

(above) juvenile Grey Heron and Little Egret at Elmer Rocks - whilst (below) Turnstones feeding on the rife outfall