2nd - 3rd June 2025

Tuesday, 3rd June: A notable change to unsettled conditions and low pressure brought a very different feel to the weather, with strong to near gale force SW winds, heavy grey cloud and periods of generally light rain through the day.

Elmer Rocks: (0800-1000hrs) A couple of hours sea-watching this morning, before the rain set in, produced a welcome bit of variety, the best being an immature (2nd c/y) Little Gull, which headed west, quite close in, behind the rock islands. My log for the watch was as follow, with almost all the birds seen heading west:-

Fulmar - 2W

Gannet - 8W

Little Egret - 2W

Common Scoter - 2W

Oystercatcher - 2E

Kittiwake - 12W

Little Gull - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 2W

Sandwich Tern - 10W

At Elmer Rocks this morning, with all heading west: (above) Little Egret, followed by immature (2nd c/y) Mediterranean Gull,  Sandwich Terns and finally two Common Scoters with a Sandwich Tern

So, having heard of some Manx Shearwaters being seen off Selsey Bill late morning, I decided return to my sheltered sea-watching spot at Elmer Rocks, for a session of another couple of hours this afternoon. This is a difficult species to see locally as most birds that do pass are way out and usually at or beyond the edge of viewing range from the shore, but it was worth giving it a go.

There was less activity than this morning, with just five Sandwich Terns and a couple of Mediterranean Gulls amongst the squally showers - but persistence paid off, for at 1510hrs, after a heavy squall, a single Manx passed westwards at a comparatively close range of 2-300 metres, showing quite well, if all too briefly, but leaving no doubt. Try as I may I could not add another to the list over the next hour, but I was well satisfied, so time to call it a day.

Monday, 2nd June: Early cloud soon disappeared to leave a pleasantly sunny and fairly warm day, with just a light N breeze force 2, before some cloud bubbled up again and the wind backed W/SW, increasing to force 4-5.

Elmer Rocks: It was predictably quiet here, on a fine early summer's day with the tide well out. A single Great Crested Grebe was offshore, as were six Mediterranean Gulls, whilst two Sandwich Terns drifted east, a small flock of five Turnstones and three Sanderlings went west and two Little Egrets a couple of Oystercatchers were feeding along the shore.

There was little else of note, with hardly any song now from the resident nesting birds, although a Whitethroat and a Chiffchaff each gave a few weak bursts. Four Greenfinch and a few Goldfinch were chasing around and a pair of Linnets were in the long hedgerow, whilst two Swifts were high up over the fields at the back.

Little Egret feeding along the beach near Poole Place

Bilsham farm: It was also quiet on the reservoir this morning, with just a Little Grebe, a Great Crested Grebe, two Tufted Ducks, a few Mallard (and only one brood of young now showing) and 22 Coots. At least six House Martins and a similar number of Swifts were present, occasionally feeding above the water, but also above the fields, whilst further away a pair of Buzzards were soaring together, with some display occasionally.

The clear highlight for me though was adding an overdue 'patch year-tick' when I finally caught up here with a Cuckoo; after a slow start it eventually gave distant views before calling frequently for some time, so job done!

Buzzard at Bilsham Farm