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Local weather

Update

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12th May

It remains very slow-going on the land with just five Buzzards and 57 Corn Buntings of interest. Seawatching throughout the day produced just three Pintail, two Eiders, three Velvet Scoters, 483 Common Scoters, six Grey Plover, 101 Sanderling, three Little Terns, six Black Terns, five Arctic Skuas, two Pomarine Skuas, a Black-throated Diver, a Manx Shearwater and two Little Egrets.

Ten Porpoise and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore and a Brown Hare was seen on the land.

Ten Variable Damselflies and a Norfolk Hawker were seen at the Long Pits.


11th May

A day of variety but still not many migrants in the bushes in the fresh, cold NE winds. The highlight came late in the day with an adult Long-tailed Skua passing close inshore at 1740hrs after being seen earlier in the day off Selsey Bill. Over 11hrs of seawatching produced a few notable birds but numbers were generally low with a Pintail, 11 Shoveler, a Velvet Scoter, 459 Common Scoters, 87 Grey Plover, 15 Whimbrel, four Redshank, a Greenshank, 20 Knot, 83 Sanderlings, three Mediterranean Gulls,12 Little Terns, three Black Terns, seven each of Arctic and Pomarine Skuas, five Black-throated Divers and two Manx Shearwaters. On the land, a White Stork and a Bee-eater were of note.

Six Porpoise and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.

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10th May

Yet again, seawatching provided most of the interest with migration on the land at a virtual standstill. Thirteen hours of watching produced 14 Shelduck, 16 Shoveler, a Pintail, six Velvet Scoters, 262 Common Scoters, 163 Grey Plovers, 47 Whimbrel, 129 Knot, 42 Sanderling, two Redshank, 20 Little Terns, seven Black Terns, seven Pomarine Skuas, (taking the spring tally to 110 birds), seven Arctic Skuas, six Black-throated Divers and a Great Northern Diver. A Greenshank, 39 Swallows and three Yellow Wagtails flew over. 

Four Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

Two Brown Argus butterflies were seen.

9th May

More seawatching in the continuing strong, cold north-easterly winds. It was actually fairly slow-going offshore but 13 hours of watching produced 118 Grey Plovers, 427 Whimbrels, 101 Bar-tailed Godwits, 96 Knot, 15 Sanderling, eight Little Terns, three Black Terns, seven Pomarine Skuas, 15 Arctic Skuas, a Great Northern Diver and a Little Egret. Still very quiet on the land.

Six Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

Six Brown Argus and two Grizzled Skippers were seen in sheltered spots around the Point.

8th May

Seawatching for most of the day was productive with 123 Grey Plovers, 487 Whimbrels, 15 Knot, 11 Sanderling, ten Dunlin, 17 Little Terns, five Black Terns, six Mediterranean Gulls, ten Pomarine Skuas, 11 Arctic Skuas, two Black-throated Divers and two Manx Shearwaters of note. The cold weather saw a strong movement of Swallows with 260 along with six Sand Martins and six House Martins heading out to sea but the bushes were very quiet.

Two Porpoises and two Grey Seals were feeding offshore.

7th May

Another cold day with a bit moving offshore but very quiet on the land. Three sessions of seawatching totaling 5.5hrs produced 16 Whimbrel, 59 Bar-tailed Godwits, four Little Terns and singles of  Great and Arctic Skuas. Birds passing overhead included seven Swifts, 17 Sand Martins, 81 Swallows and a Yellow Wagtail. A flock of 40 Corn Buntings were feeding around the railway loop again.

Six Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.

6th May

Very slow-going again in strong n to NE winds. Three hours of seawatching produced just three Grey Plovers, 19 Whimbrel, 15 Bar-tailed Godwit, eight Little Terns and two Manx Shearwaters. Three Willow Warblers were seen in the bushes.

Four Porpoises and a Grey Seal were seen offshore.

5th May

The strong northerly winds continue and migration is at a virtual standstill. A two-hour seawatch this morning produced just six Knot, six Little Tern (west), a Mediterranean Gull, two Arctic Skuas and 27 Swallows. A flock of 30 Corn Buntings was seen in the railway line loop again. 

4th May

Very slow in strong, cold northerly winds. The only migrants of note were 52 Whimbrels, seven Bar-tailed Godwits, a Greenshank and three Sand Martins.

Three Porpoises and a Grey Seal were feeding offshore.