Wednesday, 22 April 2026

Pomarine Skua

I was at the Selsey Seawatch this morning by 6am and had a good session HERE with my first Pomarine Skua and 2 Great Skua for the year and waterbirds on the move including 41 Whimbrel, 1 Grey Plover, 18 Bar-tailed Godwit, 6 Turnstone,  4 Fulmars, 33 Common and 132 Sandwich Terns and a few passerines coming in with 25 Barn Swallow, 6 Swifts and a few Mipits. 

It was a work day today so I was back at the lodge by 1030 to meet Matt and we then got the garden work done including sorting out the lawns and meadow and did all the planting up for the spring. 

In the afternoon news broke of a Ring Ouzel at the Ferry so I went over there to twitch that and also had Green Sandpiper and Wheatear there. I did another hour seawatching from Hillfield Road but nothing new. 

3 local year ticks puts me on 161 for the year and my world year list is now on 833.

Pale phase Pomarine Skua
Great Skua
Barwits and Whimbrels. Some Barwits are cutting across land as there are many reports across inland sites today. 
Whimbrels (above and below). The biggest movement of waders this Spring today. 

Male Ring Ouzel- stonking!
The first young birds are out in the garden
Today we sowed wildflower seeds on the front garden beds and tidied up there too
Also tied up the Airbnb area, planted new shrubs in the car park beds, potted on the tomatoes that we grew from seed and planted out the central food bed
Also mowed the first paths into the growing back garden meadow. Good birds and got some good work done in between! Had 4 Gadwall flying over the garden too. 

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