The Iceland Gull continues to reside at Pagham Lagoon and it is starting to look as if it is going to stay for the summer. The Cuckoo now rings out across the reserve with monotonous regularity now. This was complimented by a drone of a Grasshopper Warbler briefly heard in the discovery area.
There was the continual passage of our regularly migrants such as Blackcap, Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, Wheatear and Whinchat some of these will stay with us a breed. Whilst many others will pass us by with a flurry of feeding activity as they head further north. Less common migrants have been few and far between but the reserve has been visited by a second Garganey, two Ring Ouzel, Short Eared Owl and Common Redstart.
As the weather changes and more and more birds move through Europe on this annual pilgrimage northwards, some get lost. These unusual visitors are what many of the birdwatchers are waiting for as the morning mist can disorient a multitude of species one such occurrence was the appearance for 20minutes of a Subalpine Warbler on the tramway, over shooting its expected destination in southern Europe. Another southern European visitor was a Black Winged Stilt with a fleeting visitor to Medmerry.
Ferry Pool has been a hive of activity as the breeding season has been in full flow but not all the visitors are planning to stay. A flock of 70 Black Tailed Godwit in various plumages has been fuelling up before there flight northwards
The Warden, RSPB Crook of Baldoon