First Swifts back over Rustington this morning with a pair catching insects over our garden. Also this evening 23 Commic Terns slowly moving E and fishing on the rising tide just beyond the breakers. Off shore three Gannets moving W.

A total of nine Pomarine Skuas seen today at various times throughout the day up until 7pm. Other notable highlights after midday were Little Gull, seven Little Terns, three Arctic Skuas and a lot of Commic Terns. Totals and a Pom pic will be on my blog later tonight.

Lots of Cuckoo activity, and wonderful views of a hunting Hobby.

Matt Eade will no doubt provide a full report on his lengthy watch at Splash Point today. During his absence late morning an otherwise rather boring session was brightened up considerably by a flock of 15 Velvet Scoter (unaccompanied by any Common Scoter or other ducks) flying very close inshore and providing excellent views for the few observers still present to enjoy them at 11.20. Also of interest were Bar-tailed Godwit 31E; Whimbrel 8E; Little Tern 5E; Mediterranean Gull 2E (both adults); Red-throated Diver 2E; Swallow 5 in off along with a single House Martin.

Having had plenty of Swifts over Salisbury the previous day it was lovely to hear and see two Swifts over Crowborough today.

Having been out for the day to Highclere near Newbury we drove back in to Sussex at around 11pm. On the route from Petersfield to Haywards Heath we had no less than four Barn Owls along the road; three flying and one perched on a 30mph road sign. A single Tawny Owl flew across just outside Billingshurst and we heard several Nightingales singing. Arrived back in Crowborough well after midnight.

A Grey Wagtail feeding along the Red River in Horsham this morning. First one I have seen along this river.

Cuckoo seen and heard at the field next to the Roman Landing Estate at West Wittering, plus another heard at Ella Nore Lane. Spotted Flycatcher also there, sallying after insects.

A total of six pomarine skuas (all light phase) E for the assembled crowd past Splash Point, Seaford 05.45 - 08.30. Also Arctic skua, black tern and ARK's pair of mute swans still swimming E across Seaford Bay!

Treated myself this morning to a pair of pomarine skuas at Friars' Bay, flying E at 08.06 at say half mile range. Here also three red-throated divers (one E at 08.34 and two settled inshore at 08.40 before continuing E), pair of mute swans swam E and a guillemot settled offshore, besides some terns, common scoter and a few whimbrel and fewer bar-tailed godwits.

13+ swifts screeching over their nesting site on Upper Chalvington Place, Whitehawk Way, Brighton. A 1970s building owned by the Guinness Trust with perfect eaves! Later in the season you will see 20+ pairs of swifts nesting here.

My first swift of the year over Brighton General Hospital, their nesting site each year and part of a Swift Conservation Project.

Out on a long circular bike ride from Hurstpierpoint via Stanmer, Blackcap home via Streat /Ditchling. We saw five house martins, two swifts, heard a cuckoo, several swallows on the Downs at Ditchling Beacon dewpond. Numerous blackcaps singing along the whole route. At Stanmer saw a kestrel carrying nesting material. Lots of swallows in Stanmer and a few house martins. Heard Cuckoo from Streat Church.

Lovely walk from Knepp to Shipley. We saw ten house martins, three swifts, several swallows, numerous Blackcaps, three common buzzards and heard two cuckoos. Also saw two swifts above Hurstpierpoint the same day.

On BBS survey near Sayers Common this morning, a Nightingale was bravely singing a few yards from the A23. Later in the morning, two Nightingales found near Catsland Farm, Woodmancote, and a gorgeous male Whinchat in the same area. Very tatty Red Kite over Small Dole this afternoon.

I left our flat on the seafront at 06.00 this morning for a marathon misty/sunny seawatch at Splash Point. While rushing off to the car in case I might miss some poms, I heard a silvery song that I knew but could not name - my instinct was Siskin. The bird was singing a little way down Kemptown Slope and I managed to creep up on it in the sea fret and dawn light before it flew off. Not a great view but I could see it was definitely not a male Siskin - no yellow and black face. What I could see of it was that it was greeny-dark on the back and had a strong yellow eyebrow. Checked the call this evening and it was a Serin!

Nightingale first heard at The Quarry, Southwater Country Park on 2nd May again present tonight (6th). Singing well but, no surprise, not spotted. Road side of the lake, close to A24.

After several evenings scanning the sky finally rewarded by a lone swift at 20.10 over our North Horsham home.

(First swifts back in Southwick too this evening - Ed).

Selsey Bill, 05.20 - 6.30, SW1 sun/mist then fog: Great Northern Diver - 6os, Gannet - 4E, 8W, 10os, Fulmar - 1W, Common Scoter - 85E, Bar-tailed Godwit - 2ob then flew east, Whimbrel - 2E, Little Gull - 2E, Kittiwake - 1E, 1W, Sandwich Tern - 12E, Commic Tern - 145E & Little Tern - 2E. (J. Atkinson, S. Hill, I. Pitts, C. Northwood et al).

10.00 - 11.45, SSW2 sunny then fog, Great Northern Diver 5os, Gannet - 10E, 7W, Fulmar - 2W, Common Scoter - 26E, Hobby - 1N, 1W, Turnstone - 1ob, Whimbrel - 1E, Greenshank - 1E, Bar-tailed Godwit - 1E, Pomarine Skua - 1W (@ 11.00, pale phase), Black-headed Gull - 15E, Kittiwake - 1W, Sandwich Tern - 7E, Commic Tern - 184E, Little Tern - 1E, Auk sp - 1E, Swift - 2N, Yellow Wagtail - 1N, Swallow - 1N & one Bottle-nosed Dolphin offshore briefly. (J. Atkinson, O. Mitchell, Chris Janman et al).

16.30 - 19.20, S3 sunny: Great Northern Diver - 10os, Red-throated Diver - 1E, Red-necked Grebe - one came in from the east and landed offshore, returning west later, Gannet - 15E, 4W, 17os, Common Scoter - 3E, Whimbrel - 8E, Pomarine Skua - 2E (@ 18.56, pale phase), Little Gull - 1E, Kittiwake - 1E, 2W, Sandwich Tern - 6E, 14os, Little Tern - 2E, 4os, Common Tern - 429E, Commic Tern - 138E & Swallow - 1N. (J. Atkinson, S. Hill & R. Hoad).

Also, two Arctic Skuas & three Black Terns between 15.30 & 16.30 (as per S. Hill).

A lovely 14 hour seawatch (04.30 - 18.30), which included 7 hours of thick fog where little was noted, finally produced highlights of 7 Pomarine Skuas, 5 Arctic Skuas, 1 Great Skua, 5 Black Terns, 6 Little Terns, 793 Common Terns, 548 Commic Terns and other bits which can be viewed on my blog. (Matt Eade, Ewan Urguhart, Christine Hill, Tony Cook et al).