Afternoon walk around an overcast Sheepcote produced one if not two lesser whitethroats and a possible spotted flycatcher. Min eight common whitethroats around the valley and my first Brighton swift of the year!

Many thanks to Dick Gilmore for reporting the seawatch this morning. However he modestly omits to mention that he found the Shag we were all pleased to see. Would also like to refer to the Harbour Porpoise (first for me in Sussex!) that was apparently just loafing around - but I for one saw it do a great leap and turn into the sea. Re the Black Tern I have been been beating myself up this afternoon for not being able to locate it for the other guys - basically I picked it up in the bins, rather than the scope, and so didn't have any marker to which to point them - really sorry as I said at the time.

Uncountable numbers of Swifts, Swallows and House Martins, must be hundreds. Stunning views of two Hobbies hunting along the reedbeds.

Two morning visits produced another new bird for the year, today a lovely Wood Sandpiper was picking around in the area just off the dam on the north bank. The reservoir has been very good for this species over the years. The only other wader was a lone Common Sandpiper on the concrete. Swifts were flying low today with some 70 birds joining the 120 House Martins and about 60 Swallows in small groups, where presumably hatches were taking place of flying insects, the only other birds noted over the water were five Common Terns present today. In the bushes and meadow below the dam the usual collection of Whitethroats and Blackcaps, also a pair of Bullfinches again and to add even more colour a smart Yellowhammer put in an appearance. A Mistle Thrush pair was feeding three fledglings today in the paddock, here a pair of Linnets was present with a small gathering of Goldfinches and two Green Woodpeckers.

At Westhampnett Pit, two Arctic Terns sitting on one of the boats. Drayton Pit was quiet with nothing of note. Ivy Lake held 30+ Swifts with fewer House Martins amongst them, and 20 of a mix of Common Terns and Arctic Terns feeding in close. Also at Ivy was a fleeting Reed Warbler. All pits also held Great Crested Grebe.

I joined Neil Greenaway and then Christine Hill and Peter Calladine for 2 and a half hours this morning. Good visibility in a NE breeze that increased from 0 to 2. We saw 5 Gannets, a Shag off-shore, 58 Common Scoter, 1 Oystercatcher, a Whimbrel was heard, and small parties of Terns (24 Sandwich and 35 Commics) and two auk sp. flew E. Christine saw a single Black Tern, but once again, I failed to get on to it. Also seen were 7 Swallows in off.

A singing Black Redstart at 6.15pm, from the outer harbour road just east of Gate 6. A pair of linnets near Gate 8

Tawny Owl calling at 12.00 last night. Today six Whitethroats -only one singing the others calling and collecting nesting material. Three Blackcaps singing, One Reed Bunting. Three Common Buzzards, Sparrowhawk and Red Kite drifting S at 12.05.

Female Black Redstart a surprise in gorse above Horseshoe Plantation early pm with notably shabby looking plumage.

Very different conditions from yesterday with a light breeze and fairly calm sea - and far fewer birds. Between 05.40 and 09.40 Marc Read, John King, Sue Walsh and I recorded Great Skua 1E at 07.12 ; Arctic Skua 3E at 06.03 (2) and 07.20; Mediterranean Gull 20 (including a group of 18); Sandwich Tern 4E; Commic Tern 6E; Little Tern 3E; Common Scoter 103E; Shelduck 2E. Waders included Sanderling 9E; Whimbrel 3 on beach and then E; Bar-tailed Godwit 2E; Swallow 3 in off. In some ways the most notable observation was of 12 Mute Swan going east - possibly a patch record? JK and I then went off to Seaford Head where we saw the Spotted Flycatcher first located by Sharafin Gardiner at Harry's Bush along with a Blackcap and a few Common Whitethroats.

One yellow-billed swan in company of seven mute swans at Nutbourne inlet of Chichester Harbour.

Much improved conditions had me out for a slow saunter, firstly around the dam end. The Swift numbers were greatly reduced today as were House Martins, however around 50 Swifts flew in from the south mid-morning, possibly indicating some newcomers were still arriving. In the car park at the dam Garden Warbler, several Blackcaps, Coal Tit and Marsh Tit. Over the pumping station a Sky Lark was in song flight, and a smart pair of Bullfinches was also noted. At the west end a long staying pair of Tufted Duck flew in from the dam end, also four Common Terns remain. Over the north bank three Common Buzzards and a male Sparrowhawk were the only raptors today. Other species seen included two Stock Doves, Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers, two Marsh Tits in the car park near the hide and a Treecreeper in song here too. Lastly at Whillett's a Reed Warbler was banging out that bouncy rhythm.

In the Selsey area today a Hobby, a Black-throated Diver, five Eider, three Spotted Flycatchers and a presumed Greenland Wheatear - details on Selsey blog.

On a lovely afternoon (for once!) at least two Spotted Flycatchers were doing their thing from the trees to the right looking out of Little Hanger hide. It was difficult to be quite sure of the number as their acrobatics seemed to have encouraged other species to act in the same way - with the result that numerous birds were flycatching off the bushes and trees around the hide, including Chaffinches, Dunnocks, Robins and a Willow Warbler. Also several Nightingales still singing out in the open, including one on a fence only feet away.

Lesser Spotted Woodpecker at the bottom of our garden in Westfield this afternoon. We have heard it off and on for the past few days but not seen it. I can't remember the last time we saw one here, it was a long time ago though.We are lucky enough to have Great Spotted and Green in the garden so to have all three is fantastic.

Just a brief comment, to say thank you to all those who supported Hugh in my absence and joined the Cocking walk yesterday, sounds like a good tally of species was seen! Here at Pulborough Brooks (am writing this whilst at work you see!) the latest new spring arrival is spotted flycatchers, seen in various places in ones or twos around the wetlands trail this week. Swifts, martins and swallows have also been around and hobbies have been seen over the last fortnight. The nightingales are still singing in places around the reserve. on a non-bird note, damselflies and dragonflies have started to emerge from the ponds and the bluebells in the woodland look stunning.

The Chichester branch of the RSPB had its midweek walk at Pulborough Brooks. We set off at just after 9am and were thinking that the day wasn't conducive to bird spotting....how wrong we were. On a personal note I spotted 54 different species but the total confirmed by the group approached 60. Early on we saw Blue Tits, Great Tits, Coal Tits, and Nuthatches on the feeders. During the walk around the complex we heard as many as six or seven different Nightingales singing at various points and had good views of two (see attached picture of one behind Little Hangar). Out on the marsh were Shelduck, Wigeon, Teal, Mallards, two Greenshanks, Coots, Moorhens, two Shoveler, Little Egrets, Mute Swans, Grey Herons, Canada Geese and a lone Greylag Goose. In front of all the hides there were numerous, Swifts, Swallows, House Martins and Sand Martins dipping for insects. It was good to see all four of these together and be able to distinguish each type. Lunch took us back to the centre and the same birds were evident but a single Marsh Tit put in an appearance, with Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Dunnocks and a Great Spotted Woodpecker. We resumed our walk and went back to Little Hangar and were treated to two Hobbies sitting far out on fence posts and a Cuckoo flew right across in front of us. To the right of Little Hangar a Spotted Flycatcher continuously flew to and fro from a bush catching insects and directly above us a Willow Warbler made an appearance. As we left the hide a single Treecreeper was seen climbing up the side of an oak tree. Several Blackcaps were mimicking the flycatchers along what is known as adder alley. We had hoped for a snake or two but alas none. I haven't listed all the birds but suffice to say it was a great walk but I realised when I recounted the tally that ten were new species for me this year.

Ten of us thoroughly enjoyed this hill walk around the village of Cocking, with lovely views all round from the South Downs Way, gritting our teeth through the short but not too sharp showers and appreciating the patchy warm sunshine between them. Heading westward along the SDW, past the farm with its healthy populations of House Sparrows and Feral Pigeons, we had several stops for close views of Linnets, Yellowhammers, Whitethroats etc and, further up the hill, Skylarks, as well as the commonest small birds of the day, Chaffinches. As we stopped to admire a fine male Kestrel, a male Sparrowhawk zoomed past and we had intermittent sightings of Common Buzzard, but Red Kite was a no-show despite our frequent scanning of the skyline. Heading down off the SDW, the beech and yew woodlands, as well as the hedgerows, were disappointingly quiet, but further down the hill, there was somewhat more 'action', with Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Nuthatch, Great tit, Blackbird and Goldcrest being particularly vocal. To our left, the pastures of Bepton Down were crammed full of cowslips, perhaps the most memorable sight of the day; to our right, we peered down over a vast and very chalky ploughed field, failing to turn a couple of large rabbits into hares, while a Buzzard, sitting nearby on the field, eyed them hungrily (possibly...). As well as two attendant magpies, we were surprised to see two Lesser Black-backed Gulls in the same field, and a small 'family group' of the same a little later. After edging past a mini-lake district of puddles, we reached the edge of Cocking , past the former railway station and under the defunct railway bridge, taking in Coal Tit in its usual conifer habitat, as well as, amazingly, our first Blue Tit of the day. Most of us stayed to enjoy a picnic lunch in the lovely chuchyard, serenaded mainly by the 'chaffs' - Chiffchaff and Chaffinch, followed by a gentle climb back up to the SDW, stopping to look at and listen to various songsters, including side-by-side Garden Warbler and Blackcap. Finally, back to the cars, having passed another farm, with another reassuringly healthy-sized population of House Sparrows, a nice trio of Swallows on the telegraph wires above us, and a field full of chunky lambs and their mums, together with busily prospecting Rooks and Jackdaws - good signs of early summer in the welcome sunshine. Our bird species total was a reasonably respectable 35. Many thanks to all for help with ID by sight and sound, to Audrey for great support including running a taxi-service, and to Sophie for initially suggesting the walk.

Cuckoo calling in the small Memorial garden beside Streat Barn Hall this evening.

Highlights at the Bill were few today, with no sign of the Serin in windy conditions by the time I left at 1pm. Five Arctic Skuas, four Yellow Wagtails and a steady trickle of Swifts were the best on offer. A full report will appear on the Selsey blog.