A nice group of Mediterranean Gulls have been using the little bay by the Ham Brook outfall in Chichester Harbour at high tide for the last couple of weeks. Today there were 5 adults and 9 juvs out on the water.

A small but pefectly formed group of five set off over Lullington Heath - not many birds I'm afraid, but with the presence of a botanist and an entomologist in the group we were able to find plenty else to look at. Good views of a Sparrowhawk, Whitethroat, Yellowhammer and a splended male Linnet - but that was about it for the birding highlights. The flowers and butterflies were fantastic though (including great views of marbled white, ringlet, dark green fritillary and silver-washed fritillary).

A visit to Selsey Bill between 10.45-16.35 produced highlights of 16 BALEARIC SHEARWATERS and a sub adult Pomarine Skua. Some of the Balearic Shearwaters were quite close and a few settled on the sea drifting west in the current and feeding by plunge diving or picking prey from the surface. All were moving west apart from one which went east. There were also 200+ mainly adult Common Terns heading West accompanied by lesser numbers (50+) of Sandwich Terns some with fully fledged juveniles in tow. Upwards of 300+ Gannets were fishing offshore all day and the flock was constantly being joined by others coming from the east. 2 Razorbill were shepherding a much smaller juvenile on the sea mid afternoon. Where had they come from? Not much else apart from five single Whimbrel heading west, a juvenile Mediterranean Gull over the beach and small numbers of Swallows, Sand and House Martins. Tim Edwards was there for some hours before I arrived and by the time I left had recorded around 40 sightings of Balearics. A text from Ads Bowley later in the evening informed me that at 17.15 2 CORY'S SHEARWATER had apparently flown past the Bill!

At the east side of Pagham Harbour I was fortunate to see a family of 2 adults and 2 juvenile Peregrines feeding on a kill 100m from me. One dominant juvenile drove the adult male off from feeding several times.

A dozen or so Gannets plunge diving a couple of hundred yards offshore between Eastbourne Pier and Holywell around 3pm.

An imm female Marsh Harrier at Horse Eye Level this afternoon.

The adult/2nd summer WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN still at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve today on Long Pit and Ternery Pool. (www.birdguides.com).

On the Steyning Roundhill this afternoon a Quail singing still, two families of Corn Buntings and a female Redstart.

On Edburton Hill this afternoon there was a Common Redstart, 8 Willow Warblers and 4 Blackcaps. Nearby Hobby, Peregrine and Common Buzzard over my garden and Grey Wagtail. On 17 July 2 Crossbills flew low over Hassocks station.

A seawatch from 17.00 - 18.00 produced 2 BALEARIC SHEARWATERS going west (1 @ 17.10, 1 @ 17.55). Also 1 Arctic Skua and 5 Manx Shearwater flying E and 3 W.

Waders continue to dominate Sidlesham Ferry pool with a high degree of feeding from a good range of species comprising 44 Dunlin, 7 Common Sandpipers, Avocet, 36 Black-tailed Godwits, 30 Lapwing and 72 Redshank. The pair of Mute Swans which nested on Ferry Pool were presumed to have failed but it looks as if the female had taken the young on to Broad Rife. However she then tried to bring them back to Ferry Pool but required a little help getting over the gate. As I was helping them over, an egret took off from our herd of cattle out on the field and quickly grabbing the bins revealed it as a Cattle Egret as it flew off westwards. A visit to Selsey Bill revealed 3 BALEARIC SHEARWATERS and 2 Manx Shearwaters and in excess of 500 Gannets feeding offshore.

An enjoyable evening stroll around Heyshott and Ambersham Commons led by Paul James produced a few glimpses of Dartford Warblers, 2 nice Green Woodpeckers, a Buzzard, a couple of Stonechats in the bracken and good views of a Hobby flying overhead. We also heard a Yellowhammer singing. As the light levels dropped we began to hear a few tantalising calls of Nightjar and Woodcock. Soon the churring of Nightjars was all around us and we managed to get reasonable views of a couple of birds as they flew between song posts and hunted. Tawny Owl and Woodcock provided the backing vocals and a bat flew up and down over our heads as it became too dark to distinguish the birds. I don’t know what this was but it was larger than a pipistrelle. Altogether an enjoyable evening.

On the North Brooks before 9am this morning: 1 Little Egret, 8 Mandarin (presumably from brood reported earlier in month), 6 Teal, 4 Shelduck, 2 Wigeon, a Peregrine and Buzzard through, 14 Black-tailed Godwits (4 left south), 3 Greenshank, just 1 Redshank, 5 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Dunlin, 1 Common Sandpiper, 3 Green Sandpiper and 2 Snipe.

The Breeding Bird Survey 2007 is now available can now be downloaded from the BTO website http://www.bto.org/. The report makes fascinating (though rether depressing reading) with for example declines of over 50% in England for Willow Tit, Turtle Dove, Nightingale, Cuckoo and Spotted Flycatcher over the period 1994 - 2007. Conversely there were increases of 50% or more for Ring-necked Parakeet, Raven, Stonechat, Siskin, Greylag Goose, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Canada Goose, Buzzard, Nuthatch, Goldcrest and Blackcap.

At Selsey Bill this morning lots of Gannets feeding offshore with a few Kittiwakes and a number of terns; a tight flock of 8 Little Terns heading W looked like they were going! Best was 6 BALEARIC SHEARWATERS lingering but a long way out. At Sidlesham Ferry pool wader numbers are increasing: 37 Dunlin, 18 Black-tailed Godwits, 65 Redshank, 5 Common Sandpipers, 1 Green Sandpiper and an Avocet today. On the E side of the harbour 2 Whimbrel and 6 Yellow-legged Gulls.

The WHITE-WINGED BLACK TERN still at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve favouring Long Pit for most of the day with the odd visit to Ternery Pool and Flat Beach Quarry. (www.rxwildlife.org.uk).

A steady stream of 200+ Swifts (and still counting) flying west over Ringmer at 11.30.

On flat beach 4 Golden Plovers were seen and another 3 were later found amongst Lapwing on Pett Pools. Two Common Sandpipers on Ternery Pool. Quite a few Gannets feeding close in shore were showing well