12th August, 2014 Selsey Bill

We heading West this evening to Selsey, to try to see the sab-adult Long-tailed Skua which has been showing on and off for over a week. After a short period DC picked it out flying in off the sea and landed on a low tide spit by a sea-pool. It was some distance away and just as we arrived it flew off inland passing about 20 ft above our heads, just as I was taking the camera out of its case.

We waited a further 30 minutes but no further sighting and a local birder informed us that it had been seen up by the lifeboat station. When we arrived at the life boat station no sign of it on the beach and it again flew in off the sea and landed about 100 yards away from us but on the beach. We immediately made our way and was soon watching it from the sea-wall with no other birders in sight.

After 20 minutes or so of stunning views, the Skua noticed a Common Tern flying past and quickly chased this for several minutes unsuccessfully. It then landed near the lifeboat station for just a few minutes before flying off east back towards Church Norton.

As we past the Ferry Pool no sign of the Stilts but 5 Avocets and about 10 Black-tailed Godwits.

Sub-adult Long-tailed Skua off Selsey.