Medmerry in May, Guided Birdwatching Trip Report

There is always something to see at Medmerry, even from the car park. On a guided walk in May we were greeted with many birds at our meeting place. Whitethroats in the surrounding bushes, skylarks and yellowhammers singing, even a whimbrel in the adjacent field.

Walking into the reserve and a yellowhammer continued to sing. It wasn’t long before we heard the first call of a cuckoo for the morning. The cuckoo was spotted perched low down in the branches of an oak tree. He flew away all too briefly, but would reacquaint us with his presence numerous times later on! From a reed filled ditch the staccato song of the reed warbler could be heard; a species that will keep a keen eye out for the cuckoo’s whereabouts for they are a favoured host for the cuckoo’s chicks.

Yellowhammer

Linnets were busy bouncing from one location to another, several were seen carrying vegetation and feathers; building materials for their nests. Most of the linnets were still in a fairly muted plumage but some of the males were attaining their bright pink finery for the breeding season. Various puddles on the main path are a magnet for the linnets to drink and bathe, we enjoyed as they splashed about in these pools. One barren-looking puddle, on closer inspection, actually contained two diving beetle species.

Linnet

A pair of green woodpeckers were in a favoured spot, the encroaching sea has killed off a line of trees creating ample deadwood for the woodpeckers to excavate their nesting hole.

A kestrel was hunting around the rough grassland and appeared with a meal, it had caught a slow worm. Medmerry is a good location for reptiles, thus slow worms and common lizards are regular prey for the kestrels. Common lizards are very skittish and can quickly move to evade danger, slow worms on the other hand are not so mobile and will prefer to stay under cover to avoid predation. As both species have to bask to gain warmth from the sun, this can bring them into danger from hunting kestrels. If it is available to them slow worms prefer to get underneath something that is warmed up by the sun, but in the absence of such a spot they have to risk the open and the kestrels that come with it!

Kestrel

The number of whitethroats was extraordinary, their dry songs coming from seemingly every bush. Yellowhammers too, numerous males were scattered along the banks. From within a thicker area of trees and scrub the bubbling of a lesser whitethroat was heard. With some patience we managed a few brief views of this typically reclusive species.

Whitethroat

The grass beside the encroaching sea held four whimbrels and most helpfully a singe curlew, which enabled a good comparison of the difference in their heft and appearance. A steady stream of swallows trickled through during the morning, heading north to their breeding grounds. A solitary wader flew towards us and over our heads, it was a little ringed plover, always nice to see.

The cuckoo from earlier reappeared giving us fantastic views both in flight and perched up. He attracted the attention of many small birds who were unhappy with his presence. Two pairs of lapwings appeared to be on territory in an arable field, these too were unhappy with the presence of certain species, specifically the rooks that had the temerity to venture over the lapwing’s patch. Together the lapwings managed to chase away any intruders.

Further along it was a delight to see 10 or more avocets sitting on nests, safely guarded by an electric fence to keep out potential egg and chick predators. Having been extinct as a breeding species in Britain until as recently as the 1940s, it’s a remarkable success story that we now have multiple sites where avocets breed. Within a span of 10 miles there are sites in Medmerry, Chichester Harbour and Langstone Harbour where avocets have successfully bred in recent years.

Avocet

Near the avocets was a dainty little bird that caught our attention. As it turned out a little gull had stopped off and was happily waddling about foraging for food, a surprise that was definitely one of the many highlights of a busy spring day.

Little Gull

Photos were taken and kindly provided by Les Phillips.

If you are interested in attending a guided walk such as this one, the upcoming events can be seen on the Events page on this website, here. To stand the best chance of spaces being available join my mailing list by emailing me at: baggaleyhugh@gmail.com You will receive a monthly email with the upcoming events prior to their publication on this site.

- Hugh Baggaley