Saturday, 25th July: Another very warm and sunny morning in just a light, though freshening, south- westerly breeze......
Selsey Bill: A Shag east, six Curlews west and a good gathering of 36 Swifts were the highlights of another slow morning. Full log below. (PB/MRB/AH/IP/P&LH)
(0630-0830hrs) (SW, F2-3)
Gannet - 4E, 7W
Shag - 1E
Common Scoter - 4W
Oystercatcher - 5W
Curlew - 6W
Great Black-backed Gull - 3os
Sandwich Tern - 15os
Swift - 36
Green Woodpecker - 1
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1
Swallow - 3W
Sand Martin - 3W
House Martin - 20
Willow/Chiff - 1
Sandwich Tern (above) & House Martin at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: The Shelduck family and the Oystercatcher family were still present, but there were, otherwise, just a juvenile Little Ringed Plover and two adult and three young Avocets.
Also, there were two Stonechats and at least 25 Cattle Egrets in the fields at the back, whilst c30 Black-tailed Godwits and c20 Redshanks were in the channel opposite and a couple of Whimbrel and Curlews, a Common Sandpiper, 19 Lapwings, a dozen Grey Plovers, a Ringed Plover and 50 Dunlin were off the Tramway, along with a Shelduck pair with six young ducklings. (AH/PA)
Little Ringed Plover (above), Shelduck family, Oystercatcher & Oystercatcher and Wood Pigeon at the Ferry (AH)
Mill Pond Marsh: The Green Sandpiper and two Common Sandpipers were on the flooded field this morning, whilst a Yellow Wagtail went over , a Coal Tit was in the pines again and a two Willow Warblers, two Chiffchaffs and a few Whitethroats, Reed and Sedge Warblers were along the front, with two swallows over, too. (PA/P&LH)
Church Norton: There wasn't much to report this morning, with just 25 sandwich Terns and five Mediterranean Gulls in the harbour, along with a couple of Whimbrel, three Curlews, six Redshanks and c30 Oystercatchers, with a couple of Sand Martins over and a couple of Whitethroats in the bushes. (P&LH)
North Wall: The Glossy Ibis roosted in Owl Copse again overnight, flying out, heading north-west at 0520hrs this morning. (MJa)
A quick look at Halsey's Farm late this morning just produced 21 Cattle Egrets, two Grey Herons, two Kestrels, four Mediterranean Gulls and a Reed Warbler. (P&LH)
view of Halsey's Farm from the North Wall (LH)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were at least 30 Common Terns about this morning, including six fledged juveniles on the Stilt Pool, where there were also six Greenshanks, six Common Sandpipers, eight Redshanks, two Black-tailed Godwits, two Dunlin, a Curlew, five Oystercatchers and 12 Lapwings, plus another eight of the latter and a Whimbrel on the reserve.
A male Firecrest at the junction of the paths by Marsh Barn was very unexpected, and three Yellow Wagtails went over, but the banks held the usual selection, including 13 Whitethroats, a Willow Warbler, a Sedge Warbler, four Reed Warblers, two Stonechats, two Reed Buntings and at least ten Yellowhammers.
Also, c20 Swallows and c40 Sand Martins were about, with some of the latter again investigating the nesting wall, a Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard, two Kestrels and two Mediterranean Gulls went over and a Clouded Yellow was along the track. (SH/AH)
Common Terns (above), Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Mediterranean Gull, Sand Martin, Yellowhammer & Clouded Yellow at Medmerry (AH)
Friday, 24th July: An increasingly warm morning after a cooler start, in just a light westerly breeze......
Selsey Bill: The sea remains dead, but there were a few hirundines about and a tight flock of 20 Swifts appeared to head out to sea together. Full log below. (IP/AH)
(0700-0815hrs) (W, F2)
Gannet - 2os
Oystercatcher - 4W
Mediterranean Gull - 1os
Great Black-backed Gull - 2W, 2os
Sandwich Tern - 10os
Swift - 20S, 15 present
Swallow - 5W
Sand Martin - 12W
House Martin - 20
Willow/Chiff - 1
Swifts (above), Sand Martin, Sandwich Tern & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: Apart from two Common Terns that went over, going west, and a couple of Cattle Egrets with the cows at the back, it was the same four species again this morning, with just three Little Ringed Plovers, the Oystercatcher family, the Shelduck family and four adult and three young Avocets, plus an extra juvenile, seen. (AH)
Common Terns (above), Little Ringed Plover & Shelduck-lings at the Ferry (AH)
This evening a Common Sandpiper and a Dunlin were along Ferry channel, along with two Avocets, c40 Redshanks and c25 Black-tailed Godwits, whilst two Whimbrel and a Green Sandpiper flew in at the far end, with the latter quickly flying off again, heading for Sidlesham Quay. (AH)
Common Sandpiper (above), Dunlin, Whimbrel & Black-tailed Godwits in Ferry Channel (AH)
Mill Pond Marsh: There were five Little Ringed Plovers on the flooded field this morning, along with the Green Sandpiper and two Common Sandpipers, with a young Little Grebe and c40 Canada Geese early on, present, too, whilst c30 swallows and a handful of Swifts, Sand Martins and House Martins went over, as did two Egyptian geese, a Cattle Egret and two Little Egrets.
Also, two Coal Tits were around the pines by the Mill Pond, with a Goldcrest, a Cetti's Warbler and two or three Whitethroats, Reed and Sedge Warblers along the front. (PA/AH)
Little Ringed Plovers (above), Common Sandpiper, Coal Tit, Egyptian Geese & Cattle Egret at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)
East side: There wasn't too much to report, though a few Knot were among 100+ distant Dunlin in the harbour, three Little Terns were towards the harbour mouth and a Raven and a Peregrine went over. (PA)
North Wall: The Glossy Ibis came in to roost in Owl Copse at 2100hrs this evening, and there were also two Common Sandpipers, a Greenshank and a Kingfisher in the vicinity. (CRN)
Church Norton: Half a dozen Whimbrel and a couple of Curlews and Grey Plovers were about the only waders present, though there were still 100+ Sandwich Terns and a few Mediterranean Gulls out on the mud, but the bushes remain quiet, with just a Blackcap and a couple of Whitethroats noted. (AWi/AH)
Blackcap (above) & Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AH)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The widely roaming Ring-necked Parakeet flew over the Stilt Pool early this morning, whilst on the pool itself there were seven Greenshank, eight Common Sandpipers, four Dunlin, an Avocet and five or so Redshanks, Lapwings and Oystercatchers.
Also, c100 Sand Martins and c50 Swallows were mainly over pool and adjacent banks, c30 Common Terns, including a couple of youngsters being bed by their parents, were around the pool and the rafts, two Sandwich Terns were offshore and a Green Sandpiper flew out from one of the path-side pools.
There was a fair amount of activity along the banks, including c20 Whitethroats, two Dartford Warblers, three Reed Warblers, eight Sedge Warblers, three Stonechats, five Meadow Pipits, nine Pied Wagtails, a Reed Bunting and c20 Yellowhammers, plus a Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard and a Sparrowhawk over. (SH)
Thursday, 23rd July: Another warm and muggy morning, with more cloud than of late in the light to moderate south-westerly breeze......
Selsey Bill: A very quiet morning! Full log below. (AH/IP)
(0655-0755hrs) (SW, F2-3)
Mediterranean Gull - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 12os
Swift - 9os
House Martin - 10
Willow/Chiff - 1
Sandwich Tern (above) & House Martins at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were just two Little Ringed Plovers, the Oystercatcher family, the Shelduck family and four adult and three young Avocets on the fast drying-out pool this morning. (AH)
This afternoon a Red Kite went over Ferry channel. (RP)
Little Ringed Plover (above) & Shelduck family at the Ferry (AH)
Mill Pond Marsh: The Green Sandpiper, two Common Sandpipers and seven Black-tailed Godwits were on the flooded field this morning, with several Sedge and Reed Warblers busy at the front. (TS/AH et al)
Green Sandpiper (above) & Sedge Warbler at Mill Pond Marsh (AH)
North Wall: Three Spotted Redshanks were on the Breech Pool early on, but not later, this morning, and a Common Tern and a Kingfisher dropped in briefly, but the wall was quiet, with just a few Reed Warblers and one or two Sedge Warblers and Whitethroats popping up, plus a couple of Swallows over.
A dozen Cattle Egrets were spread around Owl Copse, Halsey's Farm and the adjacent harbour, but, apart from a couple of calling Whimbrel, a flock of Redshanks and a few Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls, in White's Creek, the mud was very empty.
There also a Clouded Yellow and plenty of Painted Ladies along the wall. (AH/MJa/LP/TRH/CT et al)
Reed Warblers (above), Whitethroat, Cattle Egret, Mediterranean Gulls & Clouded Yellow at the North Wall (AH)
This evening a Glossy Ibis dropped in on the Breech Pool briefly and then settled among the roosting egrets in Owl Copse.
Also around were a Greenshank, three Spotted Redshanks, three Common Sandpipers, a Kingfisher, six Yellow Wagtails and a Blackcap. (AWi/M Jenner)
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Glossy Ibis (M Jenner) (above) & Glossy Ibis and Little Egret (AWi) at the North Wall
Church Norton: There were at least 100 juvenile Sandwich Terns in the harbour this evening, with similar of young Black-headed Gulls and c25 young Mediterranean Gulls, and there were also three Common Terns, two Whimbrel and Curlews, 16 Black-tailed Godwits and c40 Redshanks about. (AH)
Sandwich Terns (above), Common Tern, Whimbrel, Mediterranean Gull and Black-tailed Godwit & Mediterranean Gull at Church Norton (AH)
Sidlesham: A Ring-necked Parakeet - presumably the same one seen at a couple of other locations recently - dropped in briefly on Cow Lane before flying off east. (PA)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were c20 Common Terns about this morning, including four juveniles sat out on the Stilt Pool, where there were also six Greenshanks, five Common Sandpipers, five Redshanks, six Oystercatchers and a Mediterranean Gull, with five Lapwings on the reserve.
There were also c40 Sand Martins around the pool, with at least half of them showing an interest in the artificial wall again, with c50 Swallows and a couple of House Martins and Swifts about, too, but the banks were fairly quiet, with just two Dartford Warblers and Sedge Warblers, a Chiffchaff, two Stonechats, ten Whitethroats and a dozen Yellowhammers seen, plus two Kestrels and three Buzzards over. (SH/PB/EB)
Sand Martins (above), Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Common Terns & Common Tern and Little Egrets at Medmerry (EB)
