Thursday, 13th August: A return to heatwave conditions this morning, though tempered somewhat by the persisting moderate north-easterly breeze.....
Selsey Bill: There was a huge feeding gull flock off of Hillfield Road this morning, with fair numbers of Sandwich and Common Terns among them, but a Little Egret west and nine swallows east was it for birds on the move. Full log below. (AH)
(0705-0805hrs) (NE, F4)
Gannet - 6os
Little Egret - 1W
Oystercatcher - 1W
Turnstone - 4
Mediterranean Gull - 500os
Great Black-backed Gull - 4os
Sandwich Tern - 60os
Common Tern - 45os
Swallow - 9E
House Martin - 2
Little Egret (above), Common Terns & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: The pool was empty of birds again this morning, whilst five Whimbrel, three Avocets, two Oystercatchers and five Lapwings were in the channel opposite. (AH)
Avocet at the Ferry (AH)
This evening the two spotted Redshanks were present again, along with a Greenshank, briefly, a Whimbrel, two adult and three juvenile Avocets, six Black-tailed Godwits, an Oystercatcher, a Curlew, four Lapwings and seven Redshanks.
Also, a Reed Warbler and a Whitethroat were in the hedges and c40 Sand Martins and c30 Swallows went over. (AH)
Spotted Redshank (above), Spotted Redshank and Redshank, Greenshank, Whimbrel, Sand Martin & Swallow at the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: A Greenshank, at least three Whimbrel, three Turnstones and 21 Ringed Plovers were out on the mud this morning, with two Grey Plovers and a handful of Sand Martins going over, with the main activity being offshore, where there was a huge feeding flock of gulls, with a few Common and Sandwich Terns among them.
It was quiet in the bushes, though, with just the odd Blackcap and Whitethroat seen. (JC)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - At least 20 Common Terns were still around the rafts and the Stilt Pool, where there were also two Greenshanks, with another by the poplars, two Common Sandpipers, six Redshanks, two Dunlin, two Oystercatchers, a dozen Lapwings, a Common Gull and four Mediterranean Gulls.
A Corn Bunting, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Willow Warbler were all in the bushes by the path to Earnley, but otherwise it was quiet, with half a dozen Whitethroats, a dozen Yellowhammers and Linnets, a lone Skylark and c40 Stock Doves being the sum, along with seven Swallows and two Kestrels over. (AH)
Common Tern (above), Common Tern and Greenshank, Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, Dunlin, Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler & Yellowhammer at Medmerry (AH)
Wednesday, 12th August: An even warmer, sunny morning, as the north-easterly breeze eased somewhat.....
Selsey Bill: There were higher numbers of Sandwich and Common Terns about this morning, mainly among the big gull flock on the bar and feeding offshore, though a flock of 14 of the latter - mainly juveniles - went east, and there was also a Redshank among the Turnstones on the beach, but no hirundines were seen. Full log below. (AH)
(0700-0815hrs) (N, F3)
Gannet - 2os
Redshank - 1
Turnstone - 8
Mediterranean Gull - 500os
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 2os
Great Black-backed Gull - 5os
Sandwich Tern - 65os
Common Tern - 14E, 29os
Sandwich Tern (above), Common Terns & Redshank at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were no birds on the pool again, where work has finally started on the predator-proof fencing, whilst in the channel opposite there were a Kingfisher, three Avocets, three Oystercatchers, two Lapwings, two Whimbrel and c20 Redshanks.
The Tramway circuit was again very quiet, beyond a couple of Lesser Whitethroats, a handful of Whitethroats, two Linnets and a Sand Martin. (AH)
Later on, two Common Sandpipers were in the channel opposite the pool. (TG-P)
Kingfisher (above), Avocet & Linnet at the Ferry (AH)
This evening there were two spotted Redshanks in Ferry Channel, along with five Whimbrel, seven Black-tailed Godwits, two adult and three juveniles avocets and a dozen or so Lapwings and Redshanks. (AH)
Spotted Redshanks (above), Whimbrel & Black-tailed Godwits at the Ferry (AH)
Mill Pond Marsh: A Kingfisher and two Whimbrel were seen from Mill Lane this morning. (LL)
North Wall: A Spotted Redshank and a Whimbrel were along White’s Creek this morning as well as all the regular species, but with the Breech Pool now almost completely dried up, there wasn’t much to see except for a single Moorhen and a few Reed Warblers in the reeds.
A Sparrowhawk was over Owl Copse, and there were still a few Cattle Egrets and Little Egrets in the trees, whilst at Halsey’s Farm, a Common Sandpiper, a Lapwing, two Teal, and a Little Grebe were along the rife, and a Kestrel, a Buzzard, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, a Green Woodpecker, 12 Whitethroats and a Yellowhammer were along the bushes. (LP/DHo/MJa/SP)
This afternoon there were c50 Cattle Egrets about, along with a Common Sandpiper, with a female Marsh Harrier, three Buzzards, ten swallows and eight sand Martins over. (S&SaH)
Cattle Egret (above), Little Egret, Teal, Whitethroat & Kestrel at the North Wall (LP)
East side: There were four Greenshanks, five Whimbrel, a couple of Black-tailed Godwits, eight Knot, c30 Grey Plovers, c150 Ringed Plovers and c300 Dunlin spread along the East side as the tide rose late this morning.
There were also four Teal, an adult Yellow-legged Gull, c25 Great Black-backed Gulls and similar of Mediterranean Gulls, and a dozen Sand Martins and a couple of Swallows went over. (AH/BFF et al)
Whimbrel (above), Greenshanks, Dunlin and Ringed Plover & Ringed Plovers along the East side (AH)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were still c30 Common Terns around this morning, with two Greenshanks, two Common Sandpipers, six Oystercatchers, eight Redshanks and ten Lapwings on the Stilt Pool and a Peregrine, a Sparrowhawk and three Kestrels over.
A Corn Bunting, a couple of Yellow Wagtails and c30 Meadow Pipits were along the banks, together with the usual mix of a Dartford warbler, a Willow Warbler, c30 Whitethroats, eight Stonechats, two Reed Buntings and c30 Yellowhammers, plus c30 Swallows and c60 SAnd Martins over. (SH)
Tuesday, 11th August: Another warm and bright morning, though the fresh and blustery north-easterly breeze kept the temperature down a little.....
Selsey Bill: There was a bit of interest this morning, including three Wheatears along the front, three Swifts over the houses and a few Sandwich and Common Terns. Full log below. (AH/IP/P&LH)
(0650-0835hrs) (NE, F4)
Gannet - 3W
Oystercatcher - 3W
Dunlin - 3W
Turnstone - 6
Mediterranean Gull - 250os
Common Gull - 2E
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1E
Great Black-backed Gull - 1os
Sandwich Tern - 17W
Common Tern - 4E, 3W
Swift - 3
Swallow - 1E
Sand Martin - 6W
House Martin - 8
Wheatear - 3
Wheatears (above), Common Tern, Common Gull & Mediterranean Gulls at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were no birds on the dried out pool, but the adult and two juvenile Avocets, an adult and two juvenile Oystercatchers, four Lapwings, three Whimbrel, seven Black-tailed Godwits, a dozen Redshanks and four Teal were in the channel opposite. (AH)
Avocet (above), Lapwing & Teal at the Ferry (AH)
North Wall: A Spotted Redshank and a Greenshank were in White's Creek this morning, along with nine Yellow Wagtails, with a couple of Whimbrel in the harbour, with a couple more in the fields at Owl Point, along with a Wheatear on the fence, whilst a Kingfisher and c30 Cattle Egrets were at Halsey's Farm and a couple of Willow Warblers, a Blackcap, a Chiffchaff and four Whitethroats were in the bushes. (JC/P&LH/PA)
East side and Pagham Spit: Among the waders seen along the side of the harbour on the rising tide were four Greenshanks, a Spotted Redshank, a Common Sandpiper, seven Whimbrel, six Knot, 12 Grey Plovers, 25 Ringed Plovers and 95 Dunlin, with a Peregrine, four Sand Martins and ten Swallows over.
Two Wheatears were on the spit, whilst there was a massive flock of c1500 Mediterranean Gulls roosting on the shingle off the harbour mouth, with c150 Sandwich Terns and a Common Tern there, too, plus a flock of 18 Teal. (PA)
Wheatears (above) & Teal at Pagham Spit (PA)
Church Norton: At least eight Whimbrel were in the harbour this morning, along with a dozen Curlews, c25 Ringed Plovers, c60 Dunlin and c25 Redshanks, with a group of 22 Little Egrets stood together out in the main channel, but the bushes were bereft of birds in the wind, with just a Whitethroat glimpsed. (AH)
Later on there were two Wheatears on the concrete blocks and two more in the horse field, with a couple of Meadow Pipits in the vicinity, whilst 34 Ringed Plovers and 55 Dunlin were on the beach, two Snipe and eight Sandwich Terns were in the harbour, three Swallows went over and a couple of Willow Warblers were in the car-park. (P&LH)
Whimbrel (above), Ringed Plover, Dunlin & Little Egrets at Church Norton (AH)
Monday, 10th August: A very warm morning of sun and white cloud in a moderate north-westerly breeze.....
Selsey Bill: There was a huge feeding flock spread across half the horizon this morning, including at least 500 Mediterranean Gulls, and a few Common and Sandwich Terns went west. Full log below. (AH/IP)
(0700-0815hrs) (NW, F3-4)
Gannet - 1E, 4W
Common Scoter - 2E, 1W
Sanderling - 2E, 1W
Turnstone - 9
Mediterranean Gull - 500os
Black-headed Gull - 500os
Herring Gull - 1500os
Great Black-backed Gull - 2W
Sandwich Tern - 24W, 5os
Common Tern - 15W
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1
Swallow - 5W
Sand Martin - 14W
House Martin - 12
Common Tern (above), Sandwich Terns, Common Scoter & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were just the adult and two juvenile Avocets, two Lapwings and a Redshank on the pool this morning. (AH)
This evening the adult and two juvenile Avocets were in the channel opposite, along with two Oystercatchers, two Whimbrel, three Lapwings, four Black-tailed Godwits, four Teal and 46 Mallards, whilst a Kingfisher dropped in, five Grey Herons went over and two Ravens put in an appearance nearby. (JC)
Lapwing on the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: A couple of Willow Warblers and Whitethroats were by the hide, with another half a dozen of the latter, a Sedge Warbler and a Reed Bunting along the Severals, but the bushes were generally very quiet, as was the harbour on the full tide, though c35 Sandwich Terns and c80 Mediterranean Gulls were present, along with up to ten Whimbrels and Curlews, a couple of Ringed Plovers and half a dozen Turnstones, plus 16 Little Egrets. (AH)
Willow Warbler (above), Sedge Warbler & Whitethroat & Sandwich Terns at Church Norton (AH)
East Side: There was a good selection of waders along the East Side on the rising tide this morning including c100 Dunlin, c80 Ringed Plovers, 22 Grey Plovers, eight Knot, three Greenshanks, two Spotted Redshanks, four Whimbrels, a Turnstone, a Common Sandpiper, six Black-tailed Godwits, and many Redshanks, Curlews, Oystercatchers, and Lapwings.
Three Great Crested Grebes were on the water along with four Teal and a Shelduck family, whilst over towards the west side, two Marsh Harriers drifted over the channel. (LP/SP/IH/DHo)
Spotted Redshank (above), Common Sandpiper, Greenshank, Knot and Dunlin & Ringed Plovers along the East side (LP)
North Wall: It was busy around the paddocks, with c100 Swallows about, and plenty of smaller birds in the bushes, including Whitethroats, a Lesser Whitethroat, Sedge Warblers, Reed Warblers, Willow Warblers, a Reed Bunting and a Blackcap. A Green Woodpecker and a Great Spotted Woodpecker were about, and there was plenty of raptor action with five Buzzards, two Kestrels, two Sparrowhawks, and a Red Kite over the fields.
A Wheatear was briefly along the rocks, and at Halsey’s Farm a Little Ringed Plover was on the mud by the rife, and a family group of Long-tailed Tits moved along the hedgerow, also the Water Rail was again showing well, a Kingfisher flew through, and 48 Cattle Egrets were in the harbour. (MJa/CT/DHo/DHi/SP/IH/TRH/LP/GR/PB et al)
Willow Warbler (above), Reed Bunting, Red Kite & Sparrowhawk at the North Wall (LP)
Sidlesham: There was a nice flock of hirundines along Cow Lane this evening, totalling 45 swallows, c20 Sand Martins and 15 House Martins, all being periodically disturbed by a couple of juvenile Sparrowhawks. (PA/AH)
Sand Martin (above) & Sand Martins and House Martin in Sidlesham (PA)
