29th - 31st August 2026

Monday, 31st August: Another mild, but blustery, morning of sun and cloud in a brisk westerly......

Selsey Bill: Two Black Terns went west this morning, including one along the shoreline, with a Whimbrel, a Sanderling, 71 Swallows, 153 Gannets and  a few Common and Sandwich Terns going west, too. Full log below. (SH/LP/IP/KT/AT/TS/JDa/AH)

(0600-0830hrs) (W, F5-6)

Gannet - 1E, 153W

Oystercatcher - 2W

Ringed Plover - 1

Sanderling - 1W

Whimbrel - 1W

Turnstone - 35

Mediterranean Gull - 32W

Great Black-backed Gull - 12W, 20os

Sandwich Tern - 12E, 27W

Common Tern - 42W

Black Tern - 3W

Swallow - 2E, 71W

Sand Martin - 4W

House Martin - 7

Yellow Wagtail - 3W

Tree Pipit - 1E

Black Tern at the Bill (AH)

Around midday there were two Knot feeding along the shoreline, while a third Knot, a Common Sandpiper, and a Whimbrel went west. (AW)

Knot (above) & Common Sandpiper at the Bill (AW)

Ferry Pool: Just a handful of Black-headed Gulls were on the pool this morning, though a Spotted Redshank, a couple of Black-tailed Godwits, c30 Redshanks and seven Teal were in the channel opposite. (AH)

Spotted Redshank (above) & Black-tailed Godwit at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: Two Wheatears, a Yellow Wagtail, two Meadow Pipits, a Whitethroat, a Cetti's Warbler, a Kingfisher and a Cattle Egret were all that could be found in the windy conditions this morning, along with 18 Swallows, eight Sand Martins, three House Martins, a Marsh Harrier, a Kestrel and two Buzzards going over. (S&SaH)

Early this afternoon the first Short-eared Owl of the autumn went over the wall, as did two Little Ringed Plovers, two Yellow Wagtails and ten Swallows, with two Common Sandpipers, two Pintail and four wigeon also noted. (AWi)

Honer Reservoir: There was a good selection of waders on the reservoir at high tide this afternoon, namely a Green Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, a Greenshank, two Ruff and four Black-tailed Godwits, and there were also several Wheatears in the nearby fields. (CRN)

Long Pool: A look this afternoon produced four Whinchats in the adjacent fields, with c100 Swallows feeding over them, whilst from the end of ferry channel on the high tide there were four Greenshanks, two Common Sandpipers, two Grey Plovers, c25 Curlews and Redshanks and c50 Dunlin. (AH)

Whinchat (above), Greenshank & Greenshanks, Common Sandpiper, Dunlin and Redshank along the Long Pool (AH)

Church Norton: A Black Tern and a Great White Egret flew through the harbour early on, whilst a Curlew Sandpiper was ion the mud, a Whinchat was in the horse field and a Garden Warbler and two Spotted Flycatchers were behind the hide. (KB/NM)

Later, up to four Spotted Flycatchers were about, along with two or three Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and a Willow Warbler, with half a dozen Wheatears spread around the spit and the concrete blocks, and a Redstart and a Whinchat were in the horse field.

Also, a Greenshank, a couple of Whimbrel, two Bar-tailed Godwits and a dozen Black-tailed Godwits were in the harbour, along with 50+ Ringed Plovers and Dunlin and a dozen Knot and Grey Plovers, plus a family of Shelducks.

(IP/LP/SP/KT/AT/JDa/TS/IH/AH/ CT/MRi/AWi et al)

Spotted Flycatchers (LP top, AH lower two) (above), Grey Plover & Greenshank (AH) at Church Norton

Late this afternoon there were two Whinchats, a Redstart and two or three Wheatears around the horse field, whilst among the many roosting Redshanks there were a Common Sandpiper, a Bar-tailed Godwit and three Whimbrel, with another four of the latter flying west over the beach, calling vociferously to each other.

There were also a dozen Sandwich Terns flying around the harbour, with c20 more offshore. (AH)

Whinchat (above), Whinchat and Redstart, Bar-tailed Godwit & Whimbrels at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Wheatear, a Whinchat, three Stonechats, a Whitethroat, a Meadow Pipit, three Yellowhammers and 17 Yellow Wagtails were along the banks this afternoon, with a Swallow, 11 Sand Martins and a Kestrel going over. (S&SaH)

Sunday, 30th August: A fairly mild morning of sun and lots of fast-moving grey cloud in a fresh and blustery westerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: A Puffin went west early this morning, as did five Black-tailed Godwits, two Black Terns went east and there were plenty of Gannets, Mediterranean Gulls and Sandwich Terns about, along with a Yellow Wagtail, a Tree Pipit and a couple of Wheatears and Willow Warblers. Full log below. (SH/BI/PB/MRB/AGB/JBo/IP/AH/P&LH)

(0600-0830hrs) (WSW, F4-5)

Gannet - 4E, 83W

Common Scoter - 3E

Kestrel - 1

Oystercatcher - 4E, 1W

Black-tailed Godwit - 5W

Turnstone - 23

Mediterranean Gull - 23E, 90W

Great Black-backed Gull - 28os

Sandwich Tern - 47E, 86W

Common Tern - 5W

Black Tern - 2E

Puffin - 1W

Swallow - 8W

House Martin - 4

Yellow Wagtail - 1

Tree Pipit - 1

Wheatear - 2

Willow Warbler - 2

Sandwich Terns (above) & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)

(1245-1630hrs) (P&LH/SH)

Gannet - 1E, 48W, 8os

Shag - 1W

Sparrowhawk -  1

Oystercatcher - 1W

Sanderling - 1

Dunlin - 6W

Turnstone - 42

Mediterranean Gull - 47W, 100os

Great Black-backed Gull - 5os

Kittiwake - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 8E, 37W, 20os

Common Tern - 41W

Swallow - 6W

House Martin - 1

Wheatear - 1

Sanderling (above), Gannets & feeding flock at the Bill (LH)

Ferry Pool: A juvenile Shelduck was the only bird on the pool this morning, with just a Whimbrel and a handful of Redshanks and Teal in the channel opposite and absolutely nothing to report around the Tramway.. (AH/PB/MRB)

Whimbrel at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were a few migrants about this morning, including three Whinchats, two Redstarts, a Sedge Warbler, two Whitethroats and up to three Wheatears around the horse field area, a Spotted Flycatcher and four Wheatears along Rectory Lane and another Spotted Flycatcher, and a couple of Willow Warblers and Blackcaps and a Chiffchaff in the churchyard, plus two Swifts, a dozen Sand Martins and c70 Swallows seen over the harbour.

The harbour was fairly quiet, though there were two Greenshanks, a Bar-tailed Godwit, a handful of Whimbrel, eight Grey Plovers, ten Dunlin and c30 Ringed Plovers among the usual Redshanks, Curlews and Oystercatchers. (PB/MRB/AGB/JBo/IP/AH/BI/P&LH et al)

This  evening, two Little Terns flew over the harbour, though there were only half a dozen Sandwich Terns about, along with a Greenshank, Bar-tailed Godwit, two or three Whimbrel and a few Dunlin and Ringed Plovers, with a juvenile Kittiwake and three Gannets going west offshore.

Also, a Willow Warbler was among a mobile tit flock behind the hide, a Whinchat was still in the horse field, two or three Wheatears were along the spit and c20 Sand Martins went over. (AWi/AH)

Whinchats (above), Wheatear, Blackcap (AH), Spotted Flycatcher, Wheatears & Bar-tailed Godwit (LH) at Church Norton 

North Wall: Two Spotted Redshanks were along White’s Creek and a Kingfisher was by the sluice, whilst a Wheatear was along the wall and a few Sedge Warblers were in the reeds.
At Halsey’s Farm, two Redstarts were along the hedges as well as six Whitethroats, and three Whinchats were around the fields, while c70 swallows passed overhead. (LP/MJa/EB/SBr)

This evening three Little ringed Plovers dropped in briefly on the Breech Pool and a steady movement of Yellow wagtails and Sand Martins went over. (CS)

Redstarts (above), Whinchats, Wheatear, Sedge Warbler & Spotted Redshanks at the North Wall (LP)

East Side: There wasn’t too much along the East Side on the rising tide, although 14 Wigeon, 11 Pintail and four Teal were asleep on the mud, and a few Dunlin, Ringed Plovers and a couple of Whimbrel were also about. (LP)

Whimbrel (above) & Wigeon and Pintail along the East side (LP)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Green Sandpiper and two Common Sandpipers were on the Stilt Pool this morning, whilst the banks held a Whinchat, a Stonechat, seven Yellowhammers, three Meadow Pipit, a Pied Wagtail and c30 Yellowhammers, plus six Swallows, eight Sand Martins, a Peregrine, a Kestrel and a Buzzard over. (SH)

Saturday, 29th August: At long long last, a morning of persistent heavy rain in a fresh southerly breeze.....

Selsey Bill: A Little Gull, 111 Gannets and 469 Mediterranean Gulls went west, but it was fairly slow in the poor conditions. Full log below. (JA/SH/BI/IP/AH)

(0605-0805hrs) (SSW, F5)

Great Crested Grebe - 1E

Gannet - 6E, 111W

Oystercatcher - 4E, 1W

Turnstone - 27

Little Gull - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 4E, 469W

Black-headed Gull - 120W

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 2W

Great Black-backed Gull - 10os

Sandwich Tern - 1E, 2W, 7os

Common Tern - 3W

Swallow - 13W, 5S

Sand Martin - 10W

House Martin - 3

 

Gannet (above), Mediterranean Gull & House Martin at the Bill (AH)

A Balearic Shearwater went west at 1230hrs and four Black Terns, 31 Common, Terns and 243 Sandwich Terns, plus a Bar-tailed Godwit and the first returning Guillemot went west this afternoon, too. Full log below. (SH/AH/JA)

(1215-1800hrs)
Balearic Shearwater - 1W (1230hrs)
Gannet - 15E, 216W, 30os

Oystercatcher - 2W
Bar-tailed Godwit - 1W
Turnstone - 13
Mediterranean Gull - 116W

Lesser Black-backed Gull - 3W
Great Black-backed Gull - 2W
Kittiwake - 2E
Sandwich Tern - 8E, 243W
Common Tern - 31W
Black Tern - 4W

Guillemot - 1W
Swallow - 21W
Sand Martin - 36W

Sandwich Terns (above), Common Terns & Gannet at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There was nothing on the pool this morning, though a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, two Black-tailed Godwits, two Lapwings, six Redshanks, a juvenile Shelduck and eight Teal were in the channel opposite. (AH)

Greenshank (above), Common Sandpiper & Lapwing at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There was not  a lot to report this morning, with nothing ion the hedges and just a couple of Whimbrel, ten Curlews, c20 Ringed Plovers and c40 Dunlin and Oystercatchers out on the mud. (AH)

Whimbrels at Church Norton (AH)

The stormy weather pushed a few terns into the harbour this evening, with a Roseate Tern and two Black Terns among the roosting flock of c75 sandwich Terns, ten Common Terns, c100 Mediterranean Gulls and c200 Black-headed Gulls. 

There were also at least five Whimbrel, half a dozen Grey Plovers and 50+ Ringed Plovers and  Dunlin about, too, with c100 Sand Martins and c50 Swallows feeding low over the mud. (AH/AB)

Roseate Tern (above), Black Tern & Sandwich Terns and Common Tern at Church Norton (AH)