22nd-25th July 2013

Thursday, 25th July:

My last day in charge before handing the blog back, mostly intact, to the capable hands of Mr Mitchell, so from tomorrow send him your news....

Ferry Pool: (In!)action replay of yesterday - a dozen Lapwing and Black-Headed Gulls asleep in the middle, though there was a family party of Shelducks at the back this morning, possibly the same group that was along Ferry Channel a couple of days ago.

Church Norton: Best bird was a fly-by Cuckoo along the west side, otherwise quiet - a young Peregrine bombing the gulls, a Whimbrel and 40 Curlews in the harbour, and a few Linnet along the west side, including one very freshly fledged youngster, being the highlights.
 

Cuckoo, Church Norton 25/7/13 (AH)

Very young Linnet, Church Norton 25/7/13 (AH)

 

North Wall: The Spotted Redshank still present. Also a Turtle Dove again in Church Lane, and another at Honer Farm. (JW)

 

Porthole Farm: Large numbers of  hirundines this morning, favouring the wheat fields over the nearby sewage farm. Rough estimates - 300+ Sand Martin, 100+ Swallow, 50+ House Martin, all swirling around low over the fields and periodically settling on top of the wheat. Also 2 Yellowhammer, 4 Whitethroat and 2 Stock Dove seen.

Sand Martins on wheat crop at Porthole Farm 25/7/13 (AH)

 

Yellowhammer at Porthole Farm 25/7/13 (AH)

 

Wednesday, 24th July:

Ferry Pool: Another almost birdless morning, despite conditions looking promising - 1 Black-Tailed Godwit, 8 Lapwing, 6 Teal and a dozen Black-Headed Gulls the sum total.

North Wall: Here, on the other hand it was positively full of birds. Best of all was the smart summer-plumaged Spotted Redshank that Jim Weston found in White's Creek, though it was mobile at times as it consorted with the 30+ Common Redshank that went to and fro from the Breach Pool. Also 2 Little Ringed Plover, a Common Sandpiper, 17 Black-Tailed Godwit, 5 Dunlin, 12 Lapwing and 25 Teal there, 2 more Common Sandpipers in White's Creek, along with 4 young Pied Wagtails and a few Sand Martins.
 

Spotted Redshank in White's Creek 24/7/13 (AH)

Common Redshank on Breach Pool 24/7/13 (AH)

 

Itchenor (Chi Harbour): Sarah Russell reports - On a strictly non-birding visit to Itchenor I couldn't help noticing 5 occupied House Martin nests (4 of them artificial) around the Harbour Office, they all seemed active with young. Also spotted a Buzzard, 5 Redshank, 3  Little Egrets, Great Crested Grebe, 2 Common Terns, Curlew and 2 Mute  Swans. 

Honer Reservoir: Chris Janman reports -  Mid-day,a female Tufted Duck with 7 young, 1 Common Sandpiper and 1 Black-headed Gull. Nearby a Common Buzzard hovering into the wind and several Emperor dragonflies.

Tuesday, 23rd July:

Apologies for the absence of news today, but Sidlesham hsa been without power for most of the day.

Ferry Pool: Sarah Russell reports - at 6.30am. All I could find was 2 Black-Tailed  Godwits, 12 Lapwing, 11 Black-Headed Gulls (2 of them juveniles), 2 Mallard, 1  Coot & 2 Moorhens. 

North Wall: From the Worthing Crew via SOS - Funny old day weatherwise with the threat of thunderstorms in the air for most of the morning but just a few rumbles of thunder and few spots of rain. We spent the entire day around the harbour. Pagham east side: a good count of 42 Yellow-legged and 30 Med Gulls with two Whimbrel and a single Brent Goose. Four Great Crested Grebes in the channel and two juvenile Peregrines crashing around. Not much on the Breech Pool - the usual Black- tailed Godwits and a single Snipe.
(I would add 2 Knot, 3 Dunlin, 10 Sand Martin and the Black Swan to the above.)

Two Dunlin on Breach Pool 22/7/13 (AH)

Black Swan on Breach Pool 22/7/13 (AH)

Church Norton: four summer plumage Knot, two Whimbrel and single Grey Plover and Common Sandpiper. Only a few terns loafing around, it looks as if there has been a big clear out! Purple Hairstreak near the hide. (Bernie Forbes, Dave Smith & Dorian Mason).

Honer Farm Res.: A Tufted Duck with 8 youngsters and a Common Sandpiper. (JW)

Long Pool/Ferry Channel: A pair of Shelducks with eight very young ducklings in the channel and 30 Mediterranean Gulls with Black-Headed Gulls on bare fields to the west.

Monday, 22nd July:

Selsey Bill: From Sarah Russell - seawatch at the Bill this morning 6.00am - 8.00am F2/3 N with slight mist. 

Sandwich Tern 54E

Common Tern  2E, 2 os

Gannet 34E, 1W

Common Scoter 35E

Oystercatcher 2E, 1 obs

Swallow 11 os

House Martin 8 os

Swifts 12 over gardens

Mallard 1N

 

Peninsula:

 

Ferry Pool: Freshly filled with water - not sure if sea- or fresh-, but not many birds. 25 Lapwing, 4 Teal and 1 Moorhen the total.

 

Fishbourne Creek: On the rising tide, the following were seen - 2 Whimbrel 3 Greenshank, 30 Curlew, 2 Yellow-Legged Gull, 5 Lesser-Black-Backs, 2 Mediterranean Gull, 1 Common Tern, family of 8 young Shelducks, 35 Little Egret, 20 Swallows and 5 House Martins. (AH)

 

Swallows aboard a yacht at Dell Quay 22/7/13 (AH)

Yellow-Legged Gull in Fishbourne Creek 22/7/13 (AH)

North Wall: Alan Kitson's report on SOS - still 12 splendid Black-Tailed Godwits, still a juv Redshank with quite yellowy legs and some 20 others, three Greenshank, three Snipe, two Green Sandpipers and one Dunlin while in the Harbour itself here were one Whimbrel and, roosting in the purslane at HT, some 200 Curlew. Also ca. 15 Yellow-Legged Gulls.