1st - 3rd August 2013

Saturday, 3rd August: A bit more activity at last, showing that autumn passage has begun in earnest. Unusually a couple of Green Sandpipers passed the Bill early this morning - quite a scarce bird there and a Bill tick for the observer concerned (Sam).

Selsey Bill 0545-0930hrs: Cloud and squally showers, dry and sunny later; wind SW6.(Obs: SH)
Gannet - 121E, 206W
Fulmar - 1E, 1W

Turnstone - 25 ob

Green Sandpiper - 2W close in (0655hrs)

Oystercatcher - 3W

Great Skua - 1 os

Little Gull - 1W

Common Tern - 44W

Little Tern - 4W

Sandwich Tern - 103W
Sand Martin - 3W

SH then walked from Selsey - Church Norton (1000hrs) which produced 200+ Swifts and Sand Martins, 50+ House Martin and Swallows. Also several Peacock and Red Admiral butterflies and 1 Silver-washed Fritillary.
1600-1730hrs: SW4 (Obs: SH)
Gannet  - 39E, 89W
Sandwich Tern - 21W
Med Gull - 2W
Pagham Hbr: Ferry Pool: 5 juvenile Little Ringed Plovers at the back this morning, along with 3 Common Sandpipers; also 15 Teal, 6 Lapwing and the family party of Shelduck.
Church Norton: Not much to report bird-wise - a few Sandwich Terns in the harbour and one Chiffchaff, but at least half a dozen Painted Lady butterflies around. I saw 3 or 4 yesterday evening, which were the first of 2013 for me, and after an almost blank year last year maybe we are going to get an invasion this summer (AH).



Painted lady at Church Norton (photo: Andy House)

Chi GPs: Ivy Lake: 16 Common Terns, plus one House Martin and a Buzzard (AH).

 

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Friday, 2nd August: No birding news yet...updates awaited, although with  Pectoral and Wood Sands on offer at RSPB Pulborough Brooks some observers may be lured away from the Peninsula.

Common Sandpiper Pagham East side, and Sedge Warbler with food, Breech Pool (photos: Andy House)

 

Ferry Pool: 1 Green Sandpiper, 8 Lapwing, 6 Teal, 16 Black-headed Gulls, 16 Teal, 5 Black-tailed Godwits, Pair Shelduck with 5 young (AH/SR).

Breech Pool: 1 Green Sandpiper, 1 Snipe, 30 Canada Goose, still Reed and Sedge Warblers feeding young, and 20 Sand Martins over. East side of Harbour: 1 Common Sandpiper, 4 Grey Plover, 5 Whimbrel, 5 Sandwich Tern, 2 Common Tern, 40 Curlew, 25 Dunlin, 20 Yellow-legged Gulls (AH).

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Thursday, 1st August: A new month and one which should soon see a good number of waders on the move. I made a fairly early start at the North Wall & Breech Pool this morning and didn't see too many birds, but I did have to smile at a yellow-clad cyclist (aka Mr Janman), whilst grimacing at a Crystal Palace fan (aka Peter Callis). Bird news follows:

An athletic Mr Janman in race leader's yellow jersey on the North wall.

 

 

At Pagham North Wall/Breech pool this morning the Ruff was still present though very sleepy throughout. Also 12 Black-tailed Godwits, 45 Redshank, 1 Whimbrel, 12 Teal, 2 Tufted Duck, 45 Canada Geese, just 1 Yellow-legged Gull and a juvenile Cuckoo (OM/CRJ/PC).

 

 

 The best I could do to show the notably sleepy Ruff together with an equally lethargic Lapwing on the Breech pool



 

 A walk down the East side produced 3 Grey Plovers with 2 Knot, all resplendent in nearly full summer plumage, 2 Whimbrel, a summering Brent Goose and 3 Willow Warblers (OM).

Selsey to Church Norton: An evening walk by SH produced 1 Whimbrel, 300+ Black-headed Gulls feeding on flying insects at Norton beach, 200+ Sand Martins, 50+ Swallows, 20+ House Martins and 30+ Swifts. A family party of Red-legged Partridges were noted at Park Farm.


Black-headed Gulls at Church Norton feeding on flying ants, and a family of Red-legged Partridges at Park Farm (photos: Sam Hill)