10th - 12th September 2013

Thursday, 12th September: Firstly, as from tomorrow Andy House will be running the blog for five days (i.e. Friday until Tuesday) so could all regulars forward their bird news to him in the usual way. Once again it's great to have a reliable blog-meister who is able to step in at short notice when commitments dictate - thanks Andy. On with today's bird news:-
 

Pagham Harbour: A total of at least 12 Curlew Sandpipers today, as detailed below:- 

Sidlesham Ferry Pool: Up to 7 Curlew Sandpipers this morning, plus the 2 Little Stints & 20 or so Dunlin. Terry Rawlings also reported 5 Greenshank & 3 Green Sandpipers first thing. Also a Yellow-legged Gull and 2 Stock Doves present. Further update: Both Sam Hill & I, separately, counted 12 Curlew Sandpipers and 2 Little Stints on the Ferry this evening (AH).

 

North Wall: Up to 4 Spotted Redshanks and 5 or 6 Curlew Sandpipers in White's Creek, plus a Bar-tailed Godwit amongst the many Black-tailed, a Grey Wagtail over, twice, but just 2 Snipe on the Breech Pool (AH).

A 12 mile bike tour around the area today by Chris Janman produced:
Honer Reservoir: 2 Little Grebe, 2 Mute Swan, 2 Mallard and a flyover Green Sandpiper.
Summer Lane: 1 Wheatear, 50 Lapwing.
North Wall: 1 Grey Wagtail, 4 Snipe.
Halsey’s Farm: 2 Spotted Flycatcher.
Yeomans Field: 3 Whinchat, 1 Blackcap, 2 Whitethroat.
Bramber Farm: 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 1 Chiffchaff, 27 juv Mallard
Fisher Farm: 1 fem Sparrowhawk.

 

 

 (above) Little Egret and Spotted Redshank in White's Creek, and (below) Little Stint (centre rear) with a Dunlin on the Ferry Pool (photos: Andy House)

Wednesday, 11th September: Medmerry dominating the news today as the full breach has now taken place and it features on national/local television - complete with the RSPB's Adrian Thomas (in high vis jacket and white safety helmet of course) saying a few words on site - well done Adrian! Other than that, fairly standard fare on the birding front, although a total of 5 Curlew Sands and 3 Spotted Redshanks at Pagham Hbr were noteworthy.

Selsey Bill   0730-0920hrs: Cloudy, wind light NW increasing later. (Obs: CRJ)

Gannet - 21E, 5W

Med Gull - 1E 

Sandwich Tern - 11 os...

Turnstone - 77 ob

Swallow - 37N

Meadow Pipit - 7N, 1W

Wheatear - 1 gdns

Willow Warbler - 4 gdns.

 

Northcommon farm, Selsey: Not really a birdwatching day but I paid a quick visit this afternoon - 1 Spotted Flycatcher feasting on dragonflies (SR).

 

Medmerry: No access; lots of heavy plant busily removing part of the beach and using it to reinforce West Sands bung, so only 1 Wheatear. I did manage to climb a slag heap and see the ingress of sea-water to the landward side (CRJ).

Pagham Hbr: Very quiet at C/Norton, 150 Dunlin, 2 Willow Warbler (CRJ).

Ferry Pool: 2 juvenile Curlew Sandpipers new this morning, the 2 Little Stints still present (though one was out of sight when I was there), along with 2 Green Sandpipers, 14 Dunlin, 12 Black-tailed Godwits and 40 Lapwing. Also a smart adult Hobby shot through, upsetting everything (AH).
At the North Wall/Breech Pool/White's Creek this morning I met up with none other than esteemed local resident Jim Weston and we logged the following: Teal - 160, Spotted Redshank - 3, Curlew Sandpiper - 3 juvs, Black-tailed Godwit - 85, Snipe - 2, Water Rail - 1, Sparrowhawk - 1, Kingfisher - 1, House Martin - 50E and a gathering of 16 Magpies. I then escorted JW off the premises before walking down the East side: Common Sandpiper - 3, Dunlin - 30, Grey Plover - 4, Greenshank - 1, House Martin - c.100 E with a few Sand Martins, Chiffchaff - 3. On Pagham Lagoon there wasn't too much on offer and the best I could do was 18+ Little Grebes, 2 Great Crested Grebes and 20+ Tufted Duck (OM).

 

 Two juv Curlew Sandpipers on the Ferry Pool (photo: AH).

 



 

Tuesday, 10th September: Decidedly cool at first this morning, now feeling like autumn is really here. Not too many reports today, but thanks as ever to my regular contributors:

Pagham Hbr: Ferry Pool: The 2 Little Stints still present, along with 2 Green Sandpipers, 14 Dunlin, 8 Black-tailed Godwits, 1 Redshank, 2 Stock Dove, 100 Lapwings, 4 Buzzards, a Hobby, 2 Kestrels, 4 Wheatears and 3 Whinchat (AH/CRJ).

Church Norton: 1 Spotted Flycatcher, 5+ Blackcap, 10+ Whitethroat, 3+ Sedge Warbler (in 1st Several), 20+ Willow/Chiffs, up to 5 Wheatears and 200+ House Martins over, with c.100 Swallows and smaller numbers of Sand Martins (AH/SR).

Mill Pond Marsh - Yeomans Field - edge of Hbr: Whitethroat 6...Lesser Whitethroat 1...Whinchat 1 stonking 1st winter...Blackcap 4...Spotted Flycatcher 1...Cetti’s Warbler 1...Sparrowhawk 2 (CRJ).  

 

 

 Sedge Warbler at the Severals, and Little Stint at the Ferry Pool (photos: Andy House)

 

Evening walk: Selsey to C/Norton (SH): Greenshank - 1, Sparrowhawk - 3, Sandwich Tern - 5, Willow Warbler - 5, Chiffchaff - 1 and Wheatear 4.