3rd - 5th September 2013

Thursday, 5th September: Yet another fine, sunny and very warm day; more like high summer than early September, but the forecast is for the weather to break tomorrow. More of the same really bird-wise, so a shake-up might be welcome...meanwhile, best bird today seems to be the Spoonbill over Pagham Hbr this afternoon.

Pagham Hbr: White's Creek - 3 Curlew Sandpipers, 26 Black-tailed Godwits, 22 Redshank and 1 Spotted  Redshank. A gang of 67 Mallard have moved in and evicted yesterday's Teal and Wigeon. Breech Pool - 3 Spotted Redshanks, 19 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Snipe, 1 Common Sandpiper, 1 LRP and 47 Teal. Also 2 Whinchat along way back on the fence wires.

North Fields - signs of movement. 4 Willow Warblers travelling with a squadron of 9 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Common and 1 Lesser Whitethroat and 2 Blackcap. Green Woodpecker and 2 Jays. A Tufted Duck with 4 well developed young on Bremere Rife. Elsewhere, Goldfinches are flocking up; 30 on thistles at the stables and the Swallows there are now on their 3rd brood (JW). Later, a Spoonbill was reported flying over the North Wall/Hbr area early in the afternoon (per Gareth & Roy Hughes, BFF )

Ferry Pool: Still 2 Green Sandpipers, 2 Redshank, 12 Black-Tailed Godwit and 40 Lapwing present. Church Norton: Quiet! 2 Spotted Flycatchers, a few Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat and Blackcap around, and a Greenshank in the harbour. The weather and the birds (or lack of them!) makes it feel like high summer (AH).

 

 

 

Spotted Flycatcher and Greenshank at Church Norton (photos: AH)

Wednesday, 4th September: Another fine sunny day once the annoying coastal sea mist had quickly lifted. Many thanks to Ads Bowley for quickly resolving my query about the Nab tower; basically it is having a big makeover and will be restored soon with some modifications. Ads has provided a useful link which gives full information and the history of the Nab, see here: http://www.pbo.co.uk/news/535031/nab-tower-has-a-serious-make-over

 

Today's news: Pagham Hbr: A lovely morning that deserved more birds. Whites Creek - 7 Curlew Sandpipers, 2 Dunlin, 27 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Ringed Plover and 34 Redshank. A marauding female Sparrowhawk cleared most of the waders from the Breech Pool; 11 Black-tailed Godwits, 9 Lapwing, 3 Snipe, 1 Common Sandpiper and 1 LRP. Again very few migrant warblers around the fields. Kingfisher at Owl Point again (JW).

 

After a fruitless (and birdless!) look around Northcommon farm (Selsey) I ventured over to East Head, in search of the 7 Black Terns that had been reported from the Hampshire side for the last few days. And there they were - admittedly in Hampshire territorial waters - dipping and swooping in amongst about a dozen Common Terns and an assortment of gulls.  Also, about 6 Wheatears and 40 Yellow Wagtails in amongst the cattle by the car-park, plenty of Swallows and Sand Martins overhead, but few waders to be seen, the best of which were 3 Sanderling flying across the harbour, and a dozen or so Grey Plovers in a mix of plumages, along with 10 roosting Sandwich Terns (AH).

 

 

Chi Hbr/East Head area: Man walking dogs and a Black Tern, and Grey Plovers (photos: Andy House)

Tuesday, 3rd September: Finding two Pied Flycatchers at Northcommon Farm was my highlight of the day, ensuring that it wouldn't be a blank year for the species on my (and a certain Mr Janman's) year list after all. It was another sunny and warm day, with above average temperatures, but resulting in a flat calm sea with little movement at the Bill except a mass exodus of Swallows.

 

Selsey Bill (0800-1000hrs): Sunny, warm, some hazy cloud. Wind light W 2.

(Obs: JD/DS/OM/CRJ et al).

Gannet - 3E, 4W

Turnstone - 71 ob

Sparrowhawk - 1

Kestrel - 1

Med Gull - 1 os

Sandwich Tern - 4 os moving back and forth

Grey Wagtail - 1W

Yellow Wagtail - 1W

Swift - 1

House Martin - c.100

Swallow - c.600 out SE

 

Selsey Northcommon Farm:  (OM/CRJ)

Pied Flycatcher - 2

Spotted Flycatcher - 1

Willow Warbler - 2

 

 

 

Sorry but this blurry record shot of one of the Pied Fly's is the best I could do in the circumstances and is well down to my usual standard (OM).

 

 

 

Pagham Hbr: North Wall: A surprise start; 2 Tree Pipits in the large willow behind the stables. White's Creek: - 6 Curlew Sandpipers, 11 Black-tailed Godwits, 37 Redshank and 1 Black Swan. Breech Pool: - 66 Black-tailed Godwits, 6 Snipe, 2 Common Sandpipers, 1 Spotted Redshank, 1 Greenshank and (unusually for the BP) a Ringed Plover. Elsewhere very few migrant warblers, but a Kingfisher at Owl Point and 6 Yellow Wag's amongst the cattle. (Note: Ivan, finally managed to get the ring details on a Black-t-Godwit, as follows Right leg, red above, yellow below. Left leg, white above, yellow below). JW.

 

With sea-watching conditions being slow today, a degree of boredom set in I think, for I asked good old Dorian Mason to take a photo for me - a bit unfair really given the murky conditions and the distance - for The Nab tower is some 7 miles away! The reason for the shot was to record the gradual dismantling of this famous landmark, which is currently about half its previous size and getting smaller. Does anyone know why this is happening? For the record, he also photo'd the 'green bouy' - a mere 2.2 miles distant - with the distant 'wreck marker' behind it, both useful markers when sea-watching.

 

 

 

The shrinking Nab Tower in the gloom, and the green bouy with the wreck marker behind (photos; DM)