8th - 9th September 2013

Monday, 9th September: Showers at first though much of the late morning was dry. There was no sign of the Pectoral Sandpiper this morning on the Ferry Pool, although both Little Stints were still present, whilst on Ivy Lake there were fewer Common Terns but no trace of yesterday's Arctic Tern.  On the plus side, after a very slow start to the sea-watch at Selsey Bill, things gradually improved to produce 11 Arctic Skuas moving west in 4 hours.

Selsey Bill (0800-1200hrs): Heavy showers, then drier with sunny spells. Wind S/SSW3-4. (Obs: OM et al)

Great Crested Grebe - 1W

Gannet - 9E, 11W

Fulmar - 1W

Common Scoter - 1E

Wigeon - 2W

Arctic Skua - 11W (all d/p except for one!)

Skua sp - 1W (high and distant, probably Bonxie)

Common Tern - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 7 os moved off W

Wheatear - 1

Willow Warbler - 1 gardens

Pied Wagtail - 2 ob

Evening watch:1730-1900hrs  Showery. Wind light NW.  (Obs: SH)
Gannet - 9E
Sandwich Tern - 16 os, 13W
Common Tern - 2 os

 

Pagham Hbr: Sidlesham Ferry pool: Little Stint - 2, Green Sandpiper - 2 (up to 4 later reported), Dunlin - 8, Black-tailed Godwit - 9, Redshank - 2, (no sign of Pec Sand) (OM).

Church Norton: A&Y Ford report a Hobby over the churchyard and single Pied and Spotted Flycatchers in the dead tree near the concrete wall. Otherwise just a few Blackcaps reported. However, SR had no luck with the Church Norton Pied Fly this afternoon, just the Spotted before rain set in again (SR).

 

Coastguard station end of Medmerry was quiet this morning: 1 Wheatear, 7 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Little Egret, 2 Meadow Pipits, 4 Pied Wagtails, 1 Kestrel and just 1 Swallow.  Northcommon Farm this afternoon had a pair of Spotted Flycatchers, same spot as yesterday (SR).

 

Chi GP's: Ivy Lake: Common Tern - 4 (2 ad, 2 juv) but no sign of the juv Arctic Tern (1300hrs)

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Sunday, 8th September: A day of heavy rain/showers though a good part of the morning was dry. A lot more birding activity to report on the Peninsula now that we are well into September; a variety of sea-birds at the Bill included a couple of Balearic Shearwaters, Arctic and Great Skuas and two Little Gulls, whilst the Ferry Pool saw the Pectoral Sandpiper still present together with two newly-arrived Little Stints and two Hobbies were at Church Norton.  Meanwhile a number of Common Terns and a probable Arctic Tern were at Ivy Lake; fuller details below:

Selsey Bill 0620-0930hrs: Cloud/showers, wind SW 3-4.   (Obs: SH et al)
Gannet - 5E, 14W
Fulmar  - 1W
Balearic Shearwater - 2W (distant at 07.25)
Wigeon - 10 os then W
Common Scoter - 3E
Turnstone - 75 ob
Sanderling - 1 ob
Peregrine - 1 ob
Auk sp - 1W
Arctic Skua - 2W
Great Skua - 1W
Little Gull - 2W
Med Gull - 2 os
Common Gull - 2 ob
Sandwich Tern - 10 os, 12W
Common Tern - 2 os, 3W
Pied Wagtail - 2 ob
Yellow Wagtail - 5 ob
Wheatear - 1 ob
Willow Warbler - 3 in gardens

Northcommon Farm, Selsey: One Spotted Flycatcher - just before the rain set in! (SR)


Early this morning at Selsey Bill (a great shot from Sam Hill - was the rainbow highlighting the Balearics Sam?)

Pagham Hbr: Ferry Pool: The Pectoral Sandpiper still present this morning, joined by 2 Little Stints that arrived mid-morning. Also Green Sandpiper, 8 Dunlin, 12 Black-tailed Godwits & 4 Redshank. Church Norton: 2 Hobbies & 2 Whinchats (per AF & Chris Northwood), 1 Spotted Flycatcher and a few Blackcaps and Whitethroats about (AH).

Chi GPs: Ivy Lake: 8 Common Terns (2 adults & 6 juvs) plus what I think might be a juvenile Arctic Tern. (The one on the yellow buoy looks shorter legged & billed, also the bill is all dark rather than paler, redder on the other one, and black to white on head is more sharply defined - apparently a feature, but I am by no means certain - they just look slightly 'different' sat near each other - AH). (Hard to be sure from just the photo, but the all-dark bill lacking reddish base, clearly defined black and white head pattern, cleaner wing, shortish legs and overall jizz make this a very good candidate for me -  OM).

 

Two more views of the juv Pec Sand on the Ferry Pool (photos: AH)

Juv Common Tern and apparent juv Arctic Tern, Ivy Lake (photos: AH)

Green Woodpecker, between Selsey-Church Norton (photo: Sam Hill)

 

 

 

Went to Medmerry this evening - it changes by the day, no more outflow jetty, no more pumping station, and a great deal of sea-water on the landward side of the beach. Still a few birds about - 2 Whinchat, 7 Wheatears and 20 Meadow Pipits along the fences, and the Little Ringed Plover, 2 Common Sandpipers and 15 Dunlin in the creek.

 

 

Meadow Pipit and Wheatears at Medmerry (photos: AH)