30th - 31st July 2014

Thursday, 31st July: Another pleasant sunny morning with similar weather to yesterday. Early news from AH that the Black-winged Stilts have moved from Medmerry and were on the Ferry Pool today this morning, though they flew off into the harbour at about 4.30pm 

Ferry Pool: All five of the Black-winged Stilts have finally departed Medmerry and - as we all hoped - relocated to the Ferry, where there the youngsters were showing really well to their many 'god-parents' this morning. Hopefully they will settle here for a while, to let all those who put a shift in earlier in the summer see them once more, before they depart.

Otherwise there were 3 Common Sandpipers and a Little Ringed Plover early on,another family of Avocets, including four youngsters, a Ruff (per A&YF), and 2 Kingfisher going up and down the channel to the south of the pool. (AH)

A large flock of Dunlin - c80 birds- flew in later along with 2 Little Ringed Plovers. (AB)

The Black-winged Stilts all took flight together at around 4.30pm, rose up high before dropping back down into the middle of the harbour. (S&SaH)

Images of the Black-winged Stilts on the Ferry (top - AB, middle - SH, below DM)

 

Images of the Black-winged Stilts on the Ferry - juveniles above, adult below (AH)

Church Norton: The poor relation today! Still about 10 Sandwich Terns and a couple of Little Terns in the harbour, plus at least 7 Whimbrel. A few Blackcaps, Willow/Chiffs, Whitethroats and a Sedge Warbler around the hide and west side, but generally very quiet. (AH)

Juvenile Blackcap at Church Norton (AH)

This evening there was a Hobby and a large flock of mixed Swallows, Sand and House Martins over Park Farm. At Church Norton there was a Fulmar close inshore, 8 Whimbrel 10 Sandwich Terns and 4 Little Terns, including 2 juveniles in the harbour, and a Peregrine on its island. (S&SaH/AH)

 

Whimbrel at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Had a nice surprise of c12 Small Red-eyed Damsels in the meandering ditch alongside the main path from Earnley - very scarce in Sussex! Black-tailed Skimmers, Emperors and a single female Common Darter also present, and a single Clouded Yellow (also had another in the garden later). On the bird front the best was at least 1 Yellow Wagtail amongst a flock of c100 Pied Wagtails in the fields by the carpark area. (AB)

Wednesday, 30th July: A pleasantly warm and sunny day with scattered cloud and a light NW breeze, though perhaps a bit of a slow news day. 

Selsey Bill:  (JA/GH) A few bits and pieces suggesting some early passage this morning...
Gannet - several E
Redshank - 1E
Common Scoter - 150 os
Peregrine - 1 over
Sparrowhawk - 1 over
Green Woodpecker - 1 gardens
Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1 gardens
Sedge Warbler - 1 gardens
Blackcap - 1 gardens
Willow Warbler - 10 gardens
Wheatear - 1 ob
Also a few Swallows, Sand and House Martins moving W

Ferry Pool: Still fairly empty - the only waders early this morning were a Dunlin, 2 Black-tailed Godwits and 4 Lapwing, and the only other species present were 6 young Shelducks and 80 Black-headed Gulls. (AH)

Juvenile Shelduck on the Ferry (AH)

 

Medmerry - West Sands/Breach: There were 6 Wheatears around the rubble heaps this morning, all looking like young birds, and also a few Linnets and Pied Wagtails about. It was pretty quiet at the breach - just a couple of Common Terns of note, with most of the waders on the beach on the west side, namely 12 Turnstone, 80 Grey Plovers and 120 Dunlin. (AH)

 

Wheatear (above), Turnstones & mixed Dunlin and Grey Plovers at Medmerry (AH)

Church Norton: Quiet here, too - it must be the time of year! In the harbour there were still 3 Whimbrel and about 40 Sandwich Terns on the mud, plus a few Curlew and Redshank.
Along the Severals there were a few Willow/Chiffs, Whitethroats and Sedge Warblers, but everything was keeping itself quet and well-concealed. (AH)

This evening there were 70+ Sandwich Terns, including 52 roosting in the harbour, 8 Common Terns and 4 Little Terns, busy feeding in harbour. (S&SaH)

At Park Farm, Selsey there were 50+ Swallows and 67 Linnets. (S&SaH)