24th - 26th August 2014

Tuesday, 26th August: Better than yesterday, and at least it was mild and the wind light, despite the dreary, grey start......but then heavy showers set in later!

Selsey Bill 0650-0735hrs: Mild, cloudy, NE 2-3. (Obs: CRJ)

Gannet - 1E, 5W

Common Scoter - 30 os

Commic Tern - 13 os

Sandwich Tern - 7 os

Med Gull - 1 os (imm)

Wheatear - 1 ob

Willow Warbler -  2 gardens.

 

Ferry Pool: Most unusual birds on here were 2 Turnstones that dropped in at the back. Despite being a common bird within a hundred metres range, they are extremely rare on the Ferry. Otherwise there were 3 Green Sandpipers, 2 Little Ringed Plovers, 5 Avocet, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 6 Dunlin and 4 Teal. (OM/AH)

 

Church Norton: A good selection of passerines today - presumably the same as Sunday's birds. Around the hide there was a Garden Warbler (and possibly two), a Redstart, 4-5 Spotted Flycatctchers, a Chiffchaff, a Lesser Whitethroat, and 5+ Blackcaps, Whitethroats and Willow Warblers.

Along the Severals there was a Whinchat and 10+ Whitethroats, a single Gannet was offshore, in the harbour there were 2 Sandwich Terns, 3 Whimbrel, 10+ Grey Plovers, 250 Dunlin and 5+ Black-tailed Godwits, and 20+ House Martins and 50 Swallows went over. (OM/CRJ/AH)

 

Garden Warbler (above), Spotted Flycatcher, Whitethroat & Redstart at Church Norton (AH)

 

 

 

 

(Bank holiday) Monday, 25th August: Grey, wet and windy with heavy rain and a strong southerly-based wind predicted to make this a typical Bank Holiday! Once again sea-watching may be the best option. Meanwhile, may we just take the opportunity to again thank the contributors who provide info and photos for us to use; just one plea though.... the earlier you can get the info/photos to us the better. We endeavour to get the news out daily and often find ourselves working late into the evening to process the influx of info that suddenly appears at this time....... not grumbling honest, but if you can help it would be much appreciated (OM/AH).

Selsey Bill (06.30 - 09.00hrs): Grey and squally, wind F4 SSE (JA/SH/AH)
Fulmar - 3E, 4W
Gannet - 148E, 17W
Common Scoter - 6E, 15os
Arctic Skua (juv) - 1W
Kittiwake - 2E, 3W
Mediterranean Gull - 1ob
'Commic' Tern - 6E, 4os
Sandwich Tern  -10E, 3W
Sand Martin - 6E
Swallow - 2E

Common Scoters (above) & Gannet past the Bill (AH)

Church Norton: This morning in the dire conditions there were 2 Whimbrel, 8 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Knot, 8 Grey Plover, 30 Curlew (including the leucistic bird), 200+ Dunlin, 40 Turnstone and 120 Ringed Plover out on the mud. There were also 9 Sandwich Terns and one Common Tern roosting in the harbour, and a steady stream of Swallows and Sand Martins feeding low over the mud. Passerines were all but non-existent, though a flock of Goldcrests were moving about the oaks in the churchyard. (AH)

 Whimbrel & Black-tailed Godwit (above) & Swallows at Church Norton (AH)

 

Ferry Pool: Just 3 Avocets, 2 Black-tailed Godwits and a Dunlin this morning. (AH)




Sunday, 24th August: A cool start to a fine sunny morning with a gentle W/SW breeze, but cloud bubbling up and increasing later.

Selsey Bill (06.30 - 08.30hrs): Sunny, bright, wind light W/SW 1-2. (Obs: PB/SH/JA/IP).
Gannet - 31E, 13W
Common Scoter - 11E,1W, 20 os
Redshank - 1W
Turnstone - 30 ob
Common Tern - 30 os, 7W
Sandwich tern - 10E
Sand Martin - 233E
House Martin - 33E
Swallow - 60E
Yellow Wagtail - 5W

At Park Farm this morning there were 4 Yellow Wagtails  This afternoon around 150 hirundines went over the north of the town , mostly Sand Martins, but including 4 Swifts. Also 5 Buzzards were seen soaring high over the north of Selsey - they are still a real rarity in Selsey despite being common elsewhere on the peninsula. (S&SaH)

Yellow Wagtail at Park Farm (SH) 

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: A visiting bird-watcher reported seeing the Cattle Egret here again this morning. (AH) Also there were 2-3 Spotted Flycatchers on the fence near the cattle grid with a mix of a few Willow Warblers and Whitethroats. (BI)

A message picked up by SR on the Sussex Birders facebook. Please take heed....

"I'm not naming names, but people need to show respect at Marsh Farm, a huge lorry of hay bales has been delayed because this person has ignored the signs saying 'NO VEHICLES- DEAD END' causing all sort of upset for the farmer. I hope this isn't anyone on the group but if it is, pay attention to the signs and respect landowners, we birders have enough access issues as it is."

Church Norton: A Pied Flycatcher was seen early on behind the hide, but frustratingly could not be re-found. (IP) Also about were 4-5 Spotted Flycatchers, 2-3 Redstarts, 2 Lesser Whitethroats, 2 Garden Warblers, 5+ Blackcaps, 10+ Willow Warblers and a Wheatear. There were still 20+ Whitethroats along the Severals, 2 Wheatears on the beach and there were several hundred Sand Martins over the fields and harbour, with a pure albino House Martin amongst them, which the other birds did not appear to like and repeatedly chased it off.

In the harbour there was a Whimbrel, 150 Dunlin and 50 Ringed Plovers, along with 2 Common Terns feeding in the harbour mouth. (AH/S&SaH/PB/AB/IP/C&ME/C&JM/BI)
 

 

Wheatear (above) (SH) & albino House Martin with Sand Martins (CM) at Church Norton

 

 

Spotted Flycatcher (AB), & Redstart (BI above & CM below) at Church Norton

 

 Ferry Pool: A Green Sandpiper was on the pool again this morning, along with three Avocets, including two juveniles, 8 Black-tailed Godwits and 22 Lapwings. There were a Common Sandpiper and a Greenshank in Ferry channel, but it was quiet in the adjacent bushes - with just a few Whitethroats and Willow Warblers present. (AH)

Juvenile Avocets on the Ferry (AH)

 

Medmerry: West Sands to the breach - The most unusual sight of the morning was of a Spotted Flycatcher on the fencing around the new sluice at the end of the caravan park, along with two Willow Warblers. There were also at least 5 Wheatears and 40 Linnets around the viewpoint, and on the pools there were 2 Bar-tailed Godwits, 8 Curlews, 1 Knot, 25 Dunlin and 40 Ringed Plovers. There were still 2 juvenile Little Terns feeding offshore and up to 10 Sandwich Terns roosting or feeding along the shoreline. (AH)

Spotted Flycatcher (above), Wheatear, Bar-tailed Godwits & Sandwich Tern at Medmerry (AH)

 

Easton Lane - Two Common Sandpipers on the first sluice pool, ten Yellow Wagtails over and a single Clouded Yellow. (BI)

Common Sandpipers at Medmerry (BI)

Ham Farm: The long-standing Barnacle Goose of highly suspect origins was back amongst 220 Canada Geese on the stubble this evening, along with 2 Greylag Geese. Also a Little Grebe with a well grown chick was on one of the new ponds and about 50 Swallows went over. (AH)

Barnacle Goose with Canada Geese at Medmerry (AH)

Sidlesham. For the second day running a Yellow Wagtail dropped into our garden, and the third Swallow brood of the season look ready to leave their nest. (AH)

Swallows in a Sidlesham shed (AH)