1st-3rd September 2014

Wednesday, 3rd September: A lovely Indian summer morning, with the wind in the east, but not too brisk....

Ferry Pool: The water level remains frustratingly high, but there were still 5 Green Sandpipers at the back, plus 7 Avocets, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 85 Lapwing and 26 Teal. (AH)

 

Green Sandpipers on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There were still a few migrants around in the pleasant conditions, though numbers are undoubtedly dropping. There were two Redstarts - one in the churchyard and one in the first Several, but most other migrants were around the hide area, including 4 Spotted Flycatchers (with two more in the orchard by Greenlease Farm), 10+ Blackaps, 5+ Willow Warblers and 5+ Whitethroats, with a few of the latter along the Severals. There were 2 Whinchats and 3 Wheatears around the Severals area, too, and a Knot and 6 Grey Plovers on the beach.
Overhead a big movement of hirundines again, with 100+ House Martins and a few Sand Martins amongst the Swallows, plus 18 Yellow Wagtails and a Pied Wagtail, almost all going east into the breeze. A Common Sandpiper was in the creek by the horse's field, at least 4 Sparrowhawks were over the Priory, and there were a few Sandwich Terns about, but not much else of note in the harbour. (AH/IP/SR/C&ME)
This evening there were 3 Sandwich.Terns, 1 Swift, 1 Redstart, 1 Wheatear and 3 Spotted Flycatchers, but no sign of the Short-eared Owl. (S&SaH)



Blackcaps (above), Willow Warbler & House Martin at Church Norton (AH)

 

Selsey Bill: There was a huge movement of House Martins and Swallows heading east at the Bill this morning, estimated at 8000 and 5000 birds respectively. (GH)

 

North Wall: A Hirundine morning. Hundreds of mixed hirundines moving eastwards this morning, predominantly Sand Martins but I also saw well over a hundred House Martins which, to date, have been quite scarce this autumn. A magical moment at Owl Water when I was surrounded by around 200 birds which then all took a quick drink and were then gone. All in a matter of seconds. Elsewhere very slow on other migrants. A few Common Whitethroats and a tatty male Redstart at Macracarpra Copse where there were 2 Buzzards and 2 Green Woodpeckers. A Kingfisher was along Bremere Rife. (JW)

A Buzzard from the North Wall (JW)

 

Medmerry: Easton Lane westwards -  

5 Whinchat & 3 Reed Buntings (in one bush)
1 Wheatear
250+ Linnet in one flock, plus many more
100+ Goldfinches
3 Buzzards
1 Common Sandpiper
2 Little Ringed Plovers
75+ Yellow wagtails - seemed to be calling continuously and a flock of 30+ in field next to Easton Lane car park. (IP)
 

Tuesday, 2nd September: The day started with a cold and brisk easterly, sea-mist and grey skies, before brightening up a little. There seemed to have been a big clear-out of birds overnight, but the sunshine later improved things considerably.

Park Lane, Selsey: There were 4 Redstarts and 3 Spotted Flycatchers early morning in the hedges and a Yellow Wagtail went over. (IP)

Church Norton: Highlight was an Osprey that followed the coastline along the beach and as far as the Lifeboat Station at Selsey before being lost to view. There were 4 Wheatears and a Whinchat on the beach and a summer-plumaged Knot amongst the feeding waders. (IP)

It was very quiet around the churchyard/hide area - a Hobby over was the pick, with otherwise just a couple of Spotted Flycatchers and a big mixed flock containing a few Blackcaps and Whitethroats amongst the Willow/Chiffs and tits. Along the path behind the churchyard a flock of 20 Blackcaps was seen, and 2 Garden Warblers and 2 Clouded Yellows were also noted. Two Whimbrel and 3 Teal were in the harbour and a steady stream of Swallows were going east into the wind. (AH/A&YF/CRJ)

Along the Long Pool there was a Kingfisher over, a Wheatear on the top of the big pile of bales, and a Lesser Whitethroat amongst 4 or 5 Whitethroats. (AH) Also 2 Yellow Wagtails, 4 Whinchats, 2 Sedge Warblers and 4 Reed Buntings were seen. (CRJ)

 

Great Spotted Woodpecker & Wheatear at Church Norton (AH)

 

This afternoon a Short-eared Owl appeared over the horse's field, being mobbed by corvids and dropped into the first Several. Also, in the harbour a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper was with the Dunlin flock, 18 Wigeon and 3 Pintail were new in, and a Yellow Wagtail went over. (IP/AB)

The Short-eared Owl re-appeared again around 6pm for a brief sortie out over the spit before returning to its roosting spot in the first Several. There were also up to 8 Spotted Flycatchers around the churchyard and car-park, and there were about 25 Sandwich Terns, 20 Common Terns and up to 100 Mediterranean Gulls in the harbour and offshore. (AH/S&SaH)

 

Short-eared Owl (above) & Spotted Flycatcher at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry:

West Sands viewpoint - high tide: 12+ Wheatears, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 5 Pied Wagtails, 48 Canada Geese, 9 Little Egrets, 2 Black-tailed Godwits, 30+ Ringed Plover, 28 Dunlin, 150+ Linnets, 150+ Swallows and House Martins, 2 Buzzards, and 4 Clouded Yellow butterflies. (SR/BJ)
 

Easton Lane westwards - This afternoon: 29 Whinchats!!, 2 Wheatears, 100+ Yellow Wagtails, 1 Whitethroat, 500+ Linnet, 20+ Mediterranean Gull, 5 Buzzard, 1 Greenshank, 1 Green Sandpiper, and 500+ Swallows with 50+ of House and Sand Martin among them. (SH)

Ferry Pool: A Snipe this morning and 2 Green Sandpipers were the only waders feeding on the pool, though there were 5 Avocets, 2 Black-tailed Godwits and 75 Lapwing roosting. Also a Buzzard went over and a Lesser Black-backed Gull was present. Spotted Flycatcher (per DF) and a few Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs were in the adjacent bushes. (AH/CRJ)

Lapwings on the Ferry (AH)

 

Horse Paddocks, Warner Lane: A Flycatcher which I'll have to assume was Spotted, gave me the runaround today. I had a brief view of its back as it fed in the adjacent field but was unable to find it again. Along the same hedgerow was a Redstart, 5 Blackcaps, 4 Whitethroats,1 Willow Warbler and 2 Tree Pipits. Approximately 50 Swallows and 20 House Martins overhead. (SR)

Northcommon Farm: Appeared almost empty at first with no sign of yesterday's birds. However, from Golf Links Lane 3 Redstarts, 4 Spotted Flycatchers, 1 Tree Pipit, 1 Wheatear, 3 Whitethroats, 1 Buzzard, 1 Kestrel, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 1 Pied Wagtail, 1 Green Woodpecker, c40 Swallows, c35 House Martins, and 33 Canada Geese overhead. (SR)

 

Monday, 1st September: The new month starts with grey and drizzle-laden skies, but plenty of birds on the peninsula again....

 

Selsey Bill: A Short-eared Owl in off the sea this morning at 7.40am, plus plenty of common migrants, including a Whinchat at East Beach, a Garden Warbler, 15 Yellow Wagtails and 2 Tree Pipits over, and 12 Wigeon went west (GH)
Three Swifts were over the north of the town this evening. (SH)

 

Ferry Pool: The Short-eared Owl was also seen here, going west, about 20 minutes later. (CRJ) Not many waders again, just 4 Green Sandpipers, 5 Avocets, 20 Black-tailed Godwits and 40 Lapwing. (AH) 

 

Church Norton: An Osprey went over the harbour going west late morning, and an immature male Marsh Harrier was in the harbour earlier on. There was also a Spotted Redshank, 3 Whimbrel and a Kingfisher  in Ferry Channel and several Snipe over.
A Water Rail was heard in the Long Pool, and there were also 2 Whinchat,s 10 Whitethroats, 2 Blackcaps, 8 Reed Buntings a Chiffchaff and a Sedge Warbler present in the bushes.
Around the churchyard/hide area there were several 2 Spotted Flycatchers, a Reed Warbler and 3 Redstarts amongst the commoner migrants, with another 2 Redstarts nearby, and 6 Wheatears, 10 Common Terns, 7 Sandwich Terns and 5 Mediterranean Gulls from the beach.(CRJ)
At Greenlease Farm there were another 2 Redstarts, a Grey Wagtail and 3 Spotted Flycatchers, with another 3 Redstarts in Drift Road. Along the Severals there was a Whinchat (with another towards Park Farm) and 2 Yellow Wagtails over. There were also a total of 5 Swifts over, along with a continuous flow of hirundines heading south-west.
From the beach 5 Wigeon went west, there were 7 Knot and 16 Grey Plovers, and  40 Mediterranean Gulls were amongst the Black-headed Gulls. (IP)

 

Northcommon Farm: Both Pied Flycatchers were still at Flycatcher Corner, along with 4 Spotted Flycatchers, a Redstart and a few Willow Warblers. (AH/SR et al)

 

Pied Flycatcher (above), Redstart & Spotted Flycatcher at Northcommon Farm (AH)

 

Horse Paddocks, Warner Lane: 6 Willow Warbler, 3 Chiffchaff, 5 Whitethroat, 7 Blackcap, 1 Yellow Wagtail, 41Swallow and 6 House Martin (SR)

 

Medmerry: Around the maize fields and hedges at Easton Farm there were at least 120 Yellow Wagtails, about 20 Sedge Warblers and a Reed Warbler in bushes with 20+ Willow Warblers, and 2 Greenshank flew over south. (AH)

Yellow Wagtail & Sedge Warbler at Easton Lane, Earnley (AH)

 

Porthole Farm: There were still lots of birds on the stubble and adjacent hedges this morning, with approximate counts of 5 Redstart, 3 Spotted Flycatchers, 12 Whinchat, 30 Wheatear, 5 Whitethroat, 10 Willow Warbler, 20 Yellow Wagtail, 2 Pied Wagtail, 80 Linnet, 200 Goldfinch, 100+ Sand Martin, and 500+ Swallow. (AH)

 

Whinchat (above) & Redstart at Porthole Farm (AH)

North Wall: Very quiet on the migrant front, just a few Common Whitethroats, Willow Warblers and a single Blackcap. A slow but steady westward movement of Swallows and Sand Martins. A flock of 180 Canada Geese were behind the Breach Pool with a lone orange billed white goose. (Not the resident somewhat infirm bird). 44 Black Tailed Godwits flew into the Pool after being disturbed in the Harbour by a Peregrine and a Sparrowhawk. Kingfishers at the Pool and at Owl Water. 5 Little Grebes at this location. A juvenile Little Egret soon found that hawthorn berries were not to its taste. The Copse at Owl Water is turning red as the hawthorn berries ripen. (JDW)

Little Egret on the North Wall (JW)
 

At Halsey's Farm three Spotted Flycatchers and a few warblers were seen. In White's Creek htere were six adult Spotted Redshanks in two parties of three, for much of the time belly-deep and feeding energetically, along with three Greenshank, one juvenile Curlew Sandpiper, along with a handful of Dunlin and six Wigeon feeding at the water's edge. (ARK per SOS)

Sidlesham: A flock 30-40 Yellow Wagtails went west over our garden this evening. (AH)