10th - 12th August 2016

Friday, 12th August: After a greyish, but less windy start, brightening up and the westerly breeze picking up with it, but feeling warm in the sunshine, especially where sheltered.....

Selsey Bill: Rather little avian activity on the sea-watch this morning, with an unusual yacht/junk offshore winning first prize in the interest stakes....well it is Cowes week! There were few passerines either and several searches of Bill House area failed to produce any sign of the Dartford Warbler. I was joined on my vigil by JA at first, then after he left by CRJ, before he too left and it was back to my solo effort. I'd had enough by 1030, but knowing that JA still needed Dartford for his Bill list, I thought I'd just make one last check before leaving. You've guessed it - bingo there it was in the Bill House garden again - so a quick dash back to the Bill again for JA and he was a very happy birder indeed! (OM) Log below...

0730-1100hrs:   (W/NW4)  (Obs: OM/JA/CRJ)

Gannet - 3E, 1W

Fulmar - 1W

Common Tern - 13W

Sandwich Tern - 5W

Swallow - 20W

House Martin - 6p

Dartford Warbler - juv again, Bill House garden

Willow Warbler - 3 gardens

 Fulmar west and unusual watercraft at the Bill (OM)

Ferry Pool: There were a Green Sandpiper, two Common Sandpipers, two Little Ringed Plovers and six Black-tailed Godwits on the pool, along with eight Teal and 15 Shelduck this morning. 

It was fairly quiet in the adjacent hedges with just a couple each of Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler present, plus large numbers of Goldfinches. (AH)

Green Sandpiper (above), Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, Willow Warbler & Chiffchaff around the Ferry (AH)

This evening a Greenshank and a Dunlin were in with 80 Redshank along Ferry Channel. (AH)

Greenshank, Dunlin and Redshanks in Ferry Channel (AH)

North Wall: The Little Stint was still present this morning on the Breech Pool, along with a Common Sandpiper, seven Greenshank and 34 Dunlin, with another six in the White's Creek, and two Kingfishers were also about. (CG)

The Ruff was present again later on, too, plus a Green Sandpiper, four Spotted Redshanks, 40+ Black-tailed Godwits, 50 Redshank, two Snipe and two Common Terns. (BI/OM/KJ)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - It was generally quiet along the banks, with most interest around the Stilt Pool, including a Little Stint, four Little Ringed Plovers, up to five Common Sandpipers, around a dozen Yellow Wagtails and a couple of Wheatears. Also on the pool there were three roosting Sandwich Terns, the mother Gadwall and six well-grown young and our old friends from last summer, the pair of Bar-headed Geese in among c200 Canada Geese.

There were plenty of Yellowhammers and Whitethroats along the hedges, plus a couple of flocks of 100+ Linnets, but otherwise there were just a couple of Willow Warblers and Reed Buntings, though 50+ Sand Martins and a few Swallows moved through. Also a Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper were in the pools between Marsh Barn and Marsh Farm, and the Little Owl was still present at the latter site. (AH)

Little Stint (above), with Little Ringed Plover, Yellow Wagtails, Wheatear, Gadwall family, Bar-headed Geese, Yellowhammer & Whitethroat at Medmerry (AH)

Church Norton: This evening there were just a handful of Little Terns, along with 20+ Sandwich Terns and 50+ Common Terns in the harbour and offshore, but there were vast numbers of Mediterranean Gulls, including 200+ that came out of the harbour and along the spit, all heading west to join the 500+ on the beach and in the fields at the western end of the reserve. (AH)

Common Tern (above), Common and Sandwich Terns & Mediterranean Gulls at Church Norton (AH)

Thursday, 11th August: Another cool start, with the strong north-westerly wind and quite a lot of cloud making it feel quite autumnal.....though brightening and warming up later.

Ferry Pool area: There was just a single Common Sandpiper, ten Teal, 16 Shelduck and 24 Lapwings on the pool this morning, with another Common Sandpiper and 100+ Redshank in Ferry Channel.

There were a few warblers lurking in the sheltered areas around the Visitor Centre and Tramway, including two or three Lesser Whitethroats and a few Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers and Whitethroats, with one of the latter seen carrying food. (AH)

Shelduck and Teal (above), Common Sandpiper, Redshanks, Little Egret, Lesser Whitethroat & Blackcap around the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: No sign of the Little Stint or Ruff on the Breech Pool early on, though there were four Spotted Redshanks and three Greenshank among c40 roosting Black-tailed Godwits and c120 Redshank, and there were also eight Dunlin and 22 Lapwing on the mud, plus a single Wigeon among 80+ Mallards. 

There was just a Common Sandpiper and a Whimbrel of note in White's Creek, whilst out in the harbour there was a single Sanderling in with c150 Ringed Plover and c400 Dunlin, all flushed out into the middle by a juvenile Peregrine. (AH)

A later visit (0900-0950) was more successful, with both the Ruff and the Little Stint finally putting in an appearance, the latter seen at both ends of the Breech Pool but best with Dunlins at the west end. Also logged were two Snipe, a Greenshank, four Spotted Redshank, a Water Rail and the Kingfisher at the sluice gates. (KJ/P&JW)

Greenshanks and Lapwing (above),Greenshank, Redshank, Wigeon and Mallard, Spotted Redshanks and Redshank & Spotted Redshank and Black-tailed Godwits from the North Wall (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: There were just six Swallows and two House Martins tonight and a Reed Warbler in the ditch, with a Hobby over, and another seen over northern Selsey. (S&SaH)

Church Norton: This evening there were two Buzzards and three Sparrowhawks over the Priory Copse, two Willow Warblers and a Garden Warbler in the mixed tit flock at the Severals, and a Shoveler on the second Several.

In the harbour there was a Common Sandpiper, a Whimbrel, a Grey Plover, 30 Turnstones, 80 Common Terns,  20 Sandwich Terns, and up to ten Little Terns were feeding near the metal work.

Offshore there were 20+ Gannets, and a lot of gulls, including a couple of Common Gulls and at least 600 Mediterranean Gulls. (S&SaH/AH)

Mediterranean Gulls (SH) (above), Common Terns & Grey Plover (AH) at Church Norton

Wednesday, 10th August: Warming up a bit after a surprisingly cold start, though the nagging north-westerly persists....

Selsey Bill: The juvenile Dartford Warbler was in the Bill House garden again; although initially it could not be located, it suddenly re-appeared late morning and showed reasonably well for just a brief period. Otherwise it was fairly quiet offshore, with a steady trickle of Common and Sandwich Terns going west and others moving to and fro fishing. Full log below......
0715-1215hrs:   (Obs: SR/OM)
Gannet - 45E, 20W
Common Scoter - 4EW
Teal - 2W
Turnstone - 30ob
Common Tern - 35W, 42os
Sandwich Tern - 79W, 12os
Mediterranean Gull - 1E
House Martin - 40+ over houses early am, drifted away W
Sand Martin - 20W
Swallow - 6W
Dartford Warbler -  juv still present Bill House garden
Whitethroat - 1 gardens
Willow Warbler - 8 gardens

Juvenile Dartford Warbler in Bill House garden (OM)

Tussling Great Black-backed Gulls at the Bill (SR)

North Wall: The Little Stint and a Ruff were on the Breech Pool this morning, along with three Spotted Redshanks, a Green Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper and a Wigeon, and the Water Rail was showing again in the reeds, and there was a Greenshank in White's Creek. (PB)
Later on a Marsh Harrier was hunting towards Owl Point,and, somewhat surprisingly, a Redpoll flew over calling. (AB)

Ferry Pool: This morning there were just two Green Sandpipers, two Common Sandpipers two Little Ringed Plovers and 16 Lapwing on the pool, plus ten Teal and 15 Shelduck. 
It was much quieter around the Discovery Area today, though there was still at least one Garden Warbler and a few Willow Warblers and Blackcaps about, plus as many as 100 Goldfinches, including many juveniles. It was pretty quiet around the Tramway/Cycleway, too, though there were a couple of Lesser Whitethroats, a dozen Whitethroats and a couple of Willow Warblers. (AH)

Lesser Whitethroats (above), Garden Warbler, Green Sandpiper & Goldfinches around Ferry (AH)

Medmerry: Ham Farm - Chainbridge - Breach - It was pretty quiet here, too, with the only birds of note around the farm being a couple of juvenile  Green Woodpeckers in the last trees before the sea. There were just a few Linnets and Skylarks along the banks, though the overgrown area of the Chainbridge Field held 20+ Willow Warbler and 10+ Whitethroats, plus at least 50 House Sparrows by the bridge.

Around the pools by the breach there was a Whimbrel, three Sandwich Terns, c20 Ringed Plovers and c100 Dunlin, but not much else, though a flock of six Grey Herons together flew over east. (AH)

Willow Warbler (above) Green Woodpecker, Sandwich Terns & Grey Herons at Medmerry (AH)

Church Norton: There were 10+ Little Terns and Sandwich Terns and 50+ Common Terns in the harbour this evening, along with a Whimbrel, a Grey Plover, three Knot and two Common Sandpipers,100+ Mediterranean Gulls in the stubble fields behind the Severals and two Gannets and eight Great Crested Grebes offshore.

In the hedges there were two Whitethroats, a Chiffchaff, ten Willow Warblers and 30+ Long-tailed Tits, most of which were in one big mixed flock. There were also 20+ Swallows and Sand Martins, plus a lone House Martin at Park Farm, Selsey. (S&SaH)