23rd - 25th August 2016

Thursday, 25th August: A very warm, muggy day with mostly heavy cloud cover and barely a breath of wind...but with a few drops of thundery rain.

Ferry Pool: There were two Greenshank early on, and the Ruff and two Little Ringed Plovers were still present, along with three Black-tailed Godwits, c50 Lapwings, c40 Teal and eight Shelduck.
It was fairly quiet around the hedges, but there were one or two Willow/Chiffs, Whitethroats and Blackcaps about. (AH)
This afternoon a Peregrine dive-bombed the pool, but failed to catch anything. (AB)

Ruff (above), Little Ringed Plover, Greenshank, Teal & Whitethroat around the Ferry (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to Stilt Pool - There were two Ospreys present again this morning out on the reserve, plus three Greenshank, a Spotted Redshank and a dozen Yellow Wagtails. Around the Stilt Pool there were three Common Sandpipers, three Little Ringed Plovers, a single Black-tailed Godwit, five Dunlin and a couple of Wheatears. (OM)

Later, the Little Owl was sunning itself on the farm outbuildings (GJT) and along the track were 3 Whinchats, 5 Whitethroats, 2 Sedge Warblers, 8 Wheatears, a Skylark, 2 Kestrels, many Swallows and Sand Martins, lots of Canada Geese and the Barnacle-type Goose and an Osprey roosting in a tree in the middle of the reserve. The Osprey was out and about again around 5.30pm, too. (TRo)

Medmerry east side this morning: Whinchat, Whitethroat, Sedge Warbler and dodgy hybrid-type Barnacle Goose (TRo)

Itchenor: At Spinney Lane Jetties there were two juvenile Curlew Sandpipers amongst several Ringed Plovers (J. Parkin)   

 Two juvenile Curlew Sandpipers with Ringed Plover (J. Parkin)

North Wall: Among the highlights were three Spotted Redshanks, two Whinchats, a Curlew Sandpiper, three Yellow-legged Gulls, 10 Whitethroats, six Reed Warblers, 100+ Swallows and several Yellow Wagtails. Fuller report later. (OM/BFF)

Church Norton: A Whinchat was in the horse field, there were at least 10 Wheatears along the beach and up to 20 Whitethroats were along the front of the Severals. Also, a couple of Yellow Wagtails and 50+ Sand Martins and Swallows went over and around the churchyard/hide area there was a Tree Pipit, two Spotted Flycatchers, a couple of Lesser Whitethroats and a dozen Willow Warblers.
Two late Little Terns - an adult and a juvenile - were feeding in the harbour before the tide dropped and there were still half a dozen Common and Sandwich Terns about, too, along with a group of six Common Sandpipers by the metalwork and a few Ringed Plovers, Dunlin and Grey Plovers scattered about the mud. 
Also a Raven flew east over the harbour early on and a Greenshank flew west along the beach, and 100+ Mediterranean Gulls were along the shoreline. (AH/A&YF)

Wheatears (above), Lesser Whitethroat, Little Tern, Sandwich Terns and Common Sandpiper at Church Norton (AH)

This evening there was a Pied Flycatcher, two or three Spotted Flycatchers, a Redstart, a Lesser Whitethroat and several Willow Warblers in the churchyard. Also an adult Gannet was close offshore, and a Holly Blue and a Clouded Yellow were along the spit. (AB)

Along the  beach this evening there were a Redstart, 11 Wheatears, 10 Whitethroats and 20+ Sand Martins and Swallows.Offshore there were 20+ Mediterranean Gulls, three Sandwich Terns and six Common Terns, with seven of the latter in the harbour along with a Kingfisher and three Whimbrel. (S&SaH)

Lesser Whitethroat (above), Spotted Flycatcher & Holly Blue at Church Norton (AB)

Wednesday, 24th August: Another very warm, dry and sunny day with light winds, though with the chance of thundery showers by evening.....

Ferry Pool: The Ruff and four Little Ringed Plovers were still down at the front, but were the only waders present save three Black-tailed Godwits and 20 Lapwing. Also eight Teal and six Shelduck were on the pool, but the only birds noted in the nearby hedges were two or three Willow/Chiffs. (AH)

Nearby, in the hedges and scrub from the Visitor centre to the Tramway, it was busy with small birds at 12.30hrs..... 4 Lesser Whitethroats, up to 5 Whitethroats, 6 Blackcaps, at least 3 Willow Warblers, a Garden Warbler, a Reed Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher. (PH)
Also, early this morning there were three Greenshank present, and this evening the Ruff and two Little Ringed Plovers were still present. (S&SaH)

Ruff (above), Little Ringed Plover & Willow/Chiff around Ferry (AH)

Selsey: Two Swifts went over our house this evening. (S&SaH)

North Wall: A Kingfisher, briefly, two Grey Wagtails and two Common Sandpipers were in White's Creek, whilst out in the harboutr there were two Curlew Sandpipers, c20 Knot, c40 Grey Plover, at least six Greenshank, a Yellow-legged Gull, a flyover Yellow Wagtail, a Pintail with a dozen Wigeon and at least 500 Dunlin and 100+ Ringed Plovers.

There were four Spotted Redshank among c40 Black-tailed Godwits and 100+ Redshank on the Breech Pool, along with two Avocets, a Green Sandpiper flew over, and a Water Rail popped out of the reeds, as did one or two Sedge and Reed Warblers, whilst three Wheatears were on the back fence, a Whinchat was at the Halsey's Farm end of the wall and a Clouded Yellow in the paddocks.

There were two or three Yellow Wagtails in the lettuce field along with 30+ Sand Martins, 80+ Swallows and a couple of House Martins on the overhead wires. (AH/TR/C&ME/JDW/TG)

Yellow Wagtail (above), Grey Wagtail, Greenshank, Curlew Sandppiper, Common Sandpipers, Water Rail, Spotted Redshanks and Redshank, Sand Martin and House Martin, Sand Martins & Swallow around North Wall (AH)

This evening, on the high tide, there were seven Spotted Redshanks, 14 Greenshank, two Dunlin, two Avocets, a Snipe, a Sedge Warbler and a Cetti's Warbler along the wall, plus two Kingfishers. Also seen were 10+ Willow Warblers, ten Yellow Wagtails, two Meadow Pipits, 300+ Swallows and 200+ Sand Martins. (S&SaH)

Church Norton: An Osprey was over the harbour at 2.15pm, there were three Common and two Sandwich Terns in the harbour, with one of the latter bringing in food, several Wheatears along the beach, a Lesser Whitethroat in the churchyard and a Spotted Flycatcher in Rectory Lane. (KJ)

 Medmerry (west side): There were two Ospreys present this morning; around 1100 at least two spent some time quartering around the poplars/Marsh barn area for ten minutes before drifting off. (GW). Later, around 1500, there were three birds present....two in the middle of the site and a third high and distant to the east. Also a count of eleven Green Sandpipers flushed from the channel by Marsh barn, where we were working. (PH) 

 

 Ospreys at Medmerry (GW)

Medmerry: Ham Farm - This evening a flock of 40-50 Yellow Wagtails dropped into the barley field beyond the bank and there were two or three Wheatears on the next field. Four Sandwich Terns went easty along the breach and 20 Ringed Plovers were on the mud but there was little else to be seen. (AH)

Tuesday, 23rd August: A dry and sunny day with a light-moderate easterly breeze, due to become very warm later, with the prospect of several more fine days to follow......

Selsey Bill: A walk around all the likely spots at the Bill this morning produced only two calls of the Dartford Warbler in front of the bungalows, (but it was seen earlier by DF), and a Wheatear was on Bill House roof. (SR/CRJ)

North Wall: A lovely morning. A Curlew Sandpiper was along White's Creek and, unfortunately two dead Swans. On Breech Pool were 78 Common Redshank, 2 Spotted Redshank, 67 Black-tailed Godwits, 16 Lapwing, 1 Avocet and 1 Common Sandpiper, along with 43 Canada Geese and 2 Greylags. 

In the field behind were 7 Curlew and there were up to 6 Yellow Wagtails around the cattle. Young Swallows were being fed along the hedges at Honer but disappeared when a Kestrel took up residence in their favoured tree. A male Marsh Harrier was in fields north of Honer but moved away in a NE direction and 3 Yellow Wagtails were with the cattle from Marsh Farm. Also, a Clouded Yellow butterfly was in the field behind Owl Copse. (JDW)
Redshank numbers increased later to 130 on the Breech Pool, plus 3 Spotted Redshanks; also 50 Lapwing and 20 teal. (OM)

Later on there were two Curlew Sandpipers and 5 Knot  in White's Creek.(ARK/OM) A walk from the Creek further down the East side produced an additional 10 Knot and another Curlew Sandpiper (perhaps one of the original two?), plus a Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, 2 Whimbrel and at least 13 Yellow-legged Gulls (of which eleven were adults, one sub-adult and a juvenile)....however photographic opportunities were few thanks to two unattended chocolate Labradors roaming the mudflats. The bushes seemed very quiet except for 3 Willow Warblers. (OM/C&JM) 

Swallow (above) & Kestrel from North Wall (JDW)

 Yellow-legged Gulls along the East side (OM)

Plenty of disturbance and few photo opportunities thanks to these two! (OM)

Curlew Sandpiper with Redshank (above), Kingfisher & Southern Hawker from North Wall (C&JM)

Ferry Pool: The Ruff was present again this morning along with four Little Ringed Plovers, three Black-tailed Godwits, c20 Lapwing, 12 Shelduck and 25 Teal. (AH)

Little Ringed Plover (above) & Ruff on Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: There was a Pied Flycatcher in the tall trees around the car park, a Whitethroat, several Willow Warblers and Spotted Flycatchers, and later on an elusive male and female Redstart in the churchyard. (CRJ/A&YF et al)

Spotted and Pied Flycatchers at Church Norton (A&YF)

Medmerry (west side): Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - It was generally quiet this morning though there were at least 1000 Sand Martins feeding all the way along the banks and pools, with just a couple of dozen Swallows among them.

A Whinchat near Marsh Farm, a Wheatear by the first sluice, three Yellow Wagtails in the maize fields and a handful of Whitethroats and Sedge Warblers in the bushes were the only other passerine migrants noted, though there were a few Linnets and a couple of Reed Buntings and Skylarks about, too.

Waders were few, too, with a Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper in the pools between Marsh Barn and Farm, with two of the latter, three Little Ringed Plovers and a Greenshank on the Stilt Pool. At least 200 Canada Geese (and the dodgy Barnacle Goose) came into the Stilt Pool, and there were a few Gadwall and Teal about, too. Also, there were up to twenty Clouded Yellows spread along the banks. (AH)

Whinchat (above), Sand Martins, Sedge Warbler, Whitethroat, Common Sandpiper, Reed Bunting, Canada Geese & Clouded Yellow at Medmerry (AH)

This evening, there were two Ospreys - both seen to take fish (from flint barn view point)....(SH)
also 2 Green Sandpipers,

2 Common Sandpipers
1 Greenshank
1 Kingfisher
500+ Sand Martins
50+ Swallows
20+ Yellow Wagtails

6 Wheatears

5 Whinchats 

Distant Osprey & Wheatear at Medmerry (SH)

Medmerry (east side): Breach viewpoint - A two-hour lunchtime vigil failed to produce a sniff of an Osprey for me, although frustratingly it was seen roosting on the other side at midday (per PH); however there were four Common Buzzards soaring together and a marauding Peregrine kept everything alert and skittish. Initially there were virtually no waders visible, other than 5 Redshank, a Whimbrel and a couple of Curlew, but soon a large mixed flock of c.50 Dunlin and 30 Ringed Plovers appeared on the mud, and amongst them were two smart Curlew Sandpipers. With the Peregrine around, the waders just would not settle and the flock did a few circuits before moving off. Later a smaller flock appeared with at least one Curlew Sandpiper amongst them; I'm fairly sure they were different so feel confident there were at least three of that species present there today.....

Four Sandwich Terns and a Common Tern were also present, and a juv Little Ringed Plover was feeding in a quiet channel, whilst passerines included 4 Wheatears and 2 Yellow Wagtails, and finally at least one Clouded Yellow butterfly moved through. (OM)

  Curlew Sandpipers at Medmerry east side (above with Dunlin, right) (OM)