Birding the Selsey Peninsula: 7th

Saturday, 9th September: A very pleasant morning, with a mix of sunshine and white cloud and a moderate south-westerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: There were ovr 40 Sandwich Terns and a few Mediterranean Gulls feeding offshore, but not much more on the move, though there were half a dozen Wheatears and a couple of Chiffchaffs around the Bill-tip, and a Hobby, several Grey and Yellow Wagtails and plenty of Meadow Pipits and Swallows, plus the odd Sand and House Martin, going over west. Full log below. (SH/PB/IP/SR/AH)
Gannet - 9E, 31W, 20os
Little Egret - 5W
Tufted Duck - 2W
Common Scoter - 5W
Sparrowhawk - 1p
Hobby - 1p
Curlew - 1W
Mediterranean Gull - 9W
Sandwich Tern - 17W, 41os
Swallow - 100W
Sand Martin - 7W
House Martin - 9W
Yellow Wagtail - 10W
Grey Wagtail - 8W
Pied Wagtail - 2W
Meadow Pipit - 90W, 3S, 2N
Wheatear - 8p
Chiffchaff - 3p

Meadow Pipit (SH) (above), Wheatear, Little Egrets & Mediterranean Gull (AH) at the Bill

North Wall: Highlight this morning was two White Storks. One was seen coming in from the east with a crow escort and at 1015 both were in the recently ploughed field behind and immediately to the east of Honer reservoir. One bird was ringed with a green leg ring and they were, presumably, the birds previously seen at Ferring.

On White's Creek there were two Greenshank and up to 100 Common Redshank, though the Breech Pool is back to being a duck pond. At Owl Water there were 4 House Martins, 2 Swallows 2 Blackcaps and on the water 2 Teal, 2 Little Grebes and 2 Mute Swans, whilst a Chiffchaff was singing in Owl Copse.

There were many migrants around Honer Cottages and Honer Farm with up to 20 Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs, mainly the former, 5 Blackcap, 3 Redstart, 2 Whitethroat and a Spotted Flycatcher. There were Willow Warblers along Honer Lane, too, and on the reservoir were 6 Little Grebes, 2 Tufted Duck and a Gadwall.

Lots of butterflies around this morning including Small Copper and Common Blue. (JDW) The White Storks were still present in the same location at 1115. (BI)
There were eight wigeon on the Breech Pool this evening. (AB)

White Stork (above), Chiffchaff, Common Blue & Small Copper around North Wall (JDW)

The White Storks were still present near Honer Reservoir at 2.30pm and a Marsh Harrier was hunting over the nearby sunflowers. (IL)

White Stork(s) near Honer Reservoir (IL & BI)

Ferry Pool: Just the usual 20 or so Lapwings and Black-tailed Godwits, plus half a dozen Teal were on the pool this morning. A Curlew Sandpiper was reported to the Visitor Centre as being in Ferry Channel (per IL), but there was no sign at lunchtime, though there were two Whimbrel and a Grey Plopver present, whilst earlier a Spotted Redshank flew up the channel, and a handful of Chiffchaffs were in the Sea Lavender at the start of the channel. (AH)
Also, a Nightingale was seen drinking from the little pond outside the Visitor Centre this morning. (IL)

Chiffchaff at the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Wheatear and a Sedge Warbler were along the lettuce fields, and a few Sand Martins, House Martins, Swallows and Meadow Pipits went over, along with five Buzzards and two Sparrowhawks. (AH/IP/S&SaH/PB)
Also, a Redstart was near the Selsey Centre at the north of the town. (SH)

Wheatear (above) & Fox at Park Farm (AH)

Church Norton: There were a few migrants about, including a couple of Redstarts, half a dozen Spotted Flycatchers and Blackcaps, one or two Lesser Whitethroats and Sedge Warblers, a Goldcrest and at least a dozen Whitethroats and Willow/Chiffs., with a similar number of Wheatears spread along the beach

Two Greenshank were by the horse field, up to 100 Grey Plover were on the beach or flying about, a Knot was among a few Dunlin, 12 Sandwich Terns flew into the harbour, a couple of Gannets and 30 Mediterranean Gulls were offshore and a Peregrine was out and about, along with five Buzzards, two Sparrowhawks and two Kestrels. Also, there were 38 Little Egrets roosting on Tern Island, with another three or four in the adjacent harbour. (AH/IP/S&SaH/PB/A&YF/P&JW et al))

Redstart (above), whitethroat, Peregrine (AH) & Wheatear (SH) at Church Norton

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were six Whinchats and up to ten Wheatears along the banks this morning,as well as two Corn Buntings, and there were ten Meadow Pipits in a group near Marsh Farm. The only wader on the Stilt Pool this morning was a distant Common Sandpiper right at the back, the cattle and 100s of Canada Geese present having taken over the pools. The two Bar-headed Geese were in with the Canadas as were two Wigeon, a few Teal and six Tufted Ducks. (BI)

Whinchat & Wheatear at Medmerry (BI)

Fishbourne Creek: There were five Greenshank, a Grey Plover, ten Black-tailed Godwits, 50+ Curlews and 136 Mute Swans in the channel, but the only migrant noted was a single Whitethroat. (RW)

Northcommon Farm: The Little Owl was showing this afternoon. (S&SaH)

Little Owl at Northcommon Farm (SH)

Medmerry: Chainbridge to Ham Farm - This afternoon there were three Whinchats, four Wheatears and 30+ Meadow Pipits along the banks, a Greenshank and a Common Sandpiper in the tidal creek, and a Hobby, a Buzzard, two Sparrowhawks and five Kestrels on the wing. (S&SaH)

Friday, 8th September: A thoroughly dismal morning, with a strong westerly driving on banks of squally rain under leaden skies.....

Selsey Bill: (0730-0830) (JA/SR/AH)

Gannet - 10E, 17W

Common scoter - 16E

Mediterranean Gull - 13W

Common Gull - 7W

Sandwich Tern - 32os

Swallow - 4W

(1600-1700hrs) (SH)
Gannet - 2E, 3W
Shag - 2W
Sandwich Tern - 2E, 18W
Common Tern - 1W
Guillemot - 1W

Sandwich Terns (above), Gannet & Mediterranean Gulls at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: An Avocet was present this morning, alongside 24 Black-tailed Godwits and 15 Teal, with a Cetti's Warbler calling from the rife. (AH)
This afternoon there were two Avocets, six Black-tailed Godwits, eight Teal, three Shelduck and 11 Lapwing present. (SR)

Avocet (above) & Black-tailed Godwit on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: Most of yesterday's birds were still present, mostly keeping low, including a Wheatear on the bench and at least five Spotted Flycatchers, a Lesser Whitethroat and two or three each of Blackcap, Whitethroat and Willow/Chiff along hte sheltered hedges, along with 20+ low-flying Swallows, and there were two or three Whitethroats and Reed Buntings along the Severals.
Two Sandwich Terns and three Gannets were close offshore, and in the harbour there were half a dozen Grey Plovers, 20 Ringed Plovers and 40 Redshank, plus a Mediterranean Gull. (AH)

Spotted Flycatcher (above), Lesser Whitethroat, Wheatear, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Grey Plover, Sandwich Tern & Gannet at Church Norton (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were eight Greenshank together in one of the pools this afternoon, and ten Wheatears along the banks. (B'OD)

Thursday, 7th September: A beautiful, still and fairly bright start gave way to an increasingly breezy and cloudy morning......

Ferry Pool: Much the same as yesterday on the pool, with c20 Black-tailed Godwits and Lapwings and about 500 Black-headed Gulls with a few Mediterranean Gulls among them, though there were two Spotted Redshanks and a Whimbrel among the Redshanks in the channel opposite. (AH)

Spotted Redshank (above) & Whimbrel in Ferry Channel (AH)

Church Norton: There was no sign of the Pied Flycatcher this morning, though there were still at least half a dozen Spotted Flycatchers behind the hide, along with similar numbers of Blackcaps, Willow Warblers and Whitethroats, plus a Sparrowhawk and plenty of Swallows over. (AH/JD/DS)
This afternoon there were still several Spotted Flycatchers behind the hide and numbers of Blackcaps & Willow Warblers/Chiffchaffs seemed to have increased from earlier. There was still a Sandwich Tern in the harbour and a Painted Lady butterfly was along the path. By the Severals was a male Redstart and a Lesser Whitethroat, a few Yellow Wagtails went over and there was a heavy passage of Swallows moving south-west. (NBd)

Spotted Flycatcher (above), Willow Warblers, Blackcap, Whitethroat & Sparrowhawk at Church Norton (AH)

This evening there was just one Spotted Flycatcher on show, plus a Lesser Whitethroat, with a Wheatear on the concrete blocks and a Kingfisher, a Whimbrel, three Knot and six Grey Plover in the harbour. (SH/AH/RHa)

Medmerry: Cliff area - There were two Yellow Wagtails, a Grey Wagtail and 30+ Meadow Pipits over heading west this morning. (SH)

Ivy Lake: There was a Spotted Flycatcher in the hedges this morning along with a few Blackcaps and Goldcrests and plenty of Chiffchaffs, with a dozen or so Pochard on the water. (JD/DS)

Birdham/Donnington: A Spotted Flycatcher was in the garden this morning. (AB) A Wood Warbler was moving through the canal-side trees at SU85880 03426, Waterside Drive/Grosvenor Road, Donnington, calling as it did so mid-afternoon. (JPC)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A couple of Greenshanks and a Redshank by the poplars, a Whimbrel and a Curlew out on the reserve and two Common Sandpipers, a Black-tailed Godwit and 12 Lapwings on the Stilt Pool were the only waders present, whilst at the latter location there were 17 Gadwall, 30 Teal and at least 500 Canada Geese.

Along the banks and hedges there were up to six Whinchats, a couple of Wheatears, ten Whitethroats, aLesser Whitethroat and two Sedge Warblers, plus a couple of Corn Buntings among 10+ Reed Buntings and 20+ Yellowhammers.

Ten Yellow Wagtails flew out and away from the cattle, and there were 200+ Meadow Pipits around the banks and the Stilt Pool, along with 30 or so Sand Martins and 3-400 Swallows, whilst there were similar numbers of Linnets in two or three large flocks.

Also two Ravens were by the rocks at the beach end and an Egyptian Goose was flying about. (AH/A&YF et al)