Saturday, 28th July: A real change in the weather at last, with the prolonged hot and dry conditions temporarily replaced with a spell of weather from the Atlantic.....notably cooler, with a fresh SW/W wind, cloudy periods and sunny spells....and the prospect of more prolonged rain over the weekend.
Selsey Bill: Not a great deal happening despite the much changed conditions, although there were three Arctic Skuas, an early Manx Shearwater and just a handful of duck species.....Full log below:
0600-1200hrs: (SH/PB/AH/IP/BI/OM)
0600-1200hrs: (SH/PB/AH/IP/BI/OM)
Gannet - 35E, 80W
Manx Shearwater - 1E
Eider - 1os
Common Scoter - 4E
Tufted Duck - 1W
Teal - 2W
Arctic Skua - 2E, 1W
Common Tern - 4W
Sandwich Tern - 30os
Kittiwake - 1W
Mediterranean Gull - 2os
Arctic Skuas (above) & Eider at the Bill (AH)
Gannet - 18W
Arctic Skua - 1os
Sandwich Tern - 10W
Little Tern - 3W
Common Tern - 2W
Selsey, Park Farm: There were 20+ Swallows, 20+ House Martins, two Sand Martins and 31 Pied Wagtails present late morning. (S&SaH)
North Wall: This morning there were 12 Spotted Redshanks with 50 Black-tailed Godwits on the Breech Pool (IH et al)
Later on, at high tide, there were just two Spotted Redshanks, four Greenshanks, 35 Redshank and 85 Black-tailed Godwits on the Breech Pool, and not much else about beyond a few swallows. (AH)
Later on, at high tide, there were just two Spotted Redshanks, four Greenshanks, 35 Redshank and 85 Black-tailed Godwits on the Breech Pool, and not much else about beyond a few swallows. (AH)
Spotted Redshank, Redshanks and Black-tailed Godwits (above), Greenshank and Black-tailed Godwit & Swallow from North Wall (AH)
Church Norton: Early
this morning there were very few terns about, just 10 or so Sandwich and 4
Common. Along the hedges there was a mixed flock of Blue and Long-tailed Tits
together with a Willow Warbler. The
path between the Severals and into the woods appears to have been bulldozed,
removing the hedges were Whitethroat and possibly Lesser Whitethroats have
bred. A notice cites planning application P/118/17/PL. (AW)
(Is nothing sacred....does anyone have info regarding this?? Eds)
The seven Pale-bellied Brent Geese with one Dark-bellied bird were present again this morning, and seven Little Terns were also seen (S&SaH).
Willow Warbler and the present state of the path between the Severals, Church Norton (AW)
Later on, there were three Little Terns, up to ten Common Terms and c40 Sandwich Terns in the harbour, along with a couple of Whimbrel and Ringed Plovers and c100 Dunlin, with 50+ Swallows and the odd Sand Martin feeding low over the harbour. (AH/IP)
Juvenile Little Tern (above), juvenile Sandwich Tern, Sandwich and Common Terns, Whimbrel & Swallow at Church Norton (AH)
Late this afternoon there were still six Little Terns, at least ten Common Terns and c40 Sandwich Terns in the harbour, along with a Bar-tailed Godwit, two Whimbrel, a doxzen Ringed Plovers, including several juveniles, and 100+ Dunlin, plus the seven Pale-bellied and one Dark-bellied Brent Geese and c50 Swallows.
There were also 20+ Mediterranean Gulls in the harbour, before they flew out to join the 200+ on the beach at the western end of the reserve. (AH/AW)
Juvenile Common Tern (above), Sandwich Tern, Bar-tailed Godwit, Ringed Plovers & Swallow at Church Norton (AH)
Ferry Pool: It was quiet in the blustery conditions, with the Avocet and chick, three juvenile Shelducks, a dozen Lapwings and a handful of Black-tailed Godwits being about it. (AH/IP)
Chichester GPs: Ivy Lake complex - There wasn't much on the main lakes, beyond four roosting Common Terns and a few Great Crested Grebes on Ivy Lake, but the smaller adjacent pits held a Bar-headed Goose among c90 Greylag Geese (including at least three families of fledged young), a dozen young Gadwall and c50 House Martins with a handful of Swallows and Sand Martins among them.
New Lake was the most productive, with two Pochard, two Shovelers, two families of Little Grebes and one of Great Crested Grebe along with a Common Tern, a dozen or so Gadwall and Tufted Duck and large numbers of young Cormorants. (AH)
Bar-headed and Geylag Goose (above), Greylag Goose family, Great Crested Grebe and chick, Cormorants, Shoveler, Sand Martin & House Martin at Chi GPs (AH)
Friday, 27th July: Yet another very warm, sunny day, even from early morning, with just a light westerly breeze offering some respite....but thunderstorms by evening!
Ferry Pool: There were two Spotted Redshanks and two Green Sandpipers on the pool early this morning, along with a Common Sandpiper, the Avocet and chick, c40 Lapwings, c20 Redshanks and a dozen Black-tailed Godwits, plus three Teal and three juvenile Shelducks. (AH)
Spotted Redshanks (above), Teal & Shelduck on the Ferry (AH)
North Wall: It was fairly quiet this morning, on the low tide, with just a Green Sandpiper, 45 Lapwing and 35 Black-tailed Godwits, plus a few Teal and the usual Reed Buntings, Reed and Sedge Warblers on the Breech Pool, and a Spotted Redshank, two Greenshank, two Whimbrel and 50+ Redshank, Lapwing and Black-tailed Godwits in White's Creek.
Also, a Yellow Wagtail flew over, as did two Common Terns and around 50 Swallows and 20 Sand Martins. (AH/PC)
Later, along White's Creek were 9 Black-tailed Godwits, 18 Redshank and around 50 Black- headed Gulls. On Breech Pool were 52 Lapwing, 44 Black-tailed Godwits, a Spotted Redshank, a Green Sandpiper, 3 Teal, 20 plus Mallard and 2 Grey Herons. The surprise of the morning was a Kingfisher at Owl Water. (JDW)
Green Sandpiper (above), Spotted Redshank and Redshank, Whimbrel, Black-tailed Godwit, Sedge Warbler & Reed Bunting around North Wall (AH)
Chichester Marina Reed-beds: About 200 Swallows were feeding over the reed-beds this morning, and there were also two Teal,, a Common Tern, a Cetti's Warbler and a few Reed Warblers present. (PH)
Church Norton: A quick look didn't produce much beyond what appeared to be a big departure of terns, with all 100+ Sandwich Terns, ten Little Terns and a dozen Common Terns taking to the air together and swirling round and round over the harbour for at least five minutes before splitting into two groups, one of which (c40 Sandwich Terns) dropped back down, but the other larger group, including the Little Terns and all but three Common Terns, headed away over the spit and didn't return.
Beyond that the bushes were still, though there were 20+ Swallows about, and there were just the usual waders in the harbour, including a couple of Whimbrel and c30 Dunlin. (AH)
Sandwich, Little and Common Terns (above), Sandwich Terns & Swallow at Church Norton (AH)
Medmerry: west side - The Stilt pool held the regular mix of wildfowl including a Shoveler today and there were three Little Ringed Plovers, two Green Sandpipers and c.40 Black-tailed Godwits also present. The large flock of Linnets was along the beach but the pools here were quiet. On another outlying pool were two more Green Sandpipers and a Common Sandpiper whilst a Green Woodpecker was nearby as were three Kestrels. (BI)
Ferry Pool: There were two juvenile Little Ringed Plovers and a Common Sandpiper on the pool this morning, along with two Teal, three juvenile Shelducks, the Avocet and chick and around 20 Lapwings and Black-tailed Godwits.
The Tramway circuit was quiet other than at least 20 juvenile Whitethroats and a couple of Blackcaps, whilst a few Reed Warblers were in Red Barn Ditch, a dozen Sand Martins and Swallows went over and at least three Whimbrel and a dozen Curlew were in the harbour. (AH)
Later on, there were three Common Sandpipers on the pool. (AW)
Late this afternoon a pair of Bullfinches were frequenting the pond outside the Visitor Centre. (BO'D)
Later on, there were three Common Sandpipers on the pool. (AW)
Late this afternoon a pair of Bullfinches were frequenting the pond outside the Visitor Centre. (BO'D)
Little Ringed Plover (above), Common Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwit and Teal, Whitethroat & Blackcap around the Ferry (AH)
North Wall: South of White's Creek there were 180 loafing Mediterranean Gulls, six Knot and a single Curlew Sandpiper, whilst a Common Sandpiper, an Avocet and two Spotted Redshanks were in the creek, with four more of the latter and four Greenshank on the Breech Pool (BFF/DM)
Church Norton: The harbour was generally very quiet, though there were still two Little Terns and a dozen Common Terns among the c75 Sandwich Terns present, along with the two summer-plumage Knot, 34 Turnstones, two Whimbrel and four Black-tailed Godwits.
A Raven was calling repeatedly from the Priory, but remained unseen, and at least 40 Swallows and a few Sand Martins went over, but the bushes were very still, with just a few Whitethroats a Jay and a Reed Bunting to be found. (AH)
Later on, on the high tide, the seven Pale-bellied and the Dark-bellied Brent Geese were viewable in the main channel. (BFF/DM)
Later on, on the high tide, the seven Pale-bellied and the Dark-bellied Brent Geese were viewable in the main channel. (BFF/DM)
Turnstones (above), Sandwich Tern, Knot, Whimbrel and Curlew & Jay at Church Norton (AH)
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