Thursday, 16th August: Dry at first, soon becoming a fairly wet and miserable morning, with increasing rain and a strong south-westerly breeze....
Selsey Bill: At least 60 Sandwich Terns were roosting on the rocks by the Mile Basket, all put up by a passing Bonxie, with more coming and going offshore, but there was little movement beyond feeding Gannets and a few Common Scoters, though over a dozen (mostly) juvenile Mediterranean Gulls went west. Full log below......
0730-1030hrs: (OM/AH/BFF/DM)
Gannet - 13E, 72W
Common Scoter - 11E, 3W
Great Skua - 1W
Common Tern - 1E, 1W
Sandwich Tern - 5E, 15W, 60 os
Mediterranean Gull - 14W
(1600-1715hrs) (SH)
Gannet - 7E, 13W
Mediterranean Gull - 13W
Kittiwake - 1W
SAndwich Tern - 10W
Common Tern - 3W
Black Tern - 1W (1655hrs)
Ferry Pool: There were 35 Teal, three Gadwall, six juvenile Shelducks, c40 Lapwing and c30 Black-tailed Godwits on the pool this morning. (AH)
Later on there were two Common Sandpipers and three Little Ringed Plovers back on the pool. (BFF/DM)
Selsey Bill: At least 60 Sandwich Terns were roosting on the rocks by the Mile Basket, all put up by a passing Bonxie, with more coming and going offshore, but there was little movement beyond feeding Gannets and a few Common Scoters, though over a dozen (mostly) juvenile Mediterranean Gulls went west. Full log below......
0730-1030hrs: (OM/AH/BFF/DM)
Gannet - 13E, 72W
Common Scoter - 11E, 3W
Great Skua - 1W
Common Tern - 1E, 1W
Sandwich Tern - 5E, 15W, 60 os
Mediterranean Gull - 14W
(1600-1715hrs) (SH)
Gannet - 7E, 13W
Mediterranean Gull - 13W
Kittiwake - 1W
SAndwich Tern - 10W
Common Tern - 3W
Black Tern - 1W (1655hrs)
Bonxie (above), Sandwich Terns, Gannet, Common Scoters & Mediterranean Gull at the Bill (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were 35 Teal, three Gadwall, six juvenile Shelducks, c40 Lapwing and c30 Black-tailed Godwits on the pool this morning. (AH)
Later on there were two Common Sandpipers and three Little Ringed Plovers back on the pool. (BFF/DM)
Gadwall (above) & Shelducks at the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: There wasn't much to report in the deteriorating conditions this morning, with nothing in the bushes, just 30 or so Swallows feeding low, and few waders on the mud because of a (EA?) hovercraft doing something out in the middle. What waders there were were mainly Redshank, with a few Ringed Plovers and Dunlin, plus a single Greenshank and a Whimbrel. The 'now regular' group of 7 Pale-bellied Brent Geese and a dark-bellied bird were just about visible occasionally on the low tide, in the channel behind the Cormorant roost. (AH/BFF/DM/OM) Later as the tide came in there were 4 Whimbrel, a single Bar-tailed Godwit and 2 Greenshank, whilst 70 Sandwich Terns arrived and settled. (BFF/DM)
Swallows (above), Ringed Plovers & hovercraft at Church Norton (AH)
This evening the 70 or so Sandwich Terns were on the beach at the western end of the reserve, along with c50 Mediterranean Gulls (mostly juveniles) and c40 Turnstones, whilst c50 House Martins were feeding over the Priory. (AH)
Mediterranean Gulls (above), Turnstones, Sandwich Terns & Sandwich Terns, Mediterranean Gull and Black-headed Gulls at Church Norton (AH)
Ferry Pool: There were two Common Sandpipers, two Little Ringed Plovers and three Avocets on the pool this morning, along with c30 Lapwing, c20 Black-tailed Godwits and Teal, whilst the two Spotted Redshanks were in the channel opposite, along with a Whimbrel and a few Black-tailed Godwits and Redshanks.
The Tramway circuit was very quiet, save a couple of Willow Warblers and c30 Sand Martins over. (AH/AW)
Spotted Redshank (AW), Little Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper & juvenile Redshank (AH) around the Ferry
Church Norton: The first Redstart of the autumn was in the gorse along the beach path by the first Several, but other than a couple of Willow Warblers the bushes were very quiet, though at least 50 Sand Martins, 50 House Martins and 100 Swallows were feeding overhead and over the fields and harbour.
A Peregrine was sat out in the harbour again, and there were two Grey Plovers among the regular waders, which included up to 800 Dunlin (that seemed to arrive from all points of the harbour, though there was no obvious disturbance), c50 Ringed Plovers, c80 Redshank and at least two Whimbrels, though, for the first time in a long while, there were no terns in the harbour. (AH/AW).
Redstart (above), Willow Warbler, House Martin, Dunlin (AH) & Grey and Ringed Plovers (AW) at Church Norton
North Wall: A really quiet morning everywhere, with the Breech Pool holding just 20 or so Mallard, and two Grey Herons, with 16 Lapwings in the field behind, whilst a few Sand Martins took a quick drink on the pool and moved on westwards..
Also, a Kingfisher was reported from Bremere bridge, and along White's Creek there were 40 Black-tailed Godwits, 26 Redshank and a lone Whimbrel. (JDW)
This evening there were six Yellow Wagtails along the western end of the wall. (KJ)
Also, a Kingfisher was reported from Bremere bridge, and along White's Creek there were 40 Black-tailed Godwits, 26 Redshank and a lone Whimbrel. (JDW)
This evening there were six Yellow Wagtails along the western end of the wall. (KJ)
Whimbrel from North Wall (JDW)
Tuesday, 14th August: A mild but mostly grey morning, with a fairly light south-westerly breeze.....but brightening later and remaining dry.
Selsey Bill: Not much was moving offshore, but at least 35 Sandwich Terns were gathered around the Mile basket, feeding and resting on the low tide. In the gardens there was a bit more interest today, with a Garden Warbler, a Sedge Warbler and a dozen Willow Warblers. A pod of at least six (presumed) Bottle-nosed Dolphins was also again offshore. Full log below....
0730-1000hrs: (OM/DS/DF et al)Gannet - 30E, 15W
Shelduck - 1E
Common Scoter - 2E, 1os
Sandwich Tern - 35os
Garden Warbler - 1 (gardens)
Sedge Warbler - 1 "
Willow Warbler - 12 "
Chiffchaff - 1 "
Common Scoter (drake) off the Bill, and panoramic view of the Bill looking west at low tide. (OM)
Ferry Pool: A Common Sandpiper, two Little Ringed Plovers and three Avocets were on the pool, along with c60 Lapwing, c25 Black-tailed Godwits, 12 Teal and eight juvenile Shelducks.
A Greenshank and two Spotted Redshanks were in the channel opposite, along with 20 Black-tailed Godwits and c50 Redshanks, whilst a couple of Whitethroats and half a dozen Willow Warblers were in the adjacent hedges. (AH/OM)
Spotted Redshank (above), Avocet & Little Ringed Plover around the Ferry (AH)
North Wall: A Common Sandpiper was among the regular waders in White's Creek this morning. (IH/IB)
Later, at Halsey's Farm, there was a Whinchat on the back hedge of the first field on the right of the path to the wall, aMarsh Harrier flew across the second field on the left of the path and a Wheatear was in the field with the cattle behind the North Wall. (HR/DM)
Park Farm, Selsey: A Wheatear was on the fields,along with 30+ Pied Wagtails and a total of four Sparrowhawks were about. (S&SaH)
Church Norton: An Osprey flew over the harbour at around 1015hrs and the seven Pale-bellied Brent Geese were also present. (DF/DS)
Earlier,there were three Swifts, 100+ House Martins and two Buzzards overhead, two Lesser Whitethroats and a dozen Willow Warblers in the hedges and a flock of 20 Whimbrel off the beach. (A&YF)
This evening there were nine Wheatears along the beach this morning, with a Swift, 10+ Sand Martins, 20+ House Martins and 50+ Swallows feeding over the Severals.
The seven Pale-bellied and lone Dark-bellied Brent Geese, were in the harbour, along with a couple of Common Terns among up to 50 Sandwich Terns.. (S&SaH)
Later, at Halsey's Farm, there was a Whinchat on the back hedge of the first field on the right of the path to the wall, aMarsh Harrier flew across the second field on the left of the path and a Wheatear was in the field with the cattle behind the North Wall. (HR/DM)
Park Farm, Selsey: A Wheatear was on the fields,along with 30+ Pied Wagtails and a total of four Sparrowhawks were about. (S&SaH)
Church Norton: An Osprey flew over the harbour at around 1015hrs and the seven Pale-bellied Brent Geese were also present. (DF/DS)
Earlier,there were three Swifts, 100+ House Martins and two Buzzards overhead, two Lesser Whitethroats and a dozen Willow Warblers in the hedges and a flock of 20 Whimbrel off the beach. (A&YF)
This evening there were nine Wheatears along the beach this morning, with a Swift, 10+ Sand Martins, 20+ House Martins and 50+ Swallows feeding over the Severals.
The seven Pale-bellied and lone Dark-bellied Brent Geese, were in the harbour, along with a couple of Common Terns among up to 50 Sandwich Terns.. (S&SaH)
Medmerry: Breach area to Chainbridge to Ham - There were at least eight Willow Warblers around the viewpoint at the breach this morning, with a dozen Swallows and Sand Martins over and couple of Reed Buntings and a few Linnets were also about, whilst in the tidal areas there were a Greenshank, c30 Ringed Plovers and c80 Dunlin, plus two Sandwich Tens over.
There were a Garden Warbler, another half a dozen Willow Warblers and a few Whitethroats at both Chainbridge and Ham, but no other migrants beyond a dozen Swifts and similar of Sand Martin and Swallow over.
Also, a few Mediterranean Gulls and two Common Gulls were among the loafing Black-headed Gulls, a couple, and a handful of Yellowhammers and a big flock of Goldfinches were along the banks. (AH/D Sadler)
At around 1330hrs the Hooded Crow was again present in a stubble field, viewed from the area near to the Ham viewpoint. (B. Arnold/ D Campbell)
Garden Warbler (above), Willow Warblers, Whitethroat, Reed Bunting, Yellowhammer, Goldfinches, Mediterranean Gull & partially-albino House Sparrow at Medmerry (AH)
At around 1330hrs the Hooded Crow was again present in a stubble field, viewed from the area near to the Ham viewpoint. (B. Arnold/ D Campbell)
Easton Lane - Stilt Pools: The banks and hedgerows were fairly quiet all the way down, with just a few Linnets, a Yellowhammer, a brief snatch of Corn Bunting song and a Skylark to hold the interest. A small number of hirundines were on the move, the best being 6 Swifts amongst a handful of both Sand and House Martins and some Swallows.
On the Stilt pools our old friends the two Bar-headed Geese were amongst the several hundred Canada Geese, and there were 10 Teal and a couple of Gadwall. Waders were confined to routine species, with 5 Common Sandpipers, a Green Sandpiper, a single Dunlin, two juvenile Avocets and 6 Black-tailed Godwits.
On the Stilt pools our old friends the two Bar-headed Geese were amongst the several hundred Canada Geese, and there were 10 Teal and a couple of Gadwall. Waders were confined to routine species, with 5 Common Sandpipers, a Green Sandpiper, a single Dunlin, two juvenile Avocets and 6 Black-tailed Godwits.
On the trudge back, the only highlights were a flock of 300+ Starlings having a mass bath in the puddles and a single Yellow Wagtail. (OM)
Starling mass bathing at Medmerry (OM)
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