20th - 22nd August 2018

Wednesday, 22nd August: A very grey morning, and cooler than of late, with a moderate westerly breeze....

Ferry Pool: A Kingfisher dropped in briefly and the Shelduck count had risen to 26, but otherwise it was the usual selection, including two Little Ringed Plovers, c50 Lapwing, c30 Black-tailed Godwits and c30 Teal, with two Whimbrel and a few more Black-tailed Godwits in the channel opposite. (AH)

Whimbrel (above) & Fox around the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: A Kingfisher and a Common Snipe were on the Breech Pool, with three Willow Warblers along the Wall, whilst White's Creek was heaving with birds, including 140 Black-tailed Godwits, 118 Redshank, six Oystercatchers, two Whimbrel, two Curlew, three Avocets and two Spotted Redshanks. Also, in Pagham churchyard there were three Stock Doves and two Kestrels. (JDW)

Spotted Redshank (above), Avocets & Stock Dove around the North Wall (JDW)

Selsey: Amazingly, there was another Pied Flycatcher in our garden at lunchtime today. After two sightings in the previous 28 years at this Selsey address, that's three sightings in the past 17 days! (JW)

Park Farm, Selsey: There were six Wheatears and at least ten Pied Wagtails on the lettuce fields, with a Swift, at least 50 Sand Martins, 20 House Martins and 50 Swallows overhead. (S&SaH)

Church Norton: A visiting birder reported a Spoonbill over the harbour heading towards the Ferry this morning. (per AW) (Possibly/presumably the same one as seen at Medmerry - see below. Eds)
 A young Peregrine went over the back of the churchyard this morning and there were also   three Wheatears on the concrete wall  and a Great Spotted Woodpecker behind hte hide. (P&JW)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - Most of the action this morning was around the Stilt Pool, including a Spoonbill over east at 8.40am, a Whinchat and two Wheatears along the fences, 30+ Yellow Wagtails coming and going around the cattle, and at least 500 Sand Martins and similar of Swallows - the first really big build-up this autumn. The only waders noted, though, were a couple of Common Sandpipers, three Dunlin, two Avocets and a dozen or so Lapwings and Black-tailed Godwits, whilst there were also 20+ Teal, 30+ Gadwall and 200+ Canada Geese on the pools and half a dozen Sandwich Terns offshore.

The banks were quiet, though the Corn Bunting family, a couple of Reed Buntings and a dozen Yellowhammers were around the 'Yellowhammer bush' and a juvenile stonechat and a handful of Whitethroats were in the nearby hedges.

Presumably the same Spoonbill was later roosting on the mud near the poplars, with the Ruddy Shelduck, which has been absent for some time, nearby, along with a Greenshank, a Common sandpiper and a couple of Whimbrels. Also, a Dartford Warbler was seen a couple of times in the gorse south of the viewpoint. (AH)
The Spoonbill was still present early afternoon from the first viewpoint, where there were also two Wheatears, including a young-looking juvenile, and a Peregrine was sat on the derelict building in the middle of the reserve. (PB)

Spoonbill (above), Ruddy Shelduck, Yellow Wagtail, Whinchat, Wheatear, Corn Bunting & Sand Martins and Swallows at Medmerry (AH)

Medmerry: Porthole Farm - A Marsh Harrier was hunting around the sewage farm, three Ravens and two Green Sandpipers flew over and a few Lesser Whitethroats and Common Whitethroats were in the hedges, with an estimated 2000+ Starlings around the settling tanks. (C&ME/C&JM)

Marsh Harrier (above) & Starlings at Porthole Farm (C&JM)

Chi GPs - Ivy Lake: I actually visited most of the gravel pits this morning, but apart from small gatherings of Sand Martins and the regular wildfowl, the only pit with any interest was Ivy Lake. There were three Common Terns present - an adult and two juveniles - and around 100 Sand Martins and perhaps a similar number of Swallows. A dozen Willow Warblers were logged, of which three were repeatedly singing, and there were at least eight Chiffchaffs (two family parties) - some of which were also singing - and when a Blackcap and a couple of Cetti's Warblers joined in in it felt like spring! (OM)

Juvenile (above) and adult Common Terns at Ivy Lake (OM)

Tuesday, 21st August: A fairly grey morning with some heavy cloud and a light W/SW breeze, but warm in the odd brighter spells and very humid......sunny by afternoon.

Selsey Bill: Highlight of a quiet watch was a loose flock of eight Little Terns and eight Common Terns going west. Otherwise the Eider was present and 40 Gannets were fishing offshore. A Hummingbird Hawkmoth (perhaps two) was observed in gardens adjoining Seal Road, whilst continuing yesterday's shipping theme, the Trinity House vessel was offshore servicing the well known (to the locals anyway) red and green bouys. Full Log below......
0730-1000hrs: (OM/MJ)
Gannet - 15E, 5W, 40 os
Eider - 1 os
Teal - 2W
Little Tern - 8W
Common Tern - 9W
Sandwich Tern - 5 os
Mediterranean Gull - 1E
Willow Warbler - 5 gardens

(above) The regular Eider off the Bill, (centre two) the Hummingbird Hawk-moth, and (lower) the Trinity House vessel servicing the offshore bouys. (OM) 

Selsey, Northcommon Farm: Initially there were two Spotted Flycatchers together with a Pied Flycatcher around the middle hedge at the appropriately-nicknamed 'Flycatcher Corner' this morning. (OM) This  situation improved as time went on, and amazingly by 1400hrs there were three Spotted and no less than five Pied present, plus a Whitethroat and a couple of Willow Warblers. (OM/MJ/BFF/DM/SH/AH)    
There were still three Pied Flycatchers and two Spotted Flycatchers showing at 6.40pm. (CRJ)

 Pied Flycatcher (above and below) at Northcommon farm (DM)

 Spotted Flycatcher (above) and Spotted & Pied Flycatchers together (below) (DM)

 Pied Flycatchers (DM)

four Pied Flycatchers and a Spotted Flycatcher (AH)

Selsey: Seven Yellow Wagtails were seen flying over ASDA, on the northern edge of the village, this evening. (SaH)

Ferry Pool/Long Pool: There were five Little Ringed Plovers on the pool this morning, along with a Green Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, a partially summer-plumaged Spotted Redshank, c40 Lapwings, c20 Black-tailed Godwits, 20 Shelduck and c45 Teal.

The three Spotted Redshank were right in the middle of Ferry Channel, and there were also two Whimbrel and 30+ Redshanks, Black-tailed Godwits and Teal present.

There were still 30+ Whitethroats around the Tramway circuit, along with a brief Redstart, half a dozen Blackcaps and Lesser Whitethroats, a Chiffchaff and a couple of Willow Warblers, with 30+ Sand Martins and a few Swallows over.

The Long Pool held very little beyond a handful of Teal and Black-tailed Godwits, a Sedge Warbler, two Whitethroats and a few Sand Martins and Swallows over. (AH/BFF/DM)

Whitethroat (above), Wilow Warbler, Spotted Redshank and Black-tailed Godwit, Little Ringed Plover & Whimbrel around the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: It was generally pretty quiet around the bushes, though a Spotted Flycatcher was seen, along with a dozen Whitethroats, half a dozen Willow Warblers, a couple of Blackcaps and Lesser Whitethroats and a Reed Warbler, with two Yellow Wagtails over and a couple of Wheaterars around the concrete slabs. 

Also, the two Ravens were around the fields behind the churchyard and around 50 each of Sand Martin, Swallow and House Martin were feeding overhead.

A big flock of Dunlin was flying around the far side of the harbour, but few other waders were noted beyond a couple of Whimbrel and a few Curlews and Black-tailed Godwits, whilst there were at least 50 Sandwich Terns in the harbour, plus two Common Terns, and another 20+ offshore. (AH/TS/A&YF)

Later on there were three Spotted Flycatchers by the concrete wall (KJ). 
There were a Spotted Flycatcher, 14 Willow Warblers, six Common Whitethroats and single Lesser Whitethroat and Reed Warbler around the hide, with a Whinchat and four Wheatears along the beach. Two Whimbrel, around 80 Sandwich Tern were in the harbour, along with the single Dark-bellied Brent Goose and later on the seven Pale-bellied Brent Geese flew in off the sea at the harbour mouth, settling in the east channel out of sight. (BFF/DM)
In the afternoon two Pied Flycatchers were reported in the churchyard. (Per BO'D)

Sandwich Terns and Common Terns (above), Sandwich Terns, Reed Warbler & Whitethroat at Church Norton (AH)

Late this afternoon there was a Marsh Harrier hunting out over the harbour, a flock of Whimbrels flew over and there were also three Grey Plover and a Knot among large numbers of regular waders. (AW)

Marsh Harrier (above) & Whimbrel over Church Norton (AW)

Medmerry: Chainbridge area - A Marsh Harrier drifted over the area mid-afternoon. (KJ et al)

Later on, a Great White Egret flew over Ham and appeared to drop into the tidal area, but could not be relocated. (BO'D)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There were two Marsh Harriers hunting over the reserve this evening, as was a Buzzard. The banks were busy, including four Whinchats, two Wheatears, five Stonechats (including three juveniles), six Corn Buntings (including four juveniles), two Reed Buntings, two Whitethroats and 10+ Yellowhammers, with over 40 Yellow Wagtails around the cattle fields.

On the Stilt Pool there were a Green Sandpiper, two Common sandpipers, two Avocets and five Dunlin, whilst 50+ Sand Martins and 20+ Swallows went over. (S&SaH)

Monday, 20th August: A warm and muggy day, with spells of sunshine and cloud and just a light westerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: Still quiet again -  this morning's highlight being the non-avian sight of the new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth some miles off the Bill, heading generally west and attended by a number of helicopters.....wasn't she meant to be heading to the USA by now?

Bird-wise there was little to report, with a small gathering of Sandwich Terns feeding to and fro offshore and a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the Oval Field trees. Full log below.....

0730-1000hrs:  (OM/CRJ)

Gannet - 5E, 18W

Sparrowhawk - 1 gardens

Turnstone - 6 ob

Mediterranean Gull - 6W

Common Tern - 1W

Sandwich Tern - 20os

Great Spotted Woodpecker - 1  Oval Field 

Willow Warbler - 3 gardens

1215-1300hrs: (C&ME)

Eider - 1os

Mediterranean Gull - 1W

Common Tern - 3W

Sandwich Tern - 2W

 Sandwich Tern at the Bill and new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth heading west!  (OM)

Ferry Pool:  First thing this morning there was a Spotted Redshank on the pool, and around the Tramway there was a Spotted Flycatcher and a small flock of Willow Warblers. Overhead there were small flocks of Canada Geese heading towards Medmerry and a Raven was over the Visitor's Centre.(AW)

Spotted Flycatcher on the Tramway (AW)

There was a reasonable selection a bit later on, including a Green Sandpiper, a Common Sandpiper, three Little Ringed Plovers, five Avocets, c40 Lapwings and Black-tailed Godwits, 20 juvenile shelducks and c35 Teal, with a Greenshank, two Whimbrel, a dozen Black-tailed Godwits and c30 Redshanks in the channel opposite.

The tramway circuit was full of Whitethroats - certainly 40+, along with half a dozen Blackcaps, a Garden Warbler, a couple of Lesser Whitethroats and Willow Warblers and a Sedge Warbler, plus a few Linnets and Goldfinches. (AH)

Garden Warbler (above), Willow Warbler, Whitethroat, Blackcap, Greenshank, Whimbrel & Little Ringed Plover and Teal around the Ferry (AH)

Long Pool: A Spotted Redshank was in Ferry Channel and another on the Long Pool, where a Water Rail showed well, and there were also three Little Grebes and a Bar-tailed Godwit present. (AW)

Spotted Redshank (above) & Water Rail on the Long Pool (AW)

Church Norton: There were at least a dozen Wheatears along the beach, with another three or four on the concrete slabs, this morning, but otherwise migrants were few beyond a Yellow Wagtail on the beach, a couple of Willow Warblers and half a dozen Whitethroats along the Severals and a Reed Warbler by the Mound. Also, a Swift was among c200 mixed hirundines over the Severals, split fairly equally between all three species, and two Ravens went over the churchyard..

There wasn't much of note in the harbour beyond the Dark-bellied Brent Goose and a few Black-tailed Godwits and Curlews, whilst there were still at least 50 Sandwich Terns about, mostly on and around the beach at the far end of the reserve, in the company of similar numbers of Mediterranean and Black-headed Gulls. Also, a Couded Yellow was along the beach. (AH/TS)
Later on a Spotted Flycatcher was seen along Rectory Lane. (TG-P)

Wheatears (above), Whitethroat, Sandwich Terns and Mediterranean Gulls & Mediterranean Gulls at Church Norton (AH)

This evening there were still 50+ Sandwich Terns, plus two Common Terns and 50+ Mediterranean Gulls, mostly feeding offshore, whilst in the harbour the seven Pale-bellied and single Dark-bellied Brent Geese, along with two Whimbrel, were still present, a Kingfisher was near the concrete spit, four Wheatears were on the beach and 30+ House Martins were over the trees. (S&SaH)

North Wall: A circuit from North Wall around the fields to Owl Point and back this morning was notable for the increase in Willow Warblers with at least 30 seen in total; conversely just one Reed Warbler was found. Other warblers included plenty of Whitethroats, six Lesser Whitethroats, two Cetti's Warblers, three Blackcaps and two Chiffchaffs. 

A Wheatear was along the wall first thing, A Raven flew over and a Sparrowhawk put up five Curlews from the gorse field where there were also four Reed Buntings, a Great Spotted Woodpecker, two Green Woodpeckers and two Kestrels. 

The Breech Pool was very quiet (and very full!) and White's Creek held c.40 Black-tailed Godwits and at least 100 Redshanks. (BI/IH/TG)

Warner Lane paddocks/Northcommon Farm: In a word - disappointing! The paddock fields held just 4 Whitethroats, a Lesser Whitethroat and a Blackcap, whilst at Northcommon there was a good deal of disturbance by workmen and it was a struggle to find even a single Willow Warbler. (OM/CRJ)

Later on there were two Spotted Flycatchers at 'Flycatcher Corner'. (SH)

Park Farm, Selsey: There were three Willow Warblers in the hedges and two Sand Martins, 20+ Swallows and a Sparrowhawk overhead. (S&SaH)

Sidlesham: There were 100+ Sand Martins and 50+ Swallows over our garden on the west of the village this evening. (AH)