Friday, 31st August: A pleasantly warm morning, after a grey and cool start, with plenty of sunshine and a moderate easterly breeze....
Ferry Pool: There was very little to report this morning beyond the now regular 30+ Shelducks and 50+ Lapwing and Teal, plus a few Black-tailed Godwits.
North Wall: At White's Creek a Spotted Redshank was in amongst 80+ Redshanks and a Greenshank. Along the Wall were half a dozen Reed Warblers, no more than two Whitethroats, a couple of Cetti's Warblers and a flock of 12 Yellow Wagtails which flew over heading west, whilst a Green Sandpiper was flushed somewhere near the Breech Pool; it flew off calling loudly but couldn't actually be seen! A flock of 32 Grey Plovers was present on the mudflats viewed from Owl Point, (almost half the birds were still in summer plumage), plus a noisy Greenshank and a Wheatear. (OM/BI)
Wheatear near Owl Point (OM)
Halsey's Farm: There was quite a bit of activity around this area this morning, including four Redstarts, five Whinchats, a couple of Wheatears, two Spotted Flycatchers, up to 10 Whitethroats, and several Willow Warblers and Blackcaps. The two Ravens flew over heading west, cronking as they went, and three Jays were in the trees. Around the gorse and towards the end of Honer Lane was a large mixed Tit flock of c.40 birds including Blue, Great & Long-tailed Tits as well as a few Willow Warblers and there were good numbers of Whitethroats & Blackcaps in this area too. (OM/BI)
Redstarts and Whinchats, below, around Halsey's Farm (BI)
Early this evening there were still four Redstarts and at least six Whinchats around Owl Point, along with a couple of Wheatears and a Lesser Whitethroat, with several hundred Swallows and Sand Martins, plus a few House Martins, went over
The Spoonbill was roosting in the harbour, where there were also two Spotted Redshanks, at least two Greenshanks and half a dozen Whimbrels. (AH)
Redstart (above), Whinchat, Lesser Whitethroat, Spoonbill and Swallows, Sand Martins and House Martins around the North Wall (AH)
Church Norton: By comparison it was quiet for migrants here, with just a Wheatear on the beach, a Sedge Warbler and a couple of Willow/Chiffs in the first Several and a dozen or so scatttered Blackcaps and Whitethroats noted, with nothing beyond the regular waders in the harbour and a couple of Ravens over/around the Priory Wood area. (AH/AW/A&YF)
Wheatear (above), Blackcap, Whitethroat & Raven at Church Norton (AH)
Greenshank (above) & Whimbrel in Ferry Channel (AH)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - A Wryneck was in the Yellowhammer bushes (between Marsh Barn and Marsh Farm), found by visiting birder, Steve Chastell. It flew up into the bushes at 10.30am, but there was no further sign by midday.
Also about were an adult and juvenile Stonechat, as many as seven Corn Buntings and good numbers of Yellowhammers. (AH/BI/IL/RN)
As well as the Wryneck, we had a juvenile Little Stint and two Common Sandpipers on the Stilt Pool; three Whinchats and five Wheatears, four Whitethroats and a Yellow Wagtail over; Also seen were a Marsh Harrier, a Buzzard, a Sparrowhawk and a Kestrel; along with a a Whimbrel, a Greenshank, a Green Sandpiper, two Curlews, two Redshanks and a dozen Black-tailed Godwits out on the mud; with two Ringed Plovers and a Dunlin on the beach, with two Sandwich Terns offshore;=. There were a 100+ Mediterranean Gulls spread around and there was a steady passage of Swallows (200+) but just half a dozen Sand Martins and three House Martins.(S.Chastell/M.Kettell/IL)
Stonechat (above) & Corn Buntings at Medmerry (AH)
Wryneck at the west side of Medmerry &, bottom, Little Stint on the Stilt Pool (M.Kettell)
Little Stint and Common Sandpiper at Medmerry (IL)
Thursday, 30th August: After another very chilly and rather gloomy start, it became another pleasant morning, with some warm sunshine and just a light northerly breeze, soon becoming variable....
Selsey Bill: 0730-0830hrs A Coastal Survey quadbike being used up and down the whole beach ensured that any birds present wouldn't remain, continually flushing all the gulls and a flock of 35 Turnstones. A flat calm sea on a long low tide didn't help either and nothing was moving during a short visit, though two juvenile Mediterranean Gulls were offshore.
A flock of 15 Yellow Wagtails went over west, as did a single Grey Wagtail, whilst the gardens held just one Chiffchaff and a couple of Willow Warblers..... overall, not a great morning! (OM)
North Wall: The Spoonbill was still present early on, roosting with Little Egrets, but could not be found later. A Spotted Redshank was in White's creek, whilst a Whinchat and a Wheatear were also seen along the wall. (TR) Later there were 3 Greenshank in White's Creek and a Red Kite went over. (BFF/DM)
Ferry Pool: There wasn't much variety on the pool, with just c50 Lapwings, c30 Shelducks and c80 Teal, plus a handful of Black-tailed Godwits to be seen, though there were two Spotted Redshanks, a Greenshank and up to five Whimbrel in the channel opposite, with c30 Black-tailed Godwits and c60 Redshank in the main channel from the Tramway.
The bushes around the Tramway were very quiet, with just half a dozen Whitethroats, a couple of Blackcaps and a Willow Warbler seen. (AH)
Later, at around noon, there were three Little Ringed Plovers, a Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper on the pool, although the latter two soon disappeared. (OM/BFF/DM)
Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: There were 20+ Yellow Wagtails by the Marsh Farm milking parlour and nearby herds of cows this afternoon. (SA)
Church Norton: Whitethroats seemed to be the most conspicuous species along the hedgerows, whilst a Raven was calling from near the car park and two Sparrowhawks were chasing each other, but otherwise things seemed fairly quiet. On the second Several two Tufted Ducks and two Teal were noted, and along the beach were five Whitethroats, plus two Wheatears on the concrete blocks.
Along the west side were three Whitethroats, three Willow Warblers and a Jay. (OM/CRJ/TR/A&YF)
Later the Spoonbill was seen in flight heading towards the North Wall, two Yellow Wagtails flew over, two Sandwich Terns were present and the Raven was cronking around the Priory. (BFF/DM)
A quick look this afternoon at high-tide found four Wheatears along the spit and six or so Sandwich Terns and at least one Common Tern around the harbour entrance, where a Common Seal was also feeding. (AW)
This evening there were two Redstarts - one a fairly bright male, a Whinchat and a couple of whitethroats along the front, and several hundred mixed hirundines high overhead, whilst the only wader of note was a Greenshank roosting on the marshy area by the horse field. (AH)
It is also worthy of reporting here that a family wheeled a large canoe onto the Inner beach at Church Norton - two adults and 3 young children.I did advise them that launching a canoe in a nature reserve was not very appropriate. They told me it was all right as it was not a nature reserve and they could more or less do as they pleased. He stated that in the sixties people used to water ski. Again I did point out it is a Nature Reserve and many birds were resting during the migration from their Arctic breeding grounds. Took no notice of me and off they went happily scattering many birds. Unusual for me, I was a little bit taken aback and lost for words! (BFF/DM)
Update from IL (Warden) - Launching into the harbour from the nature reserve is still prohibited (apart from Sidlesham quay). Right of navigation is purely if they sail or canoe into the harbour from the sea. Right of navigation does not include landing, launching or mooring. They can launch seaward side of spit if the craft is carried by one person.
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The banks were very quiet for most of the way down, but there were half a dozen or so Whinchats and Wheatears in the fields opposite Marsh Farm, up to 30 Yellow Wagtails and a couple of Meadow Pipits near the cattle and a couple of Whitethroats, the Corn Bunting family and a dozen Yellowhammers around their favourite bushes.
A Hobby went over, as did 100+ Sand Martins and Swallows, whilst the only waders on the Stilt Pool were two Common Sandpipers and a Lapwing, and the only others seen were 40 or so Black-tailed Godwits near the poplars. Also, a juvenile Grren Woodpecker was well south of the last trees, whilst the two Bar-headed Geese, two Greylag Geese and the Barnacle x Canada Goose hybrid were all among the 500 or so Canada Geese, this morning.(AH)
This evening there were eight Wheatears, a Redstart, a Willow Warbler, two Whitethroats, six Corn Buntings and at least ten Yellowhammers along the banks, with 200+ Mediterranean Gulls on the fields and a Buzzard over. (S&SaH)
Medmerry: Ham Farm - It was generally very quiet, though the Peregrine was sat out on the derelict building again, half a dozen Yellowhammers and Linnets and up to 30 Meadow Pipits were along the banks and a Chiffchaff and a couple of Whitethroats were in the hedges. (AH)
Wednesday, 29th August: After a very cold and rainy start, a fairly pleasant late summer's morning of variable amounts of cloud and some sun and a moderate westerly breeze....Later, at around noon, there were three Little Ringed Plovers, a Green Sandpiper and a Common Sandpiper on the pool, although the latter two soon disappeared. (OM/BFF/DM)
Spotted Redshanks (above) & Whitethroat around the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: Whitethroats seemed to be the most conspicuous species along the hedgerows, whilst a Raven was calling from near the car park and two Sparrowhawks were chasing each other, but otherwise things seemed fairly quiet. On the second Several two Tufted Ducks and two Teal were noted, and along the beach were five Whitethroats, plus two Wheatears on the concrete blocks.
Along the west side were three Whitethroats, three Willow Warblers and a Jay. (OM/CRJ/TR/A&YF)
Later the Spoonbill was seen in flight heading towards the North Wall, two Yellow Wagtails flew over, two Sandwich Terns were present and the Raven was cronking around the Priory. (BFF/DM)
A quick look this afternoon at high-tide found four Wheatears along the spit and six or so Sandwich Terns and at least one Common Tern around the harbour entrance, where a Common Seal was also feeding. (AW)
This evening there were two Redstarts - one a fairly bright male, a Whinchat and a couple of whitethroats along the front, and several hundred mixed hirundines high overhead, whilst the only wader of note was a Greenshank roosting on the marshy area by the horse field. (AH)
Common Tern (above), Wheatears (AW), Redstart & Greenshank (AH) at Church Norton
It is also worthy of reporting here that a family wheeled a large canoe onto the Inner beach at Church Norton - two adults and 3 young children.I did advise them that launching a canoe in a nature reserve was not very appropriate. They told me it was all right as it was not a nature reserve and they could more or less do as they pleased. He stated that in the sixties people used to water ski. Again I did point out it is a Nature Reserve and many birds were resting during the migration from their Arctic breeding grounds. Took no notice of me and off they went happily scattering many birds. Unusual for me, I was a little bit taken aback and lost for words! (BFF/DM)
Update from IL (Warden) - Launching into the harbour from the nature reserve is still prohibited (apart from Sidlesham quay). Right of navigation is purely if they sail or canoe into the harbour from the sea. Right of navigation does not include landing, launching or mooring. They can launch seaward side of spit if the craft is carried by one person.
A Hobby went over, as did 100+ Sand Martins and Swallows, whilst the only waders on the Stilt Pool were two Common Sandpipers and a Lapwing, and the only others seen were 40 or so Black-tailed Godwits near the poplars. Also, a juvenile Grren Woodpecker was well south of the last trees, whilst the two Bar-headed Geese, two Greylag Geese and the Barnacle x Canada Goose hybrid were all among the 500 or so Canada Geese, this morning.(AH)
Yellow Wagtails (above), Whinchats, Wheatear, Corn Buntings and Yellowhammer, Yellowhammer, Green Woodpecker, Greylag Geese, Barnacle x Canada Goose hybrid & Canada Geese at Medmerry (AH)
Medmerry: Ham Farm - It was generally very quiet, though the Peregrine was sat out on the derelict building again, half a dozen Yellowhammers and Linnets and up to 30 Meadow Pipits were along the banks and a Chiffchaff and a couple of Whitethroats were in the hedges. (AH)
Peregrine (above), Chiffchaff & Meadow Pipit at Medmerry (AH)
Ferry Pool: The pool was pretty quiet, with just the usual c50 Lapwings, c40 Teal and c30 Shelducks, plus a handful of Black-tailed Godwits present, with 20+ of the latter, along with a Common Sandpiper, two Whimbrels and c50 Redshanks in the channel opposite. There were also 20+ Yellow Wagtails among the cattle on Ferry Field. (AH/DP/MP)
An Egyptian Goose was on the pool from 9.00-9.50am this morning, before it flew off over the Visitor Centre. (TG-P)
Later there was also a Little Ringed Plover on the pool. (ED)
An Egyptian Goose was on the pool from 9.00-9.50am this morning, before it flew off over the Visitor Centre. (TG-P)
Later there was also a Little Ringed Plover on the pool. (ED)
Whimbrel (above), Redshanks & Lapwings and Shelduck around the Ferry (AH)
Church Norton: There were up to three Spotted Flycatchers, an elusive Redstart, one Willow Warbler, one Reed Warbler and half a dozen Whitethroats and Blackcaps around the churchyard/hide area this morning, with another two - equally elusive - Redstarts at either end of the first Several, with 20+ Whitethroats, a Lesser Whitethroat and a couple of Reed Warblers in the same area and three Wheatears on the concrete slabs.
Also, around 20 Yellow Wagtails flew east along the beach, with several also seen over the harbour, and there were large numbers of Sand Martins, House Martins and Swallows about again.
A Greenshank was in the creek by the horse field, but there wasn't much to report in the harbour, though a Peregrine was present, and a couple of Whimbrel and a summer-plumaged Grey Plover were among the many Ringed Plovers, Redshanks and Dunlin present. (AH/MO-W/DP/MP)
At around 1500hrs, three Whinchats were flitting around the meadow by the first Several. (ED)
Greenshank (above), Reed Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Whitethroat & Blackcap at Church Norton (AH)
Late
this afternoon a Marsh Harrier flew over the harbour towards the Severals. A
Redstart and Whinchat were seen in the old horse-field, while in the harbour
there was a Grey Plover, 4 Knot and 2 Bar-tailed Godwits. (AW)
There were up to five Spotted Flycatchers behind the hide, several Wheatears on the concrete slabs and a Peregrine in the harbour. (AB)
Also logged were 200+ Sand Martins, 50+ House Martins, 20+ Swallows, 2 Whinchats, 3 Wheatears, a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Whitethroats and 10+ Willow Warblers. (S&SaH)
There were up to five Spotted Flycatchers behind the hide, several Wheatears on the concrete slabs and a Peregrine in the harbour. (AB)
Also logged were 200+ Sand Martins, 50+ House Martins, 20+ Swallows, 2 Whinchats, 3 Wheatears, a Lesser Whitethroat, 2 Whitethroats and 10+ Willow Warblers. (S&SaH)
Marsh Harrier, Redstart and Grey Plover at Church Norton late afternoon. (AW)
North Wall: At
midday today there was a Spotted Redshank (still in moult) in the channel and the Spoonbill was still present, roosting with the egrets and herons
on the roost site just out from Owl copse. (ED)
Spoonbill (centre) with Little Egrets and Grey Heron at the regular roost site. (ED)
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