7th - 10th August 2018

Friday, 10th August: A very English summer's day, with a bit of sunshine, but also a very brisk south-westerly, gusting to near gale force and pushing through plenty of dark cloud with some heavy downpours....

Selsey Bill: There was bit moving this morning, including a Bonxie east, a few Fulmars and some Common and Sandwich Terns, though nothing more exciting appeared, and not a sniff of a shearwater, despite the hopeful conditions. Five Sanderlings and a Dunlin were also on the beach with Turnstones. Full log below.... 
0710-1200hrs:  (OM/AH/JA/BI)
Fulmar - 1E, 5W
Gannet - 35E, 55W
Eider - 1os
Common Scoter - 9E, 6W
Dunlin - 1 ob
Sanderling - 5 ob
Turnstone - 15 ob
Great Skua - 1E
Common Tern - 14W
Sandwich Tern - 4E, 20W

The 'regular' Eider off Selsey Bill (OM)

Sanderling (above), Dunlin, Gannets, Sandwich Tern & Sandwich Terns with Black-headed Gulls at the Bill (AH)

(1600-1800hrs) (SH/PB)
Balearic Shearwater - 1W (1705)
Gannet - 3E, 9W
Arctic Skua - 1os
Sandwich Tern - 12os
Common Tern - 2W

(1815-1915hrs) (BI/AH)
Gannet - 3E, 4W
Common Scoter - 2E
Sanderling - 7 ob
Arctic Skua - 1E
Sandwich Tern - 10 os

Northcommon Farm: A Pied Flycatcher was near Flycatcher Corner this morning. (BI)

Ferry Pool: There were a Green Sandpiper, two Common Sandpipers, two Little Ringed Plovers, the adult and juvenile Avocets, c50 Black-tailed Godwits, c30 Lapwing, five Teal and seven juvenile Shelducks on the pool this morning. (AH/AW)

Black-tailed Godwit at the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A Hobby went through early on. (P&JW)
There were still 30+ Sandwich Terns and half a dozen Common Terns between the harbour and offshore, with half a dozen Gannets also out to sea. 
About 50 Dunlin, 20 Ringed Plovers and 20 Turnstones were on the beach, with similar numbers in the harbour, along with half a dozen Whimbrel and Curlews and 50 Redshanks, but not too much else. The bushes were quiet beyond the odd Willow Warbler, Blackcap and Whitethroat, along with a family of Swallows around the hide. (AH)

Dunlins and Ringed Plovers (above), Dunlins, Turnstone, Whimbrel, Sandwich Terns & Swallows at Church Norton (AH)

In the harbour late this afternoon, between the downpours, there were two summer-plumage Grey Plovers, as well as the seven Pale-bellied and one Dark-bellied Brent Geese. There were also about 15 Sandwich Terns but no sign of any Common. (AW)
Also, this evening, when the rain abated a big mixed flock of mainly Blue and Long-tailed Tits, but including at least half a dozen Blackcaps and Willow Warblers was around the Mound and at least 30 House Martins and Swallows, plus a couple of Sand Martins were feeding overhead and at least 30 Lapwings were in the lettuce fields along Rectory Lane. (AH)

Grey Plovers and Pale-bellied Brent Geese (AW) (above), Willow Warbler, Long-tailed Tit, Lapwing & Sandwich Terns (AH) at Church Norton

Chi. Marina: There was an amazing count of just over 900 Mediterranean Gulls in the Chichester channel opposite the Marina early afternoon. (PH)



Thursday, 9th August: A thoroughly damp and miserable morning, with prolonged fairly heavy drizzle/rain, though fairly mild and almost no breeze. The breeze picked up to a fresh south-westerly later as the clouds cleared.....

For info, a short article on the history of the blog has been added, and the Selsey Peninsula checklist page has also been slightly amended and illustrated, but still stands at 340 species..... both accessible by clicking the title bar link. (OM)

Selsey Bill: There were quite a lot of terns feeding and drifting off west offshore late this afternoon, including 25 Little Terns, whilst this evening a Balearic Shearwater went east, seven Sanderlings were on the beach and more terns went west. 
(1620-1730hrs) (SH)
Gannet - 11E, 7W
Mediterranean Gull - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 4E, 69os then W 
Little Tern - 25os then W
Common Tern - 24os then W
Willow Warbler - 1p (in gardens)

(1845-1945hrs) (AH)
Balearic Shearwater - 1E (1924hrs)
Gannet - c75E, 20W
Sanderling - 7p (on beach)
Turnstone - 4p (on beach)
Sandwich Tern - 66W
Common Tern - 16W

Sanderlings (above), Gannet & Sandwich Tern at the Bill (AH)

Ferry Pool: There were two Spotted Redshanks on the pool this morning, along with a Green Sandpiper, two Little Ringed Plovers, three Avocets, c50 Black-tailed Godwits, c30 Lapwing and c20 Redshank, plus a few Teal and young Shelducks, whilst c200 Canada Geese were in the adjacent stubble fields early on. 
A Common Sandpiper, a couple of Whimbrel and an unseen but heard Greenshank were in Ferry Channel, along with a few Redshank and Black-tailed Godwits, whilst two Lesser Whitethroats, six Blackcaps, two Whitethroats, two Chiffchaffs and six Willow Warblers were in the newly cleared area at the back of the hide, along with large numbers of Blue and Great Tits. (AH/AW/BFF/DM)

Green Sandpiper and Lapwings (above), Canada Geese (AW), Spotted Redshank, Avocet & Whitethroat (AH) around the Ferry

Church Norton: Not much beyond the regular waders in the rain, though there was a smart summer-plumaged Grey Plover in the harbour. (AW)
Later on, at high tide, the seven Pale-bellied and single Dark-bellied Brent Geese were still out in the harbour, along with five Little, 60 Sandwich and 25 Common Terns, half a dozen Whimbrel, single Greenshank and Common Sandpiper and, after many scans of the Dunlin flock, a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper. Also there were three Wheatears on the concrete slabs. (BFF/DM)

Grey Plover at Church Norton (AW)

This evening there were c30 Sandwich Terns on the mud, along with five Whimbrel, c40 Ringed Plovers and c100 Dunlin and redshank, with 20+ Swallows and a couple of Sand Martins feeding over the hedges. (AH)

Whimbrel (above), Sandwich Terns & Swallows at Church Norton (AH)

North Wall: A Spotted Redshank and a few Black-tailed Godwits and Teal were on the Breech Pool this morning, with another Spotted Redshank, two Whimbrel, c50 Black-tailed Godwits and c50 Redshanks in White's Creek, but not too much else was evident save a few Swallows around the stables. (AH
Later on, a Whinchat was along the wall. (BFF/DM)

Spotted Redshank (above), Spotted Redshank, Redshanks, Curlew and Black-tailed Godwit, Whimbrel & Swallows around North Wall (AH)

Wednesday, 8th August: A much cooler, grey morning, with a mix of sunshine and heavy cloud and a moderate south-westerly breeze....

Ferry Pool: The Wood Sandpiper and a Green Sandpiper were at the back and there were also two Greenshank, four Little Ringed Plovers and two Common Sandpipers present. (AW) 
The Wood Sandpiper couldn't be seen later, but there were at least three Common Sandpipers between the pool and Ferry Channel, where there were also half a dozen Whimbrel and many Redshank. 
The adult and juvenile Avocet, seven juvenile Shelducks and a few Lapwing and Black-tailed Godwits were also on the pool, but the Tramway circuit was very quiet, with just a couple of Whitethroats, Blackcaps and Willow Warblers seen. (AH)

Wood Sandpiper and Green Sandpiper (above) & Greenshanks (AW), Blackcap, Whimbrel & Common Sandpiper around the Ferry (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The Hooded Crow was out on the reserve early on, and four Snipe were on the Stilt Pool, with four Greenshank flying around. (TR)
Later on there was no sign of the Hooded Crow, but there was a moulting Curlew Sandpiper and two juvenile Spotted Redshanks on the Stilt Pool, along with two Greenshank, c30 Dunlin and at least four Common Sandpipers. There were a couple more Common Sandpipers, six Whimbrel, a dozen Ringed Plovers and another c30 Dunlin out on the reserve, whilst three or four Sandwich Terns were feeding offshore.
The banks were very quiet, though a Wheatear and at least one Stonechat were present, along with a handful of Whitethroats and Yellowhammers, whilst just a couple of Swallows and a Sand Martin went over. (AH)

Curlew Sandpiper and Dunlin (above), Spotted Redshanks, Greenshanks, Wheatear, Sandwich Tern, Whitethroat and Stonechat & Yellowhammer at Medmerry (AH)

Tuesday, 7th August: Another very hot day, with unbroken sunshine and light breezes, though with the possibility of rain by evening....

Selsey Bill: (1630-1730hrs)  (SH)
Gannet - 23E, 11W
Common Scoter - 7E, 1W
Common Tern - 2W
Sandwich Tern - 4E, 9W
Mediterranean Gull - 1E
Pied Wagtail - 1W
also - a pod of at least 8 presumed Bottle-nosed Dolphins heading W at 'Mile basket line' range.

Ferry Pool: The Wood Sandpiper and two Green Sandpipers were on the pool again this morning. (BL)

Earlier on there were three Little Ringed Plovers, two Common Sandpipers, the adult and two juvenile Avocets, six Teal, seven juvenile Shelducks and c30 each of Lapwing and Black-tailed Godwit present, (AH) and earlier still, there had been three Common Sandpipers on the pool and another in Ferry channel. (AW)
Later on, a Spotted Redshank was also in the channel plus a Greenshank. (AW)

Little Ringed Plover (above) & Little Ringed Plover and Avocet on the Ferry (AH) and (below) Common Sandpiper in Ferry channel. (AW)

Spotted Redshank (above) & Greenshank in Ferry channel (AW)

Church Norton: An Osprey went south over the harbour late this morning. (BFF)

Early this morning there were still at least 40 Common Terns and 30 Sandwich Terns around the old harbour mouth, including many juveniles of both species. The seven Pale-bellied Brent Geese were again in the harbour, along with c50 Mediterranean Gulls, c60 Turnstones, c40 Ringed Plovers and c100 Dunlin, plus at least five Whimbrel.

The bushes were very quiet, with just a couple of Blackcaps, a Willow Warbler, two Lesser Whitethroats and a Whitethroat around the hide, and a handful of the latter plus two Sedge Warblers along the track to the beach. (AH/BL/AW) Later, a count of 3 Lesser Whitethroats and 6 Willow Warblers was made, whilst in the harbour were 40 Common and 3 lingering Little Terns and 150 Dunlin. (BFF/DM)
This evening, before the storm, a female-type Marsh Harrier flew towards the Severals. (AW)

 Osprey passing high over Church Norton this morning. (DM)

Sandwich Terns (above), Common Terns, Turnstones, Ringed Plover and Sedge Warblers at Church Norton (AH) and (lowest) Lesser Whitethroat (AW).

 Marsh Harrier (above)& Lesser Whitethroat at Church Norton (AW)

North Wall: The water level on the Breech Pool had dropped enough to reveal a few muddy patches and as usual the waders responded; there were 3 Spotted Redshanks, 3 Greenshank and 42 Black-tailed Godwits present this morning, plus 25 Lapwings and 4 Teal. Family parties of Reed Warblers were very obvious and a Cetti’s Warbler gave a half-hearted bit of song, but otherwise small birds were at a premium. (OM)

White’s creek/East side: Plenty of birding activity involving commoner species, with 130 Redshank, 30 Dunlin, a summer-plumaged Knot and 30 Black-tailed Godwits busily feeding, later joined by 3 Greenshanks (Breech pool birds?), whilst 160 Mediterranean Gulls were amongst Black-headed Gulls on the mudflats and saltmarsh. (OM)

In the afternoon there were four Spotted Redshanks and a single Greenshank and three adult Yellow-legged Gulls. (BFF/DM)

Summer-plumaged Knot, and (below) with Dunlin and Redshank in White's creek (OM)

Medmerry: Breach area - There was no sign of the Hooded Crow this morning, though there were up to 60 Sandwich Terns and a handful of Common Terns, along with a Lesser Black-backed and c40 Mediterranean Gulls around the breach.

The only waders seen were a couple of Curlews and c30 Dunlin, with a few Sand Martins and Swallows overhead and just a handful of Linnets and c50 Goldfinches around the last bit of waste ground. (AH)

Sandwich Terns (above) & Goldfinches at Medmerry (AH)

Sidlesham: A Jersey Tiger moth was in our garden this morning. (AH)

Jersey Tiger in a Sidlesham garden (AH)

Chi Marina: In the channel, on the mud off the Marina this afternoon were c.40 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Greenshank and 6 Whimbrel, and there was a Black Swan on the water. (PH)