1st - 3rd September 2018

Monday, 3rd September: The settled spell continues, with another warm, if quite hazy, morning after a surprisingly chill start....

Ferry Pool: A Little Ringed Plover was the only migrant wader on the pool, whilst the regular 50+ Lapwing and Teal, plus a dozen Black-tailed Godwits were also present. (AH)
Around the Information Centre area there were a calling Cetti’s Warbler, a Chiffchaff and several Whitethroats and Willow Warblers. (A&YF)

Little Ringed Plover on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: The elusive Wryneck was seen on a number of occasions this morning, mostly in flight, around the front of the Severals, whilst among other birds reported in the vicinity were a Redstart, a Whinchat, a flyover Grey Wagtail, a Yellow Wagtail, and several Whitethroats and Willow Warblers.

Also, up to three Spotted Flycatchers were around the hide/churchyard area, along with a dozen Blackcaps and a few more Whitethroats and Willow Warblers, a Marsh Harrier went north over the harbour and there were six Pintail and ten Wigeon in the harbour (OM/CRJ/A&YF/C&ME/P&JW/BI et al)

Two heavily cropped pictures of the Severals Wryneck! (BI)

The Wryneck was seen in flight several times late this afternoon, and it perched briefly on a bush. A Whinchat was also about, as was a Kingfisher, with 100+ Swallows and a few Sand Martins over. (S&SaH)

Kingfisher at Church Norton (SH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Sedge Warbler and a Whitethroat, plus a few Long-tailed Tits were in the hedges, whilst a Wheatear and three Yellow Wagtails were on the fields. (S&SaH)

Sedge Warbler (above), Wheatear & Long-tailed Tit at Park Farm, Selsey (SH)

North Wall: Ten Cattle Egrets were out on the island from the North Wall at 7pm, then disappeared, before reappearing at 7.40pm and flying into the Owl Copse egret roost.
Also, a few Yellow Wagtails went over and a Greenshank the Spoonbill were in the harbour. (IH/IP/IB/JDW)
This morning there were no Cattle Egrets to be found, though the cattle roam widely in the fields behind the wall. There was a reasonable selection of species seen, however, including the Spoonbill in the harbour, a Marsh Harrier and a Peregrine over, a Kingfisher flying along Owl Water and half a dozen Reed and Sedge Warblers, plus a few Whitethroats, Lesser Whitethroats and Blackcaps and three calling Cetti's Warblers along the hedges and reed-beds, and there were 50+ Sand Martins and 200+ House Martins over and around the Breech Pool.
There was also a huge build up of hirundines - estimated at 800+ House Martins and 300+ Sand Martins and Swallows - over and on the hedges and fields between Halsey's Farm and Owl Point, where there were also two Whinchats, a Wheatear, a couple of Lesser Whitethroats and whitethroats and at least 50 Yellow Wagtails. (AH/BI/TG/IH/IB et al)

Yellow Wagtails (above), Marsh Harrier, Whinchat, Sedge Warbler, Whitethroats & Sand Martins, House Martins and Swallows around the North Wall (AH)

Sunday, 2nd September: Another very warm and sunny day, with just a light south-easterly breeze....

Firstly, a message regarding parking at Medmerry - "The Easton Lane Car Park is going to be closed from the 3rd September to 21st September, for the Environment Agency to install an all access path from the car park on to the site. We apologise for the inconvenience but this will improve the access for all of our visitors – thanks for your patience. During this period please do not park in gate entrances as our tenants are presently in the middle of harvesting”

Selsey Bill: Not much was on the sea, but there was more hirundine movement this morning. Full log below. (SH)

(0630-0830hrs)
Gannet - 7E

Sparrowhawk - 1p
Common Sandpiper - 2E
Mediterranean Gull - 3E, 2W
Sandwich Tern - 19E, 2W
Sand Martin - 17E
Swallow - 433S
House Martin - 3E

Yellow Wagtail - 2E
Pied Wagtail - 1E

Sparrowhawk at the Bill (SH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Tree Pipit was on the fencing by the balancing pond in Manor Lane late this morning, and in the lettuce fields there were 20+ Yellow Wagtails, 20+ Pied Wagtails and a Grey Wagtail, whilst six Buzzards went over. (S&SaH)

Tree Pipit at Park Farm, Selsey (SH)

Northcommon Farm: The Little Owl was sat out on the trailer again early this morning. (IP)

Halsey's Farm: There were two Redstarts, along with a few Common Whitethroat and a Lesser Whitethroat around the hedges this morning. (GM)

North Wall: A group of 12 Cattle Egrets were reported roosting on the island off the North Wall this morning (HR), and eight were reported in fields west of the North Wall on Birdguides this evening. More information on ths potentially remarkable influx in due course (Eds)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The Hooded Crow was near the Easton Lane car-park this morning, and two Cattle Egrets were by the cows opposite the Stilt Pool.

Also, the Little Stint and the two Bar-headed Geese were on the Stilt Pool, six Corn Buntings and a Whinchat were along the banks and four Buzzards were also about. (A&YF/RJS/BO'D) 
The two Cattle Egrets were showing distantly this afternoon, though generally it was very quiet, with just a couple of Wheatears, a juvenile Stonechat, a couple of Whitethroats, the Corn Bunting family and a few Yellowhammers along the banks, and the only waders on the Stilt Pool being three Common Sandpipers and a Lapwing.

There were at least 400 Canada Geese, plus the two Bar-headed Geese and two Greylag Geese on the Stilt Pool, along with at least 40 Gadwall, whilst a few Swallows went over and two Sandwich Terns were offshore. (AH)

Distant (!) Cattle Egret (above), Common Sandpiper, Stonechat, Corn Bunting & Yellowhammer at Medmerry (AH)

Church Norton: A typically elusive Wryneck was seen on a number of occasions between the first and second Several this morning, but never really gave itself up. 
Also a Tree Pipit was along the front of the first Several, a Spotted and a Pied Flycatcher were in the churchyard, with another of the latter in the Bluebell Wood, but few other migrants were seen beyond a handful of Whitethroats and the odd Blackcap and Lesser Whitethroat. A Greenshank, a Whimbrel, the pair of Peregrines and four Pintail were the highlights in the harbour. Also, a Clouded Yellow and a Small Copper were seen.(BI/AW/CRJ/AH/IP/P&JW et al)

Tree Pipit at the Severals (BI)

Tree Pipit (above), Pied Flycatcher, Peregrine (AW), Greenshank & Small Copper (AH) at Church Norton

Ferry Pool: There were two Little Ringed Plovers on the pool, along with a dozen Black-tailed Godwits and the usual Lapwings, Teal and Shelduck, and there were at least five Whimbrel in the harbour from the Tramway.

The Tramway circuit was quiet, with just the usual dozen or so Whitethroats, a couple of Lesser Whitethroats and Blackcaps seen, plus a few Linnets and a big flock of Goldfinches. (AH/IP)

Little Ringed Plovers (above), Whimbrel, Whitethroat & Whitethroat and Lesser Whitethroat around the Ferry (AH)

Saturday, 1st September: A lovely warm day, with unbroken sunshine and a moderate southerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: Highlight was an Osprey going out to sea at 7.40am, and a strong hirundine movement out over the sea, too. Full log below. (SH/JA)
(0630-0830hrs)

Gannet - 10E, 1W
Common Scoter - 3E
Osprey - 1S (0740)
Mediterranean Gull - 11E
Common Gull - 1E
Sandwich Tern - 43E, 2W
Common Tern - 1E
Sand Martin - 136S
Swallow - 2039S
House Martin - 53S
Magpie - 13p

Park Farm, Selsey: A Merlin was about this morning, and had a couple of goes at the 30+ Yellow Wagtails and 10+ Pied Wagtails on the fields. Also, 100+ Swallows went over, heading south. (S&SaH)

Ferry Pool: There was a Little Ringed Plover at the back ths morning, but otherwise it was just the usual 50+ Lapwing and Teal, 30+ Shelducks and half a dozen Black-tailed Godwits. (AH/IP)

Teal on the Ferry (AH)

Church Norton: A Spotted Flycatcher was in the churchyard, a Wheatear was along the beach and a handful of Whitethroats and Blackcaps were in the bushes, but that was it for migrants beyond 100+ Swallows, with a few Sand and House Martins, heading out. (S&SaH/AW/IP/AH)

Spotted Flycatcher at Church Norton (AW, above & AH)

Late this afternoon a Black Tern and two Sandwich Terns were roosting in the harbour at high tide, a Common Sandpiper was on the concrete slabs and a Raven flew along the spit. (AW)

Also, two Sandwich Terns were offshore, 30+ Sand Martins were over the churchyard, five Teal were flying around the harbour and 30+ Turnstones and a Grey Plover were on the old harbour mouth. (AH)

Black Tern (AW) (above), Sandwich Tern & Teal (AH) at Church Norton

Marsh Farm, Sidlesham: There were two Redstarts around the dairy this morning, with a Raven over nearby Fisher. (CRJ)

North Wall: There were still at least two Redstarts, six Whinchats, two Wheatears, two Lesser Whitethroats and up to five Whitethroats in the hedges between Halsey's Farm and Owl Point this morning, with up to 30 Yellow Wagtails among the cattle.

There was a constant presence of Swallows, with a few House Martins among them, and 20+ Sand Martins were over the Breach Pool, but the wall and adjacent hedges were devoid of birds.

A Common Sandpiper was in White's Creem, along with c100 Redshanks, whilst a few Black-tailed Godwits and Curlews were in the fields at Halsey's Farm, and a few more of the latter, plus a dozen Lapwing were in the fields behind the Breech Pool. (AH/BI)

Yellow Wagtails (above), Whinchat & Common Sandpiper around the North Wall (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The Little Stint was still on the Stilt Pool this morning. (BI)

This evening a Merlin was perched on a fence post before flying off low over the fields and a Greenshank and a Common Sandpiper were near the poplars, with 20+ Swallows and a Buzzard over. 

Along the banks there were two Wheatears, a Whitethroat, four Corn Buntings and at least ten Yellowhammers, with 500+ Mediterranean Gulls among the vast gull roost, whilst on the stilt Pool the only birds of note were another Common Sandpiper and two Sandwich Terns. (S&SaH)

Greenshank at Medmerry (SH)