10th - 13th July 2019

Saturday, 13th July: Another fine and warm day, with a mix of sun and white cloud and a moderate northerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: (0740-0840hrs) A few Sand Matins were feeding offshore and three Common Scoter went east but it remained quiet in general. (BI) 
Gannet - 4E 3W 12os
Common Scoter - 3E
Sandwich Tern - 22os
Sand Martin - c.25os then drifted E 
House Martin - 8p

Ferry Pool: The pool resembles (and smells like!) a salt-pan at present, with bleached margins and what little water there is full of green algae, and consequently there were just a handful of Black-tailed Godwits and three Teal using it.
The channel opposite was quiet, too, this morning, with just a Common Sandpiper and a few Black-tailed Godwits and Redshanks present. (AH/IP)
Later on, a Buzzard was over the pool, and there were also a Greenshank, two Spotted Redshanks and a Whimbrel in the channel. (AW)

Greenshank (above), Common Sandpiper & Buzzard around the Ferry (AH)

Park Farm, Selsey: A Pied Wagtail was at the farm and 50+ swifts were low over the north of the town. (SH)

Chichester Canal: The pair of Bullfinches were around the canal this morning, with definitely one and possibly two juveniles, suggesting that they have bred in the vicinity. Also, a Lesser Whitethroat was nearby. (AW)

Bullfinches (above) & Lesser Whitethroat at Chichester Canal (AW)

Church Norton: There were plenty of terns, still, including ten Little Terns near Peregrine Island, whilst there were also 15 Turnstones, two Grey Plovers, three Ringed Plovers, a Whimbrel and a few Curlews and Redshanks present, along with ten Little Egrets feeding on the rising tide, whilst butterflies included four Marbled Whites and a Small Skipper. (IP/RM)

North Wall: There were three Greenshank and a Common Sandpiper in White's Creek, whilst out in the harbour on the high tide there were three Whimbrel, c30 Black-tailed Godwits, an Avocet and a dozen Dunlin, along with a few Lapwing, Curlews and Redshank and a Little Tern was feeding further out. Also, a Sparrowhawk flew past the sluice with prey and two Buzzards were overhead. There wasn't anything on the Breech Pool, though the water levels have dropped a little, whilst the only passerines seen were a few reed Warblers, with the odd Swallow and Sand Martin over. There was a good selection, and good numbers, of butterflies along the east side paths with Large, Small & Essex Skippers, Marbled White, Speckled Wood, Red Admiral, Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Large & Small Whites & Peacock all present; best of all were at least two Purple Hairstreaks in the oaks by the shore. (AH/BI/IH/IB)

Greenshanks (above) & Whimbrel and Lapwing from the north Wall (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - There was quite a bit on the Stilt Pool, including the Spoonbill, three Greenshank, four Common Sandpipers, four Little Ringed Plovers, four Ringed Plovers (plus two more on the reserve), a Dunlin, half a dozen Lapwing, plus a female Pintail. 
Also, two Yellow Wagtails and a Meadow Pipit were present early on and c50 Sand Martins and c20 Swallows, plus a Swift and a Common Tern were feeding around the area, whilst three Brown Hares were by the pool, too..
The Stonechat family (including the adult female, not seen recently) were around the first viewpoint again and the banks were busy with Whitethroats, Linnets, Skylarks and Yellowhammers, whilst another Greenshank and a few Black-tailed Godwits were by the Poplars. (SH/AH/IP)

Yellow Wagtail (above), Common Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover, Brown Hare (all SH), Stonechats, Sand Martins, Pintail, Spoonbill and Grey Heron, Greenshank, Ringed Plovers & Common Tern (AH) at Medmerry

Runcton: In the moth trap this morning there was a Bordered Straw, a Dark Arches, a Scalloped Oak, and a male Four-spotted Footman, the latter listed in the Concise Guide as nationally scarce. (CRJ)

Bordered Straw (above), Dark Arches, Scalloped Oak and male Four-spotted Footman in a Runcton garden (CRJ)

Friday, 12th July: After a cloudy start with some light early morning rain, the skies soon cleared to give a pleasantly warm day with sunshine and white cloud and a light westerly breeze....

Selsey Bill: (0755-0900hrs) There was a distant feeding flock of Gannets way offshore but it was generally quiet today. (BI) 
Gannet - 7E 3W 16os
Sandwich Tern - 14os
House Martin - 6p

Chi GPs: Drayton House Pits - There were a few birds of interest this morning, the highlight for me being the discovery of three new broods of Pochard with their respective mothers...a typically late date for this nationally scarce breeding duck. The first returning Shoveler was also present, whilst the summering female Marsh Harrier put in another brief appearance and three Common Terns were fishing. (OM)

 Shoveler (above) and female Pochard with two small ducklings at Drayton House GPs (OM)

Ferry Pool: There just 20 or so Black-tailed Godwits and three Teal on the pool this morning. (AH/IP)

Long Pool: A Barn Owl was hunting on the small grass field along the west side this morning, before flying off towards the trees with a small prey item.
The female Pintail was on the pool again, whilst one or two Reed Warblers were still singing, as was a Lesser Whitethroat, briefly, and there was also a Blackcap and a few Linnets present.
Along Ferry Channel, there were still two Spotted Redshanks, a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper, a Whimbrel, c20 Black-tailed Godwits and c40 Redshanks, plus a lone Wigeon, whilst three Common Terns went over. (AH/IP/SA)

Barn Owl (above), Spotted Redshank and Redshank, Common Tern, Blackcap & Pintail around the Long Pool (AH)

Church Norton: There were still stacks of Sandwich Terns in the harbour and bringing in fish, whilst there was quite a lot of Little Tern activity near their island, with at least 20 birds in the air at one point and there were also a few Common Terns bringing in fish.
Among waders seen were two Common Sandpipers by the concrete blocks, a Whimbrel, 15 Turnstones and a handful of Dunlin, Curlews, Redshanks and Black-tailed Godwits. whilst passerines included a group of c20 Sand Martins over and a couple of Whitethroats by the concrete wall. (AH/IP)

Sandwich Terns (above), Little Tern, Whimbrel, Black-headed Gull & Whitethroat at Church Norton (AH)

Runcton: In the moth trap this morning there were a White Satin, a Dot Moth, a Barred Red, a Nut-tree Tussock, and Clouded Silver. (CRJ)

White Satin (above), Dot Moth, Barred Red, Nut-tree Tussock & Clouded Silver in a Runcton garden (CRJ)

Medmerry: Breach - An obliging Corn Bunting was singing from a post near the viewpoint, as was a Skylark, and there were a couple of Meadow Pipits around the rough ground. The breach area at high tide held no waders at all bar an Oystercatcher but there was a decent roost of Herring Gulls with a Lesser Black-backed Gull and a few Black-headed and Mediterranean Gulls mixed in. Offshore there were c.12 Sandwich Terns fishing. (BI)

Medmerry: Ham Farm - This evening there was a gathering of at least 200 Sand Martins and 100 Swallows along the fences by the pond, all taking to the air every time a gull or crow went over.
Also, two Corn Buntings - one singing, one carrying food - were around the banks, along with a couple of Yellowhammers and a Reed Bunting, plus plenty of Skylarks, whilst a couple of House Martins were on the wires along Ham Road with c40 Swallows. (AH)

Sand Martin (above), House Martins, Corn Bunting & Sand Martins and Swallows at Medmerry (AH)

Thursday, 11th July: A very warm and sunny morning, after a grey start, with just a light westerly breeze....

Ferry Pool: There were 20 Black-tailed Godwits on the pool early on, before moving off when the tide dropped, along with just two Teal and three Shelducks.
The channel opposite, however held a Greenshank, two Spotted Redshanks, a Whimbrel, several Curlews, ten Teal, c30 Redshank and Lapwings and two very large Grey Mullet. (AH)

Greenshank (above), Spotted Redshanks & Grey Mullet in Ferry Channel (AH)

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The first-year Spoonbill was on the Stilt Pool again this morning, along with two Common Sandpipers, two Greenshanks, a juvenile Ringed Plover, two Dunlin, five Lapwings, two Oystercatchers, five Back-tailed Godwits and c30 Canada Geese, with another Greenshank and c30 Black-tailed Godwits by the poplars.
At least three juveniles and the adult male Stonechat were around the first viewpoint and c50 Swallows and half a dozen Sand Martins were dropping in on one of the smaller pools, whilst Reed Warblers seemed to still be singing from most of the reed-beds. A Sedge Warbler was also seen, along with numerous Whitethroats, Linnets, Skylarks and a few Yellowhammers. (AH)

Stonehats (above), Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Whitethroat, Sand Martin, Swallow, Spoonbill, Common Sandpiper & Greenshanks at Medmerry (AH)

This evening an adult Yellow-legged Gull was on the mud from the first viewpoint, whilst on the Stilt Pool there were up to six Common sandpipers, four Greenshanks, three Little Ringed Plovers, a Ringed Plover, 11 Black-tailed Godwits, and a Common Tern, with two Swifts and c20 Sand Martins over. (S&SaH)

North Wall: A Marsh Harrier and a Barn Owl were out hunting this evening over the fields. (IH/IB)

Runcton: In the moth-trap this morning were Iron Prominent, Beautiful Hook-tip, Foxglove Pug and Green Pug. (CRJ)

From the Top: Iron Prominent, Beautiful Hook-tip, Foxglove Pug and Green Pug - at Runcton this morning (CRJ)

Sidlesham: There were about 40 (mostly) juvenile Swallows on the wires along our lane this evening. (AH)

Swallow in Sidlesham (AH)

Church Norton: There were dozens of young Sandwich Terns flying about the harbour this evening, with many practise-diving, too, whilst adults were still bringing in fish. A few Little and Common Terns, plus a few Mediterranean Gulls were among the melee, but the only waders noted on the rising tide were a Whimbrel, eight Turnstones, five Curlews and c40 Redshank. (AH)

Juvenile Sandwich Terns (above) & Redshanks at Church Norton (AH)

Wednesday, 10th July: After a bit of early sun, a very grey and muggy day, with barely a breath of breeze....

Selsey Bill: (1645-1745hrs) (SH)
Gannet - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 27os

Ferry Pool: On the pool this morning there were just 32 Black-tailed Godwits, a Teal and the Shelduck family, whilst a Greenshank was in the channel opposite, along with a dozen Redshank and Black-tailed Godwits.

A family of Blackcaps in the Discovery Area were about the only small birds noted, though a young Rabbit decided to swim across the pond rather than walk around the edge!. (AH)

Greenshank (above), Black-tailed Godwit, Blackcaps & Rabbit around the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: It was very quiet along the wall, with just the odd snatch of Reed Warbler song and the Breech Pool holding just Mallards and a few Teal, though c40 Curlews and c20 Black-tailed Godwits were in the fields and a few Sand Martins and Swallows were distantly viewable over the farm reservoir.

There were two Whimbrel in White's Creek, whilst another flew over, but not much else beyond an eclipse drake Wigeon, a couple of Common Terns, plenty of Redshanks, a couple of Lapwings and c50 Black-tailed Godwits, whilst out in the harbour there c60 Dunlin, a handful of Grey Plover and Curlews and more Redshank. (AH/IH/PC/IB)

Whimbrel (above), Wigeon, Dunlin & Lapwings from the North Wall (AH)