Thursday, 25th July: Forecast to be the hottest day on record, it certainly felt it early on, with unbroken sunshine, mitigated slightly by a fresh easterly breeze.......
Ferry Pool: There were three Little Ringed Plovers - an adult and two juveniles - on the pool this morning, along with a Common Sandpiper and c60 Black-tailed Godwits, but the channel opposite just held another 20 or so of the latter and similar of Redshanks, plus a young Green Woodpecker taking advantage of the bench. (AH)
Common Sandpiper (above), Little Ringed Plover & Green Woodpecker around the Ferry (AH)
Sidlesham: A Quail was heard singing this morning from fields to the east of our house (ie in the Church Farm area). (A&YF)
East Head: Two Eider were on the water between East Head and Pilsey Island this morning and three Red Kites were seen drifting over the southern end of Thorney Island. (PH)
North Wall: The two Cattle Egrets were in the fields at Halsey's Farm early on, before later flying into the harbour.
East Head: Two Eider were on the water between East Head and Pilsey Island this morning and three Red Kites were seen drifting over the southern end of Thorney Island. (PH)
North Wall: The two Cattle Egrets were in the fields at Halsey's Farm early on, before later flying into the harbour.
White's Creek held the Spotted Redshank and a Greenshank, with another of the latter, a Common Sandpiper and half a dozen widely spread Whimbrel in the harbour, along with at least 300 Redshank and 100 Dunlin.
The Wall and Breech Pool were very quiet, though, with few small birds seen beyond a handful of Sand Martins and Swallows over and a few Reed Warblers in the reeds, with the only birds on the pool being a couple of Teal and Mallards. (AH)
Cattle Egrets (above), Spotted Redshank, Spotted Redshank and Greenshank, Greenshank, Whimbrel & Redshanks from the North Wall (AH)
Medmerry: Breach area - The Spoonbill was again in the main pool east of the breach this morning, along with a Whimbrel, half a dozen Curlews and similar of Great Crested Grebes, plus hundreds of gulls, including a dozen Mediterranean Gulls and four Sandwich Terns among them.
Two juvenile Stonechats and half a dozen Pied Wagtails by the sluice at the end of the caravans were the only passerines noted. (AH)
Spoonbill (above), Spoonbill and Whimbrel & Stonechat at Medmerry (AH)
West side - Easton Lane to Stilt pool: Early
this morning there were 6 Greenshank around the pools, including a tight group
of three. There was a Greylag among a dozen or so Canada Geese and a juvenile
Little Ringed Plover flew out of the reeds. There was also what appears to be a
female Pintail with purple rings on its right leg. (AW)
Greenshanks (above) and apparent Pintail with purple colour-ring (with Mallards) at the Stilt pool (AW)
(cropped/enlarged version below) (Eds)
Fishbourne Creek: In the creek this morning there were 5 Greenshank, 4 Whimbrel (in amongst the more common Curlews), 2 Black-tailed Godwits and a few Lapwings and Oystercatchers, as well as a Common Sandpiper at the Lavant outfall. Later in the morning/lower tide there 35 Mediterranean Gulls loafing on the exposed mud in with a similar number of Black-headed Gulls. (RW)
Wednesday, 24th July: A thundery and humid night, giving way to a very warm morning of sunshine and light cloud, with just a modest south-westerly breeze....
Ferry Pool: Two Little Ringed Plovers - an adult and a juvenile - were present on the pool this morning, along with a Common Sandpiper, c40 Black-tailed Godwits and six Teal.
The channel opposite later held the Common Sandpiper, along with a Greenshank, a Spotted Redshank, a Whimbrel and c60 Black-tailed Godwits. (AH)
Little Ringed Plover (above), Greenshank & Black-tailed Godwit around the Ferry (AH)
There were two Common Sandpipers alongside the old Tramway at high tide this evening. There was little else except a Chiffchaff in the bushes, two Green Woodpeckers along the path and few hirundines overhead. (AW)
Sand Martin (above), Chiffchaff & Common Sandpipers around the Ferry (AW)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - The drake Common Scoter was still on the Stilt Pool this morning, and seeming quite at home feeding and preening.
Otherwise it was very much business as usual, with two Greenshank and two Common Sandpipers present, along with a few Lapwing, the female Pintail, four Gadwall and a family of Canada Geese, with one or two Swallows and Sand Martins over.
Otherwise it was very much business as usual, with two Greenshank and two Common Sandpipers present, along with a few Lapwing, the female Pintail, four Gadwall and a family of Canada Geese, with one or two Swallows and Sand Martins over.
The banks were fairly quiet, though plenty of young Whitethroats were about, along with one or two Reed Warblers, a few Yellowhammers and Skylarks, a dozen or more Stock Doves and 100+ Linnets and Goldfinches.
Also, a Buzzard was by Marsh Farm, a Curlew was on the reserve and three Mediterranean Gulls, including a juvenile, were on the Stilt Pool. (AH)
The Common Scoter was still present this evening and a Corn Bunting was singing near the Stilt Pool. (AB)
Common Scoter (above), Common Sandpiper, Greenshank, Reed Warbler, Stock Dove, Mediterranean Gulls & Buzzard at Medmerry (AH)
North Wall: Along White's Creek a Greenshank and a Spotted Redshank were showing well early on, amongst 60+ Common Redshanks. On the Breech Pool there were just a few Mallard and two Teal, but sadly no waders with the water levels still high. Curlews are returning in good numbers and there were 29 in the field behind the Pool, with another 25+ out on the mudflats in the harbour.
Another Spotted Redshank and a Common Sandpiper were in the channel opposite the Halsey's farm area, whilst the two Cattle Egrets separately dropped into the heron roost area opposite Owl copse
Along the bushes there was little to report other than a juvenile Stonechat - obviously recently fledged - plus a Cetti's Warbler, a Sedge Warbler and a couple of Reed Warbler families.
At Honer reservoir there was a pair of Shelducks with 4 juveniles and a Common Sandpiper. (OM/TG/JDW)
Another Spotted Redshank and a Common Sandpiper were in the channel opposite the Halsey's farm area, whilst the two Cattle Egrets separately dropped into the heron roost area opposite Owl copse
Along the bushes there was little to report other than a juvenile Stonechat - obviously recently fledged - plus a Cetti's Warbler, a Sedge Warbler and a couple of Reed Warbler families.
At Honer reservoir there was a pair of Shelducks with 4 juveniles and a Common Sandpiper. (OM/TG/JDW)
Spotted Redshank (above), Greenshank and Cattle Egrets from the North Wall. (OM)
East side: Really rather similar to yesterday; an adult Yellow-legged Gull was out on the mudflats, at least three Whimbrel, two more Greenshank and a Common Sandpiper were feeding in the channels and a flock of 50+ Dunlin failed to produce anything more unusual! (OM)
Halsey's Farm: A pair of Kestrels with two juveniles were present this evening, whilst 50+ Sand Martins and Swallows were along the wires on Mill Lane, nearby. (S&SaH)
Park Farm, Selsey: There were hundreds of gulls, including 50+ Mediterranean Gulls feeding on flying ants over the farm this evening, with 200 or more Swifts even higher up, with 20+ Swallows and House Martins lower over the buildings. (S&SaH)
Medmerry: Ham Farm - There were c200 Sand Martins and c100 Swallows around the ponds and banks this evening, with c50 of each along the wires in Ham Road.
Three or four Corn Buntings were along the banks, with a couple of Reed Buntings and Yellowhammers sharing the same fence-line, whilst there were at least a dozen Whitethroats in the hedges.
Three or four Corn Buntings were along the banks, with a couple of Reed Buntings and Yellowhammers sharing the same fence-line, whilst there were at least a dozen Whitethroats in the hedges.
Also, the Spoonbill was distantly viewable in the big pool east of the breach. (AH)
Sand Martins (above), Sand Martin and Swallow, Swallow, Corn Bunting & Corn Bunting and Yellowhammer at Medmerry (AH)
Ferry Pool: A Common Sandpiper was present on the pool, whilst later on there were also c25 Black-tailed Godwits and six Teal, plus a Kestrel, and several hundred Black-headed Gulls and c50 Mediterranean Gulls were wheeling about overhead, presumably after flying ants.
Also, the Greenshank and two Spotted Redshanks were in the channel opposite, along with two Whimbrel and a few more Black-tailed Godwits. (AH/IP/AW)
Spotted Redshank (above), Greenshank, Teal, Kestrel & Mediterranean Gull around the Ferry (AH)
North Wall: Two Cattle Egrets were out on the marsh near Owl Copse again, whilst what was probably a juvenile Marsh Harrier was out hunting, four Teal were on Breech Pool, a Yellow-legged Gull was near Owl Point and two more (an adult and near-adult) were in the harbour on the saltmarsh.
There were also a Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank and 2 Whimbrels in White's Creek, with five more of the latter in the harbour, whilst a distant Peregrine caused a brief stir amongst the gulls and waders. (KJ/OM/BFF/DM/IH et al)
There were also a Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank and 2 Whimbrels in White's Creek, with five more of the latter in the harbour, whilst a distant Peregrine caused a brief stir amongst the gulls and waders. (KJ/OM/BFF/DM/IH et al)
Poor and distant record shots (phone-scoped) of the Yellow-legged Gulls on the saltmarsh from the North wall (OM)
Spotted Redshank (above) & Cattle Egret, Little Egrets and Grey Heron from the North Wall (DM)
East side: A further three Whimbrels were present along with c.60 Dunlin, though scrutiny of the latter flock failed to find anything more exciting amongst them. Two Teal were out on the mud, eight Great Crested Grebes were in the channel, a yellow-ringed Mediterranean Gull remained just too distant for details to be obtained, but otherwise it was decidedly quiet. (OM/BFF/DM).
Over-loaded car (BFF/DM) blocking the lay-by at the entrance to the North wall! (OM)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool and the Breach - We walked from Easton Lane car park through to the Breach and on the way found a couple of Common Whitethroats, a good number of Yellowhammers and Skylarks, a male Reed Bunting and a few Stock Doves.
The surprise was at the Stilt Pool where a double take gave us a drake Common Scoter. It appeared to be healthy, diving and preening. There were a couple of Common Sandpipers, a single Common Tern and at least 10 Mediterranean Gulls along with 2 Yellow Wagtails.
As we approached the Breach there were 25+ Dunlin, 1 Turnstone, 2 Ringed Plovers and 14 Sanderling and off to the east of the breach a Spoonbill. As we returned to the Stilt Pool a Greenshank had appeared. (D&JK per SOS)
Park Farm, Selsey: There was a big gathering of hirundines this evening, comprising of c150 Sand Martins, c75 House Martins and c75 Swallows. (SH)
Church Norton: There were still up to four Little Terns and one or two Common Terns around the harbour, with Sandwich Terns still bringing fish onto the island, suggesting there are still a few unfledged youngsters present.
Out on the mud there were half a dozen Whimbrel and Curlews, c30 Black-tailed Godwits, c100 Dunlin, a few Ringed Plovers and at least 50 Redshank, with a Peregrine over, but passerines were restricted to a few Linnets and Skylarks along the spit and a couple of Whitethroats in the hedges, plus a few Swallows over Rectory Lane. (AH/IP/BFF/DM)
Sandwich Terns (above), Common Tern, Whimbrel & Skylark at Church Norton (AH)
No comments:
Post a Comment