17th - 19th August 2020

Wednesday, 19th August: A truly wet and dismal morning, with persistent heavy rain from first thing in a fresh south-easterly breeze........

Selsey Bill: Unsurprisingly, there was little to report! (AH/RP)
(0640-0740hrs) (SE, F4)
Gannet - 3E, 2W
Sanderling - 2W
Mediterranean Gull - 4E
Sandwich Tern - 1E

Gannet at Selsey Bill (AH)

.
Over 600 Gannets went east this afternoon, though not a lot else was on the move. (SH)
(1515-1700hrs)  (SSE6)  

Gannet - 618E

Common Scoter - 1E

Turnstone - 5E

Common Tern - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 6E

Kittiwake - 1E

Ferry Pool: The two Common Sandpipers and a Green Sandpiper were still on the pool this morning, along with six Shelducks and c60 Teal, whilst a Greenshank, a Whimbrel and a Black-tailed Godwit were in the channel opposite. (AH/MO-W)

Common Sandpiper (above), Greenshank, Whimbrel & Black-tailed Godwit around the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: It was very blowy along the Wall and the tide was on the ebb so the only birds in White's Creek were a pair of Great Crested Grebes. After the rain the Breech Pool was full again, so no muddy margins and therefore no waders. A few Reed Warblers were still present but probably deterred by a hunting Sparrowhawk. 
In the Owl Water area there were 76 Black-tailed Godwits and 33 Curlew, whilst at least 16 Little Egrets out in the harbour. (JDW)

Church Norton: There were a few waders in the harbour this morning, including a Greenshank, two Knot, five Whimbrel, six Turnstones, c20 Curlews, c30 Dunlin and Ringed Plovers and c60 Redshank, along with a couple of Teal.
The bushes were unsurprisingly birdless, but there were c100 Swallows and Sand Martins, plus a few Linnets sitting out the weather on the fence-line on Tern Island. (AH)

Greenshank (above), Ringed Plover & Swallows and Sand Martins at Church Norton (AH)

There were few birds in the harbour, though a couple of Grey Plovers and whimbrel were about, along with 50+ Dunlin and Ringed Plovers.
The main interest was along Rectory Lane, where a big flock of Swallows, Sand Martins and House Martins - roughly evenly spread and at least 100 of each, plus a couple of Swifts - were feeding low over the trees and settling around Pagham House. (AH)

Sand Martins (above) Swallows, Swift, Grey Plover & Dunlin at Church Norton (AH)

Tuesday, 18th August: After recent extremes, a more familiar morning's weather of fast-moving cloud and sunny spells in a fresh south-westerly breeze........

Selsey Bill: A few Sandwich and Common Terns went west this morning, though generally it was quiet. (AH/MO-W/IP/RP/P&LH)
(0640-0810hrs) (SW, F4)
Gannet - 12E, 7W
Common Scoter - 4E, 7W
Oystercatcher - 3W
Turnstone - 26W
Sandwich Tern - 16W
Common Tern - 3W

Common Scoters (above) & Gannets at the Bill (AH)

(1730-1830hrs) (SH)
Gannet - 1W
Mediterranean Gull - 2E
House Martin - 2 

Ferry Pool: The only waders on the pool were two Common Sandpipers this morning, with otherwise just two Gadwall, c40 Teal and half a dozen Shelducks present.
Also, a Whinchat was at the back of the field and the channel opposite held a Spotted Redshank, a Greenshank, a Whimbrel, a Black-tailed Godwit and half a dozen Redshank. (AH/MO-W/RF/DB et al)

Spotted Redshank (above) & Whimbrel in Ferry Channel (AH)

North Wall: A brief walk this morning revealed little along the Wall and, with the rainfall, the Breech Pool has lost most of its muddy margins.  At Owl Point there were at least 20 Cattle Egrets, 50 Curlew, two Whimbrel and 17 Black-tailed Godwits while four Swallows flew over.  (IH)
This afternoon there were at least 38 Cattle Egrets - yet another record - around the North Wall area, whilst in the hedges between Halsey's Farm and Owl Point there were a Pied Flycatcher, two Whinchats and six Wheatears. (AB/RF/DB)

Sidlesham: This afternoon three Swifts and c20 Swallows were over the garden. (AH)

Church Norton: There were a few passerine migrants about this morning, including  a Redstart in the churchyard, a Whinchat in the horse field and six Wheatears along the concrete slabs, with two or three Blackcaps, willow Warblers, Whitethroats and Lesser Whitethroats also seen and up to 100 hirundines - divided equally between Swallows, Sand and House Martins - feeding over the hedges.
Also, a Peregrine went over and two Greenshank, at least three Whimbrel and Grey Plovers, 20+ Ringed Plovers and 50+ Dunlin were in the harbour, whilst a Hummingbird Hawk-moth was by the gate to the churchyard. (AH/P&LH/P&JW/RF/DB/A&YF et al)

Redstart (above), Whinchat, Wheatear, Blackcap, Sand Martin, Peregrine & Hummingbird Hawk-moth at Church Norton (AH)

This afternoon/evening the Redstart remained in the churchyard/hide area, where there were also two Spotted Flycatchers and up to half a dozen willow Warblers, Blackcaps and Lesser Whitethroats, mostly among a big, loose roaming tit flock. 

Also, at least seven Wheatears and a Whinchat were along the spit and the big mixed hirundine flock remained over the Mound/car-park area, whilst a Greenshank, a Knot and a Sandwich Tern were among the relatively few birds in the harbour. (AW/AH/SR)_

Redstart (above), Greenshank, Whincxhat, Wheatear (AW), Willow Warbler & House Martin (AH) at Church Norton

Monday, 17th August: A mostly grey, but dry morning, despite a huge thunder-storm skirting round the west of the Peninsula....

Selsey Bill: A slow morning after yesterday's excitements! Full log below. (MO-W/RP/AH/IP)

(0630-0800hrs) (N, then SE, F1-2)

Gannet - 4E, 8W

Common Scoter - 5E

Sparrowhawk - 1

Oystercatcher - 1W

Mediterranean Gull - 1E

Sandwich Tern - 5E, 3W

Green Woodpecker - 1

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

Ferry Pool: A Wood Sandpiper and a Green Sandpiper were on the concealed pool, whilst two Common Sandpipers, a dozen Lapwing and Black-tailed Godwits, five Shelduck and c50 Teal were on the main pool and two Whimbrel were in the channel opposite. (AH/T-GP/MO-W)

Whimbrel at the Ferry (AH)

North Wall: A new record count for the Peninsula of 34 Cattle Egrets were roosting in the trees at Halsey's Farm this morning.

Also, three Spotted Redshanks, a Common Sandpiper and a juvenile Knot were on the Breech Pool, with another Knot, a Golden Plover, a Snipe, four Greenshank, a summer-plumaged Bar-tailed Godwit, a Whimbrel and four Grey Plover were out in the harbour.

Four Little Terns were also in the harbour, along with a Peregrine over, whilst two Wheatears, a Whitethroat, two Willow Warblers and a Reed Bunting were along the wall and three Whinchats were near Owl Point. (PJ/IH/PC)

Cattle Egrets (above) & the big storm to the west from the North Wall (IH)

Fishbourne Creek: A visit to the creek, was punctuated by a number of heavy showers, but nevertheless produced some good birds, including, while sheltering from one shower, a Whinchat  briefly on top of a Hawthorn bush at Fishbourne.  

The upper reaches of the creek held six Greenshanks, at least six Grey Plovers, a Common Sandpiper, a few Black-tailed Godwit and Lapwing, and three Teal, while further down the creek a Turnstone and a Whimbrel were picked out. (RW)

Birdham: A Redstart was in the garden this morning. (AB)

Church Norton: A Short-eared Owl was roosting along the spit this morning, whilst, oddly, a Garden Warbler was sat out on the shingle at the far end of the spit.

Three Sanderling and two Knot were among the Ringed Plovers and Dunlin on the foreshore, whilst more of the latter two species, along with at least four Whimbrel and four Grey Plovers were in the harbour, but beyond c50 Sand Martins and similar of Swallows, plus the odd Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat, Whitethroat and Willow Warblers, the bushes were quiet, though a Wheatear was on the spit. (AW/AH)

Sand Martin (above), Swallow & Grey Plover at Church Norton (AH)

Short-eared Owl, Garden Warbler, Wheatear, Blackcap and Sanderling at Church Norton (AW)

This afternoon there were two Wheatears along the beach and a Spotted Flycatcher in the churchyard, over which a mixed flock of hirundines were hunting and a Mistle Thrush was in the trees near the car park entrance. (AW)

This evening 12 Grey Plovers flew over the harbour and four Whimbrel were on the mud, whilst a huge and growing flock of hirundines centred on the car-park comprised (very roughly!) of at least 200 House Martins, 200 Sand Martins and c100 Swallows. (AH)

Wheatear (above), Mistle Thrush, Spotted Flycatcher, House Martins (AW), Sand Martin & Grey Plovers (AH) at Church Norton

Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - This evening there were six Whinchats along the banks, along with a four Stonechats, including at least one young juvenile, a Wheatear, two Yellow Wagtails, four Yellowhammers and a Reed Bunting, with a Greenshank near the poplars and a Marsh Harrier and just three Swallows over.

Six Sanderling on the stilt Pool before they flew off were unusual, but otherwise the pool was quiet, with just a Greenshank, a Common Sandpiper and eight Egyptian Geese of note. (S&SaH)

Whinchat (above) & juvenile Stonechat at Medmerry (SH)