Saturday, 22nd August: Another blustery morning, mostly sunny after a grey start, in the very brisk westerly....
Selsey Bill: A Black Tern that went west, well offshore, and two Siskins (the first of the autumn) that flew in low off the sea were the highlights this morning. Full log below. (SH/BI/IP/AH/RP)
(0600-0830hrs) (WSW, F5-6)
Gannet - 4E, 28W
Common Scoter - 2W
Kittiwake - 1E, 1W
Sandwich Tern - 6E, 12W
Black Tern - 1W
Siskin - 2W
(1700-1815hrs)
Gannet - 1E, 2W
Turnstone - 1
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 17W
Sandwich Tern - 6W
House Martin - 1
Later, five Sanderling went west. (AW)
Ferry Pool: The only waders present were three Common Sandpipers and a dozen or so Black-tailed Godwits and Lapwing, though there were still in excess of 100 Teal and four Shelducks abou, too.
A flock of six Cattle Egrets dropped in on Ferry field, but didn't stay long, but the Tramway circuit was very quiet, with a Whimbrel in the main channel, a Kingfisher briefly in Red Barn Ditch and two or three Whitethroats in the bushes being about it. (AH/PJ/GJ)
A Green Sandpiper was present, too, this afternoon. (AB)
Park Farm, Selsey: There were just a House Martin and two Swallows present this morning. (S&SaH/IP)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - This morning a Peregrine, a Raven, three Whinchats, two Stonechats and a Yellowhammer were along the banks, while on the Stilt Pool itself were nine Egyptian Geese, four Shovelers and three Common Sandpipers.(PJ/GJ)
Later, at high tide, four Common Sandpipers were roosting near the poplars, with three Greenshank, two Whimbrels, 40+ Black-tailed Godwits and 50+ Redshanks, whilst two Pintail flew out from the tidal area.
Also, 30+ Swallows went over that area, but seven Egyptian Geese were the only birds of note on the Silt Pool. (S&SaH)
North Wall: White's Creek held three Greenshanks and, briefly, a Common Sandpiper, as well as a Great Crested Grebe this morning while along the Wall there were three Wheatears.
Thirty Cattle Egrets were grouped near Owl Point where there was also a Whinchat, 41 Curlew, 18 Black-tailed Godwits, a Kestrel and a flock of at least 300 Starlings while nearer Halsey's farm about 30 Swallows fed near some cattle. (IH/SP)
Later, a Crossbill flew over Owl Point, calling as it went west. (BI)
Also, two Curlew Sandpipers - a moulting adult and a juvenile - were in White's Creek. (DB/MB)
Pagham Spit: No birds news, but the big tide has finally breached the beach by the Little Lagoon along the spit. It will be interesting to see what happens next! (TG-P)
Church Norton: A Honey-buzzard went over west this morning and then back east early this afternoon.
There were at least two adult and three juvenile Little Terns in the harbour, where there were also three Sandwich Terns, three Mediterranean Gulls, a Greenshank, at least two Whimbrel, half a dozen Grey Plovers and plenty of Dunlin and Ringed Plovers, whilst a Kingfisher was neat the horse field..
Spotted Flycatchers were behind the hide and in the orchard at Greenlease Farm, whilst three Wheatears were along the spit, a Whitethroat and four Willow Warblers were along the Severals and at least one more of the latter was behind the hide. Also, up to 20 Swallows, Sand Martins and House Martins were feeding over the harbour and the hedges. (AB/DB/MB/AH/S&SaH/IP/A&YF/HB et al)
Friday, 21st August: A very windy morning, increasing to a gale-force south-westerly, though dry and warm in the breaks in the cloud.... (0600-0830hrs) (WSW, F5-6)
Gannet - 4E, 28W
Common Scoter - 2W
Kittiwake - 1E, 1W
Sandwich Tern - 6E, 12W
Black Tern - 1W
Siskin - 2W
Gannet at the Bill (AH)
A tight flock of 17 Lesser Black-backed Gulls going west was certainly unusual at the Bill, but it was otherwise quiet. (SH/SR)(1700-1815hrs)
Gannet - 1E, 2W
Turnstone - 1
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 17W
Sandwich Tern - 6W
House Martin - 1
Later, five Sanderling went west. (AW)
Sanderling at the Bill (AW)
Ferry Pool: The only waders present were three Common Sandpipers and a dozen or so Black-tailed Godwits and Lapwing, though there were still in excess of 100 Teal and four Shelducks abou, too.
A flock of six Cattle Egrets dropped in on Ferry field, but didn't stay long, but the Tramway circuit was very quiet, with a Whimbrel in the main channel, a Kingfisher briefly in Red Barn Ditch and two or three Whitethroats in the bushes being about it. (AH/PJ/GJ)
A Green Sandpiper was present, too, this afternoon. (AB)
Cattle Egrets (above) & Common Sandpiper at the Ferry (AH)
Park Farm, Selsey: There were just a House Martin and two Swallows present this morning. (S&SaH/IP)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to the Stilt Pool - This morning a Peregrine, a Raven, three Whinchats, two Stonechats and a Yellowhammer were along the banks, while on the Stilt Pool itself were nine Egyptian Geese, four Shovelers and three Common Sandpipers.(PJ/GJ)
Later, at high tide, four Common Sandpipers were roosting near the poplars, with three Greenshank, two Whimbrels, 40+ Black-tailed Godwits and 50+ Redshanks, whilst two Pintail flew out from the tidal area.
Also, 30+ Swallows went over that area, but seven Egyptian Geese were the only birds of note on the Silt Pool. (S&SaH)
North Wall: White's Creek held three Greenshanks and, briefly, a Common Sandpiper, as well as a Great Crested Grebe this morning while along the Wall there were three Wheatears.
Thirty Cattle Egrets were grouped near Owl Point where there was also a Whinchat, 41 Curlew, 18 Black-tailed Godwits, a Kestrel and a flock of at least 300 Starlings while nearer Halsey's farm about 30 Swallows fed near some cattle. (IH/SP)
Later, a Crossbill flew over Owl Point, calling as it went west. (BI)
Also, two Curlew Sandpipers - a moulting adult and a juvenile - were in White's Creek. (DB/MB)
Pagham Spit: No birds news, but the big tide has finally breached the beach by the Little Lagoon along the spit. It will be interesting to see what happens next! (TG-P)
The breached beach at Little Lagoon (TG-P)
Church Norton: A Honey-buzzard went over west this morning and then back east early this afternoon.
There were at least two adult and three juvenile Little Terns in the harbour, where there were also three Sandwich Terns, three Mediterranean Gulls, a Greenshank, at least two Whimbrel, half a dozen Grey Plovers and plenty of Dunlin and Ringed Plovers, whilst a Kingfisher was neat the horse field..
Spotted Flycatchers were behind the hide and in the orchard at Greenlease Farm, whilst three Wheatears were along the spit, a Whitethroat and four Willow Warblers were along the Severals and at least one more of the latter was behind the hide. Also, up to 20 Swallows, Sand Martins and House Martins were feeding over the harbour and the hedges. (AB/DB/MB/AH/S&SaH/IP/A&YF/HB et al)
Honey-buzzard (AB, top two & AH, lower), Little Terns, Sandwich Tern, Spotted Flycatcher, Greenshank, Whimbrel & Mediterranean Gulls (AH) at Church Norton
This afternoon an adult and three juvenile Knot were in the harbour. (AB)
This evening, an adult and two juvenile Little Terns, three Sandwich Terns and six Mediterranean Gulls were among the birds roosting by the concrete slabs in the harbour, and there were also three Common Sandpipers and two Whimbrel nearby, along with lots of Turnstones, Ringed Plovers and Dunlin.
This evening, an adult and two juvenile Little Terns, three Sandwich Terns and six Mediterranean Gulls were among the birds roosting by the concrete slabs in the harbour, and there were also three Common Sandpipers and two Whimbrel nearby, along with lots of Turnstones, Ringed Plovers and Dunlin.
Two Wheatears and a dozen Linnets were also in the vicinity, whilst the mixed flock of c100 hirundines was again feeding over the hedges. (AH)
Little Terns (above), Sand Martin, House Martin, Wheatear & Common Sandpipers and Redshank at Church Norton (AH)
Selsey Bill: Two Balearic Shearwaters (at 0725 and 0843hrs) and a Manx Shearwater went west this morning, along with two Fulmars, a Common Tern and plenty of Gannets, whilst two Common Sandpipers dropped in briefly before moving off west. Full log below..... (BI/JA/MO-W/AH/OM/IP/SR/RP)
(0600-1130hrs): (wind SSW-SW 7)
Fulmar - 2W
Gannet - 30E, 143W
Manx Shearwater - 1W
Balearic Shearwater - 2W
Common Scoter - 2E, 9W
Common Sandpiper - 2ob, off W
Turnstone - 10 ob, off W
Oystercatcher - 2W
Common Tern - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 2E, 6W
Kittiwake - 8W
Swift - 2
Swallow - 2W
(1615-1800hrs) (SH/JA)
Gannet - 3E
Turnstone - 1
Sandwich Tern - 6W]
Ferry Pool: After the rain this week, the water level is very high again, and a single Common Sandpiper was the only wader present, though the Teal seem to like it, with c120, plus four Shelducks, present. (AH)
This afternoon there were three juvenile Curlew Sandpipers among the roosting Lapwings and Black-tailed Godwits on the pool. (AW/AH)
North Wall: This evening a Wheatear was along the wall and 22 Cattle Egrets were among the cattle at Halsey's Farm. (SP)
Church Norton: A Common Sandpiper, a Greenshank, a Grey Plover and five Whimbrel were the only waders of note, though there were a few Ringed Plovers, Dunlin, Redshank and Curlew about, too, whilst five Sandwich Terns and a Lesser Black-backed Gull were also in the harbour.
Passerine activity was non-existent in the strong wind, save c20 Sand Martins and c40 Swallows feeding over the harbour and a couple of Whitethroats in the hedges, whilst a Sparrowhawk went over the churchyard. (AH/AW)
This evening an adult and a juvenile Little Tern were in the harbour and c100 hirundines - including roughly equal numbers of Swallows, Sand and House Martins - were feeding over the hedges. (AW/AH)
Thursday, 20th August: A return to bright and breezy conditions this morning, with plenty of warm sun and white cloud moving through quickly on the brisk south-westerly......(0600-1130hrs): (wind SSW-SW 7)
Fulmar - 2W
Gannet - 30E, 143W
Manx Shearwater - 1W
Balearic Shearwater - 2W
Common Scoter - 2E, 9W
Common Sandpiper - 2ob, off W
Turnstone - 10 ob, off W
Oystercatcher - 2W
Common Tern - 1W
Sandwich Tern - 2E, 6W
Kittiwake - 8W
Swift - 2
Swallow - 2W
Common Sandpipers (above), Sandwich Tern & Gannets at the Bill (AH)
A bit of a turn-out of socially-distanced observers this morning! (OM)
(1615-1800hrs) (SH/JA)
Gannet - 3E
Turnstone - 1
Sandwich Tern - 6W]
This afternoon there were three juvenile Curlew Sandpipers among the roosting Lapwings and Black-tailed Godwits on the pool. (AW/AH)
Curlew Sandpipers and Lapwing on the Ferry (top two AW & lower AH)
Church Norton: A Common Sandpiper, a Greenshank, a Grey Plover and five Whimbrel were the only waders of note, though there were a few Ringed Plovers, Dunlin, Redshank and Curlew about, too, whilst five Sandwich Terns and a Lesser Black-backed Gull were also in the harbour.
Passerine activity was non-existent in the strong wind, save c20 Sand Martins and c40 Swallows feeding over the harbour and a couple of Whitethroats in the hedges, whilst a Sparrowhawk went over the churchyard. (AH/AW)
Grey Plover (above), Common Sandpiper, Ringed Plover, Lesser Black-backed Gull (AW), Greenshank, Sandwich Terns & Whimbrel (AH) at Church Norton
House Martin (above), Sand Martin & Ringed Plovers at Church Norton (AH)
Editorial: As regulars will be aware, we gratefully receive quite a number of bird reports daily from a number of observers and do our level best to get the news out as promptly as possible. Additionally, the WhatsApp system is used by many of us to put out immediate Peninsula news, usually of scarcer birds or interesting sightings, etc. Thereafter we disseminate such reports to add to the blog, sometimes until quite late in the evening(!) and after a long day in the field, followed by some long hours on the computer, news received after about 9.30pm or even later can be quite a challenge.
Now please don't think we are complaining (as if!) - BUT - could we please ask you all to try and make your Editors' lives just a bit easier, helping us to help you, so to speak......so just a few points / reminders that would greatly help:-
1. It is far easier for us if you use an email copy of your message, rather than text/WhatsApp, so wherever possible could you email your non-urgent news to both of us, at the email addresses on the title page.
2. Where possible please try to use capitals at the start of Bird names; for example Black-tailed Godwit (not Black Tailed or black tailed god as we then have to re-write and correct which takes time)....our hope is always that we can cut-and-paste your report direct without a list of corrections, but despite this plea, we daresay some of you will ignore it!
3. Text/WhatsApp is great for directly informing everyone about a scarce/interesting sighting, but please don't then add a whole list of general sightings as well; rather put that on an email as above - this prevents the info from getting overlooked. We do bear in mind that one person's scarcity may be another person's common bird, so a little understanding and common sense is used, it's the full reports that slow us down.
If possible a give and take 9pm cut-off for news inputs would be appreciated - though of course there will be exceptions (rarity news being one) and during high summer this is extended somewhat anyway.
That's enough for now, so wipe away your tears and do keep on sending those reports, but any help as above would be appreciated. (Eds)
Selsey Bill: A total of 19 Sandwich Terns were feeding offshore this morning, with a Sanderling, a couple of Willow Warblers and a Wheatear also present, whilst there were still three active House Martin nests on the Broadreeds estate. Full log below.....
(0615-0830hrs): (wind SW4) (MO-W/OM/RP/AH/SR)
Gannet - 3E, 2W
Turnstone - 26W
Sanderling - 1 ob, off W
Sandwich Tern - 19 os
Wheatear - 1
Willow Warbler - 2
House Martin - 3 active nests
Wheatear (SR) (above), Sanderling & Gannet (AH) at the Bill
Selsey, Northcommon Farm: Quiet today; my circuit produced just two Goldcrests, three Willow Warblers, two Whitethroats, eight Swallows, four House Martins and a couple of Green Woodpeckers. (OM)
Ferry Pool: A Wood Sandpiper popped up again this morning on the pool, along with a Green Sandpiper and four Common Sandpipers, whilst there were also a dozen Lapwing, seven Shelducks and c80 Teal present, plus a Whincxhat at the back.
Two Kingfishers were in the channel opposite, too, along with a Whimbrel and a Black-tailed Godwit. (AH/OM/MO-W/NR/AW/PJ)
Later, a Marsh Harrier was in the field south of the Ferry this evening. (SH)
Later, a Marsh Harrier was in the field south of the Ferry this evening. (SH)
Wood Sandpiper (above) & Wood Sandpiper and Common Sandpiper at the Ferry (AH)
North Wall: The Breech Pool was full of water and birdless, save a Wigeon and a few Mallard, this morning, though White's Creek held a Kingfisher, two Greenshank, two Spotted Redshank, a Common sandpiper, a Bar-tailed Godwit, a few Black-tailed Godwits and c50 Redshanks, plus a couple of Whimbrel, with a couple more out in the harbour.
The fields between Halsey's Farm and Owl Point held at least four Whinchats and ten Wheatears (with one of each seen from along the wall, too), along with a dozen Swallows, 12 Black-tailed Godwits and a couple of Whimbrel and a few Curlews, whilst at least 30 Cattle Egrets were spread between the fields, hedges and harbour.
A few Whitethroats were along the wall, along with the odd Sedge Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat, a couple of Cetti's Warblers calling and a big roaming flock of Long-tailed, Blue and Great Tits. also, a Common Darter was at Halsey's Farm. (IH/AH/TG/TH/KJ/PJ et al)
Wheatear (above), Whinchat and Wheatears, Greenshank, Spotted Redshank, Cattle Egrets & Common Darter around the North Wall (AH)
Chi GPs - Drayton House pits: There were 14 eclipse Shoveler on the North pit this morning, but perhaps the biggest surprise was a female Pochard with a single tiny duckling....a very late brood (which seems to be the norm at this pit!) and so the fourth confirmed breeding pair here this year. Other than that it was standard fare, including over 40 non-breeding Pochard and 80+ Tufted, 20 Gadwall and several pairs of breeding Great Crested Grebes. (OM)
Shovelers and tiny Pochard duckling at Drayton House pits (OM)
Ivy Lake: Having strayed across the border this afternoon I did catch up with the Lesser Emperor dragonfly, at least one possibly more, cruising Ivy lake. Also a minimum of 2 Pochard also present. (PG)
Medmerry: Ham Farm - This evening three Wheatears were along the fences and two or three Reed Warblers and c20 Whitethroats were along the banks and pools, along with half a dozen Yellowhammers, whilst c30 Swallows were overhead and on the wires and a Peregrine flew through the reserve.. (AH)
Wheatears (above), Reed Warbler, Whitethroat & Swallows at Medmerry (AH)
Medmerry: Easton Lane to Stilt pools - This morning there were 3 Wheatears on the rocks opposite the pool whilst a mixed flock of c.50 Linnets and some Yellowhammers were very mobile about 600m from the car park on the field to the left, walking towards the beach. (MHu)
This evening, along the Banks were 4 Reed Buntings, 4 Yellowhammers, 2 Corn Buntings, 2 Stonechats, 5 Whinchats, 4 Wheatears, a Whitethroat, a Yellow Wagtail and a Cetti's Warbler, with 39 Swallows and 8 Sand Martins present. Amongst the many Canada Geese on the Stilt pool were 9 Egyptian Geese, a Common sandpiper and a juvenile Ringed Plover. (SH)
Yellowhammer and Wheatear at Medmerry (MHu)
This evening, along the Banks were 4 Reed Buntings, 4 Yellowhammers, 2 Corn Buntings, 2 Stonechats, 5 Whinchats, 4 Wheatears, a Whitethroat, a Yellow Wagtail and a Cetti's Warbler, with 39 Swallows and 8 Sand Martins present. Amongst the many Canada Geese on the Stilt pool were 9 Egyptian Geese, a Common sandpiper and a juvenile Ringed Plover. (SH)
Whinchat, Egyptian Geese and Wheatear at Medmerry (SH)
Lesser Black-backed Gull at Donnington (MO-W)
No comments:
Post a Comment